I’ve building up my new frame and have had really issues getting my WTB Riddler 700×45 tyres onto the Hope 29er XC rims (I did check with Hope who advised that the XC rim for be fine with this size tyre).

I finally managed to get the tyre onto the rim, but it took ages and a lot of force but when I inflate the tyre the line the runs around the tyre to indicate even seating dips behind the rim at various places.

I generally find that over inflating a tyre usually pops everything into place but I’ve got up to 60psi (the Riddler’s upper range ends at 55 psi) and I’m unsure how high I can go without compromising the rims. Should I be applying soap or talc to the beads?

If I ride them will they sort themselves out or is this asking for trouble?

I can’t imagine that getting the tyres off to change a puncture is going to be easy either!

Should I be applying soap or talc to the beads?

Try again with soapy water on the beads. I wouldn’t go to a higher pressure (YMMV).

I’ll try reseating them with some soapy water and see how that goes; I can help thinking that perhaps I’ve gone a tad too narrow.

I don’t suppose just riding will help seat them?

I’ve always found that a warm tyre seats easier, so generally hang them above something warm before I try fitting them, then use warm soapy water.

Still no joy with either wheel. The first bead seats normally but by the time I’ve manipulated the other bead onto the rim (and it’s really tight) I have areas on both sides of the tyre where the seating line dips below the rim. The only time I’ve had something similar was years ago with a wire bead Vredestein tyre which I think turned out to have a manufacturing fault; the folding bead WTB Riddlers should be a good quality tyre.

To be fair thing look okay to the eye, perhaps I’ll just ride them for a while and see what happens (hopefully I won’t get a kick from the wonky areas).

Still struggling here. I’ve tried talc and soapy water along with careful manipulation of the tyres as I pump them up but the end result is always the same, the seating line dips below the rim (on both sides) at opposite sides of the tyre.

I could be flogging a dead horse if the line is on a tad wonky and there’s no noticeable kick when riding the tyres.

Perhaps I’ll just ride them in and see what happens.

It’s pretty common to have this. I’ve manipulated them straight by bouncing the unseated bit off the ground (really hard) or with the toe of my shoe, but riding them will usually do the trick too. Don’t be afraid to put a wee bit more air in them either.

I’ve had a couple of cases where rocking the inflated but not yet seated tyre with the heel of my hand and fingers over the top of the tyre helps them pop, I just Work round if that’s the problem.

Other things worth considering are that WTB tyres have a square UST standard bead which is different than the round bead non-UST rims are designed for. There’s a potential issue – I know many use them on Stans rims without issue but last I looked Stans didn’t officially support the use of WTB TCS tyres. Finally, are you totally 100% sure it’s not just a tape problem?

I’m old fashioned and running them with an inner tube; I assume that this isn’t the problem? I’ll have another try but perhaps they’ll ride in.

I guess that a “tape issue” would relate to tape for a tubeless system rather than standard rim tape?

I’m beginning to think that this is a no win situation. I’ve spent ages trying to get them seated with oodles of talc and lots of manipulation. I can click the first bead positively into the rim but by the time I’ve managed to get the second on (and it’s really tight) I’m back to square one; no amount of manipulation resolves it.

They’re also a real nightmare to get off; I’m dreading my first puncture.

WTB insist that it’s ‘impossible’ for the seating line to be off on the tyres as they’re moulded, but I do have a centre line of swarf from the moulding that does seem off-centre, so it could be a quality control issue.

I’m going to ride and see what happens and if they work without noticeable kick that’ll be great; otherwise it might be new tyre time which would be a shame considering how difficult it was to get hold of them.

Went out for my first proper ride on the new build and it felt as if I was riding oval wheels! I diverted to the LBS and a big thumbs up for Bike City Wells whose mechanic finally managed to seat them with plenty of GT85 on the beads and 100psi in the tyres (far higher than I’d have dared go although I was assured that it was safe).

Unfortunately on the way back I noticed that I’d actually fitted the rear tyre the wrong way around so had to go through the rigmarole myself back home.

I can’t believe how tight the beads are let alone the psi required to get them to seat. I may be an old fart running them with tubes but I shall be living in fear of a puncture; the effort required to get the tyres on and off the rims is huge (potentially impossible in the cold and wet) and I won’t be riding with GT85 and a track pump (100psi is a bit beyond my mini pump and I) so the rest of the ride will be rather bouncy!

I’m not keen on pumping my tyres up to 100psi on a regular basis for the sake of my rims, so sadly, I might just ditch them and find something that’s easier to fit.

Believe it or not the best thing I’ve found for seating stubborn tyres is baby oil round the beads, better than soapy water even…

60 psi in the tyres and leave over night will usually do it , failing that 80 psi if you are feeling brave but try to stand as far away from the wheel as possible while inflating and stop if you hear the bead snapping into place before 80psi is achieved . Best to do it in the garage not in the living room 😀

It’s going to be a pain in the bum if I ever need to fix a puncture whilst I’m out and about!

I’m a little nervous about damaging the rims with such high pressures although the mechanic did mention that he’d had to go over 100psi to seat some wide mountain bike tyres.

My 26″ tyres off the old bike would seat perfectly at about 40 psi.

Hope Tech Enduros are also a nightmare to get the tyres seated on. Always need to use hot soapy water then pump them up and deflate several times to get them seated.

Easiest wheels I have ever fitted tyres to are the Stans Arch S1 – Stans BST really does work and it is not just marketing guff. Tyres pumped up and got the nice “pop” sound straight away as the tyres seated.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/stans-no-tubes-arch-s1-mtb-wheelset/rp-prod163025

I’ve often found WTB tyres to be a bloody tight fit, not sure if that’s related to them being UST rated?

I found that nicking some of the wife’s expensive hair conditioner helped…..

My thought is that tubeless rims have led to more issues like this. Some tyre to rim combinations are near impossible. Putting an inner tube into the gap only makes things worse because it means there is less room. It is the principle reason that I went tubeless. When it takes two of you and lot of grunt to get a tyre on, I just couldn’t see myself being able to manage in my own on a freezing fellside.

It sounds as if the Hope rims might be a bit problematic then and the WTB tyres worsen it; just an unlucky combination perhaps.

Is there a brand of tyres that work well enough with Hope rims? I’ve been thinking about Schwalbe Marathon Supremes but I’ve heard that they can be hard to seat.

I’ve finally got both tyres on, inflated and seated but it’s been a real trial; if I get a puncture I’m screwed!

— Sorry, double post! —