[Weav]

I've been told by the guy who recommended my new wheels to me (Dura Ace 7850 SL) that if I haven't been using a sealant on my clinchers there is no need to use sealant on my new Tubeless tires. He's been riding them for a few years with only air and he hasn't had any difficulties. This guy is a bonafide expert in the cycling industry.

What are your opinions?

 

[locobaylor]

I'd use sealant because if you get a hole, it'll (more than likely) seal it and let you keep riding without stopping to put a tube in. My 2 cents.

 

[pmt]

You don't *have* to use sealant, but it really "saves the bacon" when you run over small items that cause minor punctures. Some of them you won't have to patch at all. Sometimes the sealant will "catch" the hole before too much air gets out, so you can just keep riding or hit it with CO2 and keep going.

If you're new to Road Tubeless, search the forums and read through. Practice fixing flats prior to doing it on the road; it works a little differently. There's lots of good advice that's already been posted.

 

[masterofnone]

The majority of my mountain bikes are tubeless with sealant, and many times the sealant has saved the day. Most of the punctures I never knew happened until I took the tire off. My one and only road bike is not (yet anyway), but unless you're obsessed with the extra couple ounces of sealant, why not?

 

[sbindra]

I use sealant, even though Shimano says not to. I use for two reasons - (1) the sealant may close a small hole while riding and prevent a flat and (2) while tubeless rims and tires should not require sealant, I find that my tubeless set up very slowly leaks air from the sidewalls such that pressure drops like 10 psi a day (similar to a latex tube). The sealant helps really seal up the sidewall so the tire holds pressure over a longer period of time. Maybe not an issue for all but annoys me nevertheless.

I would strongly suggest Stan's. I bought the Hutchinson nonsense that only their sealant should be used in their tires. However, after I spent $30 on 2 cans of sealant with CO2 and the cans malfunctioned and I got sealant all over the place, I will never use that expensive product again.

 

[Brazos]

I don't think Shimano says not to. My new Shimano wheels had nothing anywhere in all the liturature that came with it that said I could not use sealant. I am sure if I called them and asked to modify their product their standard answer is no. They did say not to use tire levers or rim tape but that was it.

 

[sbindra]

I don't think Shimano says not to. My new Shimano wheels had nothing anywhere in all the liturature that came with it that said I could not use sealant. I am sure if I called them and asked to modify their product their standard answer is no. They did say not to use tire levers or rim tape but that was it.

I called Shimano - they said on the phone not to use sealant, even the Hutchinson branded one.

Putting the tires on without tire levers is a huge pain so I do use a lever. However, I would suggest using the Hutchinson branded lever made specifically for tubeless tires that has the sponge on one end to wet the bead. Yeah, it's $6 for .10 of plastic and sponge but the shape does work really well and I assume if made by Hutchinson, is designed not to damage the bead of the tire.

 

[pmt]

They say not to, but it works fine. Pretty much any plain plastic tire lever is fine also. No need to buy the Hutchinson stuff if you don't want to.

 

[EpiphFreddy]

If you want to repair flats more often on a tubeless tire that is much tighter against the rim and more difficult to work with, then don't use sealant. If you want less flats and possibly none ever, then use the sealant. I have been using sealant for over two years and have never experienced an on road flat....knock on wood. I use plastic cheap levers and have never had a problem installing the tires or getting them off.

 

[MarshallH1987]

i always use sealant and it just so happens that i've never flatted since i have... weird.

 

[poff]

I use Stans sealant.

 

[EpiphFreddy]

You can also go to your local hobby shop such as Hobby Lobby and buy liquid latex and make your own. All you do it mix it with water. Much less expensive.

 

[pmt]

You can also go to your local hobby shop such as Hobby Lobby and buy liquid latex and make your own. All you do it mix it with water. Much less expensive.

That can be a really bad idea unless you're certain that there's no ammonia in the liquid latex.

 

[EpiphFreddy]

I guess I have been lucky then because I have never had a problem. What would the ammonia do? Ruin the tire? And if so, how quickly? I have not had a problem yet. Most tires wear out under a year anyways. I'll check and see if the ingrediants are listed on the liquid latex I have. I got the idea from one of the mtbike forums. So far, so good.

 

[pmt]

Ammonia reacts and dissolves aluminum; it's a bad value to have ammonia in constant contact with your rims.

 

[EpiphFreddy]

I'll have to check my latex sealant. So I assume if this were occurring it would be noticeable from inspection with the tire off? I am 98% sure this is not occurring so I should be OK. Have you ever seen or heard of this occurring? I have not, but then again I have only been using this method for a few years now. How long would this take out of curiosity?

 

[pmt]

Don't know any of those answers. I keep ammonia away from my aluminum. I guess if you don't see any damage, then don't worry about it.

 

[Derman]

+1 on the sealant.

I use 1 oz. of Stan's in each wheel, which I think is half of the recommended amount.

I got a little cut/puncture in my tire and the sealant worked as advertised. Since I was new to the tubeless tires, it was bad enough for me to order a new tire for when it didn't work...that was about 1,500 miles ago and I still have the new tire.

 

[pmt]

+1 on the sealant.

I use 1 oz. of Stan's in each wheel, which I think is half of the recommended amount.

I got a little cut/puncture in my tire and the sealant worked as advertised. Since I was new to the tubeless tires, it was bad enough for me to order a new tire for when it didn't work...that was about 1,500 miles ago and I still have the new tire.

If it ever leaks, you can just patch it. No trouble.

 

[cervelott]

I asked this in a thread above but am not getting any responses. I have a pair of 2 Way Fit wheels (Eurus). If one is running Stan's sealant in the tires do you purchase different stems for your wheels as I tried putting some Stan's sealant in the tire before they were 100% mounted (because unless you have the 2 piece stem it is the only way to get the sealant in the tire) and what a mess! I would think that getting the solution through the stem would be the way to go but as the Campy stems are a one piece unit I would obviously have to mount another type of stem on the wheels.
If there is a two piece stem that can accommodate the sealant what is the product name and where is it purchased? Thanks!!!