Why is Stan's such a PITA? And, why do I bother?

[DISCO]

Stan's is a joke, just watered down white glue. Without trying to offend (which for me is next to impossible) I will explain why I think it sucks.

True tubeless or UST uses a very precise bead on the rim and (on a good one) a lack of spoke holes or other opportunities for air seepage and tires that are a royal PITA to mount. I have ridden this setup and it is supple and holds air better than tubes.

Option two gives you all the advantages of the High end above option for the low low price of $39.95. Simply wrap your spoke heads with Strapping tape and pour in some goo and instantly your K-mart wheel set is as cool as XTR.

From what I have seen it just makes a mess, not to mention the average Rim/tire that requires a trained eye to get the bead to seat properly is more than likely to leak through the pinned seam regardless. I tried the slime years ago and it cannot maintain pressure, even for a week. All these incidents of "burping" tires are caused by the fact that this set up does not reliably hold air. So if I wanted to wrestle with my rims every time a flat occurred UST without goop and with the proper tires would be the choice. Until then tubes and patches make a lot more sense than a belching sloppy mess any day.

[Evil Chocula]

You just convinced me to say f' it and throw a tube in.

Originally Posted by DISCO

Stan's is a joke, just watered down white glue. Without trying to offend (which for me is next to impossible) I will explain why I think it sucks.

True tubeless or UST uses a very precise bead on the rim and (on a good one) a lack of spoke holes or other opportunities for air seepage and tires that are a royal PITA to mount. I have ridden this setup and it is supple and holds air better than tubes.

Option two gives you all the advantages of the High end above option for the low low price of $39.95. Simply wrap your spoke heads with Strapping tape and pour in some goo and instantly your K-mart wheel set is as cool as XTR.

From what I have seen it just makes a mess, not to mention the average Rim/tire that requires a trained eye to get the bead to seat properly is more than likely to leak through the pinned seam regardless. I tried the slime years ago and it cannot maintain pressure, even for a week. All these incidents of "burping" tires are caused by the fact that this set up does not reliably hold air. So if I wanted to wrestle with my rims every time a flat occurred UST without goop and with the proper tires would be the choice. Until then tubes and patches make a lot more sense than a belching sloppy mess any day.

[davidB]

Adding some glitter to your stan's goo adds a little more precaution

[EJ_92606]

Originally Posted by DISCO

Stan's is a joke, just watered down white glue. Without trying to offend (which for me is next to impossible) I will explain why I think it sucks.

True tubeless or UST uses a very precise bead on the rim and (on a good one) a lack of spoke holes or other opportunities for air seepage and tires that are a royal PITA to mount. I have ridden this setup and it is supple and holds air better than tubes.

Option two gives you all the advantages of the High end above option for the low low price of $39.95. Simply wrap your spoke heads with Strapping tape and pour in some goo and instantly your K-mart wheel set is as cool as XTR.

From what I have seen it just makes a mess, not to mention the average Rim/tire that requires a trained eye to get the bead to seat properly is more than likely to leak through the pinned seam regardless. I tried the slime years ago and it cannot maintain pressure, even for a week. All these incidents of "burping" tires are caused by the fact that this set up does not reliably hold air. So if I wanted to wrestle with my rims every time a flat occurred UST without goop and with the proper tires would be the choice. Until then tubes and patches make a lot more sense than a belching sloppy mess any day.

So you don't say if you ever actually tried it or if you have ridden a bike with Stan's. I think you missed the point about flats too...they are very rare with Stans, so there ain't much wrestling to do.

[DISCO]

You can shave down a slender man, put him in a dress, heels and makeup and make it look like something it's not (there is still a thorn under there). When I say slime I am not referring to the green stuff but all sealant products I have tried, sold, and repaired over the years. What they do is try to make something it is not, in this case a better wheel and not a transvestite but the point is the same.

I never said it didn't work, just that is does not work well enough to meet my standards.

[Padre]

Originally Posted by ODB

You tubeless folks are so cute. Your devotion to air compressors, difficult setup and spattered goo (followed by the installation of a pefectly good tube) is just priceless.

Difficult set-up?
Spattered goo?

You must have the wrong system.

Mine is none of what you described. Oh yes, I maintain 4 tubeless wheelsets. 100% easy and goo-free.

Must be user error.

[ODB]

Originally Posted by Padre

Difficult set-up?
Spattered goo?

You must have the wrong system.

Mine is none of what you described. Oh yes, I maintain 4 tubeless wheelsets. 100% easy and goo-free.

Must be user error.

No user error here, as i can set up my trusty presta tubes just fine.

[EJ_92606]

Originally Posted by DISCO

You can shave down a slender man, put him in a dress, heels and makeup and make it look like something it's not (there is still a thorn under there). When I say slime I am not referring to the green stuff but all sealant products I have tried, sold, and repaired over the years. What they do is try to make something it is not, in this case a better wheel and not a transvestite but the point is the same.

I never said it didn't work, just that is does not work well enough to meet my standards.

bahaha, now that's an analogy I didn't expect. I sure hope that was at the Fire Tire Fest Halloween party and not a cougar from one of the OC's watering holes

[Evil Chocula]

Originally Posted by Padre

Difficult set-up?
Spattered goo?

You must have the wrong system.

Mine is none of what you described. Oh yes, I maintain 4 tubeless wheelsets. 100% easy and goo-free.

Must be user error.

Shut it.

