Sealant
We are getting closer to the time when the lifts stop spinning and the trails eventually dry out. One of the best things about riding your bike is you’re riding on air. Yes, even more if you have air springs on your bike, but less if you run an insert. When is the best time to refresh your sealant? I would recommend a little more than 48 hours before your first ride of the season. If you maintain your system, a good tubeless set up can go a whole riding season without flats. The more you ride, the more attention your system will need.
Is your sealant good? Air up your tires to a little more than you would while your ride and check for tire/rim damage. Finding damage at home is better than finding it on the trail. If your tires don’t hold air overnight, it is time to dive in and take a look.
With today’s wide selection of products, many things can happen to a tubeless setup. If a tire had been changed on a rim the tape may have moved. Sealant is always trying to seal holes in your system, so if you see sealant by your spokes, or valve either the valve seal or tape may need attention.
Here’s where my opinions on sealant become apparent. Ideally if you are doing professional repair, you clean the bike as thoroughly as possible. Many sealants make this impossible. There will be a sticky residue on the rim, the tire, the tape, and most likely you when you take the tire off. These non cleanable compounds do not deliver the performance of Orange Seals sealant. In the world of mountain biking, they have a superior product that provides an excellent solution to the sloppy mess that tubeless systems can be.
In 2013 when I went back into bike mechanics in earnest, tubeless was less standardized, many companies were trying to figure it out. So was I. After a few installations with a variety of systems I was frustrated with the quality and consistency across brands of sealant, tape, rims, tires, and valves. It was not fun having sealant go where you didn’t want it. It is still not fun.
To find a solution I purchased a variety of sealants, tapes, valves, rims, and tires and experimented. With a lot of products consistently things have improved. The one that remains the most reliable is Orange Seals. The clean up on their traditional sealant is the best in the industry. It is better for your tires, your mechanic, and you. There’s no point of getting on your soapbox and telling me another sealant is better, because they all end up a heavy goo on the outer circumference of the rolling mass of your wheels. Even when they’ve dried to worthless transparent jelly that no longer seals punctures and makes all other repairs of the tire impossible. Sure, dump more brand x in, because that makes your 100 dollar tire even slimier. And heavier.
Unless…you carry a needle and a thread and a tube in your kit.
The important take aways:
Check your tires/sealant at least 2 nights before you ride.
If you detect a problem, dig deep and discover the source.
We will help you get the best, most reliable tubeless set up. If you have any questions. Feel free to give us a call or stop by.