Topeak Joe Blow vs. A Regular $59 Air Compressor

[cloud cult]

Goal: Save money and trips to LBS when setting up tubeless tires.

Options: A floor pump that will inflate tubeless tires, which seem to go for around $150, or a plug-in air compressor, which is $59 from Harbor Freight.

Pros/Cons: The floor pump can be put in the truck and travel with me, but is a lot of money. Would a 3 gallon oilless pancake compressor be good enough to inflate a tubeless tire? Another posssible drawback is that seating a tubeless tire is more complicated than youtube videos make it look.

\What do other people do?

[PNWbrit]

Would a 3 gallon oilless pancake compressor be good enough to inflate a tubeless tire?

Yes.

Once you've tried it you'll never go back.

[ACH]

This

+ this

And, it still leaves you with plenty of money for beer.

[adrenalated]

I may be doing it wrong, but I actually have better luck getting tubeless tires on the bead with a high volume floor pump than with my compressor. Part of that is I lack to proper attachments to connect to the presta valves with my compressor, but the floor pump also seems to deliver more volume in less time quickly, which helps the tire seat.

I have a house brand Jenson one that only cost like $80, which sadly doesn't appear to be available any more. I also don't trust anything Harbor Freight makes that has to be plugged in.

[XXX-er]

take a piece of 1/4 braided rope, loop it around the outside of the tire tread and tie a knot , put put a wrench in the rope loop to wind it down tight/smaller, this spreads the tire beads against the rim, using a loop of rope I have never had a problem inflating tubeless tires with just a beto shop pump

[HAB]

I lack to proper attachments to connect to the presta valves with my compresso

I found the problem!


What are those of you with compressors using for that? I've got the Prestacycle Mini, which mostly works but the gasket that seals against the valve pulls out of its seat so I have to take it apart to put the gasket back in place all the time, which is annoying.

[PNWbrit]

I found the problem!


What are those of you with compressors using for that?.

[adrenalated]

^^^ I tried those and they were total garbage. YMMV

[N1CK.]

air compressor is the way to go for any tire, imo.
if shopping you want to look for higher volume, not max pressure, and remember that tiny hoses and fittings further restrict air flow.

[North]

I found the problem!


What are those of you with compressors using for that?

I pull the presta valve core. The core-less valve will take any standard schraeder fill up thingy and opens up the valve for faster flow/fill

[Ted Striker]

I may be doing it wrong, but I actually have better luck getting tubeless tires on the bead with a high volume floor pump than with my compressor. Part of that is I lack to proper attachments to connect to the presta valves with my compressor, but the floor pump also seems to deliver more volume in less time quickly, which helps the tire seat.

Mount the tire without sealant. Spray some soapy water on the beads. Pull the presta valve core. Set the compressor max psi to the tire (or rim's) max pressure. Use a schrader chuck on the compressor hose to fill the tire until both beads are set. Pull the chuck off and plug the valve stem with your finger. Look for bubbles and listen for hissing. If it's holding air, let the air out, add sealant through the valve stem with a funnel and/or tube, and install the valve core. Now you can pump it up with a regular floor pump.

[skaredshtles]

^^^ I tried those and they were total garbage. YMMV

I'm using an old Silca presta adapter on my compressor.

[adrenalated]

Mount the tire without sealant. Spray some soapy water on the beads. Pull the presta valve core. Set the compressor max psi to the tire (or rim's) max pressure. Use a schrader chuck on the compressor hose to fill the tire until both beads are set. Pull the chuck off and plug the valve stem with your finger. Look for bubbles and listen for hissing. If it's holding air, let the air out, add sealant through the valve stem with a funnel and/or tube, and install the valve core. Now you can pump it up with a regular floor pump.

My process with the tubless floor pump is:

Put sealant in. Attach HV tubeless floor pump with tank. Close tank valve and pump to max pressure. Open tank valve and let all air into the tire. Repeat 1-2 more times. Tire is done.

[bagtagley]

Compressor FTW. Once you get one, you'll wonder why you didn't do it sooner. In part due to the ease of seating tubeless tires, but also for all the other shit that comes up.

I use these things. They come/came with Mavic tubeless valve kits. I like it because you can screw it on the valve and leave it there. Just in case, and it keeps me from losing them.

