Because I’m not feeling the love!

Brand new Stans Crest ZTR rims on Hope hubs, Nobby Nic Evo Pacestar 2.1’s – surely the tightest tyre rim combination known to man. I’ve mounted some tough combinations, but this is the worst by far. Yes I tried all the usual tricks of pushing the bead into the well all the way round, unseating the valve stem. I even managed to snap a Park tyre lever!

Anyway after much cursing I put a tube in and inflated to seat the tyre – noticed it was on backwards 🙄 and remounted one side with a generic tubeless valve. Struggled with the tyre again and remounted second bead. Then sprayed the soapy water and pumped. But the tyre simply will not seal around the valve.

Are the crest rims too narrow and require Stans specific valves that go down into the drilled valve hole? Is he green Hope rime tape not airtight? Looks OK to me. Are the beads so tight that a track pump can’t give a big enough push to push the beads out and mount the tyre? It seated fine with a tube, so it WILL fit! I tried a CO2 canister, just for fun, but even that didn’t give enough pressure.

Would welcome any advice – specifically to this combination.

I had trouble with mine. Had to remove the valve core and use a compressor with an air gun.
The modern garage ones are no good, you need an older type you can get a good blast with.
Or, try building the ghetto inflator.

Green hope tape isn’t tubeless tape, it’s just rim tape.

You’ll need some stans (preferably) tubeless tape, just check the width is correct. Also do the valve up with pliers.

Thanks, I’ll try Gorilla tape – if I can get the tyre off again! I wondered if the narrow rim meant the valve was preventing the tyre from seating. I’ll use the pliers once my hands have recovered 😆

And I’ll make a ghetto inflator.

I was thinking of tubeless for the road wheels to (Ultremo), but if they are as tight as Nobby Nics, I don’t think I’ll bother!

Also do the valve up with pliers.

And then don’t forget to have something in your trailpack to undo a ‘mantight’ valve 😀 almost been there..

Not using this setup but using floor pump is always going create a challenge.
If a new tyre trying inflating with a tube first and leave for a few days to get it to seat and hold it’s shape.
Remove tube and use the soapy water on the open side used to remove the tube.
I’ve found rotating the wheel and bouncing the tyre against the floor whilst inflating (easier with a compressor) can help seat the bead.
Good luck.

Similar advice to Jes above.
Used nobby nics on roval rims and they were so tight to get on I ended up buying steel tyre levers!
But after using some of the tricks noted above I got them on (after a decent bike shop mechanic said they couldnt), got them up and had a year and a half of trouble free riding.
Got a puncture last week that wouldnt seal but having looked closely at the tyre I can see a few holes that have sealed anf that the tyre is starting to look quite tired and will prob need replacing soon. Thats 18 months on the original sealant which I think isnt too bad!

May I suggest RTFM? Or try Stan’s website? You tube also has a number of useful vids.

NN’s are actually quite easy to fit and seat if you follow the tips 🙂

Even with a track pump 🙂

Enjoy, it’s your chosen pastime.

May I suggest RTFM? Or try Stan’s website?

Did that, and watched the video too. And I can assure you I have fitted many very tight tyre combinations and seldom have had to resort to levers to mount tyres in the past.

I’ll get there – after I’ve ordered some Stans valves.

I’ve been there and know your pain! Done Nobby Nics on stans crest 26″ rims & Racing Ralfs on crest 29″ rims – which were worse. The green Hope tape (polystyrene strip) worked ok on one wheel but not another. I ended up taking it off & using about 3 layers of electricians black PVC tape to cover the width. I’ve also had trouble with leaking valves tend to apply a little liquid gasket (silicon) to help seal them. I have also tried all the inflation methods & have had to resort to a small compressor to get them seated. I have broken Hope tyre levers and have bought some of their wider / stronger ones. Is it worth it? I don’t get punctures now …… Good luck!

Sorry mate it isn’t worth it, quick pop those tubes back in..

You are experiencing what it is really like everytime you change tyres from now on. 😥
One day they will both go on and up with no probs.. the next time they won’t, one will leak one will stay up,some sidewalls will ooze wheel milk and never seal, the inside of your tyre will be caked in dried fluid which will need a clean before refitting, frantically pumping to get a tyre on then having to leave it for 24 hours to make sure it stays up on a ride, double checking tyre pressures on long rides,planning a weekend for a tyre change, you will always have a loo roll handy while fitting a tyre, creating ghetto inflaters to fit a tyre,buying a compressor, searching forums for compatibility issues and a quick switch of tyres is now something you fear and will put off for as long as poss.
But you won’t ever have to fit a new tube again 😀 + you might get a bit of extra grip and you will save yourself a handful of punctures in a year. Happy days!

