That'll teach me...

GrahamPaul

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Nov 6, 2019
1,127
1,088
Andalucía
Too impatient to play with the new Jam2 this morning, so when out on the bike without setting up as tubeless. A couple of hours among the thorn bushes and my cheeks were really clenched to the saddle waiting for the inevitable - which didn't happen.

Anyhow, a few things to do this afternoon: replace the stock pedals with my DMRs; switch the steering tube spacers to underneath the bars from on top; strip the oil off the chain and wax it (what a mess! why didn't I do that before going out?!); convert to tubeless.

The rims had already been taped and the hole for the valve looked nice and neat. Only took a few minutes to pull out the tubes and reinflate with sealant. The tyres seated fine. No leaks from the beads or the valves. Brilliant.

Spent a bit of time tidying up the mess I'd made doing the chain. About the take the bike off the stand and squeezed the tyres first. Both soft after having 40psi in them :mad:.

There are no leaks to be found anywhere. That means the rim tape isn't sealing properly. Bugger! That'll teach me to trust Focus' suppliers to have done the job properly. :mad:
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
8,420
8,660
Lincolnshire, UK
After being disappointed too many times, now I always replace the rim tape on a new bike.
Some disagree, but there is a lot of enthusiasm out there for using Gorilla tape. Two runs over the spoke holes will do it.
 
Last edited:

Pdoz

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Feb 16, 2019
1,112
1,206
Maffra Victoria Australia
Absolutely LOVE gorilla tape.

I had a norco that came with a split along the tape that both I and the shop missed several times ( including an hour at the lbs watching him try everything to get it to seal) . That evil dp rim has super powers against rim tape , I tried 3/4 different brands and then eventually had success with cheap gorilla tape. Perhaps I was just getting better at applying the stuff? So I tried some stans tape out if curiosity. Nup...flat within days. Back to gorilla tape and I'll never use anything else.

ps most of the " tape failures " were me scratching the tape with levers - the gorilla tape is just more forgiving
 

GrahamPaul

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Nov 6, 2019
1,127
1,088
Andalucía
I retaped the rim last night (only one of the wheels went down - the rear one stayed up on second pump). I can understand the problem: these are Raceface rims with asymmetric spokes. One line of spoke holes is so close to the rim that it's really hard to tape without touching the rim. I guess that's how come the bubbles.

I didn't have any 30mm tape but found it easier to do two lines of Schwalbe 22mm tape. (I had my 50mm wide roll of gorilla tape waiting, just in case.)

One big surprise was that the new Maxis Recon tyres fit so snug on the rim that I didn't need to battle pumping up my recharge cylinder to shock them into place. The tyres just pumped up and banged into place with a bit of soap on the beads. A big change from my previous bike and Schwalbe tyres.
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
8,420
8,660
Lincolnshire, UK
......... One line of spoke holes is so close to the rim that it's really hard to tape without touching the rim. I guess that's how come the bubbles.

I didn't have any 30mm tape but found it easier to do two lines of Schwalbe 22mm tape. (I had my 50mm wide roll of gorilla tape waiting, just in case.)
................

I use 25mm wide tape and I too have asymmetric spoke holes. The rims are 30mm internal width. I put one layer down on the left, the second on the right. They overlap over the spoke holes and the double layer prevents the air pressure from pushing the tape down into the spoke holes. Why is that important? It's of no benefit when first inflating because the tape has not been pushed down. But when I was trying to inflate at a later date, one of the tyre beads was resting along the line of the spoke holes and the air passed under the bead and I could not inflate the tyre, even with an Airshot!
 

Billy1mate

Member
Apr 17, 2019
29
23
Dorset
Too impatient to play with the new Jam2 this morning, so when out on the bike without setting up as tubeless. A couple of hours among the thorn bushes and my cheeks were really clenched to the saddle waiting for the inevitable - which didn't happen.

Anyhow, a few things to do this afternoon: replace the stock pedals with my DMRs; switch the steering tube spacers to underneath the bars from on top; strip the oil off the chain and wax it (what a mess! why didn't I do that before going out?!); convert to tubeless.

The rims had already been taped and the hole for the valve looked nice and neat. Only took a few minutes to pull out the tubes and reinflate with sealant. The tyres seated fine. No leaks from the beads or the valves. Brilliant.

