Frequently Asked Questions ( FAQS)

What pressures should I run in my WTB tubeless tires?

• ONE OF THE GOLDEN RULES OF TUBELESS is to always know what tire pressure you’re running. Check your tire pressures before every ride with a digital gauge. Don’t trust your floor pump gauge unless you know it's accurate. Even small variances in tire pressure can create very noticeable differences in traction, comfort and confidence. We want to make sure you’re maximizing the performance benefits of your tubeless system.
• Always stay within the recommended tire pressures printed on the side of the tire.
  • If you’re compressing your tire all the way to your rim on heavy hits or can feel the tire folding while cornering…you need to add more pressure.
  • You’ll want to increase pressure in narrower (and therefore lower volume) tires as a mean of providing additional support, while lowering the pressure in wider (and therefore higher volume) tires will provide more traction without losing cornering support.
  • For plus-size tires in the 2.8-3.0” range, riders often run tire pressures in the teens.
  • High volume gravel tires, like the Venture 50, tend to perform best at around 30-35 psi. In that pressure range, it provides support and efficiency, without giving up comfort or traction. Too high of pressures will provide a jarring ride, which will cause unnecessary fatigue and discomfort. Of course Venture 50 is the biggest gravel tire we make and a narrower tire would require more pressure. For example, a 40mm-width gravel tire will likely perform best around 40-45 psi.
  • Take all of these with a few grains of salt and adjust to your riding style, the terrain you ride, and your weight.
• Ultimately, there are two main things we’re trying to avoid here.
  • Rock hard tires. Unless you’re riding extremely aggressive downhill trails at an elite level, 35 psi is going to be way too much pressure for a large majority of riders. Too much pressure can quickly cause loss of traction and control.
  • The “that’s good enough” method of inflating tires. Pinching your tire, regardless of how many years you’ve been riding, is not an accurate method of determining tire pressure. Use a digital gauge and write down the pressures before you ride so that you’ll have something to reference next time you get ready to ride.

Discussing air loss:

• All tubeless tires will lose air quicker than their tubed counterparts.
  • This is a small price to pay for the numerous benefits of our TCS tubeless tire/rim system.
• All WTB tubeless tires require the use of tubeless sealant within the tire to create a sealed system. A lack of sealant will cause accelerated air loss and compromise the integrity of the overall tubeless system. We suggest using the following minimum volumes of tubeless sealant:

• Depending on the sealant used and the overall seal of the tubeless system as a whole, tires can drop below safe operating levels ranging from a few hours to a few weeks. Therefore, it is always important to check your tire pressures with an accurate pressure gauge every time you ride. We also highly suggest this to achieve optimal performance, flat prevention, bead retention and safety from your tubeless tire.
  • If your tubeless tires are losing substantial pressure within a few minutes or hours, you’re likely dealing with damaged tubeless tape or a loose tubeless valve stem.
  • Loss of substantial tire pressure over a few days is likely indicative of ineffective/old tire sealant or air seeping through the tire sidewall. In these rare cases, we suggest removing the complete tire and wheel system from the bike, adding the proper amount of fresh sealant, then shaking the tire to ensure sealant has covered the entirety of the sidewall. Simply spinning the tire on the bike will only push the majority of the sealant more towards the tread region of the tire, where air loss is less common.
  • Check your sealant level every couple months. Even more often in dry climates.

What are some tips for installing WTB tires?

• Installation
  • Install one side at a time, finishing at the valve stem each time.
  • When installing tires on ASYMMETRICAL rims, it is helpful to always mount the tire onto the rim on the "short side" of the rim. By that, we mean the side of the rim with the shortest distance from the rim leg/bead to the valley of the rim where the valve sits.
  • Make sure tire bead is sitting in the deepest part of the rim profile. This is often referred to as the “valley” of the rim.
    • This becomes increasingly important when installing the last foot of the tire bead onto the rim.
  • Placing sealant on both sides of the tire bead can aid in installation by serving as a lubricant between the rim and tire interface.
  • Avoid using tire levers during installation. Doing so can damage the tubeless tape and prevent an airtight tubeless system.
  • Inflate with a compression if accessible.
  • Remove valve core to allow for additional flow.
• Removal
  • Completely deflate tire.
  • Pop both sides of the tire bead into the deepest part of the rim valley.
    • Ensure this is the case all the way around the rim.
    • With the tire bead is in the bottom of the rim valley, there will be more room for the tire bead on the opposite end to be pried and removed over the walls of the rim.
    • Being careful to avoid damaging the tubeless tape, use a tire lever right next to the valve stem and pull the tire bead over the rim wall. If the tire bead is tight against the rim, you can slide the tire lever along the rim surface to free a large length of the tire bead from the rim.

Are there any tricks to installing tires on an asymmetrical rim? Tricks for installing a tire insert?

Absolutely. There are tricks that make installing tires on asymmetrical rims much easier. Especially if you are using tire inserts. See the video below for suggestions.

Can my tube-type Comp or Race tires be set up tubeless?

No. Comp and Race type tires are only made for use with inner tubes. Do not attempt to set up Comp or Race tires tubeless. If you want to run a tubeless set up, you need the Tubeless Compatible System (TCS) version of the tires.

Which length TCS valve stem should I use?

All of our alloy rims work great with a 34mm valve stem. If you are using a deeper dish rim, like our CZR i23 rim, then we recommend the 46mm long valve stem. CZR i30 rims accept either length of valve.

Which width TCS Tape should I use for my rim?

WTB recommends using tape that is 5mm wider than your inner rim width. Most of our rims will have the inner rim width listed in the name (i.e. Frequency i23 uses 28mm TCS Tape).

Can your Road Plus or Mountain Plus tires fit in my frame? 

Due to the huge variety of frame designs out there, we can't guarantee frame fit based on the model name and bike description. We are happy to email tire drawings so you can measure your bike at home, or you can check the Road Plus Compatibility list for bikes that we have already verified fit on.

Can't find a saddle you loved to ride pre-2015?

Check out this saddle cross reference chart to see what your old WTB saddle evolved into with our new saddle line. 

What is the shelf life of WTB TCS Sealant?

WTB TCS sealant shelf life is dependent on physical properties of the sealant and storage environmental conditions rather than a defined timeline.

Shelf-Life Criteria:

1. Sealant Liquid is still in liquid form (not solidified).
2. Sealant particulate can be easily mixed into liquid when bottle is shaken thoroughly.
3. Sealant is stored in an ambient temperate range >45°F <90°F (>7°C <35°C).
4. Bottle remains sealed in airtight original packaging (unopened).

If the sealant bottle is open / used, it follows the same criteria as above to determine if the sealant is still serviceable.

The maximum operating temperature of TCS Sealant is 125°F (51.7°C) , but the rider should check sealant levels more frequently while riding at these temperatures. It is recommended to avoid riding at high temperatures for health concerns.