Road Tubeless Lessons Learned
- Thread starter ekuhn
- Start date
Jforce
Member
I getting ready to sell a set of Reynolds Assault wheels that are "tubeless ready".
I bought them to use as regular road wheels with tubes. My favorite tire, the Continental GP 4000S, is incredibly difficult to mount on these rims. The tire is so tight on the rim that when I eventually flatted, I wasn't able to get tire back on the rim without using tire levers. Of course I pinched the tube and since it took so long to get the tire off and back on, I gave up and called for a ride home (a first).
Question: Would a tubeless tire mount easier on these rims? My bike can only handle a 25 tire max.
I bought them to use as regular road wheels with tubes. My favorite tire, the Continental GP 4000S, is incredibly difficult to mount on these rims. The tire is so tight on the rim that when I eventually flatted, I wasn't able to get tire back on the rim without using tire levers. Of course I pinched the tube and since it took so long to get the tire off and back on, I gave up and called for a ride home (a first).
Question: Would a tubeless tire mount easier on these rims? My bike can only handle a 25 tire max.
Karate Monkey
Well-Known Member
*laughs in tubeless*
That would be a no. Tubeless tires are harder to mount. Consider carrying a VAR bead jack with you...not guaranteed to work/not break, but better than struggling with your fingers/palms. Harder to find here, but still doable.
Typically tubeless beads fit tighters. The 4000s has a supple flexible bead that typically can be mounted by hand.
Jforce
Member
HAHAHA!
It's virtually impossible to mount the Conti's by hand on these rims. I have decent hand strength and better than average dexterity and I can't do it.
I guess it's off to eBay and the Bits & Pieces here.
Dave Taylor
Rex kwan Do
My Maxxis Padrones mounted easily on my enve ses 3.4s. Schwalbe pro 1s were a pain in the balls.
alex_k
Well-Known Member
What kind of rim tape do you use? Sometimes extra layer of tubeless tape makes that very difficult
Jforce
Member
I don't believe rim tape is a factor. The wheels have whatever tape they came with from the factory.
To me it seems the rims are larger in diameter than normal rims. I can not physically stretch the tire over the rim without beefy tire levers. I use the big ass tire levers I bought for my fat bike. I actually broke a Pedros tire lever trying to get a tire on.
Dave Taylor
Rex kwan Do
Looking to try something. Anyone ever set road 25s up tubeless on stans valor wheels? Currently have maxxis 32 cx tires sermt up with no issues.
Check the max psi's on the rim before you do that....
What Dan said. They don't even advertise Max PSI for anything under 2.25", but I would probably email them first before you blow a rim wall of a nice set of wheels. Cross tires are generally run under 35psi which are typically fine, but I'd imagine you'll be well over 70psi with 25c tires.
Steve Vai
Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
Bad idear.
Dave Taylor
Rex kwan Do
yeah, 33c CX tires at 28psi is ok, 25c's north of 70psi will make loud cracking explosion soundz
Dave Taylor
Rex kwan Do
Ok, so in theory, would a 33cx tire roll faster on pavement at 50 psi or at 28 psi? Also, I like to test theories. I’m assuming stan’s pressures account for offroad tires absorbing offroad forces. I’m thinking some extra psi on smooth pavement with a small tire may be doable.
alex_k
Well-Known Member
50 psi for sure, at least for my favorite tuebless tires: https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/road-bike-reviews/hutchinson-fusion-5-performance-2017
UPDATED: probably this link provides more relevant information https://www.bicyclerollingresistance.com/specials/grand-prix-5000-comparison
but that is simple - more psi -> less rolling resistance
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I am...but at 25psi
The fit of the Conti road tubeless tires are a disaster. They will not fit on more than one brand of tubeless ready rims that I’ve tested. They also will not work on any hookless rims you may encounter.
While I have some in stock, I’m being cautious to whom we sell them to and with what rims they might work well on.
We just got the new / revised schwalbe tubeless tires in this week. They mount up like a dream. I’d recommend these over the conti tubeless tires as they are using the mavic ust road standard and they are making an effort to stick with a recognized standard for fit.
If you must have conti tires make sure to bring a sharp knife to cut them off later.
GSTim
Formerly M3Tim
So my friend just bought tubeless wheels and tires. During our ride last weekend he got a cut which sealed well enough to make it home. Now he says that it won't hold pressure. I have not gone tubeless on the road yet so I have no experience. Can you patch a tubeless tire or just trash it? The cut is about 1/16" long probably from sharp gravel. It's a Shwalbe.