Have tried everything to get a Bontrager Jones tyre, which orginally came on the bike before I changed for a Trailraker for the mud, onto a race tubeless ready wheel but the thing just doesn’t fit. 2 nights and 1 broken tyre lever and I still had to go back to my orginal tyre.

2 options –

1. give up!
2. try and stretch the tyre some how. I guess it might have shrunk hanging in my garage for 6 months?

Any other ideas?

Just keep trying – I had the same problem with some Maxxis high rollers USTs onto my Bontrager race lite wheels. Snapped tyre lever and grazed knuckles but on the third attempt I got it. You just need to go a little bit at a time with the tyre lever, it may look like you’re not making any progress but it will go – eventually.

Get one of them DH tyre levers, you’ll wonder how you ever managed without it.

Hugo is right. Keep going. My wife spent a few minutes (read hours) watching me converting to tubeless. It confirmed to her that we are all insane. I know one guy that puts a bit of superjuice around the bead of the tyre to ease it on. Also once the tyres are stretched I change them over just as easily as before. Stick with it.

Well worth it though, the Bontrager tyres are awesome. I’ve got the Dry X tyres and they are fantastic. Never had a you know what… don’t want to say it in case I jinx myself.

Matt Lewis

warm the tyre up against a heater – this has worked for me on belligerent tyres refusing to be put on or pop onto the bead when inflated.

Well worth the hassle. Tight tyres means a better seal. I wait until it’s sunny, chuck them on the lawn for half an hour then put a bit of washing up liquid on the beads. They inflate instantly and stay up for a while even before I’ve injected the sealant through the valves. In the long run, far less hassle than tyres that fit easily then won’t seal.

Warm the tyres up!

Little bit at a time did it for me.

Get the tyre mostly on. Facing the wheel, working at the bottom, wrap your left hand in an old t-shirt or rag and really squueze and push the tyre away from you over the rim, while kppeing the bead inside the rim. Get the tyre lever in with your right hand and slowly inch it along levering the tyre into the rim.
Took a good while to work this out and to be able to grip the trye sufficiently to stop it popping off when using the lever.

Works much better the second time round so guess the tyre deos stretch a little.

What if you need to change them in ‘the field’ I didn’t consider that at last years Revolver 12 and spent forty minutes trying to fix a puncture.

I had my trouble with Schwalbe Jimmy UST’s on 819’s. As soon as I got back I replaced them with Bonty tyres and they go on easily and with Bonty Juice stay inflated for months.

LOL at advice to warm the tyre up. Classic.

S.

I’ve never said this before, as others usually beat me to it.. but… MTFU!

On a more helpful note, seek out the Bontrager website for tips on tubeless fitting.
And get some of those steel cored tyre levers – CyclePro ones from Raleigh or Edinburgh Bicycles do some.

Thanks for the tips – it is a bit concerning that I’d have little chance of getting the tyre on again if I had to do a trail side repair.

My bro had the same problem – The importers suggested putting the tyre on a non-tubeless rime (with tube) and inflate to a high psi overnight to stretch the tyre. Take it off in the morning and straight onto the tubeless rim.

Seemed to work well for him 🙂

Sniff, maybe you’ve already tried this but just incase not. First, soapy water on the rims. Second get one bead of the tyre on. Push this bead into the ‘well’ in the middle of the rim and start getting the other bead on. Get it as far as you can then when you can’t get any more go round and push both beads into the middle of the rim and you should be able to get a bit more on. Keep going and getting more and more on. You might need a heavy duty tyre lever for the last wee bit.

I’m not sure if I explained it properly. I’ve got DT Swiss Ex2450 (something like that) and Maxxis 2.5 Dualply DH tyres which just wouldn’t go on until a mate showed me this. It worked for me.

from the other thread-

Roof rack strap around circumference of the tyre squishes it down and reduces the volume to get it started more better. Big difference twixt my new track pump and my old one aswell.

it is a bit concerning that I’d have little chance of getting the tyre on again if I had to do a trail side repair.

By then they will have stretched a bit. But do take the steel cored levers out with you.

Dougbasque’s advice is about right, but make sure you start opposite the valve and work your way around towards it, if you start at the valve it’ll stop the tyre dropping into the well of the rim and you’ll never create enough slack to get it on.

Quick update –

Managed to get the tyres on! Thanks for all the tips. Looks like the fact I had them stored in the garage over winter didn’t help.

1. Fit tyre with tube to another wheel and pump up as hard as possible without it blowing. Leave overnight.

2. Remove factory fitted blue rim tape on wheels – note this doesn’t need to be cut (as mentioned on other forums)

3. Fit the black tubeless plastic rim thingy

4. Mix washing up liquid and water 1:1 and apply to the rim and black plastic tubeless thingy

5. Remove tyre from the rim you used overnight…Fit the first bead – start opposite the valve and work round

6. Fit the second bead – again starting opposite the valve

7. Now add sealant – either via valve or lift the bead a touch with a tyre lever and fill

8. Start pumping and wait for the beads to pop

9. Spin the tyre so that the sealant works round the tyre

10. Go for a ride

11. Enjoy

Sounds complicated but if you follow the steps it’s really no harder than fitting a tube.