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29er Tubeless Tyres

994 Views 14 Replies 12 Participants Last post by Cloxxki, Dec 22, 2005

robdeanhove

Discussion Starter · Dec 21, 2005

Howdy Gents

I've been riding around on my lovely prototype inbred 29er complete with USE SUB 29er fork for several years now and have just moved soemwhere rocky. I've swapped my 26" wheeled bikes to tubeless and want to do the same for my 29er, but....

I've got the Bontrager Jones 29" 2.2" tyres and have popped them off the rim of a tubed wheell, having fitted stans olympic 29er rims onto the bike it wasn't too much of a surprise whenm the tyres popped off these rims when pushed.

Has anyone else done a tubeless conversion? If so what tyres have you used successfully?

Is anyone running with Stan's 29er Olympic rims with a tubless setup and has good bead retention?

Cheers

Rob

P.S. My bike's shown here: http://www.shitshifter.com/pictures/view.jsp?pid=138

1 - 15 of 15 Posts

kustomz

· #2 · Dec 21, 2005

Have you tried the split tube method? It adds a touch more weight, but has eliminated all of my tubeless gremlins. This setup seems to capture the bead and stabilize everything, instead of allowing it to wollow around and find a seat position like the strip method.

http://www.geocities.com/etrexkb/no_flat.htm

Bigwheel

· #3 · Dec 21, 2005

robdeanhove said:
Cheers

Rob

Hey Rob, wondered where you had gotten off to these past years. Funny how your 4 year old Inbred looks so much like the new batch eh? I have dragged it across a number of posts on here as I kept a copy of it in my archives, especially those doing with odd fork configurations. I never had any luck getting my SUB to work and passed it on. Glad to see that you did and wonder now what I was not doing right.....

Do a search on tubeless through the forum and I think you will find all the info that you need. It has been discussed to death around here actually and some have luck with it and others don't. But that seems to be the way of the world with most things.

Also I live in the Rocky Mtns. as you know and have experienced exactly one flat in the wild since 99' running tubes and about a blown eardrum and a ruined set of knickers trying Stan's.

Seasons Greetings to you. Bob CB

Fat29Tire

· #4 · Dec 21, 2005 (Edited)

My experience and recommendations

At the risk of discussing something again and to save you from searching through a ton of posts that aren't specific to your situation I offer the following. From my experience the rim and tire combination has a lot to do with the success.
E-mail Stan and ask him which tires work the best with him rims.
GENERAL STANS TIPS
The tire should have a "tight" feel going on.
If the tires you're trying to use sort of falls onto the rim then guess what, it will fall off.
If the tires you're trying to use are not new and the beads have been over-stretched with tire tools, they're probably toast as far as tubeless application.
Never ever use a tire lever on a bead you plan to run tubeless.
It is widely recommended to stay away from kevlar beads (folding tires) although I've had success with my homemade studded Kenda Klaws on rims below.
I've had great success with Salsa Delgado and Bontrager Race rims.
The tires I've used are Nano-raptor Steel DNA and IRC Mythos II's.
Follow Stan's directions explicitly, watch his video.
Most bad results I've trouble-shot resulted in hurried attempts and not following specific directions (especially rim tape build up for a specific rim.)
The split tube suggestion seems sound although it is based around a 26" wheel using a 24" tube. Not sure how a 26" tube would work around a 29" wheel. Also I bet it's a pain getting the last part of the bead over the rim WITHOUT forcing the tube off the rim lip as well.
Hope this helps but bottom line since those are Stans rims ask the Stans folks.
Also check out this thread on the Stans Message Board .
It seems to indicate that Bontys and Contis are known "no go's" but this post is old and I know for a fact that IRC Mythos and Steel Nanos are acknowledged by Stan to work well.
Good Luck
Steve

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yr292

· #5 · Dec 21, 2005

I used the method described in the link given by kustomz (Ido Bartana is my neighbor so everyone is using this method here) and so far have experience with:
Bontrager Race Lite:
1 Jones ACX - two of them blew off the rim so I stopped using them
2 IRC Notos
3 WTB ExiWolf
4 Jones XR
Bonty Mustang:
1 Jones XR
2 IRC Notos
3 failed to get a seal with the ExiWolf so I run it tubbed on the Rig (but tubeless on the Sugar)

bso95

· #6 · Dec 21, 2005

Maxxis Ignitor

I had no trouble setting up maxxis ignitor foldables on mavic ma3's with the standard stan's 29er kit. I think the tires don't get the good press they deserve, they have been as fun to ride and as reliable as my 26 inch motoraptors. I live in phoenix and ride some very rocky trails. The main reason I went tubelss was a double pinch flat (front and rear) on one of my favorite trails. not a problem now.

DeeZee

· #7 · Dec 21, 2005

The right rim for the job

robdeanhove said:
Howdy Gents

I've been riding around on my lovely prototype inbred 29er complete with USE SUB 29er fork for several years now and have just moved soemwhere rocky. I've swapped my 26" wheeled bikes to tubeless and want to do the same for my 29er, but....

