Update on the update of tubeless tyres!

 Following on from this post back in January.

After the issue I was having with the tubeless tyres (and them not seating) I put in some innertubes and just used them like that until August when I noticed there was a slight bulge in the sidewall while on a camping trip to Watlington

I managed to gently coax it fully loaded back home (slowly downhill!) without an issue.

I had decided to keep trying with the tubeless setup and had brought a pair of Schwalbe G one allround tyres. I just replaced the rear damaged one first and it went on and inflated without an issue.
I had to pump it up before almost every ride for a few days but it then seemed to just seal. The front was replaced the next weekend.

They seem to work ok on roads and trails to work, off road in the New Forest and some minor off road elsewhere.
I've had no issue with either of these coming away from the rims and have had no need to use the Stans Darts either in the 3 months since putting them on.

The month of May

 Well, this month has been a bit different than normal for me. As in I haven't been on the bike once!!

It was either the 29th or 30th of April when I saw a post on Facebook about a Cancer Research UK challenge which was to walk 100 miles in the month of May.
In my infinite wisdom (may have been cider induced!) I decided to sign up and say I would do double the distance. It's not too bad, I only have to walk 6.5 miles a day avg.

I decided I could walk into work 4 days a week and probably cycle in on Friday evening to add a bit of variety. 
The 1st week I didn't bother cycling in and walked everyday. There are so many different ways I can walk in, whether it be along the canal, river, past lakes or plod along the redway cyclepaths.
I managed a couple of longer walks at the weekends also.

The 3rd weekend of the month was another Association of Lightweight Campers meet at Kingsbury Water Park for our AGM weekend.
The plan was always to use the train and bicycle to get there, as I was doing a walking challenge I decided to pack all the gear in the rucksack and walk to the site from Tamworth station instead.

The gear used for hiking is exactly the same for cycle camping so no issue apart from having to carry it.
It was a pleasant walk once you get out of Tamworth onto the canal which passes right next to the site at Kingsbury.

The walk over and back to the station was uneventful, the weather was great and it was an enjoyable walk.

The weekend as usual, was spent in great company of likeminded people and cider :-)

I hit my target of 200 miles on the way home on the 25th of May. But have decided as I haven't been on the bike I may as well carry on with the challenge and add miles up until the 31st.

I have actually enjoyed walking in and back from work, The sunrises and dawn chorus on the way home everyday have been great to see and hear.

So far (as of the 27th/5/23) I have raised £400 for the charity.
If you can afford to sponsor me, you can do so via Rich's giving page  all donations are greatly received and help towards the fight against the disease.

Association of Lightweight Campers Easter meet in the Peaks

 I spent most of last week getting kit ready for the ALC camping meet at Hayfield Camping and Caravanning site.
Mainly due to me not likely to be finished work until about 6am and having a train booked for 13.30.
I had the bike ready for the off on Thursday night and did manage to get around 4hrs sleep in the end.

The train was on time and got me to Stockport with no issues, the ride over to the site was only around 20km but was quite hilly with the bike loaded with camping gear.

I took the road not knowing the area, it was up and down all the way. At one point I saw some cyclists on a bridge above me and did wonder where the track went, not knowing until later that it was the Sett Valley Trail which would have cut out some of the hills.

It only took me an hour or so to cycle there and the tent went up easily even though it was new and the first time I'd pitched it.

It's the new model tent fromTerra-Nova, the Northern Lite 2

 It was a good weekend, the tent was excellent with a lot of room inside and in the double porch area.
I didn't do any of the rides I'd planned to do, but did find out the track I saw was good to use to get to New Mills for provisions and a ride out with others on the Sunday.
We also found out I could ride all the way into Marple along the canal which would cut out some more hills on the way back to Stockport.

Some of the other campers organised trips to Buxton and meals at pubs in the evening, walking routes around Kinder Scout and cycle rides. 

There was a forecast of Snow and temps feeling like -8c on the last night but by the time we walked back up from a meal in the pub it had changed to be clear.

I was awake at 6am so a slow decamp and pack away for around 9.30 for the ride back along the trail and canal back to Stockport.
I rode along the canal all the way to Bredbury, then took the road across to the station and home for 14.00

Very short distance ridden with only 111km cycled, but was a fun weekend with good friends, laughter and cider.
Was good to be out on the bike and in the tent again.

Update on the tubeless tyres

Haven't done a lot of cycling lately as moving house and changing jobs has stopped me getting out as much as I would have liked.

After watching various YouTube videos on tubeless tyre issues and how to sort things out I decided to try again with them.
I got myself some brake cleaning fluid and also some ethyl alcohol to clean and degrease the rear wheel and tyre before putting it back on again.
I managed to get the tyre inflated to 100+ PSI to seat it and then added the sealant and inflated it to the correct pressure.

All working well on the weeks commuting into work but I did get a flat on the front one morning on the way home so decided to take that one off and clean the same way as the rear.

After a day of trying to reseat the tyre on the rim (with a standard track pump) I gave up and walked to the local Halfrauds to ask them to have a go. They didn't have a pump that would do it either! (I know a cycle shop will be better but there isn't one within a walkable distance from home).
I walked back and ended up fitting a tube in it to see me by until an Airshot inflator comes in the post.

This week the rear did the same again, It stays sealed until I get a flat then the sealant seems to leak out along the rim and doesn't want to seal again. I pumped it up 4 times on the way home (6km).
I have now put the old WTB tyre and tube back on it. for some reason the Panaracer gravelkings don't want to seal on the Sonder rims.

Not sure if it's the tyres or rims that's the issue, I do have an inflator coming in the post at some point so will keep trying as I don't like wasting money.
May end up putting slime tubes in for the short term (so as to run the tyres until they are dead) then get some tubeless road tyres to try as most of my riding is on road anyway.

Watch this space!!

Tubeless tyres!!

A couple of weeks ago I decided to try tubeless tyres on the new bike as it has tubeless compatible wheels. 

Tyres and all the kit ordered and fitted, setting them up didn't take long and they seemed to be working ok.

That is all is fine until they lose a bit of pressure. Which at that point the seal between the tyre and wheel starts to leak sealant.

The 1st time it happened was due to a puncture and no matter what I did roadside it wouldn't inflate and stay up.

20 minutes later I put a tube in and rode home.

Removed the tyre at home, patched the hole, and tried again.

Advice was to over inflate to seal the rim then add sealant.

Over inflating the tyre found another small hole but the sealant seemed to seal it.

The tyre stayed up overnight so the next morning I went out again.

100yds up the road and flat again and sealant leaking! Back home and try again.

Tyre off again, small hole patched while off, inflated to 80psi and left overnight.

Checking again the next morning  found it still up, so added sealant and headed out.

This time it did seem to be holding pressure, until about 40km into the ride.

After about 4 times of inflating and riding about 5km I gave up and put a tube in again.

That held up and got me home.

Again tyre off, cleaned and reseated and out again for a local ride.

Squidgy feeling at about 20km and the puncture sealed ok but leaking around the rim again!

Bike has been sat in the shed since Thursday, mainly due to packing boxes at home ready to move, but also as I have ordered some alcohol cleaner to give the tyres and rim a good clean before seating them.

Online research has said that this is one reason they may not be sealing.

We shall see what happens!