H: Hubs, Wheels and Tyres Are tyre clamps necessary?

LoneStar

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I used clamps for a while, as they were installed when I acquired the bike, but eventually became irritated enough with them to leave them out. No problems after many miles. Also, balancing the wheel now requires only a few washers on the weight posts, rather than substantial lead weights.

I did plug the extra rim hole with a short bolt, after grinding the head down to a very thin and rounded shape.
 

Bill Thomas

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The other thing to think about, Is what the tyre is put on with ?,
I have always used Talc,
But these new tyres can be hard to blow out to the rim, And some people use WD40 and all sorts of stuff !.
I have just bought some gel stuff that the trade use, But not used it yet.
 

LoneStar

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I use waterless hand cleaner, non-abrasive variety. Very slippery, and it seems harmless to the rubber.
 

Dave61

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I use Michelin Tyre soap, it`s in an aerosol can & works well on my bikes that have cast wheels, but when I fitted my Michelin tyres to the flanged alloy rims on my Rapide I couldn`t get the front tyre to seat on the rim evenly.
I`m glad Bill said he had the same problem, starting to think I`m getting useless at most things !
What sort of pressure can you put in a tube to get the tyre to seat.
Cheers
Dave
PS. I won`t mention that I forgot to put the tube in on the first tyre I fitted that wasn`t tubeless !:)
 

Nulli Secundus

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I do not use tyre clamps on my bikes, or for that matter talc, tyre soap, etc.

If the tyre is reluctant to seat evenly, after say pumping up to an excessively high pressure, like 40 psi, I let the air out and put a little water on the area of the tyre that was reluctant to seat out.

Hopefully the water evaporates, but I would rather risk a little bit of mild corrosion than have a valve stem rip partially out of the tube when riding.
 

Michael Vane-Hunt

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I have completely given up trying to change tyres and take the wheel to a motorcycle shop and put a new tyre, tube, and rim tape each time, usually once a year. I have alloy Sun rims, use Roadriders, never used clamps, never had a tyre move on the rim. I have put a strip of duct tape over the spoke nipples under the rim tape.Like most riders here I put the stem lock nut up under the cap. If I have a flat while on a ride I make sure Robert Watson is on the same ride because he can fix a flat any where, any time.
 

TouringGodet

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If I have a flat while on a ride I make sure Robert Watson is on the same ride because he can fix a flat any where, any time.

Same down here in LA, but the wizard flat fixer goes by the name Bill Easter.
 

BigEd

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Like many riders who have posted above, I don't use tyre clamps on my Rapide. In over ten years and 50,000 plus miles of riding, sometimes two-up with luggage, I have have had no tyre creep. All these miles were on Avon tyres.
Pondering whether we need tyre clamps these days I thought about some of the other bikes I have. 90's Honda CBR1000F, heavy and probably 100 BHP, Ducati ST4S, not as heavy as the Honda but probably a few more BHP. Neither of these have tyre clamps. I can't remember seeing tyre clamps on any of the more recent rocket ships either. I guess that modern tyres are softer, less likely to slide about on the road so less likely to slide on the wheel rim. Most of these big modern bikes use tubeless tyres so no tube for the valve to be ripped out if the tyre does creep.
However, If you are up a muddy track, on your own, in the middle of nowhere sitting looking at the flat tyre in the rear of your trials bike then you might question your decision to dispense with tyre clamps while running low pressures.:oops:
 

Bill Thomas

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Note to self, Traffic lights, Does not mean it's Santa Pod Raceway !.
The trouble is the tyres, Like everything else, Are made for the latest Bikes, They even have on them, Tubeless !.
And there is no such thing as a 300,20 inner tube, How they can sell us the tyre when they know they can't supply the right tube ?. Try not to Worry :) .
 
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