setting a tire bead

[Bryguy17]

Hey guys, I've been playing around with my tires lately, and I seem to be having trouble getting my tires to completely bead onto the rim.

Example: I have a 2.5 stick-e blue groove 2-ply that I'm trying to put on a supergo launch wheel (32H cousin of the outlaw). I've got a bonty 2.35-2.5 tube in there that I'm trying to get it to work with. Basically, I can get most of the tire to bead, but there's one section on the left side of the rim where the tire bead will not move into the rim bead.

Check out the picture attached. blue is the rimstrip, red is the rim, black is the tire. It's about a 16" section along the rim that is dipped down like this, and I can't figure out how to get the bead to set where it's supposed to.

The same bead problem was also present when I remounted my 2.1 nevegal UST onto my rim. It would not mount in the correct place on the bead. I don't know how I can go a year using pretty much the same tires and just now start having a problem with this

Anyone got any good tips/tricks/voodoo magic they can lend me? my tire is wobbling and it's kinda distracting

Also, on a slightly related topic, I tried mounting the same tire in a ghetto tubeless configuration with stans, and I couldn't get the bead to come close to setting (the beads just stayed in the middle of the rim). I used a pancake compressor if that makes a difference. Any tips in that regard? I would rather run tubeless if I can on that bike.

Thanks in advance,
Bryan

[DISCO]

You can soap it (the bead) or go up to 40-50 PSI then deflate (10-20PSI) and massage it into place. Of course if you roll with a compressor you can just blow till she pops on.

Good luck.

[Bryguy17]

I might try soaping it. Havn't tried that yet.

So far the tire has been to 50 without setting it, and the compressor doesn't help very much for setting it either (at least with the tube in there)

[genusmtbkr5]

Yup, use soap like Disco said or baby powder and pump up the tire to about 50 psi, it will set.

[davidB]

soap + compressor to set it without a tube

then put that tube in, talcum/baby powder and soap if you want, and it should "pop" back in around 50 psi

[Bryguy17]

thanks guys. I'll try some soap or powder tonight and see how things go

[Chewyeti]

also... try bouncing the tire a few inches off the cement and it can get the beads to sit.

so 50 psi + Bouncing it off the ground = happy tire and happy rider

Nice cross section btw

[Bryguy17]

Originally Posted by Chewyeti

also... try bouncing the tire a few inches off the cement and it can get the beads to sit.

so 50 psi + Bouncing it off the ground = happy tire and happy rider

Nice cross section btw

amusingly, 45psi + a day at the BMX track with a quite a few cases didn't do the trick

[Chewyeti]

Tubeless right?

more pressure LOL

[Bryguy17]

Originally Posted by Chewyeti

Tubeless right?

more pressure LOL

That's with it set up tubed. I'm sure the tire will handle a good bit of pressure, but god knows if it went, I wouldn't wanna be nearby.

[JOx2]

spray it with soapy water then pump air.

[un-kola]

You might also try pumping it up slowly(10lbs.at a time),then grab the tire with your hands and rock it sidewall to sidewall around the whole tire then add another 10lbs.and do the same.- Lloyd

[Bryguy17]

Originally Posted by un-kola

You might also try pumping it up slowly(10lbs.at a time),then grab the tire with your hands and rock it sidewall to sidewall around the whole tire then add another 10lbs.and do the same.- Lloyd

I actually tried this already. It seems to work better with my kevlar bead tires than the wire bead ones, but

I'll get my suds on tomorrow when i have time/daylight to work with

[Rockinthecasbah]

did you ride a wire bead tire flat for a few seconds you could have screwed up the inside of the bead

[Bryguy17]

Originally Posted by Rockinthecasbah

did you ride a wire bead tire flat for a few seconds you could have screwed up the inside of the bead

nope, run with pressure the whole time. Checked the bead and it looked fine as well. TOday's been hellishly long, so I'm gonna have to wait until tomorrow...

[dutch]

soap/bike wash work great. The tire will hold a bunch of pressure (i've had to pump tires to 80+ psi before to seat them), so just keep going (within reason) until it pops into place. The only way you'll blow your tire is if the tube is pinched or if the tire is off the rim. good luck!

[Bryguy17]

Originally Posted by dutch

soap/bike wash work great. The tire will hold a bunch of pressure (i've had to pump tires to 80+ psi before to seat them), so just keep going (within reason) until it pops into place. The only way you'll blow your tire is if the tube is pinched or if the tire is off the rim. good luck!

I did the soap/water and it worked marvelously for the tubed setup. When I get time I'll go to town converting all my bikes to tubeless, and the fun will continue.

BTW, while the tires will hold a significantly higher pressure than they are rated for, those rating are there for a reason. occasionally, the casing does fail catastrophically and it's not a pretty sight (I've seen it). best to err on the side of safety when dealing with high pressure anything.