Tried to mount up a pair of Rene Herse 35C Bon Jon Pass Extralight, and can't for the life of me get the beads to seat. I tried my usual array of tricks: Valve core removed, compressor at 120psi, rigid plastic tube snug over the outside of the valve. I can't possibly get any more air in there any faster. It just hisses really loud from everywhere. I can't get the beads to sit up on the shelf no matter what I do on some Spinergy GX's. Wherever I manage to get the bead up on the shelf it just drops back down somewhere else. I finally gave up and put tubes in them, and wondering if anyone else has had success with these?
I've had zero issues with 43C GravelKing SK's on the same rims.
Common with the ultra lightweight RH tires. As stated above, check and see if you have at least 2 layers of tape, you might need 3 (or more) layers. Put the tire out in the sun, get it good and warm. Apply soapy water (dish soap, use lots) to the tire bead/rim shelf inner face. Take your valve core out and use your compressor with a blow gun (preferably high volume). My blow gun has a plastic end that I have opened up with a drill to allow more air volume. This has helped tremendously with stubborn tires.
Another vote to add a layer or two of rim tape first. If that doesn't work with a 120 psi air compressor, I wouldn't even bother trying to use the tire.
I don't think it's worth fighting that much using elaborate tricks with difficult tires because if it's that hard at home with more tools and patience, good luck re-seating a tire on a ride with co2 should the need arise. Re-installing used tires with beads that have stretched a bit, and are covered in sealant residue also becomes virtually impossible if it was that hard with a new, clean tire.
I had the same problem, tried every trick I knew on rims that had worked on gravel kings, but could only get the front tire to seat once. It popped on with just soapy water and no sealant, so I carefully let the air out, added the orange seal and nothing but hissing. Finally bought some latex tubes and rode them for a few months. Really a nice ride. I had the front wheel off one day and for some reason I let the air out and noticed the bead was really locked on, so I thought what the heck, pulled out the tube and added sealant and a valve and it popped on, did the same to the back wheel so now they are both tubeless. One of them holds air really well, the other you need to check if it's been a couple of days. I don't take them out on gravel much, mostly riding on the road. Can't tell much difference in the ride between latex and tubeless.Its a nice ride either way. I keep thinking I'll take them on a gravel ride but they seem kind of fragile to me. The gravel kings don't ride as nice but they have never let me down.
I ride several different versions of Rene Herse. With the more supple casing I find I need to “seat” one bead of the tire by hand. Basically, I use my thumbs to push both beads to one side of the wheel, effectively seating the outer bead. I then carefully flatten the tire and move the other bead to the center, or other side of the wheel (this bead does not need to be seated, but it does need to be on the other side of the valve). I spray both sides with soapy water and inflated with a compressor (valve core removed). I have not had any problems ever since I learned this method.
I hope it works for you, because it has eliminated a lot of frustration for me!
@jcme1 stumbled on what is most likely your best approach. Use a tube to seat the tire. Then remove it leaving one bead in place. From there you should be fine.
Oy! I've been riding ExtraLights exclusively for a couple of years, but only with a light butyl. After reading your travails I might not experiment going TL! I've also replaced my RH ExL with near-clones by Panaracer marketed by SOMA as Supple Vitesse. Their SL may be a true clone of the RH ExL, but the real winner is the EX version which keeps the ExL carcass but meats up the tread for at least 50% longer life! I've been really happy with these "SV"s for 2 years, and will be trying the 28c on my road bike this summer too. Can they be easily mounted TL? Dunno. I love the original (sold out) terracotta ones.
edraven wrote:Tried to mount up a pair of Rene Herse 35C Bon Jon Pass Extralight, and can't for the life of me get the beads to seat. I tried my usual array of tricks: Valve core removed, compressor at 120psi, rigid plastic tube snug over the outside of the valve. I can't possibly get any more air in there any faster. It just hisses really loud from everywhere. I can't get the beads to sit up on the shelf no matter what I do on some Spinergy GX's. Wherever I manage to get the bead up on the shelf it just drops back down somewhere else. I finally gave up and put tubes in them, and wondering if anyone else has had success with these?
I've had zero issues with 43C GravelKing SK's on the same rims.
edraven,
I had to put a layer of Gorilla tape over the standard rim tape to get those to seat. Everything you described in your OP. Oh... and then I cleaned them and the rims thoroughly, seated them dry, and installed the sealant through the valve stem. Once I did that, they were fine. You will appreciate them in their entirety if you can make them work tubeless. It's worth it.
Alright, thanks all for your advice. I combined my previous tricks with a number of your tips to result in success.
Used tube to seat one side
Drilled a larger hole in the end of my blow gun
Sprayed on more soapy water than a sane person would think is appropriate
On another note I had a latex tube in one wheel and a tubolito in the other. The tubolito came out fine but the latex tube basically fused itself to the tire. Trying to pull it out resulted in the tube breaking into dozens of pieces. I don't know if it reacted with the previous sealant but I've never seen anything like it.
edraven wrote: On another note I had a latex tube in one wheel and a tubolito in the other. The tubolito came out fine but the latex tube basically fused itself to the tire. Trying to pull it out resulted in the tube breaking into dozens of pieces. I don't know if it reacted with the previous sealant but I've never seen anything like it.
Ya need to put some baby poweder in there when using those tubes. My standard tubes can stick to the tire pretty well without that. Not surprised that latex does it worse (I have a hard enough time pealing dry latex sealant off!
Mark_S wrote:@jcme1 stumbled on what is most likely your best approach. Use a tube to seat the tire. Then remove it leaving one bead in place. From there you should be fine.
With tires like this, I often use "skinny stripper" latex rim strips. Just a thin latex strip that goes around the wheel. But, it makes mounting difficult tires like this so easy. Has the bonus keeping sealant off the wheel, and guaranteeing loose tires like this will never blow off or burp.
I don't use them on a tight fit, but for a loose fit like this, they are gold.
Be mindful of tape receding into the spoke holes over time. I've wasted too much time with existing tape and would do a second layer over a fresh new first layer of tape.
For tricky instances I do sealant later and try to spread the beads a bit wide in the groove.
At maybe 12-14 of tubeless now I discount comments on brands. Some tire and wheel combos are just a pain.
Also be mindful of asymmetrical type rims. With those tape receding into the holes can make inflation impossible without a re-do of new tape.
To update this thread I switched the Rene Herse for some Maxxis Rambler's in 45c and had the exact opposite experience. Tires went on super easy on the same wheelset, didn't have to use any tricks to seat them.
