[Electric_City]

I'm contemplating on going this route. Anyone having good luck with it? I'm mainly on the rocky stuff, so I don't want the tire to fly off and smash the rim on a rock.

Tube or tubeless?
Which sealant works best?
How often do you replenish it?

Thanks, EC

 

[Nick]

I do. Minions on 823 with Stan's and it's worked flawlessly.

 

[big-ted]

I do. Minions on 823 with Stan's and it's worked flawlessly.

Ran this exact setup and had nothing but problems. Tried UST and non-UST Maxxis tyres. Michelins, Hutchinsons, Schwalbe... Torn casings, burped tyres, nightmares changing tyres for different conditions... I'm ~190lbs and my DH bike sees ~20 Whistler days a year as well as local shuttles FWIW.

Put tubes back in and have been much happier ever since.

That said, my experience running tubeless on my trail bike with Flow EXs has been much better. Granted, I'm not hitting sharp rocks with the kind of speed I do on my DH bike, but there is a theory that it's the tall, stiff sidewalls of 823s that causes issues.

 

[kidwoo]

there is a theory that it's the tall, stiff sidewalls of 823s that causes issues.

Those things are like sidewall knives. They cause one issue of split sidewalls right above the bead but they're also responsible for being one of the best supported sidewall interfaces that prevents burping..........that still burp. Having gone back and forth between mavic ust rims and others for over 10 years on three different kinds of bikes, it's no theory, it's fact. Those rim walls are tire poison if you don't run high pressures.

I'm with you. I couldn't get any configuration to hold up worth a damn and I weigh 30lbs less. I use Schrader tubes and put a little stans in them. Stops all the little pinches and slow leaks that like to pop up in tubes.

 

[Nick]

Surprised ... i haven't torn a sidewall, nor blown a tire off once. 190#, running about 32psi. When I ran tubes at the same pressure I was pinching way too often.

Maybe I should knock wood and leave well enough alone.

 

[kidwoo]

FWIW, I think the mavic crossmax SX wheels I have are worse than any of the 823 wheels I ran. I've flatspotted the 823s before without killing a tire. That probably has a little to do with running lighter casing tires too though.

 

[HAB]

Like above, I've given up on running tubeless on my DH bike. I'm all about it on my trail bikes though, both of which are running Enves. I actually had a ton of issues pinch flatting on those wheels before I switched. They're stiff as fvck and just murder tubes. Been flawless tubeless.

 

[jonKranked]

I use Schrader tubes and put a little stans in them. Stops all the little pinches and slow leaks that like to pop up in tubes.

i'm assuming you unscrew the valve core to put the goo in, yes?

 

[kidwoo]

Yup. I've pulled tubes out of my tires and had them stuck to the tire in a few places where little pinholes had gotten pinched. Ain't give a dayum!

 

[jonKranked]

that's a pretty stellar idea. i'm gonna have to try it. how much goo do you add?

 

[Nick]

that's a pretty stellar idea.

coming soon ... 'woo-tubes™

 

[wiscodh]

coming soon ... 'woo-tubes™

http://www.rei.com/product/732123/slime-self-sealing-smart-presta-tube-26-x-175-212?cm_mmc=cse_PLA-_-pla-_-7321230018&mr:trackingCode=0C89071B-81F9-DE11-BAE3-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=plaonline&mr:ad=53280763120&mr:keyword=&mr:match=&mr:filter=70389950920&msid=0yublC6w_dc|pcrid|53280763120|&lsft=cm_mmc:cse_PLA
late to the party. I remember back in the 90's when I ran these things.....

 

[kidwoo]

that's a pretty stellar idea. i'm gonna have to try it. how much goo do you add?

I've been doing that on my dh bikes for about 6 years or so. But yeah, it's not much.

You remember that pic I had of my rear rim I put up when people whine about rim dings? I think I had like 13. Not a single flat.

 

[kidwoo]

http://www.rei.com/product/732123/slime-self-sealing-smart-presta-tube-26-x-175-212?cm_mmc=cse_PLA-_-pla-_-7321230018&mr:trackingCode=0C89071B-81F9-DE11-BAE3-0019B9C043EB&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=c&mr:adType=plaonline&mr:ad=53280763120&mr:keyword=&mr:match=&mr:filter=70389950920&msid=0yublC6w_dc|pcrid|53280763120|&lsft=cm_mmc:cse_PLA
late to the party. I remember back in the 90's when I ran these things.....

Yeah I started doing this when I realized those don't work.

 

[blindboxx2334]

i did ghetto tubeless on my operator and loved it, aside from the heavy ass tires..

mtx 31
gorilla tape
stans goo stuff
cut down 949 valve
schwalbe wire bead dual ply.

 

[jonKranked]

've been doing that on my dh bikes for about 6 years or so. But yeah, it's not much.

half a scoop?

 

[kidwoo]

Probably closer to a full scoop. I throw like 4 of those in my tubeless setups so to me that's 'not much'. Maybe it is.

But I think I've gotten two flats total since I started using that setup. It's more 'flat resistant' than 'flat proof'. I also run those heavier 3.0 specialized thinwall tubes though. I'm sure those are part of it.

 

[Nick]

any of you guys interested in a couple of 26" DH toobs? I think I have a couple of new maxxis or intense DH toobs NIB sitting in the parts bin. Let me know.

 

[mykel]

I thought that the Stans (or other sealant) in the tube routine was a well known and used trick...

 

[jonKranked]

I thought that the Stans (or other sealant) in the tube routine was a well known and used trick...

i still ride 26". i'm way behind the times.

 

[DirtMerchant]

Zero issues with 823s and Mavic DH casing tires in 4 years of use. Just laced a new rear rim, I wish it was wider to get with these awesome trends but I still like it. 180lbs running 28 front/30 rear.

