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My new bike came with Easton EA70 XCT rims and Clements X'Plor USH tyres, both of which are supposed to be UST compatible from what I can tell.
Having wanted to go tubeless on my MTB for a while but not bothering with the initial faff I thought I should do it with these as it should be a straight forward system.
I bought Stan's valves and some good (though I know it's not required for UST) and tried to set them up.
3 failed attempts later (one semi successful as the bead served to seat but maintain a small leak taking about 5 hours to lose pressure) and I'm at a loss.
Do I just need a proper compressor or are the tyres not the best UST beads?
I tried to seat them with one of those new Bontrager Flash Charger pumps but only to limited effect.
I wasn't aware that the X'Plor was UST?
put washing upliquid on the bead of the tyre and try again. also put sealant in the tyre before you pump it up. Some tyres can be a pain even if they are UST/tubeless compatable.
simon: Maybe they aren't, I looked yesterday and couldn't see any reference to it but was sure it was mentioned when looking at reviews for the bike. That may explain the less than perfect seal.
Poah: I've used sealant and a bit of fairy liquid. Even the one tyre I managed to seat had just leaked air out the side. The sealant want able to stop the leaks. I guess it suggests that Simon is right and they aren't UST which would explain the trouble I've been having.
Is there another way to get non-UST tyres seating properly on a UST rim?
they should go up, I've done it on mavic UST rims and non UST rims with tyres that arn't UST/tubeless ready. Another way to try is to inflate with a tube first and leave it overnight. This allows the tyre to shape to the rim and should lock it on. Then when you try the next day you only have one side to try and get locked onto the bead. Had to do that to my conti barons when they were new.
UST rims can be tighter, mind. My 819s and Red Zones were both a wee bit harder to get tyres on and off. Sometimes, when a tyre won't go fully onto the bead, it's worth deflating it then WITHOUT taking the tyre off, reinflating- because high pressure doesn't just push the tyre onto the bead, it also pushes it onto the rim wherever it's stuck so sometimes adding more air just jams it harder.
With your attempt that beaded up but deflated- did you ever actually ride it? It's pretty common for tyres to go down over time until ridden, it just seems to bed everything down not to mention sploshing the sealant about.
Put a couple of layers of tape on the rim, the tyre has less of a journey to seat on the rim.
I've ran tubeless since around 2003 and set up countless tubeless set ups with non ust tyres/rims on my own bikes and in the shop for others yet i couldn't get my Clement Xplor ush tyres to go tubeless satisfactory which is no surprise as they are not recommended for tubeless, the sidewalls are too porous/flimsy and i had to use so many layers of rim tape that i feared for the tyre rolling off the bead - on-one gravel road are a doodle to set up tubeless and are cheap - they are every bit as good as the clements as well.
I always inflate with a tube in first.
Remove one bead from the rim and remove the tube leaving the other bead firmly seated.
I then put the tubeless valve in and work round the loose bead encouraging it out of the rim well and onto the rim seat. You'll not get it all on, but pushing it as far as possible helps with making a seal whilst you pump
remove valve core
inflate with track pump, the tyre usually pops onto the rim reliably. If it doesn't, I find adding a bit of sealant, sloshing it round then trying to inflate again works - the sealant helps the bead move on the rim and helps create that initial seal.
remove pump and let air out
top up with sealant, reinstall valve core and inflate.
slosh the sealant around a few times every few minutes, then leave wheel in a warm place (in the house ideal)
If air has leaked, I put more in and go for a ride. I find the best way to get the final seal is to go for a ride.
Thanks for the tips all.
I've tried inflating with tubes first and popping 1 bead only, I rode the bike for an hour and a half with the 1 working tyre before it then deflated slowly.
You could see the goo bubbling between rim & tyre before the ride but not after which I thought may have done it but sadly not.
I'd rather avoid more rim tape so might just give up for now and try tubeless specific tyres once these are worn out.
Ta soma, looks like it'll have to wait on new tyres. The gravel roads look good. Might get a pair to run on the rear.
Are they pretty true to size or do they run large / small?
Might struggle with the 40c if they run big.