I've got the Bontrager Jones 29" 2.2" tyres and have popped them off the rim of a tubed wheell, having fitted stans olympic 29er rims onto the bike it wasn't too much of a surprise whenm the tyres popped off these rims when pushed.

Has anyone else done a tubeless conversion? If so what tyres have you used successfully?

Is anyone running with Stan's 29er Olympic rims with a tubless setup and has good bead retention?

Cheers

Rob

P.S. My bike's shown here: http://www.shitshifter.com/pictures/view.jsp?pid=138

It has been discussed many times on this board that the diameter of the 29'er rims are all slightly different.

I currently have two sets of Stan's Olympic rims and could not be happier. The rims are "designed" to be used with non-tubeless tires. On my SS set I run Ignitors (Kevlar bead) and on my FS geared bike I am running a Nano and Exi (Wire bead). All of the tires fit tight on the rim and I have run them at low and high pressures. They have seen fast fireroads and steep rock gardens and have had no issues. They work batter than any UST set-up I have tried with 26" wheels.

All four wheels are set-up with only the rim tape (no rim strip). No burps and no flats.

Oh also I am 225lbs.

josegraff

· #8 · Dec 21, 2005

Running 29" Bontrager Mustangs with ACX K tires.

I used the existing rim strips without adding any other reinforcement, put my 2 yr old 26" Notubes rim strips on, added the sealant, popped the tires back on and inflated with floor pump (no soap on the beads, too lazy). All this occurred in 10 minutes time.

I have been riding this set up at 30 - 32 psi aggressively for 1 month without incident.

Cloxxki

· #9 · Dec 21, 2005

Stan explained to me that there's good and bad folding beads. Only Kenda and Schwalbe use the good kind. It doesn't fold over in your hands, it's really flexible.

robdeanhove

Discussion Starter · #10 · Dec 21, 2005

Bigwheel said:
Hey Rob, wondered where you had gotten off to these past years. Funny how your 4 year old Inbred looks so much like the new batch eh? I have dragged it across a number of posts on here as I kept a copy of it in my archives, especially those doing with odd fork configurations. I never had any luck getting my SUB to work and passed it on. Glad to see that you did and wonder now what I was not doing right.....

Do a search on tubeless through the forum and I think you will find all the info that you need. It has been discussed to death around here actually and some have luck with it and others don't. But that seems to be the way of the world with most things.

Also I live in the Rocky Mtns. as you know and have experienced exactly one flat in the wild since 99' running tubes and about a blown eardrum and a ruined set of knickers trying Stan's.

Seasons Greetings to you. Bob CB

Bigweel, My SUB has been fantastic, and now it's got the new heavier spring option (I'm 6'5") it's even better. It's gritstone around me so pretty hard on components and really rocky in places and it's holding up fine, and the anti-dive really is a thing of wonder

With regard tyres, cheers for the replies people (specifically that which confirmed the ACX is coming off for others) I've got some wire bead NOTOS on order now, let's hope for better luck with them

Merry christmas to you all

Rob

MendonCycleSmith

· #11 · Dec 21, 2005

I too have had good luck with Stan's , both in 26 and 29. I have the DT Swiss trekking rims, Stans'd, and had a horrible time with the steel Nanoraptor even seating, actually it never did=

. Great luck, easy seating, good sealing, with both Schwalbe's and Maxxis. On the 26 end, many friends have had one Conti be bad (new) and the next one great, go figure! Happy trails!

jason74

· #12 · Dec 22, 2005

robdeanhove said:
Bigweel, My SUB has been fantastic, and now it's got the new heavier spring option (I'm 6'5") it's even better. It's gritstone around me so pretty hard on components and really rocky in places and it's holding up fine, and the anti-dive really is a thing of wonder

With regard tyres, cheers for the replies people (specifically that which confirmed the ACX is coming off for others) I've got some wire bead NOTOS on order now, let's hope for better luck with them

Merry christmas to you all

Rob

If you don't mind, where are you getting the notos? I contacted IRC directly and they said they are still being made. It seems like most of the shops I've contacted including my own can't get them.

thanks
J

POG

· #13 · Dec 22, 2005

They list a number of dealers on their site...

jason74 said:
If you don't mind, where are you getting the notos? I contacted IRC directly and they said they are still being made. It seems like most of the shops I've contacted including my own can't get them.

thanks
J

might try one of them. They do show the tire still being available on their website. I think the notos is a pretty good tire - the knobs are wedge shaped so that they are very directional. For example, they have good traction under power on the rear but tend to lose traction under braking.

robdeanhove

Discussion Starter · #14 · Dec 22, 2005

jason74 said:
If you don't mind, where are you getting the notos? I contacted IRC directly and they said they are still being made. It seems like most of the shops I've contacted including my own can't get them.

thanks
J

I got mine from www.pedalon.co.uk

I've used them before (with tubes) and loved them but was wrongly seduced by the lighter weight of the Bontrager. Popped the first Notos on the stans rim last night and it went up first time no bother. Great tyre and I'll stick with them this time

Cloxxki

· #15 · Dec 22, 2005

I managed to have a front Notos (in my 29/26" days) to burb, and DNF. Never tried it again. I was doing DIY tubeless though, on an Alex TD-17.

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