Heavy dude puncture proofing?

No Skid Marks

Blue Mountain Bikes Brooklyn/Lahar/Kowa/PO1NT Raci
So my neighbor has asked to help him set up tubeless on his 29er because he keeps getting punctures. Pinch flats I'm guessing. and I said I would. I've since found out he's 130kg.
So I'm now thinking he'll possibly still pinch flat with tubeless.
He's on 2.1 tyres.
I'm thinking maybe tubeless front and FR Maxxis tube rear.
Guessing he's just on skinny ally rims.
I'm also going to see how large a tyre I can fit in his frame and get him to get 2.3s or something, hopefully with EXO casing or other if anyone has a tough side wall recommendation.
So in short. Any heavier guys out there having success with tubeless? What set up do you have? How often do you burp if tubeless? What are the toughest tires you've found?
I don't think old mate will cough up for wider rims just yet.
I think he was running 40PSI, guessing I'll up that to 45 and see how that goes with new set up.
Any other thoughts?
 

ForkinGreat

Knows his Brassica oleracea
Maxxis EXO, DD or Dual ply casings would all probably work. does your mate plow over everything? What rims is he on?

I'm 110-115kg geared up and I rode Dual ply HRIIs with maxxis FR tubes (on Flow EX rims) at about 25-30psi at Buller last time I was there. worked well.
 

Dozer

Heavy machinery.
Staff member
Hmmm, this could be an easy fix or it could be an ongoing problem.
Firstly, I'm assuming he's riding XC type trails and may be sticking to the obvious line and is flatting on square rocks and hard landings etc? Running a hire pressure can help that and if it is lap style riding than I wouldn't run anything under 35 PSI. I'd even start at 42 PSI and see if that stops the flats. It'll make the ride a little iffy to start with but it will help with the flats.
Touch wood, I've never had a pinch flat on a Schwalbe. In fact, I rate their tyre construction very highly and consider it the best tyre around. I used to run tubeless Nobby Nic's when they first came out, zero flats. I've since run all of their downhill tyres with no pinch flats and have had tubed and tubeless Magic Mary, Hans Dempf, Nobby Nic's and Ralph's and not had any issues. Schwalbe for thew win.
Another thing to consider is suspension set up. If the thing is too stiff then it'll bounce around and tractor beam hit everything to the tyre surface. If it's too soft then it'll be relying more on tyre to take the load. He is a heavy guy but far out, that's not going to limit the capability of good tyre and suspension set up.
I say try a bit more pressure and consider a tyre with some durability in a side wall, that'll improve things and can be done quite cheap.
 

Mywifesirrational

I however am very normal. Trust me.
He's got nearly 20kg on me, which might make all the difference in the world.

Maxxis Exo's have been the most reliable for me, I like schwalbe, but generally find anything less than the super gravity casings to be to squirmy - not too many XC style tyres come with it, maybe the new double defense? Schwalbe also have a 115kg weight limit on most MTB tyres,

Does anyone know if all Maxxis Exo is the same, comparing the HR2's vs Ikons, the side walls on the ikons feels a lot more flimsy?

The other insane option is procore is 200aud from hibike?

I'd suggest DH tubes, although an extra 800g of tubes of going to feel terrible.
 

sossy

Saucier
I aint to weight weenie, and I run tubeless and have for about the last 8 years. Have had zero problems other than burping when experimenting with pressures. Have run it with GEAX, Maxxis, Schwalbe, Bontrager, Specialized, and Rubena tyres with no problems.

Key is running enough pressure, too low and the tyre squirms, making the ride horrible and prone to burping, too high and you just pinball.

I am a similar weight to your neighbor, running stans Arch rims, and have them set to 38psi rear, 32psi front and have no problems.
 

thatsnotme

Likes Dirt
I'm around 110 kitted up, maybe a little more after Christmas... Maxxis with EVO sidewalls all the way for me (well, at least when the stock Bonty tyres wear out on the new bike I got last year). Never had any issues, often run 25-30psi on the rear, 20-25 on the front, and had zero problems with squirm or burping. I'm a pretty conservative rider though, wheels don't really leave the ground much, so might be an issue if I was landing harder.

