The sealant is a crucial part of the tubeless tire setup. It helps to seal the porous tire sidewalls upon installation, and most punctures and cuts up to 5mm.
You must use the ideal amount of sealant in the tires to get them working as intended.
Factors affecting sealant amount
The amount of sealant required depends on various factors. Each tire sealant manufacturer has its own recommendations (usually printed on the packaging), and that’s a good starting point.
Besides that, you’ll need to consider the factors below.
- First time vs top-up. You’ll need 20 to 30% more sealant when setting up the tubeless tire for the first time. Additional sealant is needed to seal the porous sidewalls, between the beads and rim, and some spillage.
- Tire size. The wider the tire, the more sealant is needed.
- Temperature. Hot and humid temperatures (>25ºC) will dry up the sealants faster. Use around 20% more, or top up regularly.
- Viscosity. The more viscous the sealant, the lesser is needed.
Manufacturers’ recommended sealant amount
The table below shows the recommended amount of sealant to use for six of the leading brands in the market.
Based on the recommendations, it can be concluded that a 28mm road bike tire would require on average 50 to 60ml of sealant per tire.
| Sealant brand | Recommended amount |
|---|---|
| Stan No Tubes | 60 – 90ml |
| Muc Off | 30 – 45ml |
| Joe’s No Flats | 40 – 60ml |
| Orange Seal | 30 – 60ml |
| Effetto Mariposa | Minimum 30ml |
| Squirt | 60 – 80ml |