tubeless conversion

[otrobert]

How do I/ Can I convert my Giant 29er wheels to tubeless? I think I read somewhere that they are tubeless ready. Will the kenda karma tires work with the conversion? How much, etc. ? Any info appreciated.
Rob

[Endo]

are your wheels tubeless? if not, you will likely need a tubless system - like stan's. i recall the cost being 50 to 75 bucks. i used the kenda karma's with stans before and it worked w/no problems.

[spookyload]

Note that Kenda specifically says not to use Stans in their tires. In many cases it has led to premature failure of the sidewall through bubbling and blistering of the sidewall. They even include it in the packaging of some tires.

[NoName2]

I have Kendra Small Block 8's and they work fine just a pain in the ass if you have to put more Stans in them.

[egordon]

Rob, If your tires are tubless ready it will say on the side of the tire... Check Giants website to find out if your rims are.. You can also look inside the rim and see if they have what looks like a ledge around both sides of the inside of the rim for the tire to jump up and seat on..

[Endo]

I've seen Kenda's fail (bubbles) with Slime.

[spookyload]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3498/3886980671_d81c4585ab.jpg

[otrobert]

wow. thats gross

[G-DUB33]

I know its not a Gaint. But I went tubeless on my HIFI 29ner and love it.. Just a little Stans..

[losdog]

eric and I are experimenting with my XTC 29er front wheel (stock) with an Aspen tire. it is still leaking (around the valve stem I think) but I will fill it up again and ride it around the street/yard to agitate it some more and see what happens with the stan's sealant.

[G-DUB33]

Good luck. Are you guys using the stock vavle stem. My has a tubeless valve stem in them.

[losdog]

it is still not holding air so I have a leak somewhere and I think it is the valve stem. Eric told me to bring it back in and he will try something else with this grand experiment. I belleve he put in a tubeless valve stem in it.

[G-DUB33]

This is my first bike with tubeless. It was easy but my stock wheels and tries are tubeless ready. I have only rode this bike tubeless but the air pressure seems low. 25 psi seems right 30 and above seems to high (hard tires). Anyway I guess what I'm trying to say just seems way different than with tubes.

[SpinnerTim]

it is still not holding air so I have a leak somewhere and I think it is the valve stem. Eric told me to bring it back in and he will try something else with this grand experiment. I belleve he put in a tubeless valve stem in it.

Hi Los, got a few...

Questions:

1. When you say, "not holding air," do you mean a slow, overnight type of leak, or a serious bleed that manifests over a single ride?

The first might be inevitable with a really thin Aspen (see#5, below), and it's just "one of those things" that comes with the territory, like the way my latex road tubes lose 3-4 psi overnight. Nature of the beast type stuff, otherwise...

2. What kind of sealant are you using? Some are better than others, and you have a few options that you may not have tried.

3. If you suspect a leak at the valve stem, have you inflated to max rated psi and submerged the stem area in your bathtub? A significant leak should bubble a bit and give you the answer.

4. Are you using tape and a tubeless valve or a tubeless rim strip with an integrated valve? The rim strip will fix the problem if valve leakage is the issue.

5. Not a question, but a thought. All tires, even of the same model, are not created equal. I have two tires that differ in weight by almost an ounce despite being of the same model, size, compound, and mold. All Aspens have thin sidewalls, and some have exceptionally thin sidewalls due to the variation that I mentioned. There are plenty of reports of Aspens simply bleeding air through the intact sidewalls when run tubeless.
Schwalbes used to do the same thing before they released tubeless-ready versions this year.

-"Spinner"Tim

[losdog]

Hi Los, got a few...

Questions:

1. When you say, "not holding air," do you mean a slow, overnight type of leak, or a serious bleed that manifests over a single ride? Overnight type of leakThe first might be inevitable with a really thin Aspen (see#5, below), and it's just "one of those things" that comes with the territory, like the way my latex road tubes lose 3-4 psi overnight. Nature of the beast type stuff, otherwise...

2. What kind of sealant are you using? Some are better than others, and you have a few options that you may not have tried. Stans sealant
3. If you suspect a leak at the valve stem, have you inflated to max rated psi and submerged the stem area in your bathtub? A significant leak should bubble a bit and give you the answer. no, but I will try that tonight
4. Are you using tape and a tubeless valve or a tubeless rim strip with an integrated valve? The rim strip will fix the problem if valve leakage is the issue. Not sure. Eric at TS installed it. I will have to ask
5. Not a question, but a thought. All tires, even of the same model, are not created equal. I have two tires that differ in weight by almost an ounce despite being of the same model, size, compound, and mold. All Aspens have thin sidewalls, and some have exceptionally thin sidewalls due to the variation that I mentioned. There are plenty of reports of Aspens simply bleeding air through the intact sidewalls when run tubeless.
Schwalbes used to do the same thing before they released tubeless-ready versions this year.

-"Spinner"Tim

see above in red for answers

[SpinnerTim]

Did you manage to ID the leak? Just curious, because a rim strip would the cure if it's the valve.

Otherwise, you might want to try running 30 ml more Stans to better coat the interior of the casing, or try one of the Maxxis tires with an EXO reinforced sidewall option. These don't have to be tubeless ready, because the EXO alone thickens the sidewall sufficiently to allow a good air barrier.

The Ikon model with EXO is weight competitive with the Aspen, rolls just as fast, and actually offers a more aggressive knob pattern. It's a newer model than the Aspen, so most shops don't have stock yet, but they can be ordered.

-"Spinner" Tim

[losdog]

not yet. concentrating on this saturday's race but will get back on it sunday.