 

[kazlx]

I do. Minions on 823 with Stan's and it's worked flawlessly.

Ran this exact setup and had nothing but problems. Tried UST and non-UST Maxxis tyres. Michelins, Hutchinsons, Schwalbe... Torn casings, burped tyres, nightmares changing tyres for different conditions... I'm ~190lbs and my DH bike sees ~20 Whistler days a year as well as local shuttles FWIW.

Put tubes back in and have been much happier ever since.

That said, my experience running tubeless on my trail bike with Flow EXs has been much better. Granted, I'm not hitting sharp rocks with the kind of speed I do on my DH bike, but there is a theory that it's the tall, stiff sidewalls of 823s that causes issues.

Ran this same setup and never had a problem. I'm about 240lbs. I always have problems with tubes.

 

[6thElement]

UST DHF's on my Deemax with no issues in the 5ish years I've had them other than the rear hub preload always needing to be checked.

 

[demo 9]

225 and been tubeless for dh since 06.

Dhf regulars on flow ex rims.

I do run higher pressure (my preference)

Wouldnt go back to tubes, makes the bike feel so slow and dead, i like how "alive" the tubeless feels.

 

[demo 9]

any of you guys interested in a couple of 26" DH toobs? I think I have a couple of new maxxis or intense DH toobs NIB sitting in the parts bin. Let me know.

Try a museum

 

[kazlx]

I run at least 30 psi, any less and I can feel the tires roll in the corners.

 

[supercow]

I have run boobless on the Dh and Am bikes for a good few years, hate the feels of boobs in the tyres now.

I guess it depends on how hot it is around where you live, I only change my sealant when the Stanimals grow too big

 

[norbar]

To be honest I don't care anymore. I run UST on my Deemax/823 (depending which wheel works) and at 165-170lb I don't really hurt my tires that often. I don't race anymore so usually I'm lazy and I don't change tires unless the god of rain decides to punish me but if I did I wouldn't go with tubeless on 823 just for the hassle (unless you have that magical bontrager pump, it's pimp, it works).

No problems with torn sidewalls but I've never been to east coast so I probably don't know what real rocks gnarly hardcore means. To be serious though I destroyed a few tires when I used to go ham every ride.

 

[slimshady]

To be honest I don't care anymore. I run UST on my Deemax/823 (depending which wheel works) and at 165-170lb I don't really hurt my tires that often. I don't race anymore so usually I'm lazy and I don't change tires unless the god of rain decides to punish me but if I did I wouldn't go with tubeless on 823 just for the hassle (unless you have that magical bontrager pump, it's pimp, it works).

I went full ghetto and built this:

Usually I'm able to seat the tire without much hassle (with the exception of some stubborn Schwalbes).

 

[norbar]

I've heard a bout this but I don't trust bottles and I'm really afraid to get bottle blasted in my face when it explodes. Probably won't happen and it's probably an excuse not to work but maybe I should try.

 

[slimshady]

I've heard a bout this but I don't trust bottles and I'm really afraid to get bottle blasted in my face when it explodes. Probably won't happen and it's probably an excuse not to work but maybe I should try.

You never go over 90PSI, that's the rule. And I have to admit that's more than enough to seat a tire at least up to 2.35" (I don't have anything bigger than that, so YMMV).

Some of the people on Singletrack who built this contraption wrote a 2.5L bottle can hold up to 175PSI. I blew one on purpose about 2 months ago while testing its resistance* since I was concerned as you are, and according to my pump's gauge I reached about 155PSI.

Now I'm tempted to build something a bit more safe/professional looking either from a discarded paintball canister or from an old car fire extinguisher. I promise to post some pics when/if I do it.

*wear ear protection and do it outside or you'll feel like going out of a NOFX concert where you stood by the PAs. Trust me on this one.

 

[Sandwich]

225 and been tubeless for dh since 06.

Dhf regulars on flow ex rims.

I do run higher pressure (my preference)

Wouldnt go back to tubes, makes the bike feel so slow and dead, i like how "alive" the tubeless feels.

Thinking about doing this on my flow ex rims. What pressure do you typically run?

 

[kickstand]

I prefer the reliability of DH tubes with DH tires, regardless of the weight penalty. I'm slow and old, so reliability is more important than pro podiums.

 

[slyfink]

I'm confused. In all the pro bike-checks you read or listen to these days the guys all claim to be running tubeless. I know they're not concerned with rim/tire longevity, but they have to be concerned with burping. I mean if they can't keep a tire on the rim for a whole run, then they can't win the race.

Anyways, what are those guys doing that we aren't? they have to be smashing corners at least as hard as we do right?!?!

 

[jonKranked]

I'm confused. In all the pro bike-checks you read or listen to these days the guys all claim to be running tubeless. I know they're not concerned with rim/tire longevity, but they have to be concerned with burping. I mean if they can't keep a tire on the rim for a whole run, then they can't win the race.

Anyways, what are those guys doing that we aren't? they have to be smashing corners at least as hard as we do right?!?!

pros also generally run higher pressure than those of us in the unwashed masses

 

[kickstand]

#procore

 

[demo 9]

Thinking about doing this on my flow ex rims. What pressure do you typically run?

35

 

[xy9ine]

pros also generally run higher pressure than those of us in the unwashed masses

but not crazy numbers. ie, gwinn was quoted as typically running around 25/27 (f/r).

 

[jonKranked]

but not crazy numbers. ie, gwinn was quoted as typically running around 25/27 (f/r).

what's he running for rim pressures? that's important for when he blows the tires off

 

[kidwoo]

That's the north Carolina dude, not the brocal dude. All those murkins look alike.

I think his rim pressures at Lourdes was "not enough"