Tubeless Wheels : Really Fast Tubeless

Really Fast Tubeless : How we really do it!

When we started 'ghetto tubeless' we thought you could do it with every tyre, on every rim, with soapy water and sweat. Here's a technique that always works. CO₂ is your friend. Also CO₂ cartridges are dead cheap from specialists now.

So, here's a tubeless conversion in 20 minutes. It happens to be a 29er using 26" inner tubes. For a 26" wheel with 20" inner tubes, the same process applies.

Here, I'm using inner tubes that were cut and trimmed previously - that's why they fit so well! See the first few stages in the tubeless gallery to get your innertube cut. Basically: Blow up the inner-tube a little with a 'normal' pump, and stretch it over the rim. Then cut it round the middle.

1. The equipment.
   
2. Now, get a 50/50 mixture of dishwashing liquid & water and wash all around.
   
3. The cleaned innertube/rim-strip.
   
4. Pop the tyre into the rim, inside the inner-tube/rim-strip. Ensure it's even all round. You want it wet with the dishwash solution to help the tyre slide on, and to help form the initial seal.
   
5. Before it's all home, pour in about 100ml of fluid - Stan's, JRA, ... whatever. Then pop the tyre on and go round the rim, pulling the rim-strip to get it evenly positioned.
   
6. A quick blast with CO₂...
   
7. ... and top-up with air. If you're using new innertubes, you'll want to trim off the excess as described in the tubeless gallery.
   
8. The finished article, ready to ride. Singular Swift.