Can you run ‘normal’ tyres on flow rims tubeless? Been trying to find a rear tyre that doesn’t weigh as much as a dual ply high roller but all tyres I’ve tried have failed within a few months. Killed 4 no. rubber queens (2.4 BC UST) with the bead failing, 1 no. spesh 2.2 ‘2 bliss’ (Captain I think?) with the sidewall wearing out, etc.

I’ve got a few part worn non UST dual ply high rollers/minions so I’m tempted to run them on the stans rims and just tolerate the weight/drag. I’ve done this before on normal rims and it worked OK once the tyre was seated and sealed.

Any issues with doing this on stans rims?

Not tried those particular tyres but you shouldn’t have a problem. I run non-tubeless tyres tubeless on Stan’s rims with no issues and I know lots of others do too.

I have set up dual ply minions, ardents, muddy marys and hill billies on flows with the flow rim strip no problem.
There’s no way I’d use any of these for trail riding but as you’ve already destroyed tyres that I consider “tough enough”, you’re running out of options! The ardents are at least pretty fast rolling.

I ran wire non-ust, singleply minions and swampies on Flows, no bother- just with yellow tape. Haven’t tried it with my dualplies though but will do some time, wouldn’t expect any problems tbh.

You might want to try a heavier duty 2bliss, the XC models are pretty lightweight but the Eskar etc have a lot more sidewall (Eskar is discontinued but some places still have them) Purg I think is similiar but haven’t used personally. Captain is a big XC tyre rather than an am tyre so is built accordingly.

what pressures are you running just out of interest? sidewall fails/wear of stans are usually down to too low a pressure
(other than the obvious rocky scubbing etc during riding)

Flows are built to be used wogh non UST tyres without tubes. Shouldn’t be a problem.

I’d probably try one of the Maxxis EXO range if you want something that’s a sensible balance between size, sidewall thickness & grip. They go up fine on a Flow too.

The Specialized’s I find are fine for my local woods (mud, roots & loam – rocks are unheard of). The sidewalls are a bit floppy for anything more though from experience.

Most non-UST high volume Schwalbe tyres work well on Flows (I’ve used 2.4 Big Betty & 2.35 & 2.4 Fat Alberts). I’ve torn a Big Betty sidewall riding a trail covered in slate but otherwise they hold up quite well.

I’d had Maxxis Minion, Ardent, ADvantage, Kenda Nevegal and Schwalbe Wicked Will up on Flows with just yellow tape. All just the basic non-UST/tubeless-ready versions. The sidewalls went before the tread on the Ardent and ADvantage, but still lasted well enough apart from one that tore due to user-clumsiness. Nevegal and Minion were half-worn when fitted, but still went up ok. The Schwalbes are Snakeskin (probably similar to Conti’s Protection), and seem to be a good ‘un since I fitted them. I’ve never had to use anything but a track-pump to get any of them on.

I’ve always used ‘ghetto’ rimstrips on Stan’s to ensure a good seal at under 20 psi. Schwalbe schraeder bmx inner tube, sliced down the centre and opened out to make a rimstrip. If the tyre requires anything less than 2 levers and swearing to mount on the rim, a single wrap of foam tape is applied on top of the rimtape, under the ghetto rimstrip.
Tubeless since 2002 with only 2 blowoffs due to excess seating pressure. No ‘field’ failures.

Cheers for the info 😀

I ride in the dark peak so pretty hard on tyres, and its a reasonably burly bike so the tyres do get a hard time. Lots of scuffs on the rim/sidewalls.

Normal pressure for the rear is 30 – 35 psi and I’m about 16.5 st in riding gear. I thought the Rubber Queens were the answer to the problem as I could run them at 25psi without pinch flats, but the bead seems to fail before the sidewalls/tread wears out. The spesh is a light tyre so wasn’t expecting too much from that. Killed LUST highrollers (pinch flat on the tread) and put holes in the side of single ply maxxis that you could fit a tyre lever through:-(.

I’ll give the maxxis dual plys a go and see if they work. Sould be OK with just the yellow tape right?

I’m running my Flows with dual ply Minion DHFs and they’re brilliant, other than a bit more weight, but I can live with that as they’re on a 160mm bike that also gets used for DH.