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MTB Tubeless Tyre hack


Andymann

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Thought I might share this.  Was clearing out my Bike Room on Saturday and I have a spare set of Maxxis IKON foldable tyres which are out of the packaging - they don't store well and were flopping all over the place and basically getting in the way.  I also have an old set of Syncros wheels which had my slicks on at a stage so I figured perhaps I would put the tyres on the rims and store them that way.  That was all good, except now when I stored the wheels standing up the tyres then had a flat spot at the bottom.  So clearly that wasn't a great idea.  So the next thing was to hunt for some old tubes - which I didn't have, but I did find my old tubeless valves - so now it became a game of seeing if my old compressor could bead a Maxxis on a Syncros rim without Sealant.  There was no way in hell that was going to happen, but it now became a challenge.  I was just about to admit defeat when I spied the can of Shell Motorcycle Chain wax I had recently used to lube my Motorbike chain - that stuff is as sticky as a brown stick so I sprayed some between the tyre bead and the rim - just for ****s and giggles and gave it a blast of air from the compressor - I'll be damned if the tyre didn't instantly bead and inflated to 4b where I decided to leave it.

 

This morning it was still up - a bit softer than I had left it - I figured some air is escaping through the wall of the tyre without sealant - or maybe even the rim tape, but the bead was still stuck perfectly.

 

Next time I struggle to bead I tyre - I reckon I'm going to use Chain lube!

 

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...

Next time I struggle to bead I tyre - I reckon I'm going to use Chain lube!

I don't have a compressor, so short of having the LBS do it, the only way I can seat the Ikons on my wheels are by putting them on the rim, and then leaving the wheels in the sun for a few hours - when they are nice hot, then and only then can I get them to seat with a track pump. Soapy water just gives me more to clean up.

 

Any recommended small air compressors?

Edited by HdB
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I don't have a compressor, so short of having the LBS do it, the only way I can seat the Ikons on my wheels are by putting them on the rim, and then leaving the wheels in the sun for a few hours - when they are nice hot, then and only then can I get them to seat with a track pump. Soapy water just gives me more to clean up.

 

Any recommended small air compressors?

Just get a tire booster... One of those cannisters that you pre pump 11 or 12 bar into then open the valve.... I am yet to find a tire/rim combo that my tire booster can't seat... I had one that was built into the pump but I find the stand alone one works better

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Edited by Jewbacca
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Just get a tire booster... One of those cannisters that you pre pump 11 or 12 bar into then open the valve.... I am yet to find a tire/rim combo that my tire booster can't seat... I had one that was built into the pump but I find the stand alone one works better

I have a Serfas one, but it doesn't seem to deliver enough volume quickly enough. I'm probably missing something, as it doesn't seem to fit onto the valve stem without the valve core, which seriously limits the possible airflow. Maybe I misplaced an adapter or something, will check

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I have a Serfas one, but it doesn't seem to deliver enough volume quickly enough. I'm probably missing something, as it doesn't seem to fit onto the valve stem without the valve core, which seriously limits the possible airflow. Maybe I misplaced an adapter or something, will check

Yeah, same I had a hit and miss relationship with seating with a air tank when I ran 2.25 recon race, now that I run 2.5 minions, not a chance. I just drive to the petrol station, seat and then inflate back at home.
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I have a Serfas one, but it doesn't seem to deliver enough volume quickly enough. I'm probably missing something, as it doesn't seem to fit onto the valve stem without the valve core, which seriously limits the possible airflow. Maybe I misplaced an adapter or something, will check

Hmm.... I remove the valve core then screw on the booster nozzle. I also like the fact that I can keep pomping once it's blown it's load so that you can get it seated and up to 3 bar all in one go.

 

I've never seen the Serfas one, so can't comment, but the one above has never let me down, even mounting 2.5 DHR2s and 2.5 Aggressors on the trail bike.

 

Just as an aside, you guys do place the valve at 10 or 2 o'clock and off the floor/hung up when doing this?

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I have a 10 year old Parktool Floor pump that has never let me down RE seating a tubeless tyre  :ph34r:

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  • 4 weeks later...

We all have these stories, and it's either fun or vrey frustrating trying to get tyres to seat if they're not ideal.

 

For my own sanity I only choose to attempt seating tyres if the tyres are tubeless-ready and the rims are too.

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I'd stay away from the wax as soapy water is far less "slippery" when dry which helps get a nice sticky bond between rim and tyre...its about 50x cheaper too.

I just fitted a brand new Ardent race:

Went to garage with soapy water and pumped with airline and no valve core, seated first time, let air out, added 120ml sealant with syringe and reinflated.

Didnt need soapy water and didnt spill a drop of sealant...compared to the first time when I provided some entertainment to the pump jockeys and painted the forecourt with sealant....The more you do it the better you get. I now NEVER have to pay someone to do it and its something I (almost) look forward to doing.....

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So I use a garden sprayer too. I've popped a tubeless valve into the body so I can fill using a track pump, and it works great.

 

OK the lubrication side, I once had an issue with a tyre that just wouldn't seat. I had it up to 40psi and didn't want to go further than that, but the bead wouldn't seat. Using sunlight didn't help. So I actually used some, ahem, personal lubricant. It's super slippery, doesn't damage rubber, and dries off quite well... Worked like a charm and tyre bead seated at 30 psi instead. Might help in a pinch, and not just for playing with inserting or removing "tubes"

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Just get a tire booster... One of those cannisters that you pre pump 11 or 12 bar into then open the valve.... I am yet to find a tire/rim combo that my tire booster can't seat... I had one that was built into the pump but I find the stand alone one works better

Does it work with one piece valves as well or only with valves where the core can be removed?

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Just get a tire booster... One of those cannisters that you pre pump 11 or 12 bar into then open the valve.... I am yet to find a tire/rim combo that my tire booster can't seat... I had one that was built into the pump but I find the stand alone one works better

I got one, does not work for me for anything wider than a 2.2, I just drive to the petrol station now that I run minions.
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Try the Ghetto cmopressor. My coke bottle has never failed me to seat a tyre.

More about this?
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Mounted a pair of 2.4” Ardents recently on my now very old and worn parktool floor pump.

 

rear tyre popped up like no ones business 

 

front tyre just would not take, even when I took the valve out ..... made sure the tyre was in the middle of the rim well, patted the tyre down all round and she popped up straight away with no issues. After seating, I took the pump off, it immediately lost all the air without the valve, fitted it and pumped up the tyre with very little fuss.

 

all the above with the use of a paintbrush with sunlight water solution.

 

you guys just need more practice ...... :P

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