Switching to tubeless tyres can transform your cycling experience — offering fewer punctures, lighter wheels, and smoother rides. But fitting them correctly is key to unlocking their full potential. In this guide, we walk you through how to fit tubeless tyres step by step, while highlighting their main benefits, drawbacks, and expert tips to keep your ride rolling safely.
Tubeless tyres are one of two main options for cyclists, the other option being regular tyres with inner tubes that can be replaced if you suffer a puncture while out on your bike.
Comparing the two means understanding that both have their advantages – just as both have their drawbacks. Standard tyres with inner tubes boast an outer tyre cover, with separate inner tubes that sit underneath this surface edge. Tubeless tyres combine it all in one product, with no need to separate the tube from the rest of the tyre.
In this article, we’re going through a quick guide on fitting tubeless tyres, as well as their advantages and drawbacks.
The Benefits of Tubeless Tyres
Tubeless tyres require less equipment than tyres with inner tubes. While a tyre with inner tubes requires the wheel, the tyre surface, and an additional inner tube (with spares carried in case of a puncture), a tubeless tyre requires only the wheel and the tube – plus some sealant.
While more expensive, tubeless tyres are also much lighter and offer a lower rolling resistance – optimising speed and performance, as well as movement around corners.
And we can’t overlook the role of the sealant in plugging small punctures so that they don’t affect your cycling experience.
In short, tubeless tyres are an ideal option for those cycling off-road and on uneven surfaces, as well as for those facing longer distances.
How to Fit Tubeless Tyres
Tubeless tyres work by creating an airtight seam between the edge of the tyre and the rim of the wheel. Air is pumped into tubeless tyres via a valve which is attached in between the spokes of the wheel.
Tubeless tyres are also filled with a sealant, that protects the tyres from minor punctures, plugging small holes on the go, and creating a leak-free rubber surface on which you can cycle prolonged distances without having to stop.
Steps to Fit Tubeless Tyres
- Prep the wheel rim for the installation of the tyres
- Fit tape to the rim to help hold the tyre in place
- Slot the valve into the rim in the correct position
- Drape the tyre over the rim and start fitting it, one section at a time
- With one section open, hang the wheel at eye-level and insert the sealant, rotating the wheel 180 degrees so that the sealant pools on the opposite side of the tyre
- Fit the final section of tyre to the rim
- Pump up your tyre, ensuring that no air escapes from loose sections
- Shake and tilt the wheel to ensure even distribution of the sealant
And voila! Provided your tyre doesn’t start deflating, you’re good to go!
