Quote:
Originally Posted by Andyrondack
I picked up a hardly used Kona Lanai from a young man who wanted to lose some weight cycling to work but found it all too much effort for him, shame really he clearly seemed to be a contender for type 2 diabetes, couldn't help wondering that had he bought a lighter bike with tyres suitable for roads he just might have found it manageable.
This bike is quite heavy but I have a Shimano XT drivetrain , new forks to fit and wheels being made now from DT Swiss rims and XT hubs.
The tyres on the bike are WTB Trail Boss, according to info on the net they weigh over 1.1KG each, I can't weigh them because they are glued to the rim on one side presumably to facilitate converting them to tubless.
I have no intention of keeping them or the wheels and the tubeless system holds no interest for me but I am wondering what people with such glued on tyres do when the tires need changing? I tried pulling one away from the rim but I don't have the strength. When they do come off do they come off clean or leave a strip of stuck on rubber remaining?
I won't be keeping anything from these wheels but I am just curious?
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Congrats on the new bike! As said above, the tires aren't "glued" to the rim, they're just a bit stuck from the tubeless sealant. A firm pull will unseat them from the rim. Your local bike shop can help if they're really stuck on, they should do it for free. For about $15 they will re-install whatever tires you do want for tubeless.
When tires need changing, we just remove them from the rims like any other tire, but with that firm tug to unseat them. Then some rubbing alcohol and a rag will remove the sealant. It takes a few minutes. It IS more of a hassle than just installing a tube, but that small extra hassle is paid for a hundred times over in not repairing flats all the time. The last time I got a flat was in July at Northstar bike park on a seriously heavy day in some rocks. I just pulled the tire and put in a tube. Before that it had been 3 years or so since I flatted, that was a knob ripped off in a rock garden.
Tubeless is better, and it's not close. But it does take some learning, and mostly the benefits are for heavy off-road riding. If you're riding mostly on roads, the benefits will be much less. Mostly it's about more traction and less pinch flats, not as big an issue on roads or gravel. This video will show you all you need to know about removal and installation.