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tire manufacturer fi t, so some tires are more diffi cult to mount
than others. Carefully follow the installation instructions, and
you should be able to easily mount any tubeless tire.
When mounting a tubeless tire, the tire must make an air-
tight seal against the inner surface of the rim to allow initial
infl ation. When riding, the bead must fi t the rim securely
when the tire is mounted in order retain air, especially at
low infl ation pressures. Because of these requirements, a
tubeless tire fi ts the rim more tightly and can be more dif-
fi cult to mount than a conventional tire on a conventional
rim. It’s especially important to pay attention to the installa-
tion instructions for tubeless tires if you’ve already mastered
installing conventional tires; there are very important differ-
ences between the two.
Pre-stretch the beads to make tire mounting easier
The Kevlar bead of a new tubeless tire will stretch a sub-
stantial amount after it has been infl ated initially. It’s best to
mount a new tubeless tire onto a standard rim before install-
ing it on a tubeless rim- any wheel will do. Use an inner tube,
infl ate the tire to 60 psi (4 ATM) and leave it overnight. This
will make it much easier to mount onto your tubeless rim.
Use soapy water to mount tubeless tires
With a tubeless or Tubeless Ready tire, the tire beads have to
move along the surface of the rim and remain in contact with
it during the infl ation process. Friction resists this motion
and causes problems. The source of the friction is between the
sticky rubber of the tire bead and the inner surface of the rim.
A fi lm of soapy water reduces the friction, allows the tire to
more easily slide into place on the rim, and lets the tire seal
better. Use dishwashing liquid diluted with water (1 part soap
to 4 parts water). Brush, wipe or spray this solution onto both
the rim and tire surfaces before you mount a tire. If you have
to fi x a fl at on the trail, plain water also works.
Be careful when using tire tools
It is often easier to mount a tight tire using tire tools, espe-
cially if it’s a new tire, so it’s a good idea to carry tire tools
with you in case you have to repair a fl at on the trail. If you
choose to use tire tools, do not use excessive force on the tool.
If you have to use a lot of force, something is wrong; stop and
determine the cause of the problem. Incorrect use of tire tools
can damage the sealing surfaces of the rim strip or the tire
bead; this damage can cause air leaks.
