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Going Tubeless: How To Install Schwalbe One Pro Tubeless Tyres

By 29 August 2017April 30th, 20202017 News, Bowral Classic In Focus Series

Schwalbe, the world’s leading bicycle tyre manufacturer and proud Bowral Classic partner, say tubeless-ready tyres are the way of the future. And they should know! Schwalbe tubeless systems offer considerably less rolling resistance, increased ride comfort and best of all, a minimal chance of puncturing.

Despite the common misconception that going tubeless is a complicated and potentially messy affair, it’s really not that difficult a task at all. Keen to give it a try?  Follow this helpful step-by-step guide and you’ll never look back.

What You’ll Need:

– Schwalbe Doc Blue tubeless tyre sealant.

– Schwalbe One Pro tubeless-ready tyres (check the to ensure they are compatible with your rims).

– Tubeless valve stems with a rubber grommet to match the inner profile of your rims.

– Valve core removal tool.

– Tyre levers.

– Schwalbe Easy Fit tyre fitting fluid.

– Rim strips or tape to make your rims ‘tubeless ready’.

– A quality floor pump

The Simple Steps:

  1. Consult the instruction manual for your wheels to see what’s required to get the rims ready for tubeless use. For our Bontrager TLR wheels we needed to remove the regular rim strips and fit these moulded plastic strips. They give the inner rim a profile that locks the tyre bead up on a shoulder.

2. Apply some tyre mounting fluid to the bead that you plan to mount first. While this product is designed primarily to help the bead pop into place during inflation, we’ve found that it also helps with getting the beads onto the rim initially, as tubeless tyres can be pretty tight.

Tubeless - 43. Start opposite the valve and slip one side of the tyre onto the rim. Make sure that the bead sits in the lowest or deepest part of the U-shaped rim channel; this will give you the greatest amount of slack to work with when pulling the tyre on.

4. Pop the last section of the bead onto the rim up near the valve. This will require some effort and some rim/tyre combinations will be tighter than others. Once the bead is on, push it over to the other side of the valve grommet.

5. Lube the next bead up in preparation for mounting. It is possible to add the liquid sealant at this stage but we prefer to inject it via the valve later.

6. Once again start opposite the valve and place the bead at the lowest point in the U-shaped rim bed. Push down evenly towards the valve to stretch the tyre on and develop as much slack as possible in the casing.

7. To get the final part of the tyre on, there’s a 90% or greater chance that you’ll need tyre levers. Make sure they’re nylon and free from any sharp edges that could damage the bead. Hold one side of the bead in place with your thumb while you work the other side of the bead on in small sections. Add more fitting lube if required.

8. With both beads on the rim, position them on either side of the valve. Give the whole tyre a visual inspection to ensure that it’s sitting evenly on the wheel and pulled into shape—this will help when pumping up for the first time.

9. Attach a floor pump and with a few short hard pumps the tyre should seat and inflate. If air is escaping add a little more mounting fluid around the bead and remove the inner valve core to boost the airflow.

10. Pump the tyre up to around 80psi. You’ll probably hear a number of loud cracks and pops as the bead is pushed up onto the shoulders of the rim—this is normal. Inspect the tyre to ensure that it’s evenly seated on the rim. If not sitting well and properly rounded, deflate, apply more fitting lube to the bead and re-inflate.

11. Now deflate the tyre and unscrew the inner part of the presta valve (most tubeless valve cores are removable). Using a proper removal tool is less likely to damage the valve but a small shifter or long nosed pliers will work.

12. Using an applicator bottle or syringe, inject the sealant through the valve stem. Check with the sealant manufacturer for the recommended amount but 30ml should suffice for most 25c road tyres.

13. Refit the valve core and inflate once more—it should go up with ease as the beads will be tightly locked in place on the tubeless rim. Once up to pressure, recheck the tightness of the valve nut as these can loosen when the tyre is fully inflated. Try running 10psi less than you did with inner tubes for a smoother ride.

14. This final step ensures there are no small leaks around the bead-to-rim junction. Hold the rim at a 45-degree angle with the tyre resting on the ground. Once the sealant has settled towards the bottom of the tyre, give it a bounce and a shake to ensure the sealant makes contact with the sidewalls. Move the tyre around an eighth of a turn and continue the process until you’re satisfied the inner walls are completely covered.

Do this all the way around on both sides and you’ll be ready for stress-free cycling, more Bowral Classic training and completely stress-free cycling!

For more on Schwalbe’s wide range of road cycling tyre solutions visit their website.Â