One wheel works and the other doesn’t. Any thoughts?

Mavic XM 317 with Maxxis Minion 2.3 up front and this went on first time using a track pump, no problem.

I then moved on to the rear and this is with a Maxxis Medusa 2.1 and for the life of me I can’t get it to inflate even with an airline. I then tried a Maxxis Ignitor 2.1 and this is the same.

I have tried adding an extra rim tape and even using electrical tape and/or Stans yellow tape under the rim strip but I just can’t get the 2.1 tyres to inflate.

Could they be too narrow? It seams as though the tyre beads are too close together and I just can’t get them to pop out to the sides of the rim to make a seal.

Any thoughts please before I go mad!

Heard of various things to try….

1) Put a tube in, inflate, remove tube and try tubeless again. The idea is that the tube makes the tyre seat (and you only have to remove one side to get the tube out.

2) some form of tight strap around the diameter of the tyre – to try and make the bead seat

3) more washing up liquid

option 1) sounds the easiest and most promising to me.

Thanks for the comments but as I am using a full Stans kit how will i get the Stans rim strip seated properly with the tyre still in place?

The tyres are so easy to get on an off i don’t think it will stay seated even on one side whilst i try to get the rim strip back on.

Turn the tyre inside out and leave overnight – it makes the beads spread apart which helps them seat when you mount and inflate the tyre the next day (having turned it the right way out….).
Worked for me.

Thanks sillyoldman, i’ll give that a try. 😀

Take the valve core out speeds the air flow..

On problem tyre rim combinations and I’ve tried many I inflate and seat the tyre with co2 leave it for a few minutes deflate slowly so tyre bead still seats and then remove valve core and insert sealant through valve. Put core back in and inflate never failed for me..

Had the same problem recently. Search forum for ghetto inflator. Was easy to make and worked a treat on tyres I had failed everything else on.

You said that the tyres are easy to get on and off, do I take it that they are used? If they are used and have a kevlar bead they might have stretched which would make it a lot harder to fit.

As above use plenty of washing-up liquid, take the cores out, if you have a co2 inflator try using that and leave and inflated tube in the tyre overnight.

if you’re using an air line then this should easily do the job that any co2 would.

i’ve had this issue in the past, with the conversion systems it can be a bit hit and miss, i eventually got it to inflate as said above by taking the valve core out, seating, put your finger on the valve stem whilst grabbing the core and quickly fitting it back in before all the air goes out.

sometimes some conversion combos just dont do it. or you make get it working only to have a catastrophic burp halfway round your ride.
other thing you could try is LESS rim tape, the strip needs to be set down under the rim hook.
good luck! 🙂

lastly, bite the bullet and get UST rims or stams rims (ie not conversion)- expensive but reliable once done…..

I’ll give it another try in the morning.

The tyres are used but the Medusa I’m struggling with has only had about 4 or 5 rides where as the Minion has been run all thought the summer and went on 1st time without any problems.

It just seems that I can’t get the tyre to expand and pus the bead up to the rim. The tyre is currently inside out for the night so if that fails I may just try another Minion on the rear.

Could the rim strip be faulty?

Did you drill the rim to allow the rim strip valve to drop in correctly?

I would put a tube in overnight as it will help push the rim tape down onto the rim so that its ready for your 2nd attempt in the morning! This will help seal the tape down. It doesnt sound like its the problem but at least you will know the tape is stuck down as well as possible leaving you with less things to worry about.

Yes the rim was drilled.

Thanks for your comments, I’ll see what comes tomorrow

Still not working but a friend has offered to lend me a few tyres to try.

That should at least rule out the rim strip hopefully.

Just put a tube in and leave it there. Sorted 🙂

Are you just putting the tyre on and then trying to inflate it? if so then you need to be manually trying to get the tyre to seat a little, especially around the valve. The addition of a lot of soapy water round the bead helps too as it lubricates the bead (allowing it to move) and also helps trap the air in momenterilly so the bead ‘pops’ into place.

Having suffered many problems myself in the past I bit the bullet and bought a 6 litre air compressor, not had a problem since and have done various tyres.

If the tyre is too tight try a little less rim tape, if its too loose build the middle up with more tape and use plenty of soapy water.

by the way, just in case it wasnt obvious, when peoples are saying put a temporary tube in, this is to help set the rim tape down and also make the tyre bead form around the rim edge better.

and what stato says. when you are inflating with compressor or pump, grab hold of the tyre around the valve area and squash it a bit to try to manually spread the bead out at the same time as the initial burst of air, making sure that the beads straddle the valve hole fully and dont slightly overlap..

Result – it works!

Took the rear wheel to a car tyre place today and although initially reluctant the guy did have a go and it would take air but still not all of the bead would seal. tbh the guy was nervous about working with a cycle wheel and tyre.

On the way home I was determined to get it to work so stopped at the local garage and armed with my sealant proceeded to have another go and got it to inflate.

After I put the sealant in the tyre would inflate but still not all of the bead would seat properly.

I then let some air out and gave the tyre a good bashing all around to try and get it central get covered in sealant at the same time. It was also p*ssing down too, thankfully the Volvo tailgate makes a good shelter!

I tried this several times but still couldn’t get the tyre to sit uniformly all around the rim.

Eventually 65psi and several attempts and it worked.

It is now in my garage set at just under 40psi with no leaks.

Looking forward to a ride out tomorrow morning.

Thanks for your help chaps.