I’ve got some Stans Olympic rims, with just yellow tape and a valve. I’ve fitted some Bontrager tubeless ready tyres without any trouble, but now I’m trying to fit some non-tubeless Maxxis crossmarks and I can’t get them to inflate. I’m using a track pump and I’ve tried pullign the bead up and using washing up liquid but it just won’t go up.

Would fitting an Olympic rim strip make it possible to inflate using a track pump? Other than getting a compressor does anyone have any other ideas?

Cheers

John

use CO2 cartridges to inflate

Stan’s specifically say not to do that because it can freeze the sealant and cause it to separate, which I’ve actually had happen.

A rim strip will make fitting tyres far easier. You could try another layer of yellow tape to make the rims ‘larger’ though, substantially cheaper!

B&Q door frame sealant works for me.

I wasted a canister of CO2 trying to inflate before.

Just tried a 2nd layer of yellow tape but didn’t make any difference. Think I’ll try some rim strips.

I have a compressor for these occasions.

😛

I had trouble getting an Advantage on my Flow a while back.

In the end I inflated using a tube and left a couple of hours.

I then rested the wheel on a bucket so as not to disturb the bead and deflated. Then I took the tyre off the rim on one side about 4 or 5 inches round the valve leaving rest of the tyre seated, cut the tube in half and slid out. Popped in the manfat, re-fit the tyre and up in went first time as it only had 4 or 5 inches of tyre to seat.

A waste of a tube and you’ve got to ask whether this tubeless game is a load of faff but cheaper to try than buying a rim strip.

Use CO2 to pop the tyre onto the rim with no sealant. Deflate, add the Stans and pump up with a track pump.

I went round to a friend who has a compressor and the tyre went straight up, put some sealant in through the valve and then it went up with the track pump. Might try rim strips next time though as I don’t want to rely on having access to a compressor…

I’m using Flow rims with Advantage tyres (exception series). The advice I’ve had is that is you’re running ust, tape is fine, if running “normal” tyres, use a rim strip.

However, i thought I’d give it one more go before trying the rim strips as they cost almost as much as a new tyre.

I think a normal tyre is just a bit too loose without the rim strip, with the compressor it took a few seconds before it started to inflate, you just can’t get the flow rate with a track pump.

You might be able to do it with CO2 but I emptied a 16g canister before it inflated, judging by how long it took with the compressor you’d need a bigger capicity cartridge.

For more than one pair of wheels the cost of rim strips starts to aproach that of a second hand compressor – but I’d like to be able to inflate tyres when away from home with only a track pump.

They’re not cheap. Irrespective of what tyre I use on my Flows, I bang it on with a compressor these days. Non-ust are certainly more reluctant to inflate, but once they’re seated, they don’t come out again, even when completely flat.

No problems with Stans rims and normal tires here using just the yellow tape. For me thats the great advantage of Stan’s rims.

As mentioned, using a tube to help seat the tyre for the first time is good advice. If only to help straighten out the bead after being packaged up for ages.

Your taking the valve core out as you seat the tyre aren’t you?

Laying the wheel flat over a bucket is also good practice.

Yeah removed the core, and done the bucket thing. I have read elsewhere that Crossmarks are quite difficult to fit, it’s a learning experience I guess!