More Information On Using Stan's Sealant At Low Temperatures

A few weeks ago, I looked into the performance of sealants at very low temperatures.  I even put some Stan's sealant in the freezer to see what happened.   This was definitely more fun than biking outside at zero degrees. 

The result was that the sealant appeared to be slushy, but would still probably work.   Recently, I read an official response from the Stan's people over at their messageboard.    According to Bob Nunnick "The sealant has been used in the Attic[sic] and the Antarctic. Freezing point is minus 30 F".    

Now it is not clear how to use sealant in the attic, so I presume he meant the arctic.   

So there you go, as long as you stay above -30 F, you should be OK, at least with Stan's.

Let's Talk Wheels

One of the quandaries facing you when you convert to road tubeless is choosing the right wheel.   Ultimately, there are three ways to ride road tubeless:

1. Tubeless Compatible Legacy Wheels  These are the clincher wheels designed without spoke holes, long before road tubeless was invented.   Such wheels include the Specialized/HED tri-spoke design, all disc wheels, and most other clincher wheels that do not have conventional spokes.   Occasionally, you will find conventionally spoke wheels without spoke holes as well.  With these wheels, you don't need any conversion system, just a valve stem and some sealant.

2. Converted Clincher Wheels  This is what I run.   I have a great set of Ritchey Protocol WCS wheels that weigh in under 1500 grams.  I installed the standard Stan's tape, and have never had a problem.     I did have a little issue with the Vuelta XRP Cross rims that came with my cyclocross/commuting bike.    These rims were pinned together instead of welded, which can lead to all sorts of problems.

3. Dedicated Tubeless Rims  Shimano has jumped on board with their Ultegra and Dura Ace rims, although I find them both overpriced and overweight.    DT Swiss has a decent offering, as does Campagnolo and their  wheel building subsidiary, Fulcrum.    Finally, Stan's does have a new, dedicated road rim called the Alpha 340.   They offer both a range of wheels and they sell the rim.   Additionally, they offer this rim to other builders.   Personally, I would love to get my hands on forthcoming I25sl wheelset from Industry Nine which feature the Stan's rim, straight pull spokes, and their amazing road hubs.    Sadly, the only mention I can find of this product was in this article at Bike Rumor.