Tubless Fatbike

[BD83]

OK - getting ready to go tubless - please post your pointers here (tape to use, little tricks to set the bead, etc.)

[SugarShane]

The only part that was tricky on mine, was making sure that I had something tight, (like a ratchet strap, or a rope) around the tire before inflating it with air! Not to tight, but tight enough. Also make sure that when you use gorilla tape to tape in your strip, make sure it's tight and even. I have heard that some are easier than others! Good luck and you're gonna love it.

[SweetSVT99]

Use a tube to seat the beads. When you let the air out, pay attention to which way the tire is leaning and break the bead on the side that seems to be leaning towards the edge of the rim the most to remove the tube. Doing it this way has made it so I haven't needed a strap to seat the bead the final time.

[jimithng23]

Use a tube to seat the beads. When you let the air out, pay attention to which way the tire is leaning and break the bead on the side that seems to be leaning towards the edge of the rim the most to remove the tube. Doing it this way has made it so I haven't needed a strap to seat the bead the final time.

I did this, had no problems seating the bead.

Surprisingly, converting my fat bike to tubeless was easier than the first time I converted a "regular" mtb wheel set.

1. remove tubes and rim tape

2. wrap gorilla tape around the center channel of the rim, followed by a strip on each side right up to the bead socket

3. poke a hole for the valve stem

4. re-install tubes, set both beads

5. remove tubes, unseating only one bead

6. install Stan's or other tubeless compatible valve stem

7. 4 scoops of Stan's

8. inflate tire, hopefully setting the bead

9. do the Stan's shake

10. drink beer, pound chest, and proclaim "I am man!"

What I should have been more prepared for was being sprayed in the face by the Stan's blowing out of all the pin holes and slashes in my rear tire's sidewall...there's an adult movie reference in there, I'm sure Dirt will find it.

[BD83]

I doubled up on the tape (on the theory of do as Fatty would do).

[mtnbkn1]

Is there a way to seat these without a tube and without foam in the rim channel? Trying to get some tires on this weekend but don't have tubes yet. Kind of out of my element here...

[jJohnson]

You can use 2.5" tubes if you have those available.

[mtnbkn1]

Unfortunately not in presta. Looks like I'm waiting till speedee shows up with my junk on Monday.

[SweetSVT99]

Unfortunately not in presta. Looks like I'm waiting till speedee shows up with my junk on Monday.

I have a tube you can use. Otherwise, you can possibly get them to seat by using a ratchet strap around the tire and a really good air compressor.

[mtnbkn1]

just not as easy as it seems. I know a few people who can attest to this. It IS possible though.

[jJohnson]

I did mine yesterday. Seem to be holding fine, no visible leaking (anymore) and I can't hear anything... buuuuuuuuuut the rear was flat this morning when I came in.

Once I got the tape right it was smooth sailing. I also ran out of Stan's and had to resort to a little bit of Caffeelatex in the rear.

[AG]

just not as easy as it seems. I know a few people who can attest to this. It IS possible though.

I didn't have any problems setting up either of mine.

[jimithng23]

Schnaff's were NASTY tough...but we got 'em.

My 27tpi Nate's + Darryls hooked up without any trouble whatsoever.

I did find a flat rear tire the day after...just burped some more air in there and it's held great ever since.

I don't anticipate any issues setting Dirt's Bud/Nate combo up tomorrow night at all...

I think the issue with Schnaff's was the extremely supple 120 casing of the Nate combined with the narrower (relatively speaking) Marge Lite rim. Once we added a strip or two of foam--BOOM. Done.

[Rage]

I finally got mine done (Husker Du rear, Larry front on Surly Rolling Darryls), but it was about as much fun as a root canal. In the end, the tube and ratchet straps didn't work for me. Instead it took two people wrestling the tire and compressor to finally get it seated. Both tires are still leaking pretty steadily from the bead I seated last, hoping that after a few rides they'll settle down. As a guy who rarely had any issues with tubes, I'm still waiting to be convinced it was all worth it.

Rg.

[mtnbkn1]

I think that what sucks the worst about it all is that for the most part, we're all using some form of ghetto tubeless. Most of the current rims aren't airtight. Current tire beads aren't really designed to be run tubeless. There is no rimstrip available like bontrager's tubeless ready strip or something similar. We're also dealing with tires from Innova, not exactly the best at quality control. Some beads are loose, some tighter. It all feels like taking several steps back, especially coming from now near perfect tubeless setups on most current mountain wheels.

