Being someone who thinks he knows everything I only briefly read the instructions and got easily bored with the you tube video by Stans. Mistake # 1
After I installed the molded rubber rim strips, mounted the tire and poured in the sealant then pumped the hand pump like a furious little monkey I found that the bead would not seal and with each stroke of the pump handle precious air was escaping.
Ahhh... I thought I read somewhere that an air compressor can be used to seat the tire! that should do it! So I run to the garage through the house like a made scientist with wheel and tire in tow. Find the compressor plug it in and turn it on. Then I realize I do not have a nozzle for the compressor that fits presta valves! Shit I think to myself...hey the quick disconnect fitting has a thingy that keeps air from escaping the hose until something is connected to it...simply press it over the presta valve and bammo inflate the tire no problem right! Wrong!
So I feebly walk back to the front porch which now looks like a work shop with shit every where. Thinking to myself there is no way I'm taking that tire off again it has gotta work. Soap I think I read somewhere you have to baste both sides with soap. Thats it! so I run back into the house on the hunt for something to put soap and water in...My wife asks me what are you doing with my pyrex bowl...sheepishly I reply nothing...She then demands don't even think about it mister! hmmf defeated again I search for something plastic I find a plastic bowl and look at her for approval...yes I think to myself victory!
I swab the tire on both sides with a shit load of soapy water pump furiously to seat the bead. No luck...now I'm thinking Stans product is a piece of shit and how could he sell something so crappy and I was a sucker. As I'm sitting on the porch pouting my wife asks did you read the instructions? Yes of course I did with the look on my face like do I look like a dumb ass ? ( I really hadn't) I tell her well I will read it again maybe I missed something. Mistake # 2
So I read the instructions to the part that says hang the tire (let the tire hang freely on the wheel) I throw the instructions down... Thats it! I shout I had it sitting on the ground I rush over to the wheel and tire and hang it and start pumping like a mad monkey again...SOB... not seating with every stroke of the pump as I hear air escaping...Now I'm really pissed my arms are tired my ego destroyed and my wife looking on. Mistake # 3. If you don't know what you are doing do not have witnesses around.
Begrudgingly I decide to give the instructions another shot. I read further. You might have to apply the Stans tape or rim strip tape like velo to fill the cavity before installing the valve with rubber rim strip piece so the edge goes up to the bead lock of the rim... Mistake #4
Like a crack head I rip the tire off to check the rubber rim strip and bead...not even close...Shit! I take the Stans rubber rim strip off the wheel and check my drawer of bike stuff. Viola, I even have two rolls of Velo 17 mm rim tape. Nice... the world is a wonderful place.
I then install the tape over the existing tape then reinstall the Stans rubber rim strip. I mount the tire rinse my shins and ankles of the sealant I spilled ripping the tire from the rim earlier then remount the tire verify it is in the center of the wheel, soap it up, hang it think about WTF I will do if it does not seat or work, then hook the floor pump to the valve and begin pumping.
Holy shit it is working! I squeeze the tire a little here a little there and get the tire pumped up. I'm da man... this no tubes stuff is for the amateurs! I lay the rim over a box after reading the instructions and have a little mini celebration ha! I did it no problemo. I go get a beer because there is noway I can ride tonight because I have just spent an hour and a half dinking with this one tire! I take a long hard gulp and then notice the tire I just successfully seated is now flat! Damn It!
Okay this product is a piece of shit as I start ranting and raving! My wife goes in the house and I'm alone to contemplate my ignorance...I pick up those damn instructions one more time and I read make sure the rubber strip is evenly placed and spaced in/on the rim. What I think damn must of missed that! Mistake #5.
Before ripping the tire from the rim one more time I decide to fold the tire back and see if I can look at the rubber rim strip, the tire bead and the rim bead lock...uh ho...as I rotate the tire sloshing even more sealant on my ankles shins and shoes I notice that the rubber strip goes to the bead lock in some areas and not others as I rotate the tire and verify each side. Damn I think...the tire needs to come off again!
I noticed as I stretched the rubber rim strip from stans some areas were stretched more than others resulting in air loss and no bead seating...I take one of my tire levers work it under the strip and slide it around the circumferance of the wheel and make sure the strip is evenly installed around the rim. I remount the tire say a little prayer connect the pump, hang the tire and start pumping...wow immediately the tire seat locks and the tire fills up perfectly... I do the little tire sealant shuffle and place it on the box.
Every so often I go over and flip and rotate the tire as I'm drinking my third beer. Hey this thing is holding air. Do I dare try to mount the other? hmm maybe I wait...It is way too late ride anyway. I go to inspect my work and realize that the bead is uneven how the shit did that happen! now I think to myself well I must dismount that tire one more fucking time! Holy shit mother of god! Back to those cursed instructions....Soapy water....soapy water how could I have forgot that! Mistake # 6
I release the air from the tire soap that bastard up one more time pump a little check the bead, soap the tire, bend the tire left or right to help the bead seat correctly, pump more on and on until 40lbs! Ha! I finally got it right! I think...only time will tell.
By now it is almost 10:00 at night I have removed and installed the tire more times than I can remember and drank more beers then I should have. I decide I'm finished for tonight there is no way that I can do the other tire and I don't think this shit works anyways. I clean up my mess and hit the sack.
The next morning I'm afraid to face the tire I spent last night on but, half anticipating that it will be either flatted or not. I get a cup of coffee for courage and go inspect my work. Hey the tire has held most of its air... bonus! I review the instructions one more time and find that it could take 24 hours for the tire to seal completely. I pump it up spin it place it on its side etc...
I sit and stare now at my other tubed tire and wheel. Thinking to myself holy crap I really do not want to spend 4 hours dinking around with the tire to hope it works hmmm. So I grab another cup of coffee and sit a little longer musing over this tubeless thing...
I dismount the tire from my next wheel and go through all the steps which are now embedded in my mind... 30 minutes later I have a seated tire with out a tube...like magic. I think to myself I should have read the instructions more thoroughly. Mistake # 7
I'm chalking it up to too much beer because men do not read instructions until they have to because most of us instinctively know how to do things!
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