Following on from my previous threads and some said they were interested with what would happen I thought I would share my experience of tubeless over the past week.
So I decided to convert my current wheel set which came with my spesh pitch, which are 26mm wide Alex rims according the specialized website. As this doesn’t fit either the normal or freeride set ups I went for the rhyno light option.
Fitting to the rims would be standard (non UST) maxxis Minion DHf and swampthing rear, both dual ply.
Anyway I started with the front first and things really couldn’t have been any easier I installed the notubes rim strip (without drilling the rim) over my existing rim tape put the tyre on with no soap or sealant and started pumping the tyre went up straight away no faffing no messing and held air with no issues.
However removing one bead to add the sealant ended in disaster after such an easy test could I get the tyre to reseat on the rim, could I F***? I had to completely dismount the tyre and start afresh for some odd reason on this second attempt with soapy water and sealant it went up straight away with no issues again which was a relief.
Moving to rear wheel and after such joy with the front I was almost expecting the same so I set up everything as I had with the front wheel expecting the swampy to fit. First hurdle (and I don’t understand this) but the tyre was a lot tighter on the rim than the minion and I had to fight just to get it on (with soap). Once on the tyre seemed to pinch together and sit in the centre of the rim and no matter what I did I couldn’t get it sit right let alone inflate.
I tried all manner or combinations using the stans rim tape the standard rim tape both combined etc etc and all resulted in either the tyre being tight or the tyre being stupidly tight that it was almost impossible to get off. Thinking that it may need a helping hand I mounted the tyre with a tube and left it for a few days hoping that it may help it form nicely.
Well last night was second attempt night and guess what.......bloody thing wouldn’t go up despite all manner of jiggery pokery so now I stumped and I'll probably try drilling the rim then trying all over again.
So at the moment I'm tubeless front and tubed rear and too tight to buy a new UST tyre. As it stands tubeless could be great and it’s perfectly possible to install non ust tyres tubeless but when it becomes a faff it really is a faff!!!

