Serious question, I tried two different ways to set up a tubeless tire last week

I was working on a customer's gravel bike and tried using a regular floor pump first, but the tire just wouldn't seat. After 15 minutes of trying, I switched to my air compressor with a tank. It seated the tire perfectly on the first try with a loud pop. The extra burst of air from the tank made all the difference. What's your go-to method for stubborn tubeless setups?

3 comments

3 Comments

shane17021d ago

My old track pump finally died trying to seat a Maxxis tire, so I get it. @jake_sullivan is right about the compressor yelling, but I've had luck warming the tire in the sun first to make the rubber more flexible. That extra step can help a lot before you bring out the big gun.

sandra_moore3021d ago

My buddy swears by a ratchet strap around the tire's center. He cranks it down to force the bead against the rim, then uses a regular pump. Says it works on the worst tires when he's out on a trail.

jake_sullivan21d ago

Ever feel like your floor pump is just politely asking the tire to seat while the air compressor is yelling at it? I keep a cheap pancake compressor in the garage just for that one loud pop of victory. The tank is the only thing that gets my old mountain bike tires to behave.