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Here's a few tips I've learned along the way and I'm sure I'm forgetting some:
Be sure to seat the bead of the tire as far down in the rim as possible when putting the tire on the rim and end at the valve stem. This is especially important with tubeless tires without a wire bead as the fit will be tight and you're using just your hands to mount the tire to the rim.
Don't use tire levers as you might damage the folding bead (I've done that once!) resulting in a tire that has to be binned.
Use plenty of soapy water once you're ready to inflate. It helps the bead slide into place and helps trap the air inside so your chances of inflation are better.
Inflate the tires without sealant first with the core removed as mentioned above. Then once the tire has popped into place, use a plastic syringe to squirt the right amount of sealant through the valve. Then insert the core and reinflate the tire. No mess at all.
Speaking of sealant, before you pour it into the measuring cup be sure to slosh that stuff around vigorously as it tends to settle over time and the good stuff sits at the bottom of the bottle. Double check that you have the cap on the bottle when shaking it hard as I've done that too.
Also, this:
Pinch your floor-pump's hose towards the head and pressurize it by pumping a couple times. W/ the valve core removed, release the built up pressure and continue to go HAM on your pump until it seats. Works some of the time, all the time.
http://enduro-mtb.com/en/the-review-airshot-portable-tubeless-tyre-infl…
After I air up the tire without the valve core, I simply screw in the valve core quickly as some air escapes. I air it up to my preferred PSI with the floor pump.
http://www.twoknobbytires.com/media/presta-valve-removal.jpg
I recommend the valve core removal tool since it will not deform your Presta valve like pliers can::
https://www.westernbikeworks.com/product/stans-notubes-valve-core-remov…
http://949racing.com/blackanodizedaluminumvalve.aspx
For sealant I use this mix with some large and small sized glitter thrown in.
http://www.huckingkitty.com/node/46
I use Schwalbe Super Gravity tires and use a dab of dish soap with a drop of water to apply on the leading edge of the tire to get over the rim. Those SG tires are rugged to get on.
that said, soapy water, soda bottle at ~120psi dumped into the tire, seats like a charm... add goop, valve core, inflate, ride.
Make sure your rim tape is sound, had the fluid leak out at the rim seam once when the tape on the rim was no longer secure (setting up an older rim for tubless that had been ridden with tubes for a few seasons, the existing rim tape adhesive had dried out and was no longer providing a solid seal.
In my experience:
Go full ghetto with a BMX tube on cheap rims.
Specialized's tubeless rim tape is incredibly cheap and effective for "tubeless ready" rims.
Spesh types on spesh rims will inflate with very little hassle.
CO2 cartridges are $2 a pop, and can be kept in a bag, meaning you could change over 50 tyres before that bontrager pump pays for itself...
Things I would like to try, an feedback?
Rice grains in the sealant (syndicate mechanic recommendation from some video)
Old bits of shirts as hole plugs with a spoke to push them in (does this work?)
Yes- it works well... thicker rag material seems to work best- like an old towel.
fill it about3-4 inches with water
big old squirt of washing liquid
put your hand in with fingers spread and slosh it about till there is a very thick and tall foam, scoop only the foam from the top and chuck it on the beads
This way no water at all enters the tyre , as we know water and stans is not a good mix!
Is there a valve somewhere you use to pressurize it?
The best valves are Specialized tubeless presta Valves. They pass almost 3x as much air as the others.
Specialized have a bore of 4mm ( area 12.6 mm sq). Stans and Superstar have a bore of 2.5 mm (area 4.9 mm sq).
Similarly ghetto tubeless with Schraeder valve tubes works well, as one can remove the valve core, and the bore of the schwalbe valve body is 3.5 mm (9.6mm sq).
As a bonus, the Specialized valves are also the cheapest.
TomR
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