Tubeless Blood Sweat and Tears of Forkin Tight Tyres

Quick note here. Use tubular tyres, rim tape and my patented tubular tyre applicator (you can use a plastic spoon with a narrow round handle. Quick a formula 1 pit crew. Then on these cold dark nights, get the sewing kit out.

+ 1 for Pro Ones.  Although I did have one set that absolutely refused to sit cleanly and always had a mysterious bulges (like there was a mis-shapen innertube under nearth ) unless you reseated 2-3 times.  Never seen it before or since.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bbb-Cycling-Unisexs-BTL-78-Bikes/dp/B00A855QRY/ref=asc_df_B00A855QRY/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310135571037&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3491547004569564429&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006509&hvtargid=pla-440365238122&psc=1

This is indeed a very useful link- I haven't seen these, but will get one for my daughter. The tyres I've been using for years seem to be so precisely sized that I can get them on with fingers and palms.

Drinfinity wrote:

I use a tyre mounting tool rather than levers for anything tight. Turns a 30 minute festival of swearing and frustration into a smooth job.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Bbb-Cycling-Unisexs-BTL-78-Bikes/dp/B00A855QRY/ref=asc_df_B00A855QRY/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=310135571037&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3491547004569564429&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006509&hvtargid=pla-440365238122&psc=1

Ooh, cheers for this that's a great shout. Looks like you don't have to lever against the rim with them, is that correct? Would make fitting on carbon rims far less squeeky bum if so. 

You put the forked bit on the opposite rim, and the hook goes under the bead. The fork presses directly down on the rim where it is strong, rather than crushing it sideways. I've used it on lightweight carbon rims and tight tyres no problems.

These are rubbish in my experience I bought one a couple of years ago. Not only was it totally useless, as soon as I tried to use it to mount a Continental GP5000 TL to a Mavic rim, it broke ( and split the bead off of the tyre).

Usually, the trick is to ensure that the bead is in the middle (deepest) part of the rim bed as that should give you just enough freedom to get the tyre on. Maybe Mavic's don't have quite enough depth there compared to other rims. However, I've heard of people having trouble with other specific combos of rims and tyres, so maybe it's just a question of engineering tolerances making some combos particularly hard. I nearly always have to resort to using tyre levers to put tyres on and have found that some types work much better than others - if the tyre lever keeps slipping out, then bin it.

The IRCs that I used weren't the most pliable of tyre but they did offer great grip and lack of p*******s. Nowadays, I'm using some GP 5000TLs which also work really well and feel more supple.

hawkinspeter wrote:

Usually, the trick is to ensure that the bead is in the middle (deepest) part of the rim bed as that should give you just enough freedom to get the tyre on. Maybe Mavic's don't have quite enough depth there compared to other rims. However, I've heard of people having trouble with other specific combos of rims and tyres, so maybe it's just a question of engineering tolerances making some combos particularly hard. I nearly always have to resort to using tyre levers to put tyres on and have found that some types work much better than others - if the tyre lever keeps slipping out, then bin it. The IRCs that I used weren't the most pliable of tyre but they did offer great grip and lack of p*******s. Nowadays, I'm using some GP 5000TLs which also work really well and feel more supple.

I think you're right about the trench depth on Mavic tubeless rims. I can't help but think it's because most Mavic tubeless rims are supplied as WTS, with Mavic tubeless tyres, and that Mavic do it on purpose to encourage people to only buy the Mavic Tubeless tyres which ( amazingly ) don't cause any issues with the Mavic rims, whereas ( for example) Continental GP5000 TL tyres absolutely wont go on.