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How To: Installing a Stan's NoTubes Tubeless Conversion Kit
Posted Date: 4/25/2013
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Tubeless wheelsets offer great performance; however, they can be quite costly. Stan’s NoTubes offers a conversion kit for $64 that converts a set of standard rims and tires into a tubeless wheelset. Going tubeless will decrease rolling mass, allowing for better rolling resistance. And while it won’t protect from punctures, it automatically patches them before they lose too much air. A tubeless setup will allow you to run lower tire pressure for better traction and small bump compliance without the risk of pinch flats. Follow our steps and you shouldn’t make too much of a mess.

Necessary tools: Stan’s conversion kit, rubbing alcohol, a clean towel, mild bike cleaner or soapy water, flat-head screwdriver, and tire levers (we prefer the Quickstick).


Remove your tire, tube and rim strip. Apply a generous amount of rubbing alcohol to a clean rag and thoroughly clean the inside surface of the rim.


Be sure the rubbing alcohol has evaporated on the rim surface before starting this step. Using the yellow rim tape in the kit, start adjacent to the valve hole and begin installing the yellow rim tape around the rim. If you don’t have a truing stand, placing the wheel in the bike may be helpful for this step.


Be sure to hold the tape taut and work out any air bubbles as you work around the rim. Finish installing the yellow rim tape adjacent to the valve hole.


The next couple steps are to be done out of the bike or held in truing stand. Slide the valve stem into the rim and tighten the valve nut (tighten with your fingers, not pliers). Make sure that it’s straight.


Stretch the rubber rim strip around the circumference of the wheel. The last few inches will be a tight fit. Ensure the rim strip is stretched over evenly by running your hand between the rim strip and the rim itself.




Using a dull flat-head screwdriver, go around the entire rim and make sure the rim strip is seated beneath the hook surface of the rim. If the rim strip is not properly seated, the tire may blow off the rim during inflation (this has the potential to cause injury and leave you and your garage covered in Stan’s tire sealant).


Begin to install the tire. Install one side of the tire at a time.


After one side of the tire is successfully installed, begin installing the other side of the tire opposite the valve stem. With both hands, use your thumbs to work the tire on toward the valve stem. Leave approximately 6-8 inches of the tire off the rim, as this is where you will pour the sealant.


Shake up the bottle of sealant and pour it into the provided measuring cup. Stan’s recommends holding the bottle fully inverted when pouring. There is a chart on the back of the bottle to determine how much sealant to use for a given tire size.


Pour the sealant into the tire and install the remainder of the tire. Tire levers may come in handy if the tire proves to be a tight fit.


With the tire successfully mounted, spray a generous amount of mild cleaner or soapy water onto the bead of the tire. This helps the tire “seat” easier during the inflation step.


Using an air compressor (a floor pump can be used, but it is more difficult), inflate the tire until the bead snaps in place. As you are inflating, be careful to monitor the tire closely so it doesn’t blow off the rim (safety glasses are recommended for this step).


Make sure the tire is properly seated onto the rim. Simultaneously rotate and shake the tire for a couple of minutes, be sure to turn it over as well, so the sealant covers the inside of the tire casing. This gets the sealant moving around and helps it seal any holes or imperfections in the tire casing.


Allow the tire to sit on each side for approximately 15 minutes to seal the pores in the sidewalls. Reinflate the tire if necessary. Repeat with the other wheel, and go enjoy your new tubeless system. For More information: Stans NoTubes




VOLUME 28, NUMBER 7 JULY 2013

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