Spent a bit of time tidying up the mess I'd made doing the chain. About the take the bike off the stand and squeezed the tyres first. Both soft after having 40psi in them :mad:.

There are no leaks to be found anywhere. That means the rim tape isn't sealing properly. Bugger! That'll teach me to trust Focus' suppliers to have done the job properly. :mad:
No consolation my tubless change was fine no leaks around the rim tape, sure there’s not a Thron (pun intended) in the tyres?
 

HikerDave

Active member
Feb 9, 2019
220
201
Tempe
Too impatient to play with the new Jam2 this morning, so when out on the bike without setting up as tubeless. A couple of hours among the thorn bushes and my cheeks were really clenched to the saddle waiting for the inevitable - which didn't happen.

Anyhow, a few things to do this afternoon: replace the stock pedals with my DMRs; switch the steering tube spacers to underneath the bars from on top; strip the oil off the chain and wax it (what a mess! why didn't I do that before going out?!); convert to tubeless.

The rims had already been taped and the hole for the valve looked nice and neat. Only took a few minutes to pull out the tubes and reinflate with sealant. The tyres seated fine. No leaks from the beads or the valves. Brilliant.

Spent a bit of time tidying up the mess I'd made doing the chain. About the take the bike off the stand and squeezed the tyres first. Both soft after having 40psi in them :mad:.

There are no leaks to be found anywhere. That means the rim tape isn't sealing properly. Bugger! That'll teach me to trust Focus' suppliers to have done the job properly. :mad:

I’ve given up on tubeless after having been spoiled myself with Mavic EX823 rims and then trying to seal budget 27.5 inch rims with tape. It just never works for me; there’s always a leak.
 

paul-g

Active member
Dec 27, 2019
582
457
yorkshire
where the tyre bead is on the rim (hits the rim)
brush a small amount of neat washing up liquid
or tyre seal begged, borrowed or stolen from
your local car tyre fitter * (the white or orange stuff)
seals the tyre bead to the rim, never failed for me
bobs your aunty mary
job done
riddddddddddddddde
 

RickBullotta

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Jun 5, 2019
1,766
1,508
USA
I always use a thin but strong tubeless tape (Whisky makes a good one) and tape the entire width of the channel. Never had a leaker. Almost negligible difference in mounting effort. I also think that the "Stan's Shake" to spread sealant around after initial inflation is an important step.

Enjoy the new ride!
 

paul-g

Active member
Dec 27, 2019
582
457
yorkshire
one little pointer i might add
i never add the stans or whichever make when i
put the tyre on
i mount the tyre as normal (make the seal) loud pops
then unscrew the presta (deflate) insert and apply (stans) through a tube
into the tyre.screw said insert back in and inflate
this way you are not trying to juggle the stans and the
seating of the tyre
if you think the stans will block the presta it hasn`t for me
the pump pressure breaks the seal inside the tyre
 

GrahamPaul

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Nov 6, 2019
1,127
1,088
Andalucía
one little pointer i might add
i never add the stans or whichever make when i
put the tyre on
i mount the tyre as normal (make the seal) loud pops
then unscrew the presta (deflate) insert and apply (stans) through a tube
into the tyre.screw said insert back in and inflate
this way you are not trying to juggle the stans and the
seating of the tyre
if you think the stans will block the presta it hasn`t for me
the pump pressure breaks the seal inside the tyre

Same here - with the exception that I use Effeto Mariposa. Stan's has a reputation from drying too quickly in this climate. Effeto Mariposa seems to work fine - at least, has done for me.
 

MsO

Active member
Dec 11, 2018
258
168
swindon
Just take out the valve core and inject the Stan's straight into the inner tube always worked for me?
 

paul-g

Active member
Dec 27, 2019
582
457
yorkshire
only joking MsO
drop the pressures on your tyres on some tech sections
to get more grip, with tubes you are more likely to either
nip the tube on the rim so you`r bolloxed or tear the tube
completely so then you`r fuck..d and pushing home.
running tubeless tyre if it pops the rim, fine put back on pump up
add a little of your favourite tipple to tyre , happy days
bobs your aunty mary
ridddddddde
 

MsO

Active member
Dec 11, 2018
258
168
swindon
Never had a problem wot pressure I've ran if it goes down I just pop a new tube in that's in my rucksack along with my pump ?
 

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