Just spent 2 hours trying to get my back wheel tubeless – How hard is it to get a Kenda tyre on a DT Swiss rim !!! Took 5 mins to get a 20" tube on the rim but about an hour to seat the tyre!

Got the tyre on – loads of bubble coming out of the sidewall – did the shake and turn thing and got less and less (sort of) but noticed bubbles coming up from the valve hole so ripped everything off the tyre and cursed loads and have given up….

Should I try again? if so what should I do differently?

if so what should I do differently?

Buy some inner tubes?

I've got a set of tubeless wheels but threads like this put me off trying it.

I wish I had some tubeless wheels – would solve the problem of trying to go tubeless with non-tubeless wheels and tyres!!! 😉

Another question – what is a tyre which is good with tubeless, grips like a rampage and goes easily onto a DT Swiss 5.1 rim?

I've got a set of tubeless wheels but threads like this put me off trying it.

Why?

If you have tubeless wheels than all you need do is fit UST or tubeless ready tyre, add sealant, and inflate… you shouldn't have any of these ghetto tubeless woes.

TRy the gaffa tape method, much easier IMO

What's the gaffa tape method?

I've got my DT Swiss EX500 (new name for 5.1) rear wheel tubeless with a folding Highroller and a DT Swiss rimstrip, went up really easily with Stans sealant. First proper ride on it tomorrow.

I have to say I got a pair of rimstrips cheap off Ebay, I wouldn't have paid full price for them.

Did you seal the rim holes with insulating tape before you put the 20" tube on?

GB

Gee – got some good quality rim tape on similar to insultation tape.

Ghetto tubeless gaffa tape method

Why?

If you have tubeless wheels than all you need do is fit UST or tubeless ready tyre, add sealant, and inflate… you shouldn't have any of these ghetto tubeless woes.

I guess it's because I tend to hear various tubeless woes, but in return people get fewer punctures. Given I rarely get punctures (not many thorns in the Pentlands) then there doesn't seem to be any point.

I've got a set of the Specialized 2Bliss tyres on another bike so could give tubeless a try, however it seems like a bit of a faff to solve a problem I don't have.

I highly rate the 2Bliss tyres I have; they seated well on 719 rims with tubeless rims strips. Main reason I like UST/tubeless is the lower tyre pressures you can run.

What sort of tape is that they use? Are you using this method successfully?

If I can get rid of my rim tape and replace it then i shouldn't have the problem with getting the tyre on and off the rim.

Bushwacked

If you want I can pop round after work one evening in the week and give you a diagnosis, or possibly even inflate them for you if you want mate… Have done a few now, am reasonably proficient at all the workarounds to get them to seal. Just give me a shout…

Just regular duct / gaffa tape, about 4 quid from b and q. I used a proper tubeless valve rather than cutting one out of a tube. Bought 2 mud x tlr tyres and inflated them first time with a track pump. Lost a bit of air for the first couple of outings and they've now settled down nicely. Oh and no flats for several months which made it all worth it!

I bought tubeless ready rims and UST tyres and it couldn't have been simpler. Seating of tyres went on first time. Sealant added via removed valve and no sidewall issues at all.

IMO if going tubeless get the right kit.

Mboy – might take you up on the offer – got Bontrager sealant and wondering (since everyone seems to use it) if I should go for some Stans instead. Will give it another try with the gaffa tape tomorrow since I have some next to my computer and will let you know how I get on.

Stans (or indeed any other latex based sealant) could well be the difference mate. Kenda tyres are VERY porous, the Bontrager sealants lack of Latex won't be helping them stay up if you get me…

I think that might be the issue here…

Stop been tight, buy a Stans kit.

And often you get plenty of 'bubbling', eventually a seal will be obtained.

The Bonty super juice is complete and utter tosh, you're wasting your time with it

Right – got a few things to try

1. Get some Gaffa on the go
2. Get some Stans
3. Put more air pressure in the wheel to get the bead to drop in.

Is it a brand new tyre? I had a lot of trouble installing a tubeless kit (olympic rims and racing ralph/nobby nic), it kept letting air out of sides and not inflating.

what I did was install an inner tube, blow up the tyres full and leave overnight to "bed in" the tyre. next day removed the inner tube and followed the normal procedure (soapy water around edges), worked flawlessly.

hope this helps

Sorry to say its an old but new tyre (ie hardly used but used)

I guess it's because I tend to hear various tubeless woes, but in return people get fewer punctures. Given I rarely get punctures (not many thorns in the Pentlands) then there doesn't seem to be any point.

I was the same, I don't get many punctures, so why bother with getting tubeless. I went to UST with latex because I got an alfine hub which is a pain to remove and found out it's not about punctures.

It's about grip and rolling resistance.

The wheels on my new bike have come with a tubelesss compatible rim tape (as I understand it) and some Spesh 2Bliss tyres.
Last week I got the valve cores & the sealant so am going to give it a go at some point.

I have heard lots of tales of woe about setting them up, but wanna get it sorted before I go to Spain in July, as 2 thorn punctures a day got quite choresome last yr.

Ghetto tubeless gaffa tape method

Easier Ghetto Tubeless

Followed this method – working flawlessly for months – have used Bontrager TR tyres on non UST Mavic rims.

When I first went tubeless I used the Bontrager super juice stuff – utter waste of money. Wheel Milk was ok but recently started using Caffe Latex and that has worked really well – bit spendy though.

I always find that using washing soap liquid – ariel etc makes inflation alot easier than using soap and water. Makes your tire walls a funny colour the first time you go out as well!

what is washing soap liquid? Like fairly liquid, Handwash or Persil liquid?

no like the stuff you put in the washing machine – but the liquid sort not the powder sort – its really thick and goopy so makes a seal really easily

what about fabric conditioner? (I use powder)

nah thats really thin, wont work at all. We all have to make sacrifices, looks like yours is going to be powedered washing soap.

How easy is the gaffa tape method with Stans??!!!

Jesus christ if I'd done it yesterday I would have saved about 2 hours

Hav u tryed puting fethers in they mak seelent stik

fethers?

Frum a duk

duk?

Yo dude duk lik Kwak kwak

LOL!!!