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Tubeless virgin - help!
Tonight I discovered that trying to fit up tubeless with only a track pump isn't going to work for me. The advice I got (and I shall keep the LBS private to protect the guilty) was that it should be fine with a track pump even with non-tubeless kevlar bead tyres so long as I had some Stans in the tyre and used lots of soapy water.
Well, ... no way. Not gonna work with these puppies I got (Larsen 2.0 and Ignitor 2.1 foldables on Crossland rims).
I don't really want to lash out on a compressor if I can avoid it, but I was wondering what you guys do to adapt a Schraeder (car tyre) inflation head to a Presta valve?
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ill pump em up for ya no probs
Schraeder adapter is easy to get. Just screws onto the presta and voila! It usually comes with the Mavic tubeless kit if you got that... just go to the servo if you got one.
Otherwise I've heard its handy to pump up the tyre on a wheel with a tube first just to get it all stretched out and uncrease all those folds... after a while then try to get it on with a track pump. The tube process should make it easier...
HI there
Lozza's idea sounds best to me, but just for other options....
I've not tried either of these things to pump a flat tubless but I have heard that the gas canisters would work (about $4 each). They supply air fast enough to fill the tyre and are small enough to carry in stead of a pump.
Also there is something to do with a lighter and setting fire to the wheel! I've actually seen this work on 4x4's and it's impressively dangerous looking when the wheel goes up in flames, but then "POP" and the tyre is on the rim and the fire goes out. No idea if it can be done on a bike and I'm not about to try but thought I would mention it in case someone else might know more.
Out of interest though, I have a pocket bike that has tubeless tyres and I have managed to pump those up with a track pump.
What I do is first fit the tyres them with tubes and inflate them reallt hard (50-60 lbs) so that the tyre pops into the rims - this gets all the kinks out the tyre where it has been bent. I then take out the tube and replace the value and it usually inflates with a track pump - no worries. Again inflate it really hard so it pops again, then I release the pressure insert Stans and reinflate.
i've been using stan's for quite a while now. got to say i rarely have success hand pumping, this is my routine:
1. go up to the servo with a bucket and brush
2. liberally brush soap solution around tire, inflate without stan's in tire to 50+psi
3. check the bead has popped all around - if not check the rim strip is even all around and not hooked into the rim
4. deflate, put in some stans, re-inflate and do the usual shimmying routine with the tire
5. larson's are super easy to inflate (with compressor) - i never manage it with presta
Stans website says don't use CO2 (perhaps it interferes with the solution?)
good luck
Thanks for the advice guys. The Mavic Crossland (tubeless) wheels were acquired with a secondhand bike. A visit to CBD in Kent St this morning has provided me with some adapters. With your other advice I should be right now (I hope). I'll let you know how I get on.
Good luck mate. You should be right now
Because the co2 goes into the tyre at a really cold temperature it can harden the stans sealant.
I just fitted a new Maxis Monorail tubeless on an 819 rim - and surprise, surprise it just pumped straight up using a track pump - presta valve, no soap, no problem
Went to the servo last night. The Larsen took 4-5 false starts to get the bead to hook up, but I got there in the end. The Ignitor went on first go. Sloshed the sealant around to where the soapy water was telling me there was a small hole and then pumped them up to 60psi. Did a couple of laps around the block before heading off to bed. They're still nice and firm this morning. I'll let them down to a more usable pressure when I go riding up the coast tomorrow night.
Thanks for all your help and advice guys.
Not sure I'm so keen on the Mavic Crossland rims, though. It just has normal eyeleted spoke holes and nipples in the rim, and some sort of formed plastic membrane inside the rim to form the seal.
I can't see how you'd be able to replace a spoke without making a mess of the rim sealing membrane.
Any clues on how you maintain these babies (apart from don't bust a spoke)?
Ive been told (and you dont want to hear this) to replace the sealant every 3 months. I have heard that putting an inner tube and pumping it up while its off the rim for a day or so will help to "shape" the tyre and help it to seal quickly on the first go.
My Shimano XT rims and Crossmark LUST tyres went up first go without soapy water and with a floor pump.
Andrew