PDA

View Full Version : Resolved:. Tubeless CX Problem

BRad704
11-09-2019, 07:11 AM
So being the smart guy I am, I took off my slightly worn CX tires for some brand new ones 2 days before the state championship race... Guess where this is going?

New tires are Bontrager CX3 32mm (which doesn't say TLR and isn't listed as TLR on Bontrager info, but is sold as TLR on other sites). Rims are Niner TLR for sure. Sealant is 2oz each of regular Stan's sealant. This article even touts the ease of tubeless setup: https://www.cxmagazine.com/bontrager-cyclocross-tubeless-cx0-cx3-cross-tires-review

Now for the prob... yeah... they leak down over a couple of hours, even with sealant. it's not the valves, I'm 99.9% sure its in the bead. I can push my palm into the tread and hear the tire settle/hiss for a millisecond and then seal. But I can also push on the sidewall with my thumb and break the seal. I guess I expected the sealant to hold everything together better than this.

Does this sound like a normal expectation with TLR rims but NOT TLR tires? Could I rewrap the rims with additional tape to tighten things up? Or would that even help?

I'm thinking the tires are just bad for tubeless... So my options are either to run tubes or buy new tires.

Soapy water test. Both rooms look like this all the way around.
https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191109/1bd41bba2f0f6dc2e758f09dd7d4e4f9.jpg
dem
11-09-2019, 08:20 AM
Did you inflate to max pressure (listed on the side of the tire) to properly lock in the beads? They should make a loud "POP!" when they seat properly. To me that looks like the bead is not actually seated. Once seated, you can deflate to normal riding pressure.

They should mostly hold air even without sealant, and most definitely should no be able to be unseated with hand pressure!
oldpotatoe
11-09-2019, 08:32 AM
Did you inflate to max pressure (listed on the side of the tire) to properly lock in the beads? They should make a loud "POP!" when they seat properly. To me that looks like the bead is not actually seated. Once seated, you can deflate to normal riding pressure.

They should mostly hold air even without sealant, and most definitely should no be able to be unseated with hand pressure!

But I can also push on the sidewall with my thumb and break the seal.

I agree, either the tire isn’t completely seated(POP!!) or it isn’t a tubeless tire.
BRad704
11-09-2019, 08:45 AM
Did you inflate to max pressure (listed on the side of the tire) to properly lock in the beads? They should make a loud "POP!" when they seat properly. To me that looks like the bead is not actually seated. Once seated, you can deflate to normal riding pressure.

They should mostly hold air even without sealant, and most definitely should no be able to be unseated with hand pressure!



I had them at 60psi this morning and within an hour they were at 20. I'll run them up to the listed 70psi Max and see if I get A POP.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
BRad704
11-09-2019, 08:52 AM
80psi. No pop. Even rolling sealant around with the tow on it's side, I can hear very obvious leaking all the way around. I'm about to just put on tubes and be done


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Tony
11-09-2019, 08:55 AM
Sounds like the tire is not a tubeless tire?
BRad704
11-09-2019, 08:57 AM
Sounds like the tire is not a tubeless tire?



I guess not. I'm just a little surprised that even with sealant I can't get the leaks to stop when left undisturbed.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Jaybee
11-09-2019, 09:29 AM
I'd try one more wrap of tape before I gave up on tubeless.
BRad704
11-09-2019, 09:50 AM
I'd try one more wrap of tape before I gave up on tubeless.



Yep. Just did that. Cleaned everything, extra wrap and I found the root of all issues. It's leaking through the sidewall near the bead. Not in the actual interface.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20191109/01288f43b2b70c3b525a4b05aa085a7a.jpg


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Tony
11-09-2019, 10:06 AM
It's not uncommon for a tire to leak through the sidewalls, they are loosing air too fast to be an issue with just sidewall leak.
Jaybee
11-09-2019, 10:38 AM
Is it possible you have an earlier iteration that's not TLR? All the Bonty tires I've ever set up (admittedly all mtb or fat tires) have been dead easy, like just inflate with a floor pump and snap.

If it is just sidewalls, more Stan's and the shaky-spinny dance should get you there. I'm not sure that's all that's going on though.
quickfeet
11-09-2019, 11:31 AM
The cx3 comes in both a tlr and a non-tlr version. This is the non-tlr tire unless it says TLR on the sidewall.
BRad704
11-09-2019, 12:38 PM
The cx3 comes in both a tlr and a non-tlr version. This is the non-tlr tire unless it says TLR on the sidewall.



This is the answer. These 32's that came on my Crockett aren't TLR. The tlr version is a 33mm.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro