26" wheelset decisions

the problem is that it's very difficult to get tubeless tape down into the recess and apply it evenly. on the set i reviewed earlier this year i had to more or less stretch the tape across the recessed area to get it installed cleanly. but if you can manage to shape the tape into the recess, that would seem ideal

With my Stans the tape reduced the depth even further. By feeding a skinny ass piece of tape down the middle I picked up the depth to get a tire on. However, this negates proper sealing so I'm back to a tire and tube combo.

if the only point of the tape is to seal the spoke holes, maybe a skinny ass piece down the middle of a wtb i25 rim would lead to easy tubeless installs

but if getting the tire mounted is such a common tubeless problem, why do stans and lb use such low profiles for their rims?

Common tubeless problem? I'm not sure I'd count 2 cases on here as common.

Some tires are easy, some are hard, sometimes the model of tire but from different runs, etc. There are many reasons that explain tire/rim fit and generalizing the issue is misleading. Someone new to tubeless is probably reading this thread right now and going "nope", which sucks because there are lots of positive reviews on tubeless setups.

I've been using tubeless in one form or another since about '02 and these Stans rims are the most difficult to live with, in my own experience. Not impossible, but difficult. Its a combination of having to use tape instead of a rubber rim strip, in addition to extremely tight tire/rim combos. Once everything is set up they're great as the tires are very hard to burp air (I did in the NV Enduro).

I have Halo hoops now which I will be lacing up in the next couple of weeks. Not sure if they are any better but its worth a try…. and they're silver!

I want to go back to running rim strips again, which in my experience, makes for faster tire changes. I change my tires a lot, and I still do some racing here and there. I need to be able to do some quick tire changes if the situation arises.

My beef is that changing tires was never a problem, nor was holding air. As I only get 1 or 2 flats a year (knock on wood) I found the reduced number of flats with tubeless to not be worth the long list of potential problems.

Sure, a perfectly set up tubeless rim and tire combo in works well. However, for me every tire and rim combo was a perfect match in olden days of inner tubes.

not sure if they're any good but hey "50% off"
http://canfieldbrothers.com/store/index.php/closeouts/canfield-brothers-26-all-mountain-wheelset.html

I'm trying to make some decisions on a wheelset for my 26" AM bike and wanted some input. The main choice is on what to do with the rear wheel, and for the front I will get the matching rim built to Hope Pro 2.

CRC has a Frequency i23 built to DT Swiss 240 hub for a good price, or for about the same, Dunbar Cycles can build me a wheel with Hope Pro 2 Evo with Flow/Arch/i23/i25.

My current rims are Frequency i23s and I'd be happy with another set, so the main factor is the hub. Although the DT 240 is considered a higher-end hub, is there any reason to go Hope over DT?

And if I do go the Hope route, which rim would I want of the four options given the choice?

I also amd running i23's team rims.
I had them built on hope pro 2 evos with dt dbl butted comp spokes with dt locking nipples.
Cant't say enough good about them , fantastic wheelset. Ive got the newer 40points of engagement versions , seems plenty good enough. Also these were my first tubeless setup. I used gorilla tape and they setup tight and sealed in minutes. Held air with no sealant. I am using stans.
Side benefit the sound of swarming bees that hope hubs make is useful for allerting hikers you coming from behind. Just back pedal a few times ,buzzzzzz….

I'm running mavic ust or shimano wheels that don't need tape or rim strips. It's nice.

Never had issues setting up my Flow EX with either Maxxis (EXO) or Schwalbe. Hope hubs are great value, work well, are durable and are super convertible.
+1 for the Hope/ Flow EX

Never had issues setting up my Flow EX with either Maxxis (EXO)

Regular EXO or the LUST tubeless type?

Regular EXO or the LUST tubeless type?

Regular EXO.

I picked up some skinny rim strips and I'm going to mount them to my Flow EX to see if it resolves my tire mounting frustration. If not, the wheels are off to the shop for new rims and I'll be desecrating a set of Flow EX rims.

So an update on tubeless setup. As mentioned, I have i23s on my AM bike and Sun Charger Pros on my hardtail (which use a Stans rim design). In my experience, setting up new tires is usually not an issue, but re-mounting an old tire with caked on sealant can be trickier.

With the i23s, I have always successfully remounted an old tire with a floor pump and valve cores removed. However, I had to resort to CO2 with my Chargers and Specialized 2bliss tire. And the bead still didn't seat. I had to quickly transfer to the floor pump and vigorously pump to get it to seal up. So this likely confirms the Stans being a tighter fit than the i23.

I never burp the i23s and appreciate the ease of tubeless setup, that's a win there for me.

My experieince in seating difficult tires is always solved with one very simple fix.

I have a spraybottle that I fill with 90% water and 10% of liquid car wash.

I shake the bottle to get it mixed an a few suds going. I then spray the inside of the rim wall and the bead of the tire to get a bubbly tire that will slip into place once I start to inflate the tire with a floor pump or a compressor.

If you only have a small part of the tire that will not seat, you can release all the air from the tire, pinch the bead of the tire to the center well of the rim, spray the rim and tire bead with a soapy mixture and re-inflate the tire.

Soap an water are your best friends with difficult tubeless set-ups.

Watch this video for tips.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GqPMxL0LmX0