After one too many pinch flats on my Alfine equipped full bouncer I have finally decided to try out tubeless on the rear.

All the bits have arrived……. Stans valves, rim tape, goo and a Maxxis Crossmark LUST tyre.

However I’m now not sure whether I also need a rim strip? My rims are DT Swiss M480. What does the strip do and can I get away without it.
Also what are my chances of setting this up without a compressor?

New tyres seem to go up easier and removing the valve cores to get them to seat initially helps. Failing that knock up a ghetto compressor and you’ll be sorted : )

Can’t comment on the rim but the strips seal the spoke holes so theoretically not needed on a ust rim

Oli

The DT Swiss website is a little confusing this chart, suggests you could use either just the tubeless tape or the tubeless kit which is a normal rim strip and tubeless tape.

My guess is the rim strip helps protect the tubeless tape from the spoke holes and builds up the well of the rim to give the tyres a tighter fit helping to inflate the tyres quicker.

A few manufacturers recommend a few layers of tubeless tape if the tyre is slack. I guess the addition of the rim strip is doing the same thing?