Mojo31

Tubeless riders - what do you use to set your beads?

If a compressor, what inflator/gauge do you like?

surak

Mostly my Nashbar Earl Grey floor pump.

On older combinations of rims and tires I've used my Airshot canister. Before I got the Airshot, CO2 cartridge sufficed but felt wasteful.

DaveSSS 

I have a compressor and a blow-off nozzle with a pointed end that I stick into the end of the stem with the valve core removed.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JBJZJJC...7fc737124&th=1

masi61

I also use an Airshot canister that I pump up to ~140 psi. The valve core can be removed & there is adapter with the Airshot that lets you screw the hose straight onto the valve stem for increased air flow.

Canker

Compressor and I've just been using a blow gun. You remove the valve and stick the nozzle of the blow gun into the hole and blow. I've used adapters to use a standard shrader valve nozzle but the blow gun is just quicker and easier.

rjones28 

+1 on the compressor and blower attachment.

alcjphil

I have also used this method. The nice thing about it is that you can then inject your sealant through the valve stem, install the valve, inflate the tire and be ready to ride. Fast and no mess

zandoval 

Wonder if you can use the starter fluid trick?

jaxgtr

I just use a floor pump, never had any issue getting the tire to seat.

Mojo31

Thanks for the input. Had not thought of using a compressor with blower nozzle. Ended up getting Treks version of the Airshot as it was available locally. It worked well.

Im not allowed to play with flammable materials, so didn’t try lighter fluid.

tempocyclist

Compressor with a standard presta inflation nozzle. Does the trick.

I've only tried a handful of different tubeless tyres, but couldn't get any of them to seat fully using a floor pump or even CO2 shots.

Eric F 

If I can’t do it with a floor pump or cordless inflator, I use an Airshot canister.

DangerousDanR

Compressor. I have an Azuno inflator with a presta valve chuck.

Frank72

Compressor coupled with a Schrader adapter. Also used a blower nozzle.

msu2001la

If I can't get it done with the floor pump, I use an Airshot, remove the valve core and screw it right to the stem.

One question for the group here: My Zipp 303S wheels have a max psi of 72. I've been a little nervous to let my airshot rip at higher pressure as a result, but am finding that 72psi in the airshot isn't enough to seat a stubborn tire.
Is there a danger in going higher to get the tire seated, then lower back down to normal riding pressure?

SoSmellyAir

How do you maintain a seal between the valve and the nozzle?

Do you mean just the valve core or the whole valve? If the latter, how to you reinstall the valve once the tire is seated?

Canker

You are throwing so much air out of the blow gun you don't need a perfect seal but you can get rubber tipped blow guns that will pretty much get one. And yes I meant valve core sorry. Once I have the tire on the bead I just let all the air back out, put my tire sealant in through the valve stem, reinstall the valve core with a valve core remover tool, and reinflate with a pump or with the compressor if I have the schrader to presta adapter handy. Once the tire is on the bead it will usually stay there even after you let the air out. If it doesn't you probably need another layer of rim tape. Then it is time for the tubeless dance where you bounce the tire around to get sealant around the valve seat and shake it around to get sealant on the bead.
One of the days I'll quit being cheap and just spend the $30 for a presta inflator for my compressor.

SoSmellyAir

Thank you, DaveSSS and Canker, for the excellent suggestion to use a blow gun with a plastic / rubber tip!

Since I already have a compressor, a blow gun is much less expensive than an inflator with a Presta chuck (especially one having a pressure gauge). While using a blow gun requires first removing the valve core, this step is necessary to add sealant anyway.

Metallifan33

Which bike/tire combo are you doing this with?

jaxgtr

I have a few different wheels sets from Bontrage, Aeolus Pro 5, Aeolus Pro 51 Pro, Aeolus Pro 37s, and Aeolus Pro 3V, and have used several different tire brands, such as Pirelli P Zero Race TLR in a couple of different sizes, Bontrager R3's, Vittoria Corsa. All of these tires were simple to mount on any of the rims above. I am currently running the Pirelli P Zero Race TLRs in 28 and 30's.

eduskator

A regular floor pump does the job for me. Putting sealant and spinning the tire before inflating can help the bead seating process.

It really depends on the rim & tire combo. Some of them are more ''compatible'' than others. If not, a compressor should do the job.

I use Giant SLR 1 rims with Schwalbe Pro One tires - never had any issues with seating them. I had an awful lot of hassle with the OEM (Cadex) tires though.

Mojo31

I had a hard time getting the Pirelli P Zero Race TLR SL on my Aeolus Pro 37 rims. Had to use levers.

#weakthumbsrule

eduskator

Some of them are hard as hell to mount even when you squeeze the beads in the centre of the rim where it's deeper. Levers are a must have in every cyclist toolkit lol.

phrantic09

I pump my airshot to 140 when I use it- the tires never even come close to 72 PSI. It's usually 50-60 depending on tire size.

msu2001la

I've wondered about this, because I use the airshot without a valve core, so once I remove the hose to put the core back in - the tire goes flat. The beads stay seated, I pop the valve core back in and I just pump it back up with a floor pump.

Just have this fear of my carbon wheels exploding if all 140psi somehow goes blasting into the tire at once. I suppose the reality here is that the tire would just blow off the rim.