Tubeless nightmare thread #2847

mini_basser

I'm nearly finished with my budget Chinese carbon 1x11 road build, but I've hit a wall with the tubeless setup.

Gear = Elite Wheels 50mm tubeless rims + Schwalbe Pro One 700c x 28 + Stans No Tubes tape.

The tyres were ridiculously hard to mount. Impossible with normal levers, and only succeeded with the BBB Easy tool i purchases especially (X-shaped scissor-action job).

First I just tried pumping furiously with a track pump. Laughable.

Next I tried strapping around the tyre and using the track pump. No chance.

Next step, I made a ghetto airshot from a fire extinguisher. The concept works perfectly. At 100psi the tyre briefly looks full inflated, but then loses air within a matter of seconds.

Am I missing something? I'll try and post a vid later.

I'm leaning toward "****-this-****" and putting tubes in, but I don't fancy my chances of getting those tyres back on without pinching the tubes!

oxoman

Put some soapy water around the inner rim for the tyre to slide into place. I've used a ghetto system in the past but just use a Co2 cartridge to pop the tyre on to the rim. You haven't mentioned liquid snot to go in the tyre as this also helps to seal it. For all things tubeless see the link below.
https://thecycleclinic.co.uk/pages/tech-page

singleton

As Oxoman said - are you putting sealant in? Can you work out where the tyre is losing air?
I tried road tubeless for 18 months on 2 bikes and am back on tubes. I know others still use them and I think I will go back at some point.

shortfall

Good tips from oxoman. Also make sure you have enough rim tape on. Sometimes an extra layer helps. You wouldn't think it would but it does.

mini_basser

I have Stans sealant ready, but most things I read said to seat the tyre first then inject the sealant?

I tried soapy water when trying to lever the tyre on, but haven't tried it with the Airshot. Will give that a go

womack

Would agree with the points above, soapy water and of course the sealant. I had a helluva time getting them Pro Ones on, my route was to soak them in boiling hot water prior to fitting.

Once they were on however they popped with a track pump.

oxoman

I've been running tubeless for over 3yrs now with no problems. Actually in process of converting my MTB to them and my cyclocross / gravel bike is recently converted. Carry tyre worms of various sizes ready but never had to use them in anger.

lincolndave

Have a look at the chart, it’s helpful

mini_basser

Tried soapy water and the Airshot at 100psi...no good. Seems to mostly be leaking in the valve area.

I attempted to remove the tyres to add another layer of tape; I have no idea how I'm going to get them off They're so tight on the tape, I can't get a lever to hook underneath the bead.

singleton

Sounds like you are having a real nightmare.
TBH it was exactly this problem that made me go back to tubes - the risk of a roadside failure. The tyres were sitting so tight on the wheels that there was no way I could not get them off - even if I had a tube to put in.
It maybe worth putting sealant round the valve and trying to pop the tyres on again.

womack

mini_basser said:

Tried soapy water and the Airshot at 100psi...no good. Seems to mostly be leaking in the valve area.

I attempted to remove the tyres to add another layer of tape; I have no idea how I'm going to get them off They're so tight on the tape, I can't get a lever to hook underneath the bead.

Have you put the sealant in? Mine didn't stay up without it.

Dorset_Boy

How tight is the valve? Perhaps you need to try to get that sorted. If the valve isn't tight enough, air can get under the rim tape and escape around the spoke holes too.

lesfirth

In most cases air which is leaking around the valve is not leaking past the valve seal . It is leaking past the rim tape and through a spoke hole into the wheel cavity. If your wheel does not have a little vent hole the only way out is at the valve hole.
Stick with it and good luck.

mini_basser

I threw in the towel and gave it to Friction Cycles in Bristol to sort. They did a grand job Not managed to ride the thing yet, as I've still got issues with my hydraulic brakes.