Tubeless ready rims w/ clinchers & tubes

muzzan

So this morning I got a pucture "in the wild" for the 1st time since changing my commuter wheels to Kinesis Crosslight CX Discs, which happen to be tubeless ready.

I had a hard time getting the clincher tyres on the wheel in the 1st place, but this morning it was a proper nightmare, thumbs almost bleeding, took me half an hour to get the tyres back on again (eventually did it with the help of levers).

I now realise this is because of the "tubeless ready" feature of the rims. I would send the wheels back tbh, but I've now marked the rims with the amount of effort it took to mount the tyres.

So the question is...is going tubeless the answer?

I'm a bit concerned about the hastle of fitting them etc, and the mess of the slime sealant, and the extra costs involved...

...BUT ...I could be persuaded if I could be convinced that unless I have a very unlucky bad puncture then I should be able to just ride the tyres until they wear out, then only have the hastle once a year or whatever?

cookeeemonster

It took me a long time (18 months) to realise that no, it wasn't me, my technique or the specific tyres that were the problem with these wheels.

They are shockingly hard to get (certain, or most?) clincher tyres on and off. I had the same experiences as you. Luckily for the most part I didnt get so many punctures, at least at first then I got a run and...wow, stuck at the side of the road for 45 mins cos they were so hard to get on and off and I pinched a tube doing it and so on.

I'd be interested in any responses. I've gone back to my original DT swiss wheels for the time being, I'll use the kinesis wheels again in the winter with my Vittoria randonneur 32mm tyres - the only ones that aren't too bad getting on and off (but they are more heavy duty, and for winter use really)

The Rookie

Tubless rims are tighter, two things you HAVE to do to help the tyre on
1/ Make sure the rest of the bead is pushed into the well as far round as possible
2/ If running tubed DO NOT do up the valve locknut but push the valve into the tyre a bit so the valve stem doesn't interfere with getting the bead into the well, the last bit of bead to feed over should be at 90 degrees to the valve.

I use a tyre lever upside down to ease the last bit of bead over, use it upside down so it doesn't try and 'catch' the bead as you need to when removing the tyre, also you're less likely to snag the tube, a bit of lube if you have some handy helps as well.

muzzan

Thanks for the replies.

Good advice re the bead being pushed as far into the middle as poss, I will definitely try that next time. I suspect it will not be easy though, as another problem with the wheels is that the rim tape is already coming loose & getting caught by the levers etc, so it might interfere with the bead as well.

squired

I've had a similar issue with a different brand of Tubeless ready wheels (Campag). I had an issue with my previous wheel, so was forced to replace it - wish I'd done more reading (other than the reviews and looking at a really good discount deal). The only tip I can give if you do get a puncture (and I've had 8 this calendar year so far) is to remove the tyre really carefully so that the bead on the opposite side stays where it is. If you can achieve that getting the rest of the tyre back on is much easier.

Fat-Boy-Roubaix

I had that with a set Fulcrum 2 way fit, switched to tubeless after a came off with a blow out.

Now run tubeless on both my bikes. A bit of a faff to start with but worth it IMO. Just passed 10,500 miles and only once have I had to stop and do anymore than put air in. That was a major headache at the time. Try getting a tubeinto a tubeless rim with a tubeless 23mm tyre!

Since then I have mastered patching them, mastered at home repairing any slow puctures or those that won't seal above 40/50 psi. Piece of piss really I can do it without removing the tyre just a bit of it.

Huge thread in Road beginers pinned ot the top

vorsprung

I've started carrying a kool stop tyre mate everywhere since fitting clinchers on a tubeless rim https://audaxing.wordpress.com/2016/07/ ... ike-setup/

trek_dan

Certain rims are just about impossible to mount clincher tyres to. I ended up selling mine and getting something else as I didn't feel comfortable knowing I'd strugle to repair a puncture.

andy9964

CookeeeMonster wrote:

I'd be interested in any responses. I've gone back to my original DT swiss wheels for the time being, I'll use the kinesis wheels again in the winter with my Vittoria randonneur 32mm tyres - the only ones that aren't too bad getting on and off (but they are more heavy duty, and for winter use really)

The randonneur tyres should run tubeless, I've just converted mine (38mm) on Archetype rims, and I've had a week of commuting with no loss of pressure

luv2ride

Surprised to hear you had issues with your Crosslight disc wheels. I've got 2 x pairs and have used clinchers and tubeless tyres on them no bother (zero issues mounting Challenge Gravel Grinders 38mm, Vittoria Randonneur pro's 32mm, WTB Crosswolves 32mm, or WTB Nano's in 40mm). Great wheels.

I've also got a pair of Pro lite Revo disc wheels - could barely get my trusty Randonneur on those without the help of some VAR tyre levers. Have since changed the Randonneurs to Hyper Voyagers, and they went on much easier. Have a more cushioned ride too. Might see if I can mount them tubeless now as went off road with them earlier, miles from anywhere, and was constantly concerned about pinch-flats knowing how difficult a tube change was likely to be

The Rookie

muzzan wrote:

another problem with the wheels is that the rim tape is already coming loose & getting caught by the levers etc

Use electrical tape, one revolution and overlap at the valve hole by about 2" either side of the valve.

Its nice and sticky so hard to dislodge, thin and slippery (so interferes with tyre fitting less), cheap and lightweight (circa 5g a wheel versus upto 40g for rim tape) - sort of a utopian rim tape really!

luv2ride

The Rookie wrote:

muzzan wrote:

another problem with the wheels is that the rim tape is already coming loose & getting caught by the levers etc

Use electrical tape, one revolution and overlap at the valve hole by about 2" either side of the valve.

Its nice and sticky so hard to dislodge, thin and slippery (so interferes with tyre fitting less), cheap and lightweight (circa 5g a wheel versus upto 40g for rim tape) - sort of a utopian rim tape really!

Yes, the original hard plastic rim tape is probably the achilles heel of these wheels. That said, I'm not sure electrical tape would be upto the job of preventing inner tube punctures from spoke ends? Maybe OK for a ghetto tubeless conversion. If you do go tubeless, try and make a homemade inflator using a 2.5 ltr coke bottle (search YouTube for helpful vids). I was cynical but after using one Im a convert - makes quick seating of tyres a breeze!

The Rookie

Never had an issue using Electrical tape as rim tape, the spoke end (if proud of the nipple at all) is usually a fair way below the rim inner wall.