Setup

Tubeless setup

Converting a wheel to tubeless: tape the rim, fit a valve, mount the tyre with sealant and seat it with a burst of air. Forty-five minutes the first time, fifteen once you know it.

Also known as: tubeless conversion, going tubeless, how to set up tubeless

Key facts

Skill level
2/5
Time
45 min
How often
once per tyre; top up sealant every 2–6 months
Tools
tyre levers, tubeless booster or compressor, valve core tool, scissors, measuring cup
Parts
tubeless rim tape, tubeless valves, sealant, tubeless-ready tyre

Step by step

  1. Clean the rim of old tape and grease with alcohol.
  2. Tape it. Tubeless tape a little wider than the rim's inner width, pulled tight, two turns overlapping at the valve hole.
  3. Fit the valve through the tape and tighten the nut by hand.
  4. Mount the tyre on one side, then most of the second bead.
  5. Add sealant through the open section: roughly 60–120 ml, depending on tyre size. Or add it later through the valve with the core removed.
  6. Seat the beads. Remove the valve core and give the tyre a burst of air from a booster pump or compressor until both beads pop into place. Never go above the tyre's or rim's maximum pressure.
  7. Spread the sealant. Refit the core, inflate, then shake and spin the wheel in every direction so sealant coats the whole tyre.
  8. Set riding pressure and check again the next day.

If it will not seal

Soapy water on the beads helps them slide into place. Leaks at the valve usually mean the nut needs tightening; leaks all around the rim mean the tape is not sealed.

Related articles

  • Tubeless tyres — Tyres that seal directly to the rim with no inner tube, holding liquid sealant that plugs small punctures as you ride. Less weight, fewer flats and more grip at lower pressure.
  • Pre-ride check — Five minutes before every ride that catch most mechanicals before they happen: tyres, brakes, axles, bars and the drivetrain, checked in one pass around the bike.
  • Tyre pressure — The cheapest upgrade on any mountain bike. Too much air and the tyre skips and slides; too little and it squirms, burps and hits the rim. The right number depends on you, the tyre and the trail.