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New (to me) lightweight wheels for the gravel bike on the way after a moment of weakness on eBay last night. Until now I've never used tubeless so don't have the kit. Tyres are Gravelking SS 43s. The wheels have rim strips in place so I likely need:
Inflator
Valves
Sealant
a way to get the sealant into the tyre, syringe etc
a puncture repair kit of sorts, worms!
I know Stan's were the original, are they still best bang per buck? Similarly Airshot?
Cheers.
Sealant - Stanss regular. Used/tried all sorts since, and always go back to this. There will be people proclaiming all sorts of versions to be the best but the one thats always been decent and just works is Stans.
As for syringes etc - no need. Just pour it in before you pop the last 4 inches of tyre bead back onto the rim.
i would go with an airshot or similar system, it might work without, but it makes live so much easier.
agree with not needing syringes, but they might be useful if the tyre/rim combo is really tight for topping up?
I'd also say a pressure gauge - tubeless setups often lose a bit of pressure every week (much more than tubed, ime) - a gauge helps keep track of that
I insert sealant through the valve, just removing the core first. I have a wee Stans bottle with a spout of just the right size. A syringe would work just as well.
I just buy the cheapest valves I can find. They all work the same.
I do have an inflator pump thing but only really need it with the Fatbike. Otherwise a normal track pump works.
A plant sprayer type bottle with dilute washing up liquid can be useful in spotting leaks, and therefore knowing where the most shaking is required.
stans sealant +1 as it it just works and lasts for a good while, however i always put loads more in than the recommended amount
personally i would take out the existing rim strips and replace with stans tape, too may experiences of OEM rim strips making it a right bugger to re-fit tyres. s
These days a lot of mtb tyres will actually pump up just fine with only a track pump. Obviously you don't know until you try but saves buying an airshot if you're not in a hurry. I do have an airshot which is great for tricky tyres. Tend to need it far more with road wheels though.
I use Orange Seal, mainly cos that's what's in the LBS. Just pour it into the bottom of the tyre when it's 80% fitted. Syringes are just a pain to keep clean.
Main thing with valves is just make sure the rubber bit fits the shape of the rim. Conical shape is usually fine for a flat-ish rim bed. Sometimes rims have a recessed channel which can require a bit of valve matching.
I like Dynaplugs for repairs on the road.
Don’t spray washing up liquid on it to find leaks as it contains salt and is therefore corrosive. Use hand soap diluted.
Syringe very useful, just rinse out afterwards. Buy some spare cores as they always clog up (unless you use Reserve Fillmore valves which are trouble free and 10x the price of a standard one for the privilege). You can clean a clogged core but never entirely and sealant just builds up over time.
Echo the comments about Stans sealant, it just works, I slop it in just before I close the tyre, but syringe through the valve with the core removed is much cleaner. I use Stans valves as well, but I don't think there's much in it really. I've an Airshot. Yes you can use a track pump 99% of the time, but the Airshot takes the work out of it. (It's entirely not needed though)
New to you, but I'd add fresh tubeless rim tape to the list to be safe.
Pro trick: Tesa 4289 tape is literally the identical stuff that Stans etc. sell under their own brands, but you can buy from eBay for a fraction of the price in a decent range of widths. It takes a bit of a knack to apply (personally, I do mine in a wheel support so I can pull it tight), but it's never let me down.
For MTBs, I agree that generic valves are absolutely fine (and it's what I use). Take care with carbon road wheels, however - companies like Zipp have specific valves to fit their rim profiles, and they usually have a small nick in the lockring which ensures that any air that seeps into the rim void can escape. Without this, there's a chance that a dodgy tape job can result in your rims exploding when inflated!
Milkit was supposed to be the best stuff but my experience of stans is far more reliable
Cheers all, looks like a trip to Halfords, they have a Stans kit with tape, valves and gunk for £25 at the minute. I’ll wait until the wheels are here first so I can see what width tape they use.