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I had a bit of a nightmare getting my first set of tubeless tyres working (and needed LBS intervention) but once set up they've been flawless and easy to re-inflate when needed.
I've bought a different model of tubeless tyres but just can get them to inflate (even with a booster cylinder charges to 140psi). I've tried the horizontal tyre lever trick but that didn't help either.
I've seated them both nicely with tubes and might have a ride around to give them shape. I've heard that it should be possible to break one bead can carefully remove the tube before tubeless inflation but are there any other inflation tips?
Had a customer in the shop yesterday who couldn't set up his tyre tubeless, one of the guys spent forty minutes getting it done. Handed guy back his wheel and turned round to sort out the assorted mess, without a word or anything guy then walked straight out the shop! No stopping to pay or even word of thanks.
Not suggesting it was PJay 😀
Can't help you but I've just done my first tubeless set up and all it took was leisurely pumping with my track pump, didn't need the valve core inflated or any other tricks and they stayed up without sealant. Probably because I was using WTB tyres on WTB rims. The only issue I had was finding that I had to cut the tape out of the valve hole as just pushing a hole through resulted in air escaping.
I'm quite glad I've waited till now and there are a lot more rims and tyres designed around going tubeless.
Controlled faff in garage or shop though, not on trail in freezing mud and pissing rain fixing a puncture. 🤤👌🏻👍🏿
If the tyres are a very loose fit, you may need further tape wraps, but definitely before any alterations pay attention to where the air is escaping. The bubbles from the soapy water should make this easy. If it’s around the valve or spoke holes then retape. If it’s around the edge then probably more tape depth needed. While I assume it’s obvious, don’t stand the wheel upright but have it lying on its back so there’s no pressure on any part of the tyre that could be disturbing the bead.
Personally I’m not a fan of the tube and unseat one bead approach but some do swear by it.
Oh well, another 45 minute job turns into 3-4 hours, but I got there in the end.
Seating one bead with a tube didn't result in inflation but I discovered that if I then ran a horizontally held tyre lever around the loose bead I could feel things tightening up and even hear the loose bead popping in to place in places; the tyre then went straight up! I hope that the new tyres are worth it!
If I stick with these tyres and they continue to be problematic perhaps a few more wraps of tape will help.
Using the right wheels helps a lot, hookless rims (I've got someEastons, Mavics and Rovals on each of the bikes) inflate so much easier.
No sealant required, a normal track pump (not the super high psi ones) and the tyres up - tried spesh, schwalbe, conti and maxxis tyres on them all so far all same they all go up easy.
try a ratchet strap around the crown of the tyre to force the beads out into the rim
try a ratchet strap around the crown of the tyre to force the beads out into the rim
An old 26" tube works better in my experience. Haven't touched a compressor or homemade bottle inflator since I started using an old tube.
I only ever use Mavic UST or Stans rims with Michelin or Maxxis TR tyres - most go on without the need for levers & inflate easily seating with 45ish PSI.
I'd be wary of using much over 55 PSI as they can blow off the rim.
An old 26″ tube works better in my experience
Oh that's clever. Adds to lists of tricks
silicon spray lube. spray some on a rag and wipe both the tyre beads and the rim. makes it much easier to get on and inflate. Much less messy than soapy water and shouldn't affect tyre jizz.
Also, rather than popping a seal to put in the Stans, use their syringe and just take valve core out. I find that much easier.
"Also, rather than popping a seal to put in the Stans, use their syringe and just take valve core out. I find that much easier".
Or make it even easier and put the sealant in before you get the bead on all the way round .
I never bother with any of the tricks described here except as the OP found out running a tyre lever round the tyre on both sides to lift it from the well in the centre of the rim if it won't go up first time.
I've had some absolute nightmares in the past.
Today I did a mates Stumpjumper. Roval wheels and Spesh tyres. Absolutely painless. Popped up first time and stayed up. No grief, no mess. All my tyres are Specialized now on mostly Hope rims.
The dark days are behind me I think.
I've Hope XC rims - sometimes a tyre goes on just using a track pump, sometimes a tyre (same make and model) takes a couple of goes with an Airshot.
I put some WTB tyres on some road rims the other week. One went up easily and stayed inflated overnight without even adding sealant. The other was a right faff! I ended up having to retape the rim and even then it took several goes to get the tyre to seat and several more to get it to stay inflated.
Completely random IME.
<span style="color: #444444; font-size: 12px;">Or make it even easier and put the sealant in before you get the bead on all the way round .</span>
Brave man.
Yep seems it just works a dream or turns into a mare.
I tend to dump the jizz into tyre before a blast of the airshot with the valve out then whip the valve in.
When it goes south it does make a bit of a mess.
If it’s a combo I haven’t done Before I always do a dry run without any jizz and use soapy water to see what’s happening, if it won’t pop on an give the happy bamp then it’s back to more layers of rim tape, I like the using a 26tube idea thou I’ve got a luggage ratche strop if it gets stroppy.
Do prefer airshot over compressor tbh.
The sealant shouldn’t make any difference to whether the bead seats properly or not. Once the bead is seated you should be able to deflate the tyre fully and then add the gunk with the valve out.
Haven't read the whole thread so apologies if repeating.
Take the valve core out and use a compressor.
Even then sometimes they can be a pain of the tyre is a bit baggy.
I like to think of it like pre-paying the misery you would have had mid ride fixing punctures. Almost like the opposite to a hangover where you borrowed all the happiness from the current day the night before.
Had 3 sets go up and seat first time yesterday, left them over night still up with same pressure this morning & i haven't added sealant yet! 😁💪
Bonty team issue XR4s on halo vapour 35s
<b>I did discover that baby oil makes a really good "seating lubricant" a few month ago, far bettbe than saops water.</b>
Other than that, valve cores out, blip up and seat at higher pressure with compressor then I use a syringe to inject sealant (block off the valve stem with a finger tip in between), core back in, top up air do the stans shuffle and go out for a ride on them...
These days it's far easier than it used to be...
One thing I've noticed is that it is more of PITA when the tyres are really cold, like in the garage in winter. I guess they're a bit less supple and it's more difficult to get he bead seated. I normally put the wheels in the house for a bit before trying to inflate.
Put a partially inflated inner tube in the tyre to help force it into its proper shape and lean the tyre against a warm but not hot radiator for a few hours or overnight.
Like a lot of jobs, preparation is key. The above warming careful taping and getting all children out of earshot all help.
I like to think of it like pre-paying the misery you would have had mid ride fixing punctures. Almost like the opposite to a hangover where you borrowed all the happiness from the current day the night before.
+1
But Was mr 🙁 when leaving work Friday found to the floor and not going up with hand pump rear wheel, still one tube later rolling along but tbh normally it’s psst spunk mr softy then a quick pump and off again.