Continental Grand Prix 5000 TL

[Ken Rudd]

For me, the hassle and mess of swapping out tubeless tires is not worth the benefits of rotating the tires. I do keep the sealant replenished/fresh.

 

[velocio]

I've never run tubeless, but have a set of 650B wheels and Schwalbe G-One Speed TLE tires for my S40 I'll eventually mount up tubeless. I understand that sealant dies out over time and fresh sealant should be added at some interval. What I've never seen discussed is:

• How do you know when the existing sealant needs a booster shot? How much new goo to add and how often? Since it seems impossible to check the state of sealant inside a mounted tire I suspect I'd be nervous about my sealant going too firm to move into a puncture and end up adding more than necessary, more often than necessary.
• If a bike sits for some time between rides, does the sealant inside the tire dry in an uneven pattern since it's pooled at the bottom of the tire? Can this "unbalance" the tire or create a lump inside the tire that impedes movement of fresh sealant inside the rolling tire?
  
• If it takes a couple of years to wear out a tire won't it end up with more and more dried sealant inside, adding weight and increasing rolling resistance (through having more material on the sidewalls and in the tread area) over the life of the tire?

Messing with a puncture on the front of the S40 is annoying enough that tubeless seems the way to go. Someday.

Cheers,

-Jack

 

[Bill K]

How do you know when the existing sealant needs a booster shot?

I have been using the MilKit to do this. It has a large syringe and thin tube that draws out the sealant for inspection.
I do not use their valve or booster bottle, just the syringe. It works pretty well on low pressure tires (40 psi).
There is a review here:
https://bikepacking.com/gear/milkit-tubeless-booster-review/

 

[ed72]

If a bike sits for some time between rides, does the sealant inside the tire dry in an uneven pattern since it's pooled at the bottom of the tire? Can this "unbalance" the tire or create a lump inside the tire that impedes movement of fresh sealant inside the rolling tire?

Yes. It is like a huge booger. I used to peel it out and then recharge.

How do you know when the existing sealant needs a booster shot?

Good question. I knew when I flatted. It depends on temperature and the sealant formulation. Orange regular in hot weather bangin out miles, one week gone. Endurance blend seemed to last closer to a month in very hot weather. In cooler weather, I didn't have to top up but then again I wore tires out in 4-6 weeks. I suspect a 4-8 week top up in the summer but this is a SWAG