Stan’s tubeless know-how has stocked the cabinets right here at Merlin Cycles for a while now. However what’s behind the model that pioneered the usage of tubeless tyres as we all know it at present? We sat down with Pete Hunt at Stan’s to search out out.

What are you able to inform us concerning the historical past of Stan’s?

Stan’s, as folks understand it at present, was initially a private ardour mission that began 1999-2000, by our founder Stan Koziatek. Stan lived in Large Flats, New York State (Sure, the identify of his hometown is a real coincidence!) and he used biking as a solution to maintain match throughout the summer time.

With harsh and rocky terrain within the native space, Stan turned annoyed with spending as a lot time fixing punctures as he did driving – so he determined to take a look at methods to take away the necessity for an inner-tube. Not like the ‘UST’ system that was being developed on the time, he needed to have the ability to use any accessible off-the-shelf components he wished, and never be restricted to purchasing right into a pre-defined ‘system’ – together with having the ability to use 29’er wheels, which have been simply gaining recognition among the many hardcore fans of the time.

Quickly sufficient, gravity racers from around the globe began calling Stan at residence, and at work in his carwash, asking if he may provide them a set of his rim strips and sealant, as that they had heard the way it was making him sooner and puncture much less often in races. The remainder is historical past. Stan began producing each the sealant and strips to promote to racers, and the model that we all know at present was fashioned.

Why go tubeless? What are the advantages and negatives?

Fairly merely, we consider it affords benefits by virtually all measures.

Often lighter than working tubes, tubeless affords the flexibility to run decrease tyre pressures with out the chance of flats – that is extra helpful now than ever, as tyres are getting wider on trendy bikes to offer extra contact space – resulting in consolation and efficiency advantages.

In the event you add within the extra good thing about built-in puncture safety while driving, from the residual sealant within the tyre, the benefit-case simply will get stronger.

If I needed to summarize Tubeless it could be ‘Extra time driving, improved consolation and efficiency, and fewer time fixing points’. So long as you bear in mind to refresh your sealant when required (each 3-7 months in regular climatic / driving circumstances), then it’s normally in any other case a case of match and neglect.

What do you want to ‘go tubeless’?

Going tubeless is a reasonably straightforward step, as most new mid- to high-end bikes now come ‘tubeless-ready ’. In essence, this implies the rim is designed to just accept a tubeless tire set-up – and most often an applicable tyre, tape and valves will likely be pre-installed straight out of the field. If that is so, then all you want to do is add sealant, and away you go.

If you’re changing a motorcycle that has beforehand been working tubes, however has tubeless-ready  rims, then you will want to possible buy tubeless rim tape that’s roughly 2mm wider than the interior rim width, plus tubeless valves and tyres to fit your journey. Apply the tape to the rim in order that it’s clean and overlaps itself by 3-4 spoke holes, after which ‘poke’ a small gap for the valve and match these to the rim.

How does sealant truly work?

Sealant consists of two necessary components: a strong ingredient; and a liquid by which the strong ingredient is suspended. Stan’s has at all times used pure latex because the liquid ingredient, as that is naturally derived and sustainable. We use no petrochemicals in our formulation – not like these sealants constituted of artificial latex.

Throughout manufacturing, we combine the liquid latex answer with a amount of solids. We seek advice from the solids as ‘Crystals’, as every has a singular measurement and form. The crystals assist the method of therapeutic a gap, as they get ‘caught’ within the holes and turn into a foundation for the liquid latex to heal round – in an identical solution to blood clotting, if you reduce your pores and skin.

Ensuring that you’ve got the appropriate combination of liquid and solids is necessary to make sure the sealant can work as it’s supposed – that’s why it’s REALLY necessary that you just shake the bottle very well earlier than each use.

Now for the intelligent science bit…When the sealant is in its bottle, or within the tyre carcass, the air round it’s comparatively steady and constant. Nonetheless, when the sealant rushes by way of a gap in your tyre as the results of a puncture, the pH stage (i.e. how acid or alkaline the setting is) adjustments quickly, which causes the latex to solidify and seal the outlet.

What’s extra, we make the most of the identical science in our DART software, to restore bigger rips and holes, because the feather of the DART is coated with an accelerant which inspires the sealant to heal even sooner. This chemically bonds the DART to the tyre for an ultra-secure maintain and puncture restore.

How lengthy does sealant final? Is there any upkeep required?

As talked about earlier, sealant is designed to seal the tyre carcass as its main perform, reasonably than being there simply to repair punctures – which is what most cyclists who’re new to tubeless assume. Puncture safety is a secondary profit, however a really helpful and helpful one at that!

In an effort to work successfully for each sealing the tyre carcass and therapeutic punctures, it is vital that there’s at all times a small amount of ‘liquid’ sealant accessible contained in the tyre to permit it to proceed to do its job and seal any holes – whether or not within the tyre casing or from an exterior affect.

Individuals will usually ask me how they need to know when their sealant wants topping up or altering. The easy take a look at is to test by ‘shaking’ the tyre – you will see that it best take the wheel out of the bike for this. In the event you hear liquid sloshing contained in the tyre if you shake the wheel, then you definitely’re good to proceed driving. A month-to-month test is all you want and, when issues go quiet, it will likely be time to both top-up your sealant with some additional or clear out the tyre and apply contemporary.

When utilizing Stan’s Unique components, this may be utilized straight by way of the valve, eradicating the valve core first. We’ve a direct applicator cap on 60ml and 125ml bottles, the perfect measurement for topping up a Highway/Gravel and MTB tyre, respectively. Alternatively, the Stan’s Injector can be utilized for mess-free set up by way of the valve, when decanting from giant bottles of sealant.

For Stan’s Race Day sealant, because the bigger crystals are too huge to undergo the valve, this should be poured straight into the tyre carcass earlier than the bead is mounted on the rim – it can’t be put in by way of the valve. This technique can be simply as appropriate for Stan’s Unique Sealant too, must you favor.

Are there any new additions to Stan’s the road coming? What are you able to inform us about?

We at all times have a five-year product plan mapped out and at the moment have some super-exciting tasks underway – with new product traces on the drawing pad for our rim portfolio, growth of our new Biobased Bicycle Care vary, and possibly even some revolutionary developments within the sealant house. You didn’t count on us to inform you what although, did you? All I’ll say is, keep tuned!

To seek out out extra about Stan’s tubeless merchandise at Merlin, click on right here.