Kenda Tire recommends that users follow the manufacturers recommended amount of sealant in each tire. Under dosing could negatively influence sealant efficacy, and over dosing could negatively affect ride performance.

Most sealant manufacturers will have their own recommendations for how long their sealant lasts and how often it should be refreshed or replaced. It can vary depending on what climate you live in and the tire you are using. A general rule of thumb is to refresh sealant when it no longer provides sealing capability, often between 3 to 6 months, or when a significant loss of sealant happens such as when the sealant flows out before fully sealing a puncture or after a burp in the tire.

One of the benefits of tubeless tires is that since there is no tube, you can run lower tire pressures without the worry of pinching the tube between the rim and tire. Also, when the tires are set to be tubeless, the sealant will potentially fill and seal any small punctures that would otherwise have punctured the tube, causing a flat tire.

Tire sealant is a liquid added into the tire that is required to make them air tight as well as to act as a preventative measure to seal small punctures. Usually sealant is a latex based liquid with added solids in it to fill holes and small cuts.

Every brand of sealant has their own strengths. Some are better suited for cold temperatures, while others have better longevity. Kenda recommends consulting sealant manufacturers or your local bike shop for recommendations based on your location and usage.

Because sealant is designed to clog holes, the sealant can often clog up the air valve and cause air to leak out or make it difficult to add air in. The best way is to remove the valve core with a valve core removal tool or, in a pinch, a set of small pliers can be used to unscrew it. A thin object such as a toothpick or nail can then be inserted to clear the valve out of sealant. If sealant is clogging your valves often, it is sometimes best to replace them occasionally.

Kenda Tire has tubeless tires in several construction types. Each construction serves a specific purpose and has different tubeless characteristics. The list below details the various types and their tubeless attributes.

Tubeless Race (TR) – Tubeless Race is the lightest tubeless ready construction Kenda offers. It is the ideal construction for riders with separate race day wheels or the rider looking for the lightest possible tire. Given the light weight, TR tires require additional attention to maintain a quality seal and long-term air pressure.

Sidewall Casing Technology (SCT), Gravel Casing Technology (GCT), Tubeless Road (TLR), and Advanced Trail Casing (ATC) – while protection under the tread differs on these tires, all of these casings feature similar protection across the sidewalls for tubeless optimization and protection. Mounting and tubeless set up are easier and these tires have superior air retention.

Advanced Enduro Casing (AEC) and Advanced Gravity Casing (AGC) – Tires with these tubeless ready casings have densely woven aramid on the sidewalls and under the tread surface. These are very robust tires with excellent flat protection and good air retention.

E-Mountain Casing (EMC) – Tubeless ready tires certified for the fastest e-bikes! Like some other flat protections that aid in tubeless optimization, the EMC casing 3-piece protection features coarse Nylon fibers tightly woven together across the sidewalls of the tire.

Have you had a tire weeping, crying or seeping at the sidewall? Don’t worry this is normal. We wish all tires were non-porous, but that is unfortunately just not the case. In fact, bike tire’s porosity is the exact reason that sealant was developed and needs to be used in tubeless ready setups. Puncture resistance is actually a bonus side effect! All sealants for tubeless set-ups contain a certain amount of a Glycol or similar additive for longevity. This can typically be seen coming through the sidewall in seemingly random wet splotches or dots of white or in even rarer cases in the form of “pin hole” bubbles. As the sealant does its job to seal the tire, air-retention increases over time. Below is a quote from one of our engineers here in Ohio.

“There is effectively 2 reasons as to why this happens, it was just installed and is too new, or it has aged and the sealant is too old. For remedying the fresh setup situation, customers should ride it a few days and see if it seals up. When dealing with this micro porosity in the sidewalls, the smaller the holes, the harder it is for the sealant to seal them up. Some sealants work better than others of course.
Regarding tires that do this after an extended period of time, that is caused by the sealant breaking down. If the sealant begins to separate (come out of solution), then it’s easier for the separate parts to start coming through the tire. We’ve seen that this can even occur through the tread on some tires they were riding even. Factors like heat, humidity, and riding frequency can all effect the rate at which this can happen.”

-Joe Angeli, Kenda Engineer