Nothing is less satisfying than having a wicked ride
interrupted by a pinch flat or matagouri puncture. The industry
spin promised that going tube-less would rid me of the majority
of my flats. At over $800 a pop, the piggy bank couldn't quite stretch
to a snazzy pair of Mavic UST (tubeless) wheels so I needed to explore
more frugal options.
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Stan's the Man
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I could install fat downhill tubes (at 500gms each - no thanks);
run higher tyre pressures (but with reduced riding comfort
and less traction); fit larger diameter tyres (I was there
already); or lay kevlar strips on the inside of my tyres (helpful
for intrusions but not pinch flats). All valid options but
hardly a complete answer.
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Mates had tried the el-cheapo tubeless option by sealing
their rims with $5 tape from the hardware shop and gluing
in the valve from a standard tube. But they still had to splash
out on latex sealant for around $60.
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'Stan's No-tubes' was
getting the big rave from the overseas magazines, so I thought
I'd give their complete kit a whirl. A quick e-mail to Stan's
mate Saul in Australia (notubes@bigpond.net.au)
and my credit card was A$139 lighter. A week later Ernie was
unwrapping the contraband - some nylon spoke tape, rim tape
and valve for two wheels and enough sealant for eight tyres.
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| 'Short' Cuts |
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Hutchinson Python tyres
have long been a high volume/low pressure favourite of Ernie's,
but they are prone to pinch flats. A perfect test for Stan's.
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Breaking the habit of
a lifetime, I read the instructions before proceeding. The final
step is to brush the outside of the sidewalls with soapy water
to achieve a good seal between the rim and tyre bead. It's also
handy to locate any leaks. Being so light, not to mention two
years old, the sidewalls had become overly porous After ten
minutes furiously working my track-pump, air was still hissing
through the sidewalls - producing sufficient foam to hide the
entire wheel. This was getting messy - and very late. |
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| A Stitch in
Time |
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An hour after my usual
bedtime, I had finally achieved a reasonable seal. Time for
a test ride. A quick dash down the hill and around the first
corner. A flatulent "phoof" was all I heard as the tyre rolled
off the rim. Bugger. |
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About now I had sussed
out that new tyres would have saved hours of hassle. Specific
tubeless tyres seal easily and their sidewalls are thicker so
they don’t require Stan's latex goo. This is fine and dandy
for pinch flats but the real joy of Stan's system is that the
latex self-seals puncture holes too. Ordinary tyres are fine
and are lighter than specific tubeless ones (both on the scales
and on the wallet) however you may need to maintain the tyre
pressure more often. |
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| The Proof is
in the Pudding |
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Already committed, I
soldiered on with my old tyres. That weekend I was able to thrash
them to within an inch of their life. I ran 35 psi down from
my usual 45 psi, What a dream. A plush ride but I did need to
be careful not to gnash my rims on baby-head rocks. |
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I can normally count
on at least one puncture a week. Yet after six months of riding
including the Cyclic Saga, Motatapu Race and the Colville Connection,
I’m still to suffer a flat. Beat that Stan! |
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With winter upon us,
and an annoying slow leak up front, I reckon Ernie deserves
a new set of WTB Mutanos (currently top of the pops with the
rubber cognoscenti). Bring it on |
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| Retrospective
Wisdom |
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A new saviour has arrived. Murray Dywer, local trials legend has developed 'Rim Skinz', a super easy no fuss solution to tubeless nirvana. Worth a look at www.rimskinz.com |
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New tyres and a good sleep the previous night are well recommended. |
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You still need to carry
a spare tube in your repair kit - just in case. It's unlikely
but you could score the sidewall on a sharp object, creating
a hole too big for the latex to fill. |
