Tubeless tyre change on Focus jam 2.

[Frankollyvher Franco]

I bought a new tyre for my sons Focus jam 2. Thought it was going to be an easy job !
I could not get it to seal and inflate. Took it to my local bike shop. He could not get it to inflate either.
He said " take it to garage and use compressor to blow up, if they can't do it, I'll put an inner tube in".
Mechanic could not inflate it either !
So back to bike shop and put innertube in tubeless tyre !
I did not realise they were so hard to do.
That's life, as they say

 

[steve_sordy]

Some reasons why I have been unable to inflate a tubeless tyre:

Pump too small to push the air in fast enough, no matter how hard you wank it! Solution: Buy an Airshot.
Air not going in fast enough. Solution: Remove the valve core. Once the beads are locked in, replace the valve core.
Air leaving faster than it is going in: Solution: Several, see below.
Faulty rim tape, either badly applied (can happen on a new bike) , or torn, or punctured. Solution: Replace rim tape.
Tyre not tubeless or tubeless ready, so the sidewalls are porous. Solution: Use a latex based sealant and paint it onto the inside of the tyre before inflating, add the rest of the sealant. After inflating shake the wheel vigorously to distribute the sealant. Inflate to a high(ish) pressure (say 40psi) and lay down the wheel horizontally on a bucket or similar, leave for 30 mins, repeat shake and lay down the other way up. After 30 mins check the pressure, if its only lost a few psi, go ride up and down the street a few times. You are now good to go.
Tyre distorted so that the bead leaks air, mostly due to being fresh out of the packaging: Solution: Leave the tyre opened and on the floor in a warm room overnight. If that fails use a tube first to inflate the tyre and get both beads locked in. Then undo one side remove the inner tube swap the valves back, then proceed to go tubeless.
Tyre has a hole in it: Solution: Obvious.
Tyre beads not moving across the rim and locking in to the rim. Solution 1: Use plenty of soapy water as a lubricant to allow the bead to slide. Solution 2: Blast the air in faster, use an Airshot or a compressor. (Note: you need a high volume low pressure compressor, or one with a big tank of pressurised air available to flow into the tyre). I have tried two different petrol station compressors and neither were up to the job.
Tyre "too tight". Solution: Need to know why it's too tight. Is the rim tape too thick, or has it moved and is stopping the bead from sliding? If so replace the rim tape. Has the accumulation of old latex sealant built up either on the rim or on the bead and is preventing the bead from moving into place? If so clean the bead and/or the rim. If it is neither of them, use plenty of soapy water as a lubricant and maybe also consider pre-inflating with a tube to get one side locked in.

Or any combination of the above.

Going tubeless is harder than an expert makes it look, but a lot easier than a beginner makes it look.

Best of luck.

 

[Si1]

I've had a complete 'love hate' relationship with installing tubeless tyres on my Focus.

I have the AR40 offset rims, and this is what I have learnt if the tyres don't go on first time:

First, inflate and seal the tyre on the rim using an innertube.(This should already be done if you have installed a tube in it!)
Next, deflate and break the seal of the tyre on the widest side of the rim/ widest gap to the spoke holes (this is if you have the same offset rims as myself). The important thing is to break the seal on one side only. Then remove the innertube, insert your tubeless valve with the valve-core removed, soap up the unsealed side of the tyre, and go at it with a suitable track pump or similar.

Hopefully, this should be enough to get the tyre to pop and then you can deflate and inject the sealant through the valve, fit the valve core and re-inflate!

If that doesn't work then what I tend to do is kick it, then swear a lot, then give up, then try again the next day, kick some more, swear a lot again, and hope it will finally work. I then promise myself I will never change the tyres again!