When I got my new bike in January the shop set them up tubeless and used Muc-off sealant. I have a bottle of Stan's on hand. When I want to top off the sealant (in a few months perhaps), is it okay to mix sealants? If not advised, I'll just get a small bottle of Muc-off and then later on use the larger Stan's bottle I have. Thanks.
Generally it is a bad idea to mix sealants. The composition of different sealants can vary greatly, some have ammonia, some are ammonia free. Some have latex some have synthetic latex some are latex free. Some may be similar enough that it would be okay, but unless you know everything in them and you’re a chemist it’s best to just avoid mixing.
Many LBS will mix it if it is similar base. I use half and half panaracer and orange to setup. Panaracer I believe is fast drying and orange has larger particulars for plugging larger holes. But I would not mix ammonia base with latex. I also have very very supple tires.
The sealants that contain ammonia are latex sealants, as ammonia is a solvent for latex. That's the point of adding it. Since all sealants are either water or glycol based, they can be mixed, but the results are unpredictable. It's highly unlikely that it would damage anything.
My Jamis Renegade came with pre-taped tubeless ready WTB rims, and was debating going tubeless. Comfort and traction would be a plus, but speed and weight are rounding error for my rides. I have read that you need to keep adding sealant as sealant dries out. Does this just keep adding weight and mess to the inside of the tire? Is one type of sealant better for a long use, lower daily mileage scenario to avoid too much build up? In pulling off the original rear tire today after about 18 months just using a tube, I found the bead so firmly pressed into the rim that it was really hard to break the bead loose after deflating the tube. I was wondering if it was stuck with sealant if I would even be able to remove it trailside to pop a tube in if I flatted. Any tricks to unseating a tire-rim combo that really grabs?
How often you need to add sealant depends on the type of sealant you use, the weather conditions where you ride and how often you ride. Some sealants claim to last longer than others, but I haven't seen any definitive testing and personal anecdotes vary a lot. Hot, dry weather dries up sealant faster than more temperate conditions. The more you ride and add air to your tires, the faster the sealant dries. Tubeless-ready (TLR) tires may tend to weep some sealant through their sidewalls (I've experienced this with Schwable and Maxxis tires).
That said, I ride year-round in New England and I add sealant about twice per year, which takes about 5 minutes with a valve core wrench and a syringe. FWIW, I only use 1/3 to 1/2 the amount of sealant that the manufacturers recommend and it works fine. A typical starting amount for me in a 40mm gravel tire is ~30cc / 1 oz. and a recharge is 20CC / 2/3 oz.
You don't have to worry about weight gain over time, as the majority of the weight of sealant is in the liquid which evaporates. Generally, all that's left behind is a thin layer of latex that you can easily peel out if you're really concerned about it.
I haven't found any issues with unseating tires on MTBs or gravel bikes (they've always come off by hand), but fat bike tires can be a real pain. Worst case, lay the wheel on its side on a firm surface with something to protect it underneath, then carefully step on the tire where the bead meets the rim. That will pop the bead loose and allow you to do whatever. I haven't found that sealant makes unseating the tire any more difficult, but having a little sealant on the bead definitely makes them easier to re-seat.
Thanks! I read this review https://www.bikeradar.com/features/which-tubeless-sealant-works-the-best/ and talked to a vendor in the Rockies (Maybe Colorado Cyclist or Competitive Cyclist) who swore by Orange Seal, whereas LBS here in hot, humid NC said Stan's is great, just don't get Orange Seal--might be the humidity that gets pumped in with every summer pump stroke. I suspect my unseating difficulty and your fat bike may have been UST tire on UST rim "UST tires can be used on a UST rim without tire sealants" https://www.parktool.com/blog/repair-help/tubeless-tire-compatibility due to the square bead specs. My WTB rims have this statement,
"BEADLOCK
Designed around ETRTO standards, Beadlock provides the optimal tubeless rim profile and diameter to ensure superior tire fit and retention."
I'm guessing the Donnelly (formerly Clement) tire also has a UST bead (looked and could not find any guidance), hence the tight lock after a year of use at a tubed pressure. With a UST fit, needing less sealant makes sense, but I'll probably have to go to LBS to get a compressor to seat it due to the tighter fit.
I don't think I've ever seen a UST fat bike tire and I'm not sure they exist. If a tire is UST compliant, it will say so on the sidewall. All of the fat bike tires I've used fit the rims tightly, which is necessary due to the low pressures run in them. The rims I have are definitely not UST and again, I'm not sure they exist. Fat bike tires are just a pain that way.
There may be some UST gravel tires, but I don't recall running into any of them, either.
As for inflation and seating, it really depends on the condition of the tire and the type of rim. Tires that have been folded for a while can be difficult to seat without a compressor, since the beads won't be completely straight. After they've been mounted and inflated for a while, it's generally much easier to re-seat them with a hand pump, as the beads straighten out and stretch slightly.
Yeah, I'm not worried about mixing sealant on rare occasions. Really, they are all latex based in our world (I'm assuming your are not using slime or one of those sealants for innertubes that don't dry out). Not ideal, but not a showstopper.
Familyridz wrote:My Jamis Renegade came with pre-taped tubeless ready WTB rims, and was debating going tubeless. Comfort and traction would be a plus, but speed and weight are rounding error for my rides. I have read that you need to keep adding sealant as sealant dries out. Does this just keep adding weight and mess to the inside of the tire? Is one type of sealant better for a long use, lower daily mileage scenario to avoid too much build up? In pulling off the original rear tire today after about 18 months just using a tube, I found the bead so firmly pressed into the rim that it was really hard to break the bead loose after deflating the tube. I was wondering if it was stuck with sealant if I would even be able to remove it trailside to pop a tube in if I flatted. Any tricks to unseating a tire-rim combo that really grabs?
Thanks.
I use Orange Seal Endurance, and add about 2oz every 6 months. I use a zip tie as a dipstick to make sure I don't overfill.
Dried sealant isn't really that heavy. Orange seal leaves a latex coating around the tire that you can peal off if you really want to. Stans tends to clump into little balls (affectionally known as Stan's latex boogers or stanimals).
Generally the sealant won't make the tire stick to the wheel, although with the super tight fit of tubless tires and wheels it can be difficult to remove (or darn near impossible on one of my combos). Unseating can be a nightmare - but on some wheels it is a breeze. I've popped tubes into my tires on my DT SWISS rims, and its as easy as doing a standard tubed setup.
But always when I get a flat (that is not an install issue) I've been able to pump up the tire and get it to seal eventually and ride on home. I do carry tire plugs, but I've only used them on my car. ;-)
