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Currently using a 27.5x2.10 tube tires and I'm planning to convert my mountain bike wheels into tubeless system but I can't tell if my rims are tubeless ready since there's no indicated label if it is tubeless ready.

Here's the image of my current bicycle rims (27.5 x inner width 25mm - double wall aluminum):

My bicycle inner rims

And I've done a simple google search to determine the design for tubeless ready rims (My rims looks like this):

enter image description here

Most of my rides are on paved roads.

Are my rims tubeless ready or not?

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    Even if there is no indication of whether these a tubeless-ready or not on the rim itself, is there any indication of the model/make of these rims? I'm pretty sure looking up the specs for the rim would contain that information...
    – DoNuT
    Jul 14 at 7:01
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    If not the wheels, can you say the model and year of the bike? That might provide some indication.
    – Weiwen Ng
    Jul 18 at 1:21
  • If it does no say so on some label visibly displayed, it probably is not a TLR rim. Nevertheless, it is quite likely you can get a good seal with tubeless tyres anyway. For high volume tyres (gravel and MTB) the rim is not so critical as some suggest. The term "ghetto tubeless" may be discouraging, but it mainly covers using also non-TLR tyres and even electrical tape or other glue tape instead of a proper tubeless rim tape. With a good tubeless tyre it usually works even on non-TLR rims (on gravel and MTB).
    – Vladimir F Героям слава
    Jul 19 at 16:39

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No, these do not appear to be tubeless compatible. Tubeless compatible rims have sidewalls that are much shorter than yours. These are necessary to create an area for the tire bead to lock into.

enter image description here

Another point of corroboration is tubeless compatibility is a desirable feature (or at least one that adds cost), and so it's rare for a rim that has it to not say so on a decal, or for a complete bike that has it to not say so in its spec list.

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  • Actually, the measurement you referred to may be called the G-height. I was under the impression that the ISO tubeless standard specifies a minimum for this measure. I'm not sure that we can say if the G-height is compliant from the photo, but this rim's G-height doesn't scream incompatible to my eye. Another thing is that we don't know what MTB and what rims these are; if this is a modern MTB, then I would assume that almost all the wheels are tubeless compatible, as they've had tubeless quite a long time now.
    – Weiwen Ng
    Jul 14 at 17:27
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    Many lower end MTBs come with non tubeless compatible rims. I don't know anything about the ISO tubeless spec, but sidewalls this tall simply don't have the ability to lock in a bead.
    – Nathan Knutson
    Jul 14 at 18:08
  • There also does not appear to be a bead lock. The rim slopes downwards at the bead seats, but there isn’t the ledge that you need to snap the beads on.
    – MaplePanda
    Jul 14 at 19:03
  • I would actually say the tubeless compatibility is an UNDESIRABLE feature. I find that installing a tire and a tube on a tubeless compatible rim requires anywhere from half an hour to an hour, and is likely to result in many punctured tubes. The reason being that the sidewalls are much shorter, so there's less clearance for tire-fitting. On non-tubeless rims, I can install a tire often without any kind of tire levers at all. However, if one runs a tubeless then the fight of between half and hour to an hour is necessary, and tubeless is major pain anyway so that's not the largest pain.
    – juhist
    Jul 15 at 11:51
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    @juhist you might want to re-evaluate your tire mounting technique. I’m a 145-lb (66 kg) t-Rex and I have little issue mounting tubeless tires without any tools in a variety of brands, tire widths and rim widths in the past 7 years.
    – Paul H
    Jul 17 at 20:44
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Have you got ?

  • Tubeless ready tyre
  • Tubeless valve
  • MTB Floor pump/compressor

Tubeless either works or it doesn’t (mostly). It’ll cost you 30 minutes to find out if your rim will work. You don’t need sealant.

If your rim is tubeless and rim tape intact you should be able to seat the tyre with the floor pump. Install the valve and put the tyre on. Remove the valve core and put the pump head on. Pump as quick as possible to fill the tyre.

The tyre will trend to towards being filled until it seats. Very soon you’ll hear some loud pops as the tyre seats itself and you’ll stop losing air.

On the other hand if it’s not a tubeless rim no amount of pumping and messing around will get the tyre to hold air and seat.

There’s a thing called ghetto tubeless for converting regular rims to tubeless. YMMV. Realistically use tubeless rims for your own safety.

FWIW - I don’t think the pictured rim is tubeless but maybe if you’re bored find out.

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    Note that for high volumes tires, not worth trying if you don't have a compressor or a booster. From my experience: 40mm is OK with a good floor pump, 57mm requires additional equipment.
    – Renaud
    Jul 14 at 21:48
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    You might be surprised. I mount 27.5 x 2.4” tyres with a regular JoeBlow MTB pump. Various brands, always works. Maybe I have friendly rims.
    – Warren Burton
    Jul 14 at 21:56
  • Even the same tyre piece (not just the same model but the very same tyre) will change from working with a floor pump to requiring a booster or back depending on how it changes its properties during its lifetime. I use rims that are not tube-less ready but I was able to set-up my tubeless setup with just a floor pump. But I needed the booster several times already. Note that needing a booster does not mean that the tyre would not stay sealed very well. It just means that the initial contact of a completely empty tyre is not so tight.
    – Vladimir F Героям слава
    Jul 18 at 14:12
  • There is a big difference between MTB (as asked) or road tyres. Normal tyres usually do work for MTB TLR tyres if sealed by a tubeless tape and are not really risky.
    – Vladimir F Героям слава
    Jul 18 at 14:15
  • Also, if you do try this way, remove the valve core. Yo will me able to get much better air flow to the tyre. Even with a booster you remove the core, get it seated, then you remove the booster pump head and quickly insert the core while the air is rushing out and re-pump with a floor pump.
    – Vladimir F Героям слава
    Jul 18 at 14:20

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