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29er Tubeless Tire choice for Stans

5K views 41 replies 22 participants last post by  a.brasington 
#1 ·
Well everything that I haven't got already is already on its way in the mail, and this new bike is shaping up to be quite the ride.

The only thing left for me to get (apart from a few tools) is tires. The wheelset I am running are Stans 29er Crests, and of course I would like to run them to their full potential.

What tires can people recommend for these wheelsets? I am finding it hard to find a tire that is:
-29"
-2.1-2.2
-Tubeless
-Fast rolling for firetrail/dirt road in medium conditions

Will any UST choice still be glueless with Stan's Rims? Or will it need to be a special tire?
 
#4 ·
SSINGA said:
Maxxis Ikon, or just about any other Maxxis tire IMO, works great tubeless on Stan's rims (Add goop of your choice).
I wouldn't recomend Crossmarks, they don't seal as well as other tyres, and tear at the mere sight of a rock. Maybe it'll be better if they bring out an EXO version.

Geax Saguaro's seem to be good in those conditions, and durable too. Also any Schwalbe snakeskin tire works well setup tubeless. Racing Ralphs are a good all round tyre.
 
#9 ·
Ralphs are my #1 tyre , ive run nothing but them tubeless for over 18 months now , Summer and Winter . Evos and Snakeskins seal up just as well , i have them on a set of 29 crests and 29 flows.
 
#13 · (Edited)
there are no 29" UST tires only tubeless ready
the tubeless ready require sealant and dont have the extra airtight layer that UST has
there have been some 29" ust tires available but they seem to dissapear quickly. Seems like several manufacturers are skirting around the issue by calling their tires virtually UST, but UST means airtight and a special locking bead, not pretty airtight, or airtight in certain conditions. The big problem with UST tires is weight, you're talking upwards of 900 grams per tire for 29". Thats why most everyone uses tubeless ready ( 2bliss, TnT,Tlr, LUST, etc.) There is also very few UST wheels in 29" so why go UST tires ?

check out the specialized purgatory, one of the better front tires Ive found. I like it so much Im going to try it on the rear once the snow melts. The bonty FR3 is pretty decent as well
 
#14 ·
dan0 said:
there are no 29" UST tires only tubeless ready
the tubeless ready require sealant and dont have the extra airtight layer that UST has

check out the specialized purgatory, one of the better front tires Ive found. I like it so much Im going to try it on the rear once the snow melts. The bonty FR3 is pretty decent as well
I don't believe that's true, there are certainly UST 29er tires on the market - see, e.g., http://www.bikebling.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=Hutchinson-Python-UST-29 and http://www.biketiresdirect.com/product/geax-saguaro-ust-tubeless-29-inch-tire.
 
#15 ·
i've had a rough time putting some racing ralph tubeless ready tires on my crest rims...holy shizzle they are TIGHT. i don't want to have to change a flat on the trail. i like the tires, but i will be trying other tires that don't fit so tightly.

(on the plus side, getting the ralph's to seat was just as easy as using a tube, which i would have expected being so tight.)

some have suggested the maxxis and other non- tubeless ready tires, as the beads will not be so tight?
 
#16 ·
Just about any tire can be run tubeless, whether it claims to be tubeless or not. UST tires specifically are a standard made to be used with UST rims. These will seat easily in most cases, and can be run without a sealant. However, without a sealant there is nothing to protect the tire from punctures.

In the Dallas area I was able to run a 26" tire tubeless with no sealant for over a year without a single issue.

When a tire claims to be tubeless ready it generally has a bead design that is a little stronger and shaped to more easily seal the bead between the tire and rim. It will still require sealant to get a good seal in almost all cases.

When using a "non-tubeless" tire on a tubeless rim sealant will fill the void between the tire and rim that air would escape from, meaning that most tires will work in this application. Some tires have sidewalls that are more porous, and will require more Stan's and more patience to get a good seal. Some have beads that are weaker, and will be much more prone to burping, etc. Some just don't hold up well enough to reliably maintain air pressure in a tubeless application.

That being said, most quality tires can be used tubeless with varying degrees of success. WTB's tend to be a little more hit and miss than most. Hutchinson's are similar. I have found that Schwalbe and Maxxis tires have worked the best for me, followed by the rest. I have had good success with every major manufacturer except Michelin and Hutchinson, and I have never even tried to run those tubeless.

I HIGHLY recommend the Crossmark rear, Racing Ralph front combo. Fast, but with plenty of bite for most terrain. If you need a little more durability the Race King Protection rear, and Racing Raplh Snakeskin front would work well.

a.brasington said:
I am a little confused about which tyres can be tubeless and what cannot.

For example on the WTB website, they do not list any of the 29" tyres as "tubeless", just with Aramid beads. Can you still run these on tubeless systems (stans) without gluing the rim?
 
#17 ·
#20 ·
Are they still making Saguaro TNTs? I didn't need sealant to set them up. They pretty much seem like a UST tire, weight and all. The normal ones seat fine with sealant though and are certainly lighter.

I've been able to set up nano wire beads tubeless as well. I think that's a good rear tire at least for the OP's conditions.
 
#22 ·
tskdmz said:
i've had a rough time putting some racing ralph tubeless ready tires on my crest rims...holy shizzle they are TIGHT. i don't want to have to change a flat on the trail. i like the tires, but i will be trying other tires that don't fit so tightly.
I had the same worry with my 2011 Tubeless ready Rocket Rons on Crests. They were a real PITA to mount initially, but it seems like they have loosened a bit after a few days.

I slashed a sidewall on a ride and had to put in a tube/boot and it wasn't as bad as I feared. Not easy, but doable.
 
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