I really struggled with a pair of Toros, which were an absolute **** to get onto Control Carbon rims, not wanting to use levers. I’ve only done a couple of mtb tyres of any type in the past and had no problems getting those on (with tubes) by hand, but these were a very different matter even though I followed all the usual advice. Once they were on though, I had no problem getting them to inflate and seat tubeless. I did the first one with a track pump just to see if I could and it took a bit of effort but it worked. Much easier when I did the second one with my compressor though!

I’ve just replaced the Toros with a couple of Spesh tyres and these went over the rims no problem at all, so there obviously are big differences between tyres. Seated one of these with a CO2 cartridge to see if that would work (which it did), as that might be useful for trailside repairs.

With the valves, I wouldn’t be surprised if you do have a problem there if they’re like the Roval ones which have a rectangular block on them which looks like it could rest on the raised portion of the rim and stop it sealing if the valve twisted till it was crosswise, so make sure it’s aligned and tightened down so it won’t move (or use different valve stems like the WTB ones that have a round rubber block). I didn’t put silicone sealant around the valves but I can see how that might help, especially if you don’t have a good seal there to start with when seating the tyre.

When I did the first wheels I didn’t look forward to it, but now I’ve done four I find it a relatively simple job and the last one probably only took about 15 minutes all in (including cleaning out the old sealant). Course, if I get one next time that won’t seat or keeps going down then I may be less enthusiastic!

There are times when I wonder if it is worth it.

However the last two time I have had to change tyres I removed 6 and 5 thorns respectively from them.

That alone tells me it’s worth it. 🙂

By the sounds of it the Stans rims sound a right pain to use.

My Tubeless set up is Easton XCT70 rims with Conti UST tires.

Took about 30 minutes to do both tires. Easy.

I’ve had zero flats in over 6 months of riding, prior to doing it I was pinch flating every weekend.

So for me it is worth it.

I reckon I will be sticking with my Mavic/Maxxis combo for now. Tyres on and off easy enough and not come off the rim at all.

The one thing that tubeless does promote is owning more wheels or at least being able to suck up all the fluid when you want to change them over. I was thinking of throwing some other tyres on for a day but didn’t bother in the end.

The newest Stan’s rims and Schwalbe tyres are insanely tight it must be said!

Having been on tubeless for 12 years I’d not go back. I’ve got about 8 sets of tyres that will go on both my wheels and inflate with a track pump. No more hassle than tubes.

Arch Ex and NN &HD here, easy peasy to get tyres on and inflated…??????

Also do the valve up with pliers.
And then don’t forget to have something in your trailpack to undo a ‘mantight’ valve almost been there..

What, only ‘almost’?

Torridon 2009, hole in sidewall that wouldn’t seal, easy peasy, put tube in. Not without some pliers to get the valve out though.

Cue a furkin long walk & some help from Torridon Mountain Rescue in the dark.

Stans Crests & Maxxis Advantage Exceptions here & the tyres drop off the rims. Piece of pie.

Don’t use pliers on the valve – you just tear it. Finger tight should do.

Can’t help with the OP, but share your frustration. Have learnt that if they don’t want to go on, then cut your losses and shove a tube in there and move on in life. It’s not worth the stress.

As above, I had no problems with Arch EX, HD’s when used with yellow stans tape. The green hope tape was too thick though.

Ghetto inflator wins, every time. Remove valve core, blast the tyres up onto the rim with the inflator, insert sealant through valve (if not done beforehand), add valve core, pump up by hand, go ride.

Extra hassle? Not really. As above, usually 15 minutes a tyre, followed by never having to touch it again until its worn out, or some extra goo is needed.

If the inflator doesn’t quite do it first go (60psi), stick a few extra psi in there. I haven’t met the tyre that 2L of air at 100psi can’t get onto a rim.

There are tricky rim/tyre combinations.

If the bead does not initally seat with a track pump, I do the following:

1. Neat washing-up liquid on the bead
2. Put in a tube, inflate to 50psi and leave overnight
3. Pop off one side of the bead, remove tube, replace valve, chuck in sealant and up she goes…

I reckon it’s definitely worth persisting with it. Without wanting to tempt fate, I’ve had one flat tyre in what must be 5 years of tubelessness.

That’s on a variety of UST/tubless-ready rim/tyre combinations, all inflated with a track pump.

Agree with not tightening the valves with pliers, that’s unnecessary.

IME air which appears to be escaping from the valve is often getting into the rim cavity via the tape, then escaping the inner wall via the valve hole.

ffs hope green tape is just rim tape, you’ll need stans yellow tape or gorilla tape etc

I have girl hands hence the pliers 🙂

Get the valves and tape from superstar, half the price, same stuff I think.

Green hope rim tape will not work.

Tubeless is worth it once you get the hang of it, ignore the duffers that don’t know what they’re doing. I am always extremely happy when I change tyres and pull out all the thorns that would’ve shredded tubes and ruined rides. I don’t even fear cycling where farmers have just cut hawthorn hedges anymore.

