I’m trying to get my existing mtb tires converted to stans tubeless. So far, one tire is being a bit stubborn, so I’ll work on it again tonight (its taking time away from my training now!). Anyways, I’m wondering if I ever do get it completely right, what happens when I fly with my bike? I assume I need to deflate the tires. WIll it just be a huge mess then? Will I have a lot of work at my destination to get things reseeded and sealed?
thanks,
Cheryl
Why would you need to deflate the tires when flying. I always leave tires inflated so that the tire acts as a cushion protecting the rim and other bike parts.
Styrrell
I’m not sure whether you were being serious with this reply, but I’ll take my chances. You deflate the tires because the luggage cabin is not pressurized. When you take your tires up to 30,000+ ft they run the risk of exploding due to expanding. I suggest you cushion your rims and other parts another way?
Are the tires new? If so, trying pumping them up first with a tube in them to get the tires used to the shape, pull the tube, and try to reinflate. It’s hardest the first time.
Also, which rims/tires are you using? Some inflate easier than others. For Hawaii though, make sure you carry tubes with you. I hear the course has a LOT of sharp lava rocks…
I’m not sure whether you were being serious with this reply
I’ll be with mine.
You deflate the tires because the luggage cabin is not pressurized.
When you take your tires up to 30,000+ ft they run the risk of exploding due to expanding.
The difference between psia and psig is 14.7 psi. Hard to believe tires can’t handle that kind of pressure increase.
Dre’
Amen, no problem from flying.
ok, thanks everyone. This is good to know. I guess if I would have thought enough about it, I only ride 25-30psi, and the tire holds up to 80, so that would have been ok either way, I’d think.
The wheels are DT 430, or something, and specialized resolution tires. Noth are about 4 months old, so tires have been used. I checked with the notubes guys and they said both will work. I have one working, just have to get the second from leaking. Trying to decide if I should add more sealant and do the seal step again, or deflate, reset the rim strip and redo all the steps. Any suggestions?
Should I be able to hear sealant sloshing in the tire . When I don’t hear it anymore is that when I add sealant?
You deflate the tires because the luggage cabin is not pressurized.
i am not sure what kind of aircraft your are flying in, but every commercial passenger jet manufactured by boeing, airbus, embraer, canadair, etc. all have fully-pressurized cargo compartments. the temperature in the cargo areas are often different, yes, but the pressure is the same as the one you experience in flight (which is usually equivalent to that found between 5,000 and 8,000 feet elevation).
Every time I’ve flown with a bike, the people at the check in counter have made a point to make sure for themselves that the tires are deflated. I’m so used to this, that I even make sure to cut a “hatch” in the bike box (if I’m not using a case). So, just letting you know that you might not get a choice about whether to keep them inflated or not.
Agreed, but I’ve had tires explode from being in the sun. I was doing an adventure race and left my MTB in transition during a run and came back to a popped tube. Similar type thing right? Air expands from the heat and pops the tube.
I agree that a tire can certainly handle it, but if the original poster was using clinchers and tubes during traveling… anyway, you have a great point and I just wanted to give a word of precaution.
ok, thanks everyone. This is good to know. I guess if I would have thought enough about it, I only ride 25-30psi, and the tire holds up to 80, so that would have been ok either way, I’d think.
The wheels are DT 430, or something, and specialized resolution tires. Noth are about 4 months old, so tires have been used. I checked with the notubes guys and they said both will work. I have one working, just have to get the second from leaking. Trying to decide if I should add more sealant and do the seal step again, or deflate, reset the rim strip and redo all the steps. Any suggestions?
Should I be able to hear sealant sloshing in the tire . When I don’t hear it anymore is that when I add sealant?
I have heard that it can be an issue of getting the bead to actually seal well, and that using some soap and water along it can help. Oh, turns out that is in the instructions of the best way to do it, too: http://www.notubes.com/support_detailed.php
Best of luck… I’m going to be trying this on another bike soon. I had the shop do it for me on the bike currently running Stan’s. I’ll be interested to see the tips on how to know when to add more sealant.
Yep, I’ve watched the video a few times - he does it in 10 minutes! I have used tons of soap and water, more soap than water. The second attempt at sealing the tire was better than the first. I’m definitely no bike mechanic, in fact, I would have liked it if I could have gotten one of my LBS’s to do it. But that wasn’t happening.
I’ll try again this evening, and skip yet another bike ride, and I’ll report back tomorrow.
As you have the second one mounted ok, add more sealant. Make sure you pump it to pressure and then go ride it immediately this will coat the entire casing of the tyre and the sealant will be forced into the porous areas. Don’t dispare it will stay up eventually, just keep at it. You might hear some sloshing but then again you might not, it’s not vital.
I doubt that the tire exploding was solely from the air pressure being exceeded. Tires are typically tested by the manufactuter to withstand 2X the max recommended pressure without burting. Many mtb tires have a max of at least 60 which menas that you should be OK at 120. No way did just the heat get the pressure that high. Either the heat melted something or the tire was about to go, or you pinched the tube during installation, etc.
Styrrell
Thanks Julian - I’ll give it a try.
Hope you are doing well!
Cheryl
Trying to get my enthusiasm back now. I have 3 weeks holiday to use up with no money to go anywhere and a REALLY poor summer. Hopefully my physio will say to get on my bike during tomorrow’s visit and I can do some road miles, if it’s dry!
It will happen, I just want to use the time productively.
So, last night I spent three hours resealing the tires. This time I left the tire sit flat on each side for 15 minutes before flipping. The other times I did it, I didn’t let them sit as long on each side. Night one I put 40psi in the tires, and in the morning one had lost 20psi. Night 2 40 psi again, and one lost 15 psi by morning. Last night 40psi again, and this morning both were at 37-38, which I can maybe attribute to the air loss when I futz with getting the pump lever closed. The other thing I did last night was after 3 hours of shaking, soaping, flipping, and laying the tires flat, I rode it for 5 minutes around my yard. Maybe those two things made the difference. I may so one more round of sealing tonight for an hour just to be sure. I’ve got a trail ride on the training plan for Thursday and I want to be sure I get in a ride and not flat within 10 minutes.
Now back to the travel question. If I do fly with these tires, and lets say I do have to release the air (if the airlines makes me) I’m worried about getting air back into them in Maui because I won’t have an air compressor with me. Once the tires are finally sealed, and air is released, do they stay fairly well sealed around the rims, or will it be another struggle to get the initial air back in them.
Hey Cheryl, I’m glad you rode your bike after topping up, it makes such a difference, as you discovered. If they ask just tell them you have dropped the pressure to 10 psi (arbitary low figure). You will have no problem using a track or even hand pump to get them back up to pressure, aside from mounting I use a topeak morph to keep the tyres topped and it fits in the camelbak too!
I just unpacked my bike after 60 days on a boat and locked up by customs. Both of my tires were flat, but pumped right up with no loss of air at all, and have held roughly the same pressure over the last 6 days. I am sure most of the free stans moving about in the tire is all evaporated, so I am going to rifill it this weekend, but the overall adhesion to the rim is as good as ever.
Cheers!