TLDR: "medical" silicone lube works as bead compound
For context, I've been fixing flats on bikes for over 10
years. Never did I have a need for a bead product, i would always manage with wrestling the tyre and pumping up 3 sometimes 5 times.
But this one was seemingly impossible. I tried a good 7 to 10 times, pumping up above the maximum slightly, wrestling it, bouncing the wheel, even riding rough terrain didn't seat it.
So I accepted my way wasn't working and looked up tyre seating lubricants, some automotive forum mentioned silicone grease vs petroleum grease. Well I dont have silicone grease, but I do have something close. I figured "if it doesn't break condoms it won't break the tyre, right?". I just hope it'll also work with the latex tubes i have been planning on putting on this bike.
So here it is, a quick hack for seating a stubborn tyre bead: silicone lube! Thanks Ritex #notsponsored
I added some pictures of the build, it rides amazingly, even before getting the tyre right… huge fun factor!
by thiccvicx
6 Comments
Now this is xxxbiking
Does the tire stay in its place when breaking?
I’m curious how long it will last now.
Y’know a little dish soap and water or Windex works too?
But… you don’t even do tubeless and you still struggle with seating the bead? Nice that you found a solution, but your tire-rim combination might be bad (what if you get a flat).
For my tubeless projects the kick (rapid increase of pressure either by compressor or a booster) has been the solution – together with soaping the rim and the bead using a sponge.
Windex tho