[SweetSVT99]

I think that what sucks the worst about it all is that for the most part, we're all using some form of ghetto tubeless. Most of the current rims aren't airtight. Current tire beads aren't really designed to be run tubeless. There is no rimstrip available like bontrager's tubeless ready strip or something similar. We're also dealing with tires from Innova, not exactly the best at quality control. Some beads are loose, some tighter. It all feels like taking several steps back, especially coming from now near perfect tubeless setups on most current mountain wheels.

I 100% wholeheartedly agree with 99.9% of this. However, after the last stomp we did where everyone running tubes flatted at least once (correct me if I'm wrong?), one flatted a total of 5 times, and yet not one single flat on a tubeless (I was close because I chose to be a dummy and remove a thorn): I'm not going back, despite the trouble.

I can't wait for tubeless setup to get better, I too am spoiled by Bontrager's awesome tubeless design (all our MTBs are Bontrager tubeless).

(I know I didn't have to preach how awesome tubeless is, I just wanted to show my trophies):



By the way: Next day I removed them and it sealed up fairly quickly.

[jJohnson]

I 100% wholeheartedly agree with 99.9% of this. However, after the last stomp we did where everyone running tubes flatted at least once (correct me if I'm wrong?), one flatted a total of 5 times, and yet not one single flat on a tubeless (I was close because I chose to be a dummy and remove a thorn): I'm not going back, despite the trouble.

I can't wait for tubeless setup to get better, I too am spoiled by Bontrager's awesome tubeless design (all our MTBs are Bontrager tubeless).

(I know I didn't have to preach how awesome tubeless is, I just wanted to show my trophies):



By the way: Next day I removed them and it sealed up fairly quickly.

Brandon was the only one that rand tubes and didn't flat on Sunday. You know... the guy that double flatted twice two days before.

[AG]

120 tpi bud and Lou on clown shoes on the moonie
27 tpi Nates on rolling Darrels
Must be the rout to take. Rears went flat the first night after that held air. Duck tape for color through the holes and gorilla tape was all I used. More than willing to try other set ups. Let me know. Interesting to see what others are trying.

[jJohnson]

FWIW, I have 27tpi Larry/Nate on some slightly dented Holy Rolling Darryls. Surly orange rim strips and Gorilla Tape. About 160mL of Stan's in the front, 100mL of Stan's and 60mL of Cafeelatex in the rear. They're holding at 8psi now.

[mtnbkn1]

Ghetto tubeless wins over tubes on almost any day. That being said, I can't wait for it to be a better system.

[jimithng23]

FWIW, I have 27tpi Larry/Nate on some slightly dented Holy Rolling Darryls. Surly orange rim strips and Gorilla Tape. About 160mL of Stan's in the front, 100mL of Stan's and 60mL of Cafeelatex in the rear. They're holding at 8psi now.

Cafeelatex is worth nothing more than a punch in the balls. Get a puncture and let that stuff start spraying around--and it will because it doesn't seal worth a crap--and you'll never be able to remove it from your frame. My MCR is covered with that crap. And that's all it is--CRAP. Dump it out and put in more Stan's. You'll be happy you did, before you get a puncture.

/thread hijack.

Sunday's stomp at Salusbury Rec Area solidified my faith in tubeless as well.

[jJohnson]

Cafeelatex is worth nothing more than a punch in the balls. Get a puncture and let that stuff start spraying around--and it will because it doesn't seal worth a crap--and you'll never be able to remove it from your frame. My MCR is covered with that crap. And that's all it is--CRAP. Dump it out and put in more Stan's. You'll be happy you did, before you get a puncture.

/thread hijack.

Sunday's stomp at Salusbury Rec Area solidified my faith in tubeless as well.

I have more Stan's coming tomorrow. Came into the shop again this morning to two flats. I have a slow, slow leak somewhere.

[dru_b]

used vinyl marine fabric for rim strip and gorilla tape. stock marge lite wheels and 27tpi nates. used tubes to seat beads and second side was as easy as as pie to seat after filling with stans. held right away hut my tires were brand new.

[speedjunkie]

When putting tape over the center holes do you do it sticky side down so all the holes have the sticky side showing on the outside or do you flip that strip over so nothing is sticky on outside of the wheel?

[Vittetoe761]

Flip it so sticky side is on the inside.