[Closed] Cheaper alternatives to stans flow? wide, easily tubelessable without rimstrips

I've got some DT rims tubeless with just electrical tape (quite a bit of tape though) and an old valve. And some Mavic wheels with electrical tape + a strip of BMX innertube cut to about the same width as the rim* + old valve. Both work tubelessley with non UST maxxis and spesh 2bliss tyres. Can't see why just about nay rim shouldn't work like this, I've just got some Funn Xcelerator rims off CRC for £16 (the welded version, not the cheeper pinned ones) and intend to do the same with those once built up.

*if youre carefull 1 tube does 2 rims, one from the inside with the valve, one from the outside with any other spare valve as long as it's threaded.

Thanks, I have tried the old ghetto tubeless with non UST high rollers and some WTB tryes before, without much luck. I could get them up, usually, but they tended to burp air. After trying stans and 2bliss and being able to pump them up first time with a track pump I'm deffo sold on the rims which are designed for it. That said I wasn't using 2bliss tyres before, so that may have been the problem...

I'm not aware of any cheaper tubeless rims.

Decent kit costs.

£60 for some extruded aluminium? Seems a bit much to me.

Roger Musson's book has an interesting view on pinned/welded rims, ie that there is no difference once you have the spokes pulling the wheel together. Which is true.

I thought all Stans rims needed a rim strip?

The only rims that don't are proper UST one.

So Mavix UST 819's You won't get them for £30

I think the trick to gheto is to just use more electrical tape untill it works, I usualy keep adding it untill the tyre is almost airtight in the center of the rim, only burped once and that was with an 8 year old high roller that's probably slacker than a hooker when the navy's in town!

2bliss always seems to work though.

captaindanger - Member

£60 for some extruded aluminium? Seems a bit much to me.

And yet there is no cheaper option...

richmtb - Member
I thought all Stans rims needed a rim strip?

Stans own rims just need the yellow tape and a valve to run tubeless. The rubber rimstrip is for use with non-Stans rims.

In answer to the original question, I'm not aware of a cheaper option that does the same thing as Flows without some kind of ghetto faffing.

Roger Musson's book has an interesting view on pinned/welded rims, ie that there is no difference once you have the spokes pulling the wheel together. Which is true.

That's good then, as...

£60 for some extruded aluminium? Seems a bit much to me.

Stans are £60-£85, pinned and eyelet less! It's only their shape that makes them anying above what you'd find on a halfords BSO!

Stans own rims just need the yellow tape and a valve to run tubeless. The rubber rimstrip is for use with non-Stans rims.

Not quite correct (as No-tubes sell Flow specific rim strips).

Stans own rims can work with just yellow tape and a valve
Stans own rims with rim-stips are more secure with slacker tyres or non-tubless tyres.

stans are welded (would a pinned rim seal?)

I think the strength/weight makes them better than most rims, esp basic ones.

Agreed "in theory" someone might be able to knock them off cheaper, but no one does.

STATO - Member
Not quite correct (as No-tubes sell Flow specific rim strips).

True, though I've always wondered why they bothered; I've not had any trouble with just the yellow tape on Flows using various bog standard tyres.

stans are welded (would a pinned rim seal?)

I'll check later, but I think my alphas are pinned?

My en521's are pinned I think too and seal fine, the tape covers the joint anyway. Ditto the OEM alex rims on the pitch. I'll check that at home too.

check out pinkbike just now theyve got a how to ghetto tubeless using gaffer tape.

I dont know how you burped using bmx innertubes though as with sealant the innertubes on mine always stick to the tyre - so much so you can push the tyre away from the rim and no air is lost.(manual burp:-)

Superstar reckon these rims will do it
http://superstar.tibolts.co.uk/product_info.php?cPath=49&products_id=350
I haven't tried it though

wtb makes some tcs rims,got some of the older eyeletted ones for about 35eu
not as wide as flows,but build up nicely and work fine.dent a bit easily though.

True, though I've always wondered why they bothered; I've not had any trouble with just the yellow tape on Flows using various bog standard tyres.

Ive burped quite a few tyres using only tape. With the Flows on the DH bike i want the tyres to definatlety not burp, hence the rim strip, which proved useful recently when i put 4-5 rather large dings in the sidewall.