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Tire / tube questions

3K views 5 replies 5 participants last post by  TNC 
#1 ·
Running a Blur LT2 with 2.35 tires on Presta valved wheels.

For flat protection -

1. I'd like to run Slime to cut down on small flats. What is the best size tube for 2.35 tires in a Presta? The LBS seems to carry eith a 2.1 or some sort of 2.5. The 2.1 would seem to require it to stretch out to fit and become thinner. The 2.5 would seem to bring a weight penalty. What are you guys running for 2.35 tires?

2. Can you even get Slime into a presta tube? Do the cores come all the way out?

3. From what little I know of going tubeless, you have to start out with a Presta size valve stem hole in the wheel. You cannot go tubeless with a Schrader size valve hole?

4. I'm also told that converting a standard rim to a tubeless system does not work as well as a tubeless specific rim?

If that is the case then I might as well drill out my rims for Schrader valves and then I won't have to deal with the Presta headache. At least you can remove the cores with Schrader for Slime.
 
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#2 ·
A single tube covers a range of tire sizes. I run tubes that work for 2.3-2.7 tires. I use Kenda Nevegal 2.35s and 2.5s.

Too small of a tube will cause the tube to stretch; it will also lead to inaccuracy when checking your pressure with a guage. A tube that's too big for the tire won't be able to expand enough, giving you a wadded up tube that is more susceptible to pinch flats. Personally, I would worry about that more than the weight.

While we're on the topic of weight penalty, why not just carry an extra tube? Slime isn't fool-proof; I got a flat on my BMX bike once and the slime spewed all over a few dudes on the sidewalk (they weren't amused). If you're doing big 30-mile epics then I guess I can understand where you're coming from....
 
#3 ·
sambs827 said:
A single tube covers a range of tire sizes. I run tubes that work for 2.3-2.7 tires. I use Kenda Nevegal 2.35s and 2.5s.

Too small of a tube will cause the tube to stretch; it will also lead to inaccuracy when checking your pressure with a guage. A tube that's too big for the tire won't be able to expand enough, giving you a wadded up tube that is more susceptible to pinch flats. Personally, I would worry about that more than the weight.

While we're on the topic of weight penalty, why not just carry an extra tube? Slime isn't fool-proof; I got a flat on my BMX bike once and the slime spewed all over a few dudes on the sidewalk (they weren't amused). If you're doing big 30-mile epics then I guess I can understand where you're coming from....
I'm also running Kenda Nevegal 2.35s. So what tube do you use with them?

All I'm finding are the standard 2.1 tubes and then the heavy-duty stuff like the Maxxis that fits 2.3 thru 2.5. While my epics are more in the 20-25 mile range ... no need to be carrying extra weight in my tubes. As far as the Slime ... I guess it's hard to know how often it is actually working. But I rarely flat when it is in there.
 
#6 ·
G-out, they do make presta tubes with removable cores, but it's a feat to get Slime in them because of the thickness of the goo. You can get Stan's tubeless sealant injected into the presta opening on such valves, but that's for tubeless setups and does little for tubes.

On your presta/schrader tubeless question, Stan's makes both rim strip conversions but only the wider strips have the schrader valve that I've seen. I've seen them at about a 28mm rim strip all the way to well over 30mm. Many DH/FR guys who use tubeless use a ghetto strip for conversions. That sounds sketchy, but I've run that setup for a long time, and when done right it may actually be more reliable than some of the strip conversions. When you stick a 24" cut-open tube in the rim valley of a 26" wheel, and then trim the excess off with a razor blade after tire inflation, you have a really solid grip on the tire bead and rim interface. With something like Stan's sealant or other good sealant in there, it works darned well.

On your question about having a schrader valve hole in your rim and using a presta rim strip, it's not problem. They make a little collar/adapter that solves that.

On UST vs. converted rims for tubeless, yeah, I'd say UST rims usually grip the tire bead with more reliability...and even other brands/types of what are classified as tubeless-ready rims. For example I have a 35mm wide Velocity P35 in the 650B size for the front of my Nomad. It's not UST, but it was designed to run a tubeless interface at the rim bead. With a ghetto rim strip setup on this, it has a death grip on my front tire.
 
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