Anyone using a compressor to seat fat bike tyres? What size works? Or what is the smallest capacity that will do the job?

any other tips?

thanks

Does depend on the tyres and rims as to how easy things are. I use an airshot and have used it to mount 45Nrth Vanhelgas on Mulfut rims and Surly Ednas on My Other Brother Daryl rims. All went up first time. From memory I probably had between 80-100psi in the airshot.

29+ here (3″ Maxxis Minion and Chronicle) so probably similar volume.

Milkit Booster (the bigger bottle one) works fine seating them tubeless – something like 100psi in the Booster
Then I just add a bit more pressure with a track pump.

I tried my airshot with bud and Lou on 80mm mule foot. Absolutely no joy, though the aren’t tubeless ready tyres.

it’s the bud and Lou that I want to fit, but reluctant to remove the current tyres for experimenting.

thanks for the info

I’ve fitted / refitted numerous tyres over the years. Make sure your tape job is good – rim edge to edge and snug fit with tyre. Use a tube with a new tyre and bring it indoors to keep warm / flexible – that way you only need to remove one bead to remove tube / fit tubeless valve / install sealant. If you’re struggling, a webbing strap around the outside of the tyre helps push the bead out.

Depends more on the rim than the tyre IME.

I’ve got a big compressor, and even that won’t seat tyres onto non-tubeless rims without some faffing.

Some people get it to work by wrapping the rims with clingfilm to give the tyre bead something to press against. I find an old camping mat cut to fit works best.

Then a split 24″ tube or fatty-stripper (basically the same thing, but a fraction of the weight, but double the price).

On-One tyres had a reputation for being baggy, but really it’s down to the single walled rims, the same type of rims are on most fat bikes, no compressor will seat tyres on them without some help. But once you put some clingfilm/foam in the rim it’ll go up with a mini-pump!

Surly Bud and OnOne Floater on 80mm Nextie rims.
Went up with a Joe Blow Sport track pump.

Getting them off on the other hand.

Had a realisation before Christmas trying to seat some tyres.
If you take the valve core out you can get air ok into the tyre much quicker. Get it seated, let the air out, put the valve in the pump up again.

I’ve been having success with the tyre lever trick to seat the beads as well as removing the valve core to flow more air….

Oh yes! Removing the valve core to seat the tyre is all but essential. Once they’re seated, add sealant through the valve, put the core back in they are easy to reinflate using a normal pump.

Working the beads so they are close to the rim helps as well as they are likely to be seated on the tape better so air doesn’t escape quite so easily.

Using plenty of tape (and packing if necessary) is the key thing IME. I’ve fitted a variety of fat tyres on tubeless and non-tubeless rims using my home-made garden sprayer ‘Airshot’.

Running some light bicycle carbon rims, the on one floaters went up a breeze possibly too tight having trouble getting them off too.
Replaced the rear with a Maxxis Mammoth and struggled with air escaping. Ended up tying a strap round the tyre to reduce the volume and pulled the bead towards the edge.

Fill the rim recess first.
Split open a 24” tube & use that as a rim tape.
Even a Jumbo Jim on an On-One went up with a track pump. (Normally a really baggy fit)

I found that the Airshot does not have the volume needed for J Jim’s, so an old fire extinguisher with a skinny valve threaded into the top to pressurise the cylinder via a track pump and use the metal discharge pipe over the (removed) valve, and up they go in one go…. as the tyre seats you just release the trigger on the extinguisher to control the airflow.

+ all the usual making sure you have a good tape over the spoke holes – I like Orange Seal tape and OKO sealant as it can go in through the valve later and it can cope with real cold conditions too.

I use a strap around the tyre. Works with just a trackpump

Thanks for all the replies. Like the idea of cling film. Not one I’ve heard.

a buddy has a compressor and many years’ experience of fat bikes.

I bought studded tyres for the thaw-freeze now the snow is back and I need bud and Lou back in my life!

thanks again hny