Care and Feeding of Tubeless Tires
Welcome to the exciting new world of tubeless!!
Adding sealant: You’ll need to add more sealant to your tires every 2 months or so (put a reminder in your phone!), 1 oz. per tire is a good start for refilling. Be sure to shake up the sealant real good so that the particulates get dispersed throughout the sealant. You’ll need to remove the valve-core of your tubeless valves in order to squirt in more sealant (be sure that your valve is NOT in the 6 o’clock position or it’ll clog or goop out a bunch). We sell the stuff to do this, and it’s also a service that we can provide.
Still bring a tube with you on rides, just in case (be sure to check for anything in your tire that could puncture a tube before installing tho).
Pressure! Please note that tire pressure plays a large role in tubeless tires sealing up, if you have your tires pumped up rock-hard, the sealant isn’t going to be able to clot up and seal punctures. Your tires should have some squishiness to them so that they can absorb bumps and keep you comfy and fast. Think of how a ripe avocado feels when ya squeeze it, that's a good start to understanding how hard/soft your tires should be for optimal usage. Optimal pressure depends on tire size, but generally you’ll want to be in the range of 20-40 psi.
Annual maintenance: You’ll probably need to replace/clean your valve cores once a year or so, they tend to clot up over time. We also sell some fancy valves that don’t clog.
Punctures: If you get a puncture that doesn’t seal up after a few rotations, stop your bike, rotate your tire so that sealant can pool up where the puncture is and let it do its thing. Sometimes letting the puncture sit in dirt or sand can help with the sealing process. Eat a snack, admire your surroundings, give it time. Remember, lower tire pressure is your friend and will help prevent punctures as well as help punctures seal.
BIG punctures/cuts: If the cut is too big, there are tubeless plug/repair kits we sell in order for you to fix your puncture and keep on riding.
Monitor tire pressure! All tires slowly lose a bit of air over time, and tubeless tires can come unseated if neglected for months. So be sure to add air about twice a month. When airing up your tires, be sure that the valve is NOT at the 6 O’clock position. The bottom of the tire is where all the sealant pools up in your tire and can spray out the valve, gumming up both the valve AND yer pump! Rotate your wheel so the valve isn’t at 6 O’clock and you’ll be good!
Tools to keep on hand: valve core removal tool, tubeless plugger (we like the Dynaplug Racer), sealant, inflation device (pump or CO2 cartridge + inflator).
Please let us know if ya have any questions, enjoy more riding and less flats!!!
Tubeless tools