I have one of these just in case 🙂

http://www.ooracing.com/store/index.php?act=viewProd&productId=3939

I wouldn’t go back to tubes but IME this is how it is:

– tubes – easy and consistent to put together but regularly waste a load of time on the trail fixing punctures

– tubeless – usually easy enough to get together if you do it properly (eg right tape, right valves, good rim/tyre combo) but can sometimes be a real faff. Brilliant out on the trails though and rarely any hassle once you’ve got a good setup.

Eg you swap wasted time on the trails with tubes to occassional wasted time at home with tubeless.

Best take a garage compressor in the backpack in case of trail repairs 😉

2 flats in 6000km with tubes. What am I doing wrong? (other than not spending enough on Stan’s goo, and spending about €3/year on conti tubes)

And that’s the thing – for you, tubeless may have no advantages. I guess you ride in places that don’t have lots of thorns/etc and don’t tend to pinch flat.

But if like most, punctures are a regular occurence then it’s different. I used to be plagued by pinch flats unless I pumped my tyres up silly hard. Now it’s a non issue.

Few thorns, but plenty of jaggy rock single track all over Europe (Germany, Slovenia, Morzine, Scotland). Oddly one of those 2 flats was just freewheeling the few metres from the top of Super Morzine lift to the Zore chairlift.

Bought Flows and TLR since then, did the usual trick of getting the tyre seated with a tube, then thought… it’s now a perfectly functional wheel, so why bother dismantling it?

Obviously other people get flats and shred a Nobby Nic just by riding near a sharp stone.

2hottie – Member

By the sounds of it the Stans rims sound a right pain to use.

They aren’t, IME… I’ve got or had assorted Stans (Flow, Ex an Olympic), Roval Stans copies (Traversee and Controle), Mavic and Fulcrum UST, and they’re all pretty much identical in use (apart from the Fulcrums which are harder to get the tyre to bead up). Think probably the easiest of the bunch to work with was the old Flow, the width of the new Flow Ex can make it a bit harder to get stiff tyres to inflate…

I’ve had a little more hassle with certain tyres… A schwalbe that wouldn’t go onto the bead even with a tube, warrantied, and now I think of it, loads of cuts in the tread of other non-ust schwalbes, bit delicate. But TLR tyres and Stans rims are a match made in heaven.

At the end of the day… It’s faff in the garage, instead of faff up a mountain in the rain.

Now, I could be talking out of my hat here, (it has been known) but I thoguht that Stans’s rim socket tech was designed to work with ordinary, (i.e. non-tubeless) tyres which have a slightly larger diameter bead than their tubeless equivalents?

Over the last couple of years I’ve mounted Schwalbe and Maxxis on Stans rims and Continental and Kenda on Mavic with rubber strip conversions, none of the tyres have been tubeless and they’ve all gone on with thumbs and inflated with a track pump.

Still not feeling the love! Stans yellow tape and tubeless valves purchased and installed. Nobby Nics stretched with a tube on the rim. But still very tight.

I did manage to seat one side of the tyre OK with the tube and didn’t need to unseat it to fit valve and remount tyre. But even after I fashioned a 5L garden sprayer into a 50PSI tyre seater 😈 , and popped the tyre onto the second bead; 1) the tyre is too tight and slumps back into the well of the rim and 2) The Stans valve doesn’t really seem to seal well.

The rear has a tube in it and has been airtight all week 🙄

The garden sprayer shifts some air though 😆

The stans valve will seal fine, if the tape’s right (and it’s not that choosy tbh, it’s quite hard to do wrong) and once there’s some sealant involved. Nobby Nics are shit though regardless of the rim 😉

I am the sort of rider who should really be trying tubeless – I run my tyres low around 30psi, live in an area where pinch flats should be a common occurrence (but don’t get many thorns). But every time I talk to someone and ask them to pursuade me to try it they tend to give me more negatives than positives. So many rides where a tubeless rider has had problems.

robdob – Member
I am the sort of rider who should really be trying tubeless – I run my tyres low around 30psi, live in an area where pinch flats should be a common occurrence (but don’t get many thorns). But every time I talk to someone and ask them to pursuade me to try it they tend to give me more negatives than positives. So many rides where a tubeless rider has had problems.

Only way to know is to try for yourself. If you’re halfway patient and have a bit of common sense, then you’ll be fine. As for folks having tubeless problems, sure there is a chance you can rip a tyre or whatever, but I’d wager most of the issues are due to them not doing the job properly in the first place, or using non tubeless ready tyres.

tubeless virgin here-

just ghetto’d a old pair of Maxxis single ply’s, with caffe latex spooge.
front went up first time with a garden sprayer, rear took a bit more effort, – the side wall bubbled for about 30mins before it sealed- but has been fine since!

total cost
9.99 for the caffe stuff
5 for two bmx tubes

oh, and weighed all the bits – have saved ~ 250 grams of rotating weight