Ultimate Guide to Changing a Tubeless Bike Tire: Step-by-Step Instructions

If you ride bikes, you're eventually going to get a flat. The advent of tubeless tires has massively reduced the incidence of flats, but they still happen. Seasons and trail conditions change, and tires are not impervious to wear out. So, eventually, you'll need to swap out your tubeless tires. Here's our simple guide to make it easy and as mess-free as possible. 

What do I need to set up my tubeless mountain bike tires?

This is a list of what we recommend you have on hand when you start the process.

• Tubeless compatible tires and rim
• Tubeless tape and sealant
• Tubeless valves
• Tire levers
• Floor pump or charger
• Patience

Step 1. Deflate the Tire

Start by letting all the air out of the tires. Open your valve stem and depress it, careful not to bend or break it. Once it stops hissing, you've got an empty tire. I would also recommend positioning the valve to face down so that you don't end up pushing sealant into the valve which can end up clogging it and making it much harder to get enough air into the new tire.

Step 2. Debead the Tire

Using your hands, work your way around both edges of the tire, pushing it inward toward the center of the rim. It might take a couple of passes, but be patient and massage it until it unseats from the rim. You will feel the tire slide into the center and might even hear a satisfying pop as it unseats. Then, push the whole bead (the edge of the tire) down into the center of the rim. Do the same with the other edge.

If you have rim protection installed, this process can be extra frustrating, but laying the wheel over a bucket and pressing down on the sidewalls with a tire lever can make quick work of cracking the tubeless seal.

Step 3. Remove One Side (Try Not to Make a Mess)

You want to remove one bead from the rim. If you're strong, you may be able to do this with just your hands, but if not, gently use a tire lever to pry the bead back over the edge of the rim. Be careful not to damage the rim tape, and be ready for sealant to spill everywhere.

Pro Tip: If liquid sealant remains in the tire, you can likely vacuum it out with an injector and save yourself a potential mess.

Step 4. Debead the Other Side (Keep the Rim Tape Intact)

Once you've removed one edge of the tire from the rim, it should be easy to unseat the second edge and remove the tire entirely from the rim. With the tire off, wipe down the rim tape from any excess sealant and check it for damage. This is also a good time to check the rim itself for any damage or dings.

Step 5. Install Half of the New Tire

Slide one edge of your new tire onto the rim. Make sure that it's mounted forwards—it's easy to mount tires backward and not notice until it's too late. Some tire and rim combos can be a pretty tight fit, so if you can leave the tire in the sun for a little bit, it will warm up the rubber and make it a little easier to mount.

Pro Tip: Line the logo of your tire up with the valve stem so that people on the internet don't bully you, and it's easier to find your valve stem in a hurry. It also helps you identify any damage your rim might have sustained if you get a particularly nasty flat.

Step 6. Seat the Other Bead

Once you've got one bead seated, press it firmly down into the rim bed, and then get the other bead seated. I like to use a slow and methodical approach to this and work around from the opposite side of the valve stem. Starting with the valve pointed up at you, work your way around the tire/rim with both hands moving away from each other, slowly pushing the slack of the tire down towards the valve. This method will make it much easier to push that final few inches over the rim wall.

If you are having trouble with the last section, you can try the above method again until you have enough slack. I would also recommend ensuring that the already seated bead is pushed into the center of the rim and not already seated, as this will take out much-needed slack.

Be very careful if you use tire levers to keep your rim tape intact; it'll be hard to fix if you do.

Step 7. Fill Up the Sealant and Inflate

Now that the tire is on the rim, pull the valve core out, and squirt a bunch of sealant in there. Too much is better than too little.

Rethread the valve core and air up the tire. Most modern tires will seat with a floor pump, but if it won't, use a tubeless charger or an air compressor. It should make an alarming popping sound or two, and then the beads will be smooth and round around the rim.

If it doesn't seal, we also have a troubleshooting guide for that!

Tubeless Tire Won't Seat? Here's How to Fix It

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Tubeless Tire Won't Seat? Here's How to Fix It

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Step 8. Perform Final Checks, and You're Good to Go!

Check the tire for appropriate pressure for your weight and riding style. To ensure it is fully seated, rotate the wheels to check for a wobble, indicating the beads did not fully seat. If that is the case and you see a wobble, deflate the tire, reinflate to the maximum pressure indicated on the sidewall, and squeeze the sidewalls while reinflating, which should coax the bead into place, resulting in the familiar ping of seating.