Tube tyres on a tubeless wheel

**rouppe** · 16th March 2007, 07:41

Warrant is coming up, getting prepared to replace the tyres at the same time. Did a bunch of research, sounds like the Mitas tyres are the business so ordererd some E08's.

Turns out they are tube-type tyres, and my XF650 Freewind has tubless rims. What is the story fitting tube-type tyres to a tubeless rim, both front and rear.

The guy I ordered them from at lmsimports said no problem fitting the tube-type to the rear, but never tried it on the front. Well, that's dandy. I do not want to be cruising down the motorway on the way to work, and have a tyre - particularly a front - decide that it isn't going to stick anymore and cause me to closely examine the road surface.

Any advice? Send them back? Fit them no worries?

Thanks, Andrew

**Transalper** · 16th March 2007, 09:00

I'd say no worries, the tyres will be fine... but I just don't know the finer points of fitting them... like weather they are ok as is or wether you'll need to stick a tube in them... which isn't necessarily a bad thing.

If no one has a better answer soon i'll check with a couple of tyre people here to see what they say.

**rouppe** · 16th March 2007, 09:14

Originally Posted by Transalper

If no one has a better answer soon i'll check with a couple of tyre people here to see what they say.

Its them finer points I'm worried about. I don't really want to have to fit tubes since tubeless is so much more convenient - especially if I have a small puncture. I'd rather send them back and get Pirelli's if that were the case but the feedback on the Mitas here was so good I thought I'd have no probs with them. I'd appreciate your enquiries... And the weird thing is that Mitas make a tubeless version: http://www.barum-pneu.cz/mitas/e-08/...tas&dezen=E-08

By the way I work with BusaJim and he was pretty happy with the DustyButt trip last weekend. Couldn't say enough good things about all the help he got with the rip in his tyre.

Andrew

**Motu** · 16th March 2007, 09:35

There shouldn't be any problem,although tubeless rims and tyres have a different bead security system.We have trouble fitting tubeless trials tyres onto tubed rims,they just don't want to seat sometimes.....but it doesn't really matter as the speeds are low.Check for tube creep and fit a rim lock if necessary.

**Transalper** · 16th March 2007, 13:59

Originally Posted by Motu

There shouldn't be any problem,although tubeless rims and tyres have a different bead security system.We have trouble fitting tubeless trials tyres onto tubed rims,they just don't want to seat sometimes.....but it doesn't really matter as the speeds are low.Check for tube creep and fit a rim lock if necessary.

Interesting but hes going the other way... fitting a tube tyre to a tubless rim and hoping to not use a tube.

Talked to my Mitas supplier, they think from a WOF point of view they will be fine BUT... most of the ones they know that people are experimenting with hold pressure while sitting but when in motion they often leak a bit. I guess sometines the air works it's way past the bead which isn't fully compatable.
They said you could try it and see if it works for you, but i guess if you mount the tyre then your past the point of no return if it doesn't work. The first thing he said to me as i started telling rouppes story was they recommend using a tube and personally that's what i'd do, but then I like tubes where as you don't.

So there you have it... another opinion.

BTW DAS here in Chch have some tubless ones (don't know which sizes or patterns) on the way but expecting to be about 4 months until they're here.

**Motu** · 16th March 2007, 14:18

I doubt you could use a tube tyre tubeless - they aren't made to hold air....the tube does that.The tubeless tyre is designed to hold air.I am pretty sure his tyre supplier is intending to fit a tube tyre and tube to these rims.

**rouppe** · 16th March 2007, 14:20

Thanks TransAlp.... That makes the decision for me. My experience is that cutting corners never pays in the long run.

I will ring LMS and ask if they can supply tubeless. If they can, I'll do that. If they can't, I'll send them back and go with some Pirelli MT90's that are 'on sale' (for twice the price of the Mitas).

When those come closer to replacement I'll ring up Dirt Action to supply some tubeless ones.

Thanks heaps, Andrew

**NordieBoy** · 16th March 2007, 20:10

You'll probably chew through the MT90's pretty quickly.

**XF650** · 16th March 2007, 20:14

Andrew
Your's is the first XF650 I'v heard of that's running tubeless tyres.
Could you describe the wheels please - I wouldn't mind getting a set.
Thanks

**rouppe** · 17th March 2007, 15:14

Originally Posted by NordieBoy

You'll probably chew through the MT90's pretty quickly.

Hope not! I was running MT80's which were on the bike when I bought it, and I've got about 9000kms out of those. So I'm hoping I'll get reaosnable mileage out of these new ones. If they chew quickly then I'll get something else next time. I may well try Dirt Action next time.

I'll let you know...

Andrew

**rouppe** · 17th March 2007, 15:22

Originally Posted by XF650

Andrew
Your's is the first XF650 I'v heard of that's running tubeless tyres.
Could you describe the wheels please - I wouldn't mind getting a set.
Thanks

I'm not quite sure what to say. I was just assuming that they were tubeless because the bike had Pirelli MT80 tyres on it when I bought it, and they say they are tubeless tyres... I've never had a puncture so I've never looked inside.

Maybe they are a tube-type rim that have had tubeless tyres fited with a tube. How do I tell? Not much I can tell you about the wheels without knowing what to look for...?

If I've got it wrong then maybe I need to go back to the drawing board...

I'm a mite irritated this afternoon cause I was parked outside Motorad while I was sorting out the warrant and tyre appointment. When I came outside the bike had been knocked over. Dent in the exhaust cover, scrape off the handle bar ends, front mudguard a bit askew. It could have blown over but I doubt it. Grrr.

Andrew

**crazybigal** · 17th March 2007, 15:50

suck about your bike falling over! was dam gusty in town today.
you should be fine to fit a tube, of course it will cost you $30 bucks for a good tube!
Only time ive had problems was when i went to replace my tubeless mitchy on my gas gas trials bike i couldnt get the new one to bead up so i stuck a tube in it, problems is we run such low psi that without a rim lock i could rip the tube if the tyre slips. but i dont think you will have that problem on the front of your freewind.

**NordieBoy** · 17th March 2007, 15:52

Originally Posted by rouppe

Hope not! I was running MT80's which were on the bike when I bought it, and I've got about 9000kms out of those. So I'm hoping I'll get reaosnable mileage out of these new ones. If they chew quickly then I'll get something else next time. I may well try Dirt Action next time.

I'll let you know...

Andrew

I loved them on the Nordie but they were expensive.
160x60x17 rear and 120x70x17 front.

**XF650** · 17th March 2007, 16:58

Andrew
Sorry to read about the damage to your XF. Similair thing happened to mine but I was working on it in my garage at the time, so couldn't bame anyone else!

Are your wheels alloy or spoked?
From what I have read on these forums, most dual purpose spoke wheels are tubed, except for some BMW's & import Yam 225's.
If in fact you are running tubes, I also would recconmend the Mitas E-08's, especially for road work.

**Transalper** · 17th March 2007, 18:15

Originally Posted by rouppe

...I was just assuming that they were tubeless because......
Maybe they are a tube-type rim that have had tubeless tyres fited with a tube. How do I tell? Not much I can tell you about the wheels without knowing what to look for...?

Take a decent photo of the valve area, we may be able to tell wether it's already running a tube or not.