Presta/schrader adapter - garage pumps?

101_North

Anyone else ever had bother using a presta/schrader adapter and a petrol station pump? I was wanting to use the garage pump for the initial inflation of a tubeless setup (track pump just not doing the job) but I can't seem to get any air out of the compressor. The adapter works fine as I've tested with a presta tube. I'm sure it's something to do with the adaper not having a central pin or core. The compressor works fine as I tested it on the car.

The adapter is the common type below:



The smaller NN 2.1" inflated fine first time with a track pump but the wider tyre is just not playing nice!

Any help would be great.

Thanks

101

mrmonkfinger

I'd ditch the presta tube and get a schrader, TBH. A new tube is, what, £3 off the bay?

101_North

I hear you but the key was the 'tubeless setup' bit. I only mentioned the presta tube to confirm the adapter wasn't playing up.

101

mrmonkfinger

Well I guess you're not going to use the garage compressor then.

what sort of state are the rims in?

stuff to try:
soapy water around the tyre bead
wrap a 26" tube around the outside of the tyre to squeeze the bead out toward rim wall
tyre off, build up the rim well with tape, tyre back on (this will make it harder to mount the tyre)

101_North

The rims are spanking new - as are the tyres. So much soapy water the driveway looked like I'd washed the car :-) As I mentioned the rear was fine but the front just will not seat. I reckon I'll probably inflate it with a tube and leave it a while - hopefully get a bit of shape in the tyre.

I'll give the tube idea a go too.

Cheers

101

EDIT: Back to my original post. After a bit of googling it looks like my adapter is the issue. Found a similar query here:

http://www.bikeforums.net/archive/index ... 68324.html

I'll either file my adapter as suggested or pick up a different one later.

101_North

2hrs with a tube, some very soapy water and job done with a track pump! Not like me to complicate things :roll:

101

mrmonkfinger

2 hours? :shock:

101_North

Ha Ha

Badly worded. Inflated tyre with a tube and left it for 2 hours to get some shape in it. After removing the tube it took about 2mins to seat the tyre using soapy water. The 'complicate things' comment was about the schrader adapter faff!

Cheers

benpinnick

I made a ghetto tubeless inflator that uses an SKS spare hose and head (so a head each end). You pump up a donor tyre to 100PSI or so, and then connect the head to the new tyre, before connecting to the donor. Hey presto, 40PSI in the tubeless before you can say 'look how fast that inflated'. Seems the only certain way for me.

mrmonkfinger

did you use a valve? or just connect to tubeless wheel first, then stick it on the donor "most urgently".

benpinnick

No i just don't waste time when connecting the valve to the donor tyre. You lose around 20 PSI I find, but it works.