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Need help with Bontrager RaceLite tubeless....

736 Views 6 Replies 7 Participants Last post by  moose8500
Cross posted in "wheels" -- posted here because I've hung out here for a decade and typically get quicker responses and, heck, it is about a "light" wheelset.

I've been running Stans for years on a variety of wheelsets with no problems. However, a friend has asked me to set up his Bontrager RaceLite Tubeless wheelset for him. He is currently running a regular IRC tire on them with a tube. I've got the tubeless valves, etc., that came with the wheelset. It appears from a quick review on the net that I can set up these rims as tubeless using a "regular" tire with stans sealant. Can anybody give me a little more specifics on how to do this? Thanks!!
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ask in

I have three sets and don't go tubeless with them. Never even tried. The first generation got a bad rap becuase it didn't work well.

Ask in the "wheels" and "Trek" forums.
I've been running Bonty race lite disc tubeless wheelset for over a year now. I used Stan's for xc racing for a most of the summer with moderate success.

I used the Bonty rim tubeless strip & valves, both kenda & geax tires, with 2 scoops of stans. The tires inflated fine, but I had to inflate the tires to 55+ psi to get them to seat properly. the "seat" for the tire bead on these wheels seems to be really high, but it results in a pretty firm interface. A bit of soapy water on the tire bead does help it seat.

This seems to work almost as well as my full Stan's setup (rimstrip & goop on my other non-tubeless wheel). Although, I think Stan's rubber rimstrip prevents rolling the tire off the rim a bit better than the bonty rimstrip ( this is b/c stan's rubber rimstrip can flex with side pressures on the tire yet remain sealed)

The only time I had trouble with the bonty/stans tubeless setup was when I crashed hard and snowplowed my front wheel down a hill... that finally forced a bunch of air to burp out between the tire and rim. A few strokes of a mini pump and I was able to finish the race, though.

Put in the bonty rimstrip ( its plastic, might already be in the wheel), then install valve cores in the rim, then setup just like you do a "normal/full on" stan's system.

Good luck.
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I use Stans with Bontrager X-lites. Using their plastic rim strips and Valve cores. No problem. With my Hutchinson Python Air Lights to make it pop on good had to put around 50psi. But this is probably not a problem with other tires. The air lights really hold air well even without sealant. However i see on Stan's website, that is not a recommended tire. But i believe i might have a previous generation Air Light.

One thing i did to get the plastic strip and tire to make a good fit the first time was to put a tube in it and inflate it. Then put the Bontrager Valve core in the rim and inflated tubeless. It inflated easily with floor pump.
I have a set of RaceLites with some non-UST Kenda Nevegal on them. After I followed the instruction for Stan's :rolleyes: they sealed just fine. No problems so far and they hold air as well as my pure UST wheelset.
Bud, I don't know much about the Bonty's...

But I've run two different tubeless setups with regular tires:

1) Crossmax UST's with Python Airlights and Racing Ralphs.
2) Mavic XC717 discs with Eclipse with the same tires as #1.

In both instances, I've merely had to soap the beads and hit them with about 50ish lbs. from my compressor. Actually, I can get the Airlights to seat on the Eclipse setup with a floor pump. The RR's are a little more tricky for some reason. I use the standard cup of Stan's to finish it off. Mine have been bulletproof (now I'll probably go out and flat). I doubt this offers much insight, but I haven't talked to you in a while so I thought I'd chime in.
John David
For me, setting up some bonty race x lights was super easy. The trick is you need a super high power pump, like from a gas station. I am using IRC mythos non-UST tires, just put in some goop, and inflated it with the highpower pump. POP, it clamped on. That is the key... before, I was trying to use soap and stuff with my LBS' normal power compressor, just didn't pop on. You need the high power, and it goes on quick. Has been nice so far, just have to use the non-ust tires at a little higher pressure than could be done with ust tires since the tire has less lateral stiffness and at lower pressure might pop off the rim or something.
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