Stan's - Now I get it

[Rage]

Who's all running tubeless with Stan's rims?

Thinking about trying tubeless, built up a wheelset with Stan's Arch 29er rims, Stan's yellow rim tape, and Panaracer Rampage 2.35s. Pretty much needed levers to get them installed. Coming off should be a treat... Not. Since these won't get much use for a while, I decided to start with tubes, then convert over to tubeless this spring. I'm starting to understand why you want to use tubeless with Stan's rims.... cause the tires fit so tight you don't want to ever take them off to repair a tube!

I've been running these tires on a variety of rims for about 5 years now, have always been able to easily go on and off by hand, never need a lever. Is this tight of a fit typical with these rims??

Rg.

[Huck will tell you]

The key is to get the bead in the drop center channel. Should go on/off no easer or harder than std. rims. -Huck

[SweetSVT99]

Yes, it's pretty much the norm with all tubeless rims. Both sets of my race lites are the same way...you always thought I was just being a baby when I said "if I flat I'm walking back!" :)

People that have a rim/tire combo that doesn't fit that tight, are typically the ones that have trouble with the tire rolling off the side of the rim.

[Rage]

The key is to get the bead in the drop center channel. Should go on/off no easer or harder than std. rims. -Huck

Uh huh. There's no "dropping" the tire bead into the center channel - it's already tight while in the channel.

I'm with you Steve-O, looks like walking out is the easy route to take...

Rg.

[Vibrato]

Are you sure the tires aren't 26er? ROFLMAO! Sorry bro, It popped into my mind and I just couldn't stop myself.

My 26er Stan's Flows are a pretty tight but I can still get them on and off by hand, and I haven't rolled a tire since I put them on. (The white rims I had before were stoopid light and I rolled the tire numerous times, and then I rolled the rim so bye bye light stuff...)

With the super short sidewalls, pinching is rare, although I think I did pinch the back once. I've cut my tire within 3 rides both times I've tried tubeless, so I've been just using tubes. (The 2nd time was a $52.00 tubeless ready Mountain King, that I am still running w tubes and a mega patch inside over the cut.)

Don't get me wrong, I WANT to go tubeless, tubeless just doesn't seem to be cooperating with me. Thinkin about punching tubeless in the FACE!

[jimithng23]

Leave it to Vibrato to take a cheap shot at 29ers, it never fails.

The tightness you are experiencing may be due to the fact that the Stan's rims are generally wider, both inside and out, compared to the rims you've used in the past.

I've got the Stan's Flows on the Evolve, got the 2.4 Maxxis Ardent on by hand, popped the bead with about 7psi. Ran 'em tubeless at ~22-24lbs during "The Best Trip Ever." *Mad* traction, although I may not ride fast enough to test the traction limits ;-)

When it's all said and done, tubeless is *supposed* to allow for lower pressures and greater traction due to the larger volume of the tire...especially with the wider profile of Stan's rims. However, the pressure is all relative. In Vibrato's case, the MKs are known to have a sweet spot of around 30-32lbs when setup tubeless...compared to other tires like the Ardent, Rampage or even the Bontrager 29-3 which run in the low to mid 20's for their sweet spot (Kings has been known to run the 29-3 around 18lbs!). And since you probably don't touch north of 170lbs on a scale, you could probably get away with even lower pressures.

In all the ridiculous amount of research I've done on tires, I've read the Rampage performs very, very well when tubeless...not to say that you've had problems with tubes but comparatively speaking, it has even greater traction tubeless.

All this said, I may sound like a homer for tubeless setups but I've had my problems (Landahl, anybody?!). I have yet to convert the Truth over - running the Conti MKs - and I'm not sure I will with those tires. That said, both trips to Moab/Fruita with some of the most technically demanding terrain and I've ran tubeless without a single problem...for what that's worth.

[Gunchie]

I've been running tubeless on my hardtail for about a year now. My setup was Mavic XM 317 rims (non-tubelss) and Kenda Small Block Eights (tire with fairly thin sidewalls). Only flat I ever had was a cut in the sidewall during a rocky downhill portion of a race (still have scars from that one). Definitely worth going tubeless to avoid the hassle of flats. Can't tell you how many times I would have had a pinch flat after hitting some rocky terrain if I hadn't been running Stan's. I wouldn't even consider doing an endurance race without running tubeless.

[Rage]

Are you sure the tires aren't 26er? ROFLMAO! Sorry bro, It popped into my mind and I just couldn't stop myself.

Dude! First thing I did was double check the sidewall to make sure I had a 29!

It totally reminded me of wrestling super-burly Maxxis Hookworms onto some of SteveDave's hardcore urban rims - darn near ended up with bloody fingertips after that one. Those tires are the reason I bought metal Park tire levers, but I couldn't bring myself to use them on these wheels (though it crossed my mind...)

