Bontrager XR4 Teams (lovely tyre btw) with plenty of fresh Stans. The rear seems fine but the front loses pressure over the course of a couple of days. It has four teen, tiny wee airholes that barely show up under water but (apparently) no other leaks. I’ve done the Stans boogie repeatedly but it doesn’t seem to be making a whole lot of difference.

Can hole be just too small for Stans to work?

New tyre?
Did you clean the iside of it before jizzing it up?

I had a tyre like that recently, a Conti, sometimes it happens. Just keep pumping it up, ride the thing, top up with a bit of extra Stans maybe, shimmy, ride again, pump, ride, pump, shimmy, ride – eventually it’ll take. Took about three weeks on mine.

Id check the valve area. I use rubber ring seal under the valve nut. Also pump to 40psi, leave overnight so it cracks into position. Did you shake the stans before use? Stans will seal pretty big holes.

I’ve had 4 Bonti tubeless tyres with no issues (XR1\XR2), least faff yet of all the Makes\Models I’ve tried. Trek are great with support\warranty and also have a 30 day “Unconditional Bontrager Guarantee”, if you’re fed up with faffing then contact the shop where you got them.

Unconditional Bontrager Guarantee
Ride it and love it. If not, we’ll take it back.
It’s that simple.

If for any reason you’re not satisfied with a Bontrager aftermarket purchase, return the item, along with the original sales receipt, to the original place of purchase within 30 days for exchange.

New tyre, quick wipe with IPA.

Stans was well shaken before application and I can hear that there’s enough.

There doesn’t seem to be any air escaping at the valve (checked underwater).

I’ll stick with it for a few more rides/shakes and see if it takes.

Second the Bonty tyres.

Got xr3 & xr4’s on two bike.

Easy to et up tubeless, good tyres on the trail.

Pump them up to 45psi and leave overnights get, stans s aslant and go for a hours ride ( at around 28 psi).

Monitor the pressure daily for a week.

Tyres.

Maxxis for tubeless success – end of 😛

But seriously, may be down to how porous the sidewalls are and how much sealant you stick in. I go with a fair bit of sealant and it plugs everything and keeps it going for ages.

Also, check the sealant hasn’t dried out. You should have enough in there to hear it slosh if you shake the wheel. If nothing, then top it up.

Valve is another one. I’ve had leaky valves or around the seal of the valve.

The sidewalls will probably be a little porous – I guess there is some variation in tolerances when the tyres are produced. I had to put way more sealant in a WTB tyre recently than I’ve put in others to get it to seal as the sidewall seemed more porous. It also took a good ride to properly seal it after leaving its side overnight.

Standard stuff for Continental tyres. I am still waiting for a new Race King Protection to fully seal up. Has been 3 weeks so far but it will get there at one point (they always have in the past)

Just keep pumping up before each ride and it will get there. As long as it is going down over a few days then not an issue as won’t be an issue when riding.

I’d just go with a bit more sealant and pump, ride repeat.

Did you clean the bead area of the rim before fitting? I’ve had one recently, with a bit of crud in the hook that I missed….this just let a tiny bit out over time….

Can hole be just too small for Stans to work?

No.

Tyres can be porous, and it can take ages for them to fully seal, especially if they aren’t tubeless ready. What you are experiencing is normal. You need to go on rides to seal them – swishing it around in the garage or even riding up and down the road isn’t enough.

Molly + 1

Depends on the tyres. My conti’s seem to take a while and then dry the stans up quicker than other tyres I have.

Worth dipping the tyre in a trough and seeing if there is an obvious leak though. My usual PITA is around the valve – particularly if you’ve had a hand pump on it at any point (which disturbs the seal if you’re not careful).

Also ensure that both the bead of the tyre being fitted, and the wheel rim are completely clean and free of dirt/old stans.

Cheers all.

It’s been under water so I could check for leaks so it’s not the valve, not the bead and nowhere other than the four tiny holes. Ridden twice and shoogled lots. I’ll stick with it as they are otherwise nice tyres and the rear seems to be just fine.

take the wheel off and leave it level on it’s side overnight, sitting on a bucket. That’ll sort the little holes….

Go for a loooooong ride. This has always worked for me when I have had a slow puncture in tubeless that I know has plenty of stans fluid in.
Started the HT550 with a slow puncture last year and by the end of day 1 it had fixed itself.

Ridden twice and shoogled lots

What tyres are they? Thin racey non tubeless ready tyres took many many rides to fully seal for me. They’d lose a bit whilst sat idle, needed pumping up before each ride.

NRT – I hope you’re not suggesting that long a ride 🙂

molgrips – tyres are sturdy enough but I’ve had the issue you describe with (non-tubeless) Nobby Nics. Strangely enough, on only one of a pair too.

maccruisken – that’s the conclusion I came to too.

I’ll feed back my results. As I said, I’m keen to stick with the tyres as they seem perfect round here at the moment.

New tyre, quick wipe with IPA

There’s your problem. Should have used a strong Belgian lager.

Vigorously brushing the inside of the tyre with sealant can help sort out the porous sidewalls. Here’s Conti’s video demonstrating how: https://youtu.be/1HfULR0PnZE

It worked on a pair of 29er Trail Kings…

leave overnight somewhere warm like an airing cupboard