Hated the Nobby Nic's I'd had a few years back. Much more squirmy, and after being set up tubeless and then removed, I never managed to get them to bead again, they were that loose on the rim. Tried every trick in the book, to no avail. Ended up throwing them away I hated them so much!
 

slowmick

38-39"
I'd go the dual ply downhill tyres with 35 psi plus in them. i used to use Maxxis downhill tubes in skinny tyres and while they stopped the tyres from coming off the rims they didn't stop the pitch flats. I was probably 120+ kg kitted up and raced a full series of gravity enduro on 26" 2.35, 2.5 and 2.6 super tacky dual ply tyres and matched tubes without a flat (ardent, high rollers and minion DHF). Cheap tubes or tubes stretched past their size give up pretty quickly.

At my guess though he will destroy a rim on a 29er in the not too distant future especially if it is a cheaper wheelset.

i am having a lot of luck with tubeless but it is on a flash set of wide carbon wheels my experiences are no help here.

Good on you for giving him a hand.
 

Nambra

Definitely should have gone to specsavers
He's on 2.1 tyres.
Try bigger tyres before messing around with tubeless - is your neighbour the sort of guy/gal that will be able to maintain a tubeless setup?

Rim width might limit maximum tyre size too. Running a bigger tyre on a narrow rim will make for a squirmy ride at typical tubed pressures, let alone lower tubeless pressures.

Just my $0.02 worth...
 

teK--

Eats Squid
It would also help if he could trim some weight; 140kg is going to be hard on all parts of the bike no matter the toughest dual ply tyres you put on it...

Also his riding style, not sure if he's a sit and spin/plow kinda guy.
 

No Skid Marks

Blue Mountain Bikes Brooklyn/Lahar/Kowa/PO1NT Raci
Thanks for all the input guys. Sounds like I'm sort of on the right track but you've helped get my thoughts more accurate.
Pretty sure he's on an Anthem or something, Not sure how skilled he is with line choice and lightening over obstacles. I'll see if I can get some EXO 2.3s for him. I guess I'll try tubeless front to start with, and see how his tubes go in the rear wheel. I'd like to try Shcwalble for him, but this is a chore already and schwalble are a head fcuk understanding what casings and compounds are what.
Will work down from 45psi rear. Probably 38 front.
Will get him onto fatter rims as soon as he needs them. Think he's on a tight budget. Makes it harder for me.
 
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Duane

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Minion DHF 2.5 DH casing is available in a folding 29er ;) Might be 1.2kg of tire, some FR tubes bring it up to 1.5, but he won't have trouble with flats, haha. It will help him get fitter with all the pedal resistance. ;)

On a serious note Ikon 2.35s with FR tubes.
 

Flow-Rider

Burner
Minion DHF 2.5 DH casing is available in a folding 29er ;) Might be 1.2kg of tire, some FR tubes bring it up to 1.5, but he won't have trouble with flats, haha. It will help him get fitter with all the pedal resistance. ;)

On a serious note Ikon 2.35s with FR tubes.
The Maxxis DD casing are in between the EXO and DH, the weight is less than a DH.
 

Minlak

custom titis
Maxxis Ardent Race Rear 32psi
Maxxis Ardent Front 28psi
30mm Syntace Rims

Tubeless / stans valves / gorilla tape / stand sealant

been running 18mths this way some rocks / sticks only torn the sidewall out of one rear tyre and it was on the edge of a rock at high speed in the bottom of a descent.


*I am substantially "Huskier" than your friend.
 

rtd

Likes Dirt
I've found the sidewalls on ikons and ardent race to be quite flimsy, have torn the sidewalls before on both. If I were you I'd just recommend a tyre like the ardent, with a well set up tubeless with a bit more fluid and a bit more pressure. Although if his rims are tiny he'll burb the air all the time..

Have you looked into ghetto tubeless? He'll never flat a properly set up gheto setup.

Rich
 

No Skid Marks

Blue Mountain Bikes Brooklyn/Lahar/Kowa/PO1NT Raci
Have you looked into ghetto tubeless? He'll never flat a properly set up gheto setup.

Rich
You mean using a cut open tube instead of gaffe or stand tape?
Yeah that would lessen burping. But also make rim narrower. I'll see how tight the tyre is with just tape.
 
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