# Voodoo Bizango, New Rider, Tubeless Ready?



## Riiisk (May 24, 2020)

Hello,

Just picked up a bike again after around about 18 years not riding. Local to Stoke and once my fitness is up I want to start hitting trials local to me. Currently just hitting loop lines, roads and canal tow paths.

Made some quick changes to the bike; flats and grips just to make it comfy but after picking up several punctures I think I best make the jump tubeless.

I've done some digging on the web to see if the rims are tubeless ready and can't find anything, but the carbon version which looks like the same wheel set says they are.

Here's a picture of the rim, not sure if it helps?

I've got a stans fluid and valves, just don't know if I need to tape them up, or what's in already is right?

Any help appreciated


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## Battery (May 7, 2016)

Honestly, it does look tubeless ready. It looks like tape all the way around the rim. If you plan on going tubeless, make sure the tires are tubeless compatible.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

It doesn't look like tubeless tape to me. If none of the specs on the rim mention tubeless ready it probably isn't.


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## Riiisk (May 24, 2020)

If its not tubeless tape, which I don't think it is either, possibly to stop the tube going in the spoke gaps? I think it lifts off. Would I remove this and put on new tape? The tape that's in is 19mm but doesn't cover the width of the rim.. Would 25 work? 


The tyres are tubeless ready, Maxxis Ardent 29.2.25 they have a bead all around them and are a pain to get back on the rim.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

That does NOT look like tubeless tape. It looks like a plastic rim strip. It will not seal up a rim for tubeless use.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

Does your bike have Alex TD19 rims? That's what is listed on Voodoo's website.

I don't think those rims are designed to be tubeless ready, but most rims can be converted using take and good tires. You might need a Stan's tubeless strip in addition to tape.

https://www.vitalmtb.com/product/guide/Rims,47/Alex-Rims/TD17-Rim,9463


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## Riiisk (May 24, 2020)

Cheers mack,

I'll remove that tape and start from scratch with it, I've got some stans tape and gorilla tape, so pleanty to go at.

As for the rims, I honestly couldn't tell you. They're non branded on the bike save the voodoo logo. I believe the bike halfords sell and the one on the voodoo website are different.

https://www.halfords.com/bikes/moun...bike---16in-18in-20in-22in-frames-448053.html

All else fails, I'll stick a tube back in and watch more videos.


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## Taroroot (Nov 6, 2013)

Yeah, its a little hard to tell from pic, but it looks like cloth tape that doesn't quite go the the bead wall. If so, they yeah, take off old tape, clean rim as well as possible, with alcohol (wipe the rim with it, do not consume), then go at it with new tape. Gorilla works, but be advised its a mess when it comes time to change, and it does eventually seep sealant around/through it if its the black, ducttape like Gorilla.


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## mack_turtle (Jan 6, 2009)

when you convert a rim that was not designed specifically for tubeless application, you will likely need several layers of tape to make the bead fit tight enough to seal and prevent burping. Gorilla tape is thick and might make quicker work of that. I've seen rims that needed four layers of Gorilla to work at all. this is why a "ghetto tubeless" split tube method might work better, or a Stan's tubeless rim strip.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

If the rim isn't TR ready I wouldn't bother, I'd just use tubes until I got a wheelset that was.


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## Taroroot (Nov 6, 2013)

J.B. Weld said:


> If the rim isn't TR ready I wouldn't bother, I'd just use tubes until I got a wheelset that was.


I rode for about 3 years with non tubeless rims taped with a couple layers of Gorilla tape no prob and my friend converted recently his 3x8 bike with old Mavic rims (217's i think). I say give it a go. I think having tubeless ready tires makes more diff as long as rims are good quality.


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