Stan’s tubeless technology has stocked the shelves here at Merlin Cycles for some time now. But what’s behind the brand that pioneered the use of tubeless tyres as we know it today? We sat down with Pete Hunt at Stan’s to find out.
What can you tell us about the history of Stan’s?
Stan’s, as people know it today, was originally a personal passion project that started 1999-2000, by our founder Stan Koziatek. Stan lived in Big Flats, New York State (Yes, the name of his hometown is a genuine coincidence!) and he used cycling as a way to keep fit during the summer.
With harsh and rocky terrain in the local area, Stan became frustrated with spending as much time fixing punctures as he did riding – so he decided to look at ways to remove the need for an inner-tube. Unlike the ‘UST’ system that was being developed at the time, he wanted to be able to use any available off-the-shelf parts he wished, and not be limited to buying into a pre-defined ‘system’ – including being able to use 29’er wheels, which were just gaining popularity among the hardcore enthusiasts of the time.
Soon enough, gravity racers from around the world started calling Stan at home, and at work in his carwash, asking if he could supply them a set of his rim strips and sealant, as they had heard how it was making him faster and puncture less frequently in races. The rest is history. Stan started producing both the sealant and strips to sell to racers, and the brand that we know today was formed.
Why go tubeless? What are the benefits and negatives?
Quite simply, we believe it offers advantages by almost all measures.
Usually lighter than running tubes, tubeless offers the ability to run lower tyre pressures without the risk of flats – this is more beneficial now than ever, as tyres are getting wider on modern bikes to provide more contact area – leading to comfort and performance benefits.
If you add in the additional benefit of built-in puncture protection whilst riding, from the residual sealant in the tyre, the benefit-case just gets stronger.
If I had to summarize Tubeless it would be ‘More time riding, improved comfort and performance, and less time fixing issues’. As long as you remember to refresh your sealant when required (every 3-7 months in normal climatic / riding conditions), then it’s usually otherwise a case of fit and forget.
What do you need to ‘go tubeless’?
Going tubeless is a fairly easy step, as most new mid- to high-end bikes now come ‘tubeless-ready ’. In essence, this means the rim is designed to accept a tubeless tire set-up – and in most cases an appropriate tyre, tape and valves will be pre-installed straight out of the box. If this is the case, then all you need to do is add sealant, and away you go.
If you are converting a bike that has previously been running tubes, but has tubeless-ready rims, then you will need to likely purchase tubeless rim tape that is approximately 2mm wider than the internal rim width, plus tubeless valves and tyres to suit your ride. Apply the tape to the rim so that it is smooth and overlaps itself by 3-4 spoke holes, and then ‘poke’ a small hole for the valve and fit these to the rim.
How does sealant actually work?
Sealant consists of two important parts: a solid element; and a liquid in which the solid element is suspended. Stan’s has always used natural latex as the liquid element, as this is naturally derived and sustainable. We use no petrochemicals in our formulation – unlike those sealants made from synthetic latex.
During manufacturing, we mix the liquid latex solution with a quantity of solids. We refer to the solids as ‘Crystals’, as each has a unique size and shape. The crystals support the process of healing a hole, as they get ‘stuck’ in the holes and become a basis for the liquid latex to heal around – in a similar way to blood clotting, when you cut your skin.
Making sure that you have the right mixture of liquid and solids is important to ensure the sealant can work as it is intended – that’s why it is REALLY important that you shake the bottle really well before every use.
Now for the clever science bit…When the sealant is in its bottle, or in the tyre carcass, the air around it is relatively stable and consistent. However, when the sealant rushes through a hole in your tyre as the result of a puncture, the pH level (i.e. how acid or alkaline the environment is) changes rapidly, which causes the latex to solidify and seal the hole.
What’s more, we utilize the same science in our DART tool, to repair larger rips and holes, as the feather of the DART is coated with an accelerant which encourages the sealant to heal even faster. This chemically bonds the DART to the tyre for an ultra-secure hold and puncture repair.
How long does sealant last? Is there any maintenance required?
As mentioned earlier, sealant is designed to seal the tyre carcass as its primary function, rather than being there just to fix punctures – which is what most cyclists who are new to tubeless assume. Puncture protection is a secondary benefit, but a very useful and valuable one at that!
In order to work effectively for both sealing the tyre carcass and healing punctures, it is important that there is always a small quantity of ‘liquid’ sealant available inside the tyre to allow it to continue to do its job and seal any holes – whether in the tyre casing or from an external influence.
People will often ask me how they should know when their sealant needs topping up or changing. The simple test is to check by ‘shaking’ the tyre – you will find it easiest take the wheel out of the bike for this. If you hear liquid sloshing inside the tyre when you shake the wheel, then you’re good to continue riding. A monthly check is all you need and, when things go quiet, it will be time to either top-up your sealant with some extra or clean out the tyre and apply fresh.
When using Stan’s Original formula, this can be applied directly through the valve, removing the valve core first. We have a direct applicator cap on 60ml and 125ml bottles, the ideal size for topping up a Road/Gravel and MTB tyre, respectively. Alternatively, the Stan’s Injector can be used for mess-free installation through the valve, when decanting from large bottles of sealant.
For Stan’s Race Day sealant, as the larger crystals are too big to go through the valve, this must be poured directly into the tyre carcass before the bead is mounted on the rim – it cannot be installed through the valve. This method is also just as suitable for Stan’s Original Sealant too, should you prefer.
Are there any new additions to Stan’s the line coming? What can you tell us about?
We always have a five-year product plan mapped out and currently have some super-exciting projects underway – with new product lines on the drawing pad for our rim portfolio, expansion of our new Biobased Bicycle Care range, and maybe even some revolutionary developments in the sealant space. You didn’t expect us to tell you what though, did you? All I will say is, stay tuned!
To find out more about Stan’s tubeless products at Merlin, click here.