[jeffj]

This:

I got in my first fight with Stan today

plus this:

An email from a riding buddy…..

+ Murphy's Law squared = Me

I'd just as soon avoid scenes like this:

[DISCO]

That pic reminds me of my first experience with Stan's. Tani was over inflating a tire to seat the bead and BOOM, our ears were ringing and white goo dribbled from his chin.

[Piranha]

I find it hard to imagine that anyone who actually has exeprience running a tubeless specific wheelset for any length of time, like the Shimano XTR WH-975 (XC), or the Shimano XT WH-M776 (FR & AM) would ever run tubes again. Little to no flats, and very easy to set up and use. Yes, even mounting a UST tire is simple once you've got the hang of it.

[DeeZee]

"our ears were ringing and white goo dribbled from his chin"

up for grabs

[EJ_92606]

Originally Posted by DeeZee

"our ears were ringing and white goo dribbled from his chin"

up for grabs

bahaha...ROFL

[1080P]

Originally Posted by Evil Chocula

I'm really happy for everyone who's had such great experiences. However, I have no garage, no free time, and IMO, Stans blows.

Discuss.

Well, no luck getting the Big Betty Tubed tire to sit on the 819 tubeless, so two cups of Stans blown on a lost cause. Yes I bought an adaptor, yes I blew 120 psi from a high volume tank of compressed air, yes, the ridges on that damn bead leaked a crapload of stans and air. I'm about ready to try ghetto tubeless, a Shraeder valve you can pull the core out of to blow lots of volume of air into it to get the bead to seat on the rim. At least I got a 440 Freeride hub out of the wheel I got, but the Mavic 819 system sucks for getting beads to seat with large volumes of air, and Stan's sucks just making a gooey mess everywhere, including all over my new Big Betty.

Time to spring for a real tubeless tire in another 2000 miles when this front one is worn out.

Good thing I didn't have to move to BeanTown or put up with lame Patriots to find this out.


Addendum: I should have learned my lesson from PostHole up at Downieville a couple weeks ago. Poor guy comes up to the dinner table where I'm eating at, having got the last damn pizza after a 40 minute wait at the only pizza joint in town. Downieville rolls up tighter than a drum at 6 pm on weeknights, even with racers in town...

Anyways, Mic is complaining about his ears ringing, and has massive quantities of spooge everywhere, all over his eyebrows, hanging off his ears (like in Something About Mary) and dangling off his curlies too. He couldn't hear too well and was commenting about a tire blowing off the rim with a load of Stans.... it was just one of those long days, getting a bunch of bikes ready for the racers. I felt sorry for him and let him have all the pizza he wanted that night...poor guy, I'm sure he lost some of his hearing from it, he looked dazed and confused.

Always wear ear muffs when seating tubeless tires... always....

[1080P]

Tubeless tires ain't gonna make me ride any better or faster... When yer slow, yer slow, there's no rush.

[jeffj]

Originally Posted by Piranha

I find it hard to imagine that anyone who actually has exeprience running a tubeless specific wheelset for any length of time, like the Shimano XTR WH-975 (XC), or the Shimano XT WH-M776 (FR & AM) would ever run tubes again. Little to no flats, and very easy to set up and use. Yes, even mounting a UST tire is simple once you've got the hang of it.

If it works for you and you can afford a wheelset like that, that's great, but at $600 for the XT wheelset and $975 for the XTR wheelset, that right there is why I'll never have the experience of either of those wheelsets anytime in the near future.

I've built an XT/Mavic 321 wheelset I'm very happy to ride for less than $300 and I've ridden about 70 times this year and (I hope I don't jinx myself for saying this... ). The number of flats I've had on the trail (other than the time my [shop built] XT/Mavic 717 rim completely failed)???

Zero.

The number of times I've had anything white or green dripping from my chin?

Also zero

Having said that , I'm going to carry two tubes and a patch kit with me for the next several rides and Murphy is probably laughing and cackling as we speak

[Shu]

The problem I keep hearing is everyone is OVER Inflating the tires to SEAT the tire...these aren't car tires that need a high volume of air to seat them....

I've done a set of NON UST Mavic Cross Rides w/ a Stans kit and a regular floor pump as well as a Mavic Cross Max UST set....
Once the tire has enough air to partially seat the tire and hold air STOP FILLING...by adding a slight bit of twisting pressure in the direction needed the tire WILL pop into place and seat FULLY...then you can add more air necessary to get to the pressure desired....it's not Rocket Science...

I believe too many people try to get the job done too fast and are careless in installing their set ups...take your time and double check your work and things "usually" work out as the directions say....

I too carry a tube just in case I have a puncture that the Stans won't fill....not b/c I'm worried about it....just a matter of being prepared

[MV Rider]

I used Stan's rims several years ago. Before buying I advised his company of my bike brand and my size. They advised the rims they sent me were appropriate form my bike, size and use. I used the rims for several months with no problems and they worked great. While doing a run down the Luge (and I was in the zone), towards the bottom, my front tire burped all the air out and I went OTB. I ended up separating my right shoulder. Inspection later revealed that the front rim was nicked and bent in several places. This casued the bead on the front tire to unseal without notice. To make matters worse, the rims could not be repaired. When the LBS I bought through tried to get Stan's to take care of the issue, he flatly refused, claiming I should not have been using the rims in the first place given my bike brand, my size and my riding style. That was the end of my trial of using Stan's rims.