Tubeless tyre repair

[peter]

As I am on the lookout for a new bike (potentially), I have noticed that some bikes come with tubeless rims and tyres. It got me thinking if there is no tube to repair/replace then how do you fix it?

Then I googled and found the following steps: https://www.livestrong.com/article/1913 ... bike-tire/

Is this for real?! Especially step 7 & 12, about collecting/pouring the sealant. Sounds like a big mess, can you just put a tube inside tubeless tyres?

[brokenbus]

Yes you can add a tube. You will have to remove the sealant. Unless you are really hard on your tyres, it wont happen often.
You can get a plug kit such as this one https://www.mountainbikesdirect.com.au/ ... gKYLPD_BwE and keep your sealant but you may struggle to reinflate the tyre with a mini pump. Would probably be worth carrying a CO2 canister to pump the tyre

[peter]

Wow! I thought only converted tubeless needs to mess with sealent. Interesting to know that purposely designed and built tubeless is no different.

[RonK]

Wow! I thought only converted tubeless needs to mess with sealent. Interesting to know that purposely designed and built tubeless is no different.

Really? What did you imagine would prevent the air from escaping when a tubeless tyre is punctured?

[peter]

One of the steps is to drain and collect the sealent, that suggests sealent was already in the tyre before repair, but why? Can’t they design tubeless rims to seal without using sealent, like car tyres?

[RonK]

One of the steps is to drain and collect the sealent, that suggests sealent was already in the tyre before repair, but why? Can’t they design tubeless rims to seal without using sealent, like car tyres?

You are confusing sealing the tyre to the rim with sealing punctures. Bike tyres are thin walled and easily punctured. Sure, the sealant helps seal the tyre to the rim and also seals porous tyre casings but the main reason for having it is to seal punctures. The tubeless tyre/rim combination I'm using holds air quite well without adding any sealant.

Car tyres are not self-sealing. If a car tyre is punctured the air escapes and the tyre goes flat.

[peter]

Thanks for the explanation. Say if I get a tubeless equiped bike, what tools do I need to bring to be able to fix a puncture during a commute?

[RonK]

Thanks for the explanation. Say if I get a tubeless equiped bike, what tools do I need to bring to be able to fix a puncture during a commute?

The point of having a tubeless equipped bike is for punctures to be self-sealing so as not to get flats.

Of course there will sometimes be puncture holes bigger than sealant can seal, so you will have to carry a spare tube and the usual tools to fit it - pump or co2 inflator, tyre levers, cleaning cloth, plug kit for larger holes, perhaps a tyre boot for really big cuts.

If it came down to making a roadside repair with a tube you would just tip the sealant out.

I have a Dynaplug kit in my toolbag for holes too big for sealant to heal. I'm yet to use it. There are cheaper kits but this one is very compact.

[Mububban]

As I am on the lookout for a new bike (potentially), I have noticed that some bikes come with tubeless rims and tyres. It got me thinking if there is no tube to repair/replace then how do you fix it?

I'm in the same boat, was looking at 2018 Giant bikes that come stock with tubeless and sealant.

The Giant Youtube channel has some videos on repair options. Basically, 1) install a tube, 2) plug it with one of those "bacon strip" plugs, and 3) glue a rubber patch on the OUTSIDE of the tyre for large gashes

Orange brand sealant seems to get the best reviews.

https://www.youtube.com/user/RideGiantB ... y=tubeless

[Duck!]

The reasoning behind the external patches (which are quite thin) is that you don't have to gart around reseating the tyre, and that if the tyre is that badly cut that it needs a patch, the casing is compromised and the tyre should be replaced sooner rather than later. The patch is just to get you home and not intended as a long-term fix.