Alright... so they fit tight. Sounds like that's "normal", and I understand why they would need to be tighter than with a tube. Just don't like it. Can't say I'm not looking forward to taking out the tubes to convert to tubeless...

Rg.

ps. I was thinkin about punching tubeless in the FACE that night!

[Vibrato]

Leave it to Vibrato to take a cheap shot at 29ers, it never fails.

Man, some jokes are just good natured fun. I ALWAYS say to ride both and buy what you like. Usually because of a long message touting 29ers as the only reasonable option for anyone. From jimithng. (He's passionate cause he loves his, can't blame the guy!) Also- technically, you only had a problem with tubeless ONCE in Landahl, the other 6 times were with tubes- And we've ALL had our days multiple flats. I remember a couple years ago walking my bike off of Sylvan cause I was just plain tired of changeing flats- I think it was 4 in about 45 minutes! Some days we should just get drunk instead. And some days we do both. Like at Landahl. And Copper. And Levis. And FDR. and...(am I seeing a trend here?)

Gunch- I did the 205.8 miles in Wausau w tubes- although to be fair, I was riding pretty slow. Out where you're at with all those rocks- I'd be trying a little harder to get tubeless to see things my way- and I'll be trying it again this spring... Once...

Interesting about getting them to seat. Mine go on a little hard but not that bad- but I usually have to go to 90lbs to get them to pop up onto the bead. (I put the tire outside the garage door on the pump, close the door, and pump till I hear either two little snaps or one huge bang. Then I know I'm done!)

[jimithng23]

Usually because of a long message touting 29ers as the only reasonable option for anyone. From jimithng.

wrong.

I'm in the school that the 29" hardtail may be the best machine for the trails in our area. However, this is nearly as much personal preference as anything so do some research on your own to help you decide what would work best for your son.

/thread hijack

[Gunchie]

Some people just aren't tubeless compatible...

[Vibrato]

HA! I was looking for that pic, theres another one from a different day at Sunder, too. Dang weight weeny phase, glad that's over.

Sorry I made a joke about Stans rims being tight- not sure how that was offensive.

The rest of this thread has become the definition of irony-

so I'm gonna HEY LOOK, SOMETHING SHINEY!!!

[Rage]

I just wanted to know if other people noticed their tires being tight on Stan's rims....

Rg.

[AG]

I just wanted to know if other people noticed their tires being tight on Stan's rims....

Rg.

My issues with getting tires on rims seems to be more tire manufacture related. My IRC's on Race light rims are the hardest, took 2 people and a bead jack to get them on at Heathy.Getting them off? no worries. Other tire combos on those rims haven't seemed to be a problem. My Alma with the Stan's rims and Bontrager/Kenda tire combo I've never had any issues getting them on or off.

As everyone knows, I'm tubeless for life. Do it.

[jimithng23]

never seen that happen to a tubeless setup, especially on a 29er!

[Vibrato]

It didn't pop right away, I was grabbing my camera and it went KA-BLOOOWI!!!!Suddenly my underwear looked just like that, too!!!

HA!

[Gunchie]

It didn't pop right away, I was grabbing my camera and it went KA-BLOOOWI!!!!Suddenly my underwear looked just like that, too!!!

HA!

Pretty sure I heard that from the parking lot and still jumped.

[Rage]

The deed is done.

Pulled the tubes out and poured a couple caps of white goo in. Several quick pumps, bead snaps in, spin for a while and the few leaks around the beads stop. Took the rear tire a while to seal up, but seems to be tight now. One step closer to the dark side...

Didn't struggle near as much with the tires this time - none at all actually - maybe they needed a stretch. Whatever. Now I need to ride!

Rg.

[SweetSVT99]

The deed is done.

Pulled the tubes out and poured a couple caps of white goo in. Several quick pumps, bead snaps in, spin for a while and the few leaks around the beads stop. Took the rear tire a while to seal up, but seems to be tight now. One step closer to the dark side...

Didn't struggle near as much with the tires this time - none at all actually - maybe they needed a stretch. Whatever. Now I need to ride!

Rg.

Has hell frozen over? I think so!

I love my tubeless setup. There have been a few rides where I came back and seen the sealant dried on the outside of my tire, thinking, AWESOME that probably would have been a flat if I still had tubes!

Then again.....back when I first converted using the Bontrager sealant (and also when I joined the trendy Cafe Latex movement)..."awesome" was nowhere in my vocabulary as I was walking my bike back to the trailhead with a flat.

[iLuvTechnical]

The deed is done.

... - maybe they needed a stretch. Whatever. Now I need to ride!

Rg.

That's what she said