Bicycle Pump for Tubeless

dancook

I have a JoeBlow Max, I was not able to pump a tubeless tyre up from scratch having just filled it with sealant.

I took it to a bicycle shop and they did it with a similar size/type pump (albeit a shiny one) - and it worked first time.

Could it be just a better pump or are there other factors involved?

mudcovered

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19703704#p19703704]dancook[/url] wrote:

I have a JoeBlow Max, I was not able to pump a tubeless tyre up from scratch having just filled it with sealant.

I took it to a bicycle shop and they did it with a similar size/type pump (a shiny one) - and it worked first time.

Could it be just a better pump or are there other factors involved?

From what I can remember reading around (I don't have them myself) tubeless tyres require an initial high pressure burts to get the tyre to seat and create the seal. Some more recent track pumps have a reserve cylinder you can pre-pressurise to provide that burst. Other than that people use CO2 canisters for that initial burst and I'd also guess some track pumps have enough of a burst to do it anyway.

Mike

964cup

It's a bit of a casino. I have a Lifeline track pump which will successfully inflate tubeless tyres on tubeless rims (Stans, Pacenti etc) most of the time (but not always) and inflate tubeless tyres on non-tubeless rims with conversion kits (e.g. Kinesis Crosslight) occasionally. Depends how well the bead has seated and/or how tight the bead is (because then it seals against the bed and is pushed out to the rim by the air). Making sure the tape covers the whole spoke bed helps. Banging the tyre with CO2 works every time, and canisters are pennies bought in bulk, so generally that's what I do.

veronese68

There was something about this on the main site a while back as I recall. Something about using a 2 litre drinks bottle as an air tank, pressurise that then hook it up to the tyre and use it as an inflator. More environmentally friendly than using co2 canisters.

ugo.santalucia

This is what you want

http://www.leisurelakesbikes.com/p/20449/airshot-tubeless-inflation-system?variantId=100062&gclid=CNe7gNjh-ccCFQkUwwod3lQGIA

I am tempted to get one myself

veronese68

Found the DIY version now I'm on a PC rather than my phone. Same principle cheaper and clearly not quite so slick.

The Rookie

Soapy water between bead and rim helps slow the initial leakage so you are less likely to need anything more than a track pump.

I run tubeless on my MTB (Stans rims and normal folding bead Schwalbe tyres) just occasionally (1 in ten time maybe) my better (smaller barrel) track pump won't get them going and I use a cheap supermarket track pump (bigger diameter barrel shifting more air per stroke) to get them started. Never needed more than that!

leeefm

I've always managed with a track pump (Joe Blow sport) on road tubeless. Never tried mountain tyres, but I suspect it would be a lot more difficult because of the increased volume. As others have said, it's mainly down to the bead, rim seal. From what others have said CO2 inflators are infallible.

jds_1981

CO2 can cause the sealant to coagulate. I use an airshot. I find wrapping a loop of string around the tyre, putting the ends of the string through the loop and pulling tight helps. Seems to reduce leakage and the apparent volume of the tyre so the sidewalls move in to place quicker.I

ugo.santalucia

[url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19703983#p19703983]Veronese68[/url] wrote:

Found the DIY version now I'm on a PC rather than my phone. Same principle cheaper and clearly not quite so slick.

Pumping a bottle of coca cola at 100 PSI seems a rather stupid idea, to be fair. For the sake of 60 quid, I'd rather avoid a trip to A & E.

Most tyres won't need such device, but there is always the odd one and it's nice to know you can sit even the most stubborn tyre with a blast...