Not getting a 'pop' when installing a tubeless tire

I am installing a GP5000 TT TdF tubeless tire on my Vision Metron Disc wheel having already done so successfully on a set of Vision 81s.

If I remove the valve core and use a booster pump, the tire will inflate but there is not the normal ‘pop’. As a side note, I was able to install these tires on the 81s using a floor pump.

When I disconnect the booster pump, all the air in the tire comes out and I can push the tire with my thumb to the inner channel of the rim easily i.e. the tire is not ‘locked into’ the bead. In fact, I can push the side of the tire and it will unseat and allow all the air out. Again with the 81s, the tires popped loudly when installing and when I removed the floor pump, the tire stayed seated in the bead.

It is not a leakage problem with the valve or tape because the tires will inflate and hold pressure. They just won’t ‘pop’ into the rim hook.

Any suggestions would be helpful.

Thanks.

That sounds weird.

Just one thought is make sure the rim tape isn’t too wide and riding up the wall of the rim. That can mess with bead-holding.

Did you try taking it to 120PSI or so, even if your final intended pressure is much lower?

I agree - very weird especially considering that the 81s 'popped on fine.

I used the same Stan’s rim tape as I did with the 81s but I will check it again.

Essentially the Vision Metron Disc is an 81 with a cover on it so it should be the same.

I’m using the Schwalbe Tire Booster @ 160 psi.

I’ve had issues where the bead edge sticks somehow to the inner channel of the wheel and while it seems to hold air, it didn’t pop in place.
What worked was remove the bead, add a little bit of dishwashing liquid soap around the tire bead, and retry. Popped very quickly at low pressure after that.

Whenever the tire won’t seat, I take dishsoap and a small bit of water … wipe it along both sides of the entire tire bead

I’ve got 100% success rate after soaping

If that doesn’t work, I’d try redoing the rim tape.

Also the Disc has a slightly more narrow internal width than your 81s. Double check your rim tape is the right size for your disc

Two things I’ve tried.

  1. If the boost is able to seat the tire then Try inflating the boost to 110 psi. I had similar issue with my premier disc. Bike shop inflated it higher and told me to keep it at that pressure until the bead sits and stays. After a day or so when the tire is firmly sealed then detach the booster and change in the presta valve
  2. If it doesn’t seat then I’ve used a CO2 to get the pressure up. The problem with the booster (if it was like mine) is that it screws onto the valve core. When you detach it to put on your presta valve, the air leaks out and the tire deflates.

Two things I’ve tried.

  1. If the boost is able to seat the tire then Try inflating the boost to 110 psi. I had similar issue with my premier disc. Bike shop inflated it higher and told me to keep it at that pressure until the bead sits and stays. After a day or so when the tire is firmly sealed then detach the booster and change in the presta valve
  2. If it doesn’t seat then I’ve used a CO2 to get the pressure up. The problem with the booster (if it was like mine) is that it screws onto the valve core. When you detach it to put on your presta valve, the air leaks out and the tire deflates.

I used the booster with 160psi and let the tire sit for a day then exactly as you described - when I detached the booster to put in the presta valve in, the air leaked out and the tire deflated - bead didn’t seat. If air was leaking while the tire was fully inflated I would suspect the rim tape as the problem, but it didn’t. The tire only lost air pressure when I detached the booster. Nonetheless I double checked the rim tape and it’s perfect - not up into the bead, centered, no bubbles.

I used the soap water method to no avail.

This is so frustrating becuz the tires seated so easily on the 81s. I’m beginning to wonder if there is a problem with the tire.

The tire only lost air pressure when I detached the booster.

I’m suspicious here. If it’s holding air around the bead indefinitely while the booster is attached, I don’t see why it should suddenly start to leak as soon as you take it off the pump. Even if the bead isn’t properly seated. Are you sure you don’t have some kind of valve leak?

Try swapping valve stems or cores?

The tire only lost air pressure when I detached the booster.

I’m suspicious here. If it’s holding air around the bead indefinitely while the booster is attached, I don’t see why it should suddenly start to leak as soon as you take it off the pump. Even if the bead isn’t properly seated. Are you sure you don’t have some kind of valve leak?

Try swapping valve stems or cores?

I understand the suspicion too. I have to take the valve core out in order to inflate the tire so core is not the problem. But if the valve stem was leaking (say due to a poor tape job) then wouldn’t it leak when the system is pressurized with the booster pump on it? Just like if there was a bad tape job somewhere else on the rim the air would leak even while the booster was attached because the chamber of pressurized air is eventually going to leak out.

Ah, I understand now. When you take it off the booster, all the air naturally comes out the core-less stem, but you’re expecting the bead to stay locked so you can throw a core in and pump it up as normal.

Not sure, except my tires/wheels don’t always stay locked at 0PSI, and it doesn’t seem to be a problem.

They also don’t always have a satisfying pop.

… my tires/wheels don’t always stay locked at 0PSI, and it doesn’t seem to be a problem…

The weird thing is that the same tire on the 81s stays locked in, I put the valve core back in and I can then re-inflate with a floor pump. With this disc, the bead doesn’t stay locked in, and when I put the valve core back in, there is not enough volume/pressure to pump the tire up with the floor pump. Quite a dilemma.

Strange. did you try to do it with a CO2 cartridge?

what about double layer the tape? I used to have a overnight leak until I double layered.