[sethschmautz]

My process is similar to what is already described:

Mount the tire
Soap on the sidewall
Pull presta valve core
Use standard Schrader inflator on compressor to set the beads

(I'm about 50/50 on putting sealant on ahead of time or through the valve core)

If tire holds air put sealant in (if not already in)
Put valve core in
Adjust pressure with floor pump
Go ride or spin tire to distribute sealant

The only other thing is that the Reynolds rims I just bought from Smmokan haven't required a compressor at all. I can set the bead with really mellow pumping on the floor pump. Weird. I've never had the with my previous rims...

Seth

Sent from my SM-N970U using Tapatalk

[plugboots]

I'm using an old Silca presta adapter on my compressor.

Plus this:

$10 @ Lowe’s.
The compressor is worth it, you’ll find all kinds of things to use it for. I used it to inflate a hot tub cover for example.

[skaredshtles]

Plus this:
<snip> I used it to inflate a hot tub cover for example.

Can you elaborate on this, please?

[toast2266]

I found the problem!


What are those of you with compressors using for that? I've got the Prestacycle Mini, which mostly works but the gasket that seals against the valve pulls out of its seat so I have to take it apart to put the gasket back in place all the time, which is annoying.

I took an old, broken floor pump and cut the hose / head off of it. I just jam the compressor's blower nozzle into the cut end of the hose. Works great.

[scharny]

I took an old, broken floor pump and cut the hose / head off of it. I just jam the compressor's blower nozzle into the cut end of the hose. Works great.

Now THAT's usin' yer noggin. Thanks for the tip!

[nickwm21]

I use an Airshot. It works.

It is expensive for just a tank and some fittings. But it’s cheaper than the other options and takes up much less space. If you already have a nice floor pump, I’d recommend it.


Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

[jm2e]

+2 for the Airshot. And now there are 3 or 4 different companies making equivalent items.
Personally, I got tired of using a pancake compressor in my already crowded 1 car garage. Every time I needed to set up a tire I had to pull it off a shelf and dig out the hose and adapter. I don't really dig the noise either. My understanding is that if you spend more $$$ you can get a quieter compressor, but that defeats the theme of this thread.
With the Airshot, I have way less shit in my garage and If I'm anxious about a tire when we head out for a bike park weekend I can pack it way easier than a compressor or a giant combo floor pump. So far, it's never let me down. The adapter it comes with that lets you thread into the valve after pulling the core is money when setting up a stubborn tire.
If I had a nice shop with workbench setup, I'd definitely look into a compressor. But it would definitely be bigger than a pancake and I'd spend some time figuring out how to keep the noise down. Ideally I'd have it on all the time and use it to top off tires as well as setting up tubeless. But that's a different discussion for a different budget.

[plugboots]

Can you elaborate on this, please?

I put the on/off switch red handled thing on the compressor hose and screw on the assorted pieces depending on need. The needles are for filling soccer balls, the Schrader thing and extender I use for filling car tires, one of the things is long and narrow so it fit into the nozzle of our old air-filled hot tub cover.
The Silca thing screws into the red handled thing so it allows the compressor tank to fill, (because now you have an on/off switch), shutting off the motor as well, and gives a handle to hold onto as you blast your bike tires.

[skaredshtles]

I put the on/off switch red handled thing on the compressor hose and screw on the assorted pieces depending on need. The needles are for filling soccer balls, the Schrader thing and extender I use for filling car tires, one of the things is long and narrow so it fit into the nozzle of our old air-filled hot tub cover.
The Silca thing screws into the red handled thing so it allows the compressor tank to fill, (because now you have an on/off switch), shutting off the motor as well, and gives a handle to hold onto as you blast your bike tires.

Naw, man - the "inflatable" hot tub cover. Inquiring minds and all...

[plugboots]

I wasn't sure and all, so I answered it for real.
No story, just https://www.spacap.com
Also, I watched a bit of "Hot Tub Time Machine" last night, and that movie blows. John Cusack couldn't save it.

[Beaver]

To fill mine I pull the valve core out of my presta stem, stick the air nozzle on the end of the stem and blast away. Once I've heard the bead set I put the valve core back in as air is rushing out then adjust the pressure with my floor pump. Easy peasy. Just like they do it at car tire shops. There is less restriction with the core removed so it fills fast.