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I've just bought some new wheels with Crest rims but I'm finding my continental tyres are a bit of a tight fit. I know this is to aid a tubeless set up if so desired.
Has anyone found a tyre manufacturer for this rim that you can fit with your fingers?
Cheers Jason.
Both me and my mate default to Bontrager when we get fed up with other brands. Between us we've fitted xr1, xr2,xr3, xr4 and mud x with zero fuss.
Really good range of tyres too imo. Nice balance between weight and durability.
I've two sets and have run:
Bontrager (XR4 Team), Maxxis (Ardent, Minion, Crossmark, Larson), Schwalbe (Racing Ralph).
Just use levers to get them on if your fingers aren't up to it, its not like there's a tube to catch - you are tubeless?
Take a look at the videos on the stans site for tips on the correct way to fit tyres
You need to get the bead of the tyre into the central channel.
Cheers fellas, I've been using Mud x's over winter and they do fit pretty well. Based on this I was considering Bontrager rubber. Not running tubeless due to the amount of sidewall splits I've had in the past, local riding is pretty flinty. Maxxis will be getting tried out too.
Maxxis, specialised
Maxxis Ignitor ...easy peasy,
always put the tyre on opposite the valve first
tubed or tubeless!!
It really is technique when it comes to getting the tyres on. I'm also running crests with tubes and Maxxis tyres - they were a right pig to get on first time, thought I'd have to carry metal levers with me for all my future rides.
As said above check out the video on the stans site for the correct way to fit tyres. I ended up wading through a whole load of youtube videos and it didn't take long to find three key pieces of information that now let me fit with my soft pen pusher hands:
1. Start opposite the valve
2. Wear gloves for increased grip and to protect my baby soft skin
3. When working on the second side of the tyre, get in in the central channel of the rim.
There isn't much of a channel on Crests, so you may need to chase the tyre bead into the channel more than once (maybe 3-4 times) as the bead becomes harder to fit around the rim. I've found that each time you push the bead into the central channel gives repeatedly more slack in the unseated section of the bead and allows the remaining part of the tyre to simply push on with little force.
I spent a couple of hours practicing in a warm kitchen and it's now an easy job that I'm more than confident in undertaking on the trail.
Specialized work well.
Thanks to all for the advice. Bontrager, Maxxis and Specialized tyres it is : )
[i]Not running tubeless due to the amount of sidewall splits I've had in the past, local riding is pretty flinty[/i]
Where are you riding?
Not running tubeless due to the amount of sidewall splits I've had in the past
Seriously?!
Tubeless ready tires tend to have stronger sidewalls,
Been running Bontrager XR4's on crests for about a year, great tires, no issues!
Go tubeless, you won't regret it!
2.4 Nobby Nics, went on with fingers, been on for 18 months
Maxxis Advantages. You only need your fingers to get them on & off. They work well too.
You'll be wanting snakeskin 2.25 nobby nics...
[i]Not running tubeless due to the amount of sidewall splits I've had in the past, local riding is pretty flinty.[/i]
Where you running tubeless when you had these 'splits' or tubed?
I found that in the Chilterns on my HT once I went tubeless I had to run a thicker/stronger rear tyre due to tearing a couple of weaker ones - so ran a 2-ply Larsen for the drier months.
I was running a tubeless setup 5-6 years ago but after suffering a series of splits on the sidewalls and tread areas on Bontrager/Maxxis/Panaracer tyres I gave up and went back to tubes. That was on a hardtail. My local riding is QE Park, Kingley Vale, Whiteways and the SDW. The terrain varies quite a bit from chalk,clay,rooty woods singletrack to loose flint tracks.
I have to admit I did consider trying a tubeless setup again seeing as I have the right rims for the job this time plus the Continental tyres I have seat firmly and have protection sidewalls which do work pretty well in shrugging off splits plus I ride a full sus now which may help. The tyres aren't tubeless specific but I guess they might work. Thats another forum question in itself.
Thanks again all, might try tubeless one more time : )
Continental's Protection tyres are what's usually called "TL ready", made precisely to be run tubeless on a rim such as the Crest. I'd definitely give it a go.
http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/de/en/continental/bicycle/general/innovation/Protection_en.html
I have been running crest 26" rims tubeless on regular maxxis (2.12 Advantage and 2.35 Minion) tyres for the past 12 months without issue. They go up with a track pump, and seal easy.
Have ridden pretty varied terrain - home patch is Chilterns and Aston Hill, also Snowdon, Black Mountains,Afan, Malverns, Quantocks, Exmoor etc. They have been fine for me. No punctures, no pinch flats. Burped on a couple of occasions, when I let rear pressure get a bit too low.
Positive stuff guys. Cheers! You've talked me into it, I'm gonna give it a go : )