29 tyre dumb question

[Scarfy96]

OK I got my first mountain bike just before christmas and have been having a ball on some fire trails and easier single track.

Fuji Nevada 1.5
http://www.fujibikes.com/bike/details/nevada_29_15_d

I have been reading up here on tyres (not that I need any yet) and see lots of recommendations for the MAXXIS CrossMark and out of interest went and had a look at it. I see it is tubeless.

Now I have gone and inspected my bike, it is running:
Vera Terra rims
and
Vera Eos 29" x 2.1" tyres

Now if I search for that all I find is listings for that bike or VW's!

I am GUESSING that they are not tubeless but I can't find anything about them anywhere.

How do I know for sure?

Thanks.

[Mulger bill]

You can run tubes in tubeless tyres but it gets a bit weighty doing so. Even if the rims are not tubeless compatible, there's some MacGyvers that will make them work.

[silentbutdeadly]

The Nevada is a good unit so a good score. The Vera brand is an OE house brand that Fuji uses so you won't find it anywhere in the after market. You'll find that the rims are probably a generic Alex or Maddux profile and the tyres are stock house casings (maybe Maxxis though there are many more tyre makers in Taiwan, Thailand or Indo) with a bespoke tread pattern.

They won't be tubeless. And because the rims are probably pinned rather than welded at the join...they'll not seal well even with tape.

However...feel free to try ghetto tubeless. Grab some tubeless valves, sealant and a roll of Nashua Gaffa tape. Use the gaffa tape as rim tape (you'll need to split the tape in two) to cover the spoke holes and drain holes - wrap it twice around. Replace the tube (punch the valve hole out through the tape) and tyre combo and inflate for 24 to 48 hours to help the tape bond to the rim. Then pull the tyre and tube and fit the tubeless valve. Then see if you can re-seat the Vera tyre using just a compressor or track pump - you probably won't be able to because the tyre beads will have a natural tendency to want to come together. Tubeless tubeless ready tyres usually have beads that sit naturally wide which helps push the bead into the rim. Still doesn't hurt to try! Tubeless ready tyres are lighter and cheaper but initially porous so fiddlier to set up. Tubeless tyres are heavier, more expensive, slightly stronger/stiffer and typically ready to go straight from fitment.

Which tread pattern tyre to pick depends on your terrain - keep an eye on what other people in your area are riding. Crossmarks are adequate all rounders but not great in the damp or away from clean trails.

Best bet in the long run is to ride the OE wheelset and tyres into the ground and then source a decent tubeless ready wheelset and tyres. Even spending $300 on new wheels will transform your riding experience. Spending around $600 (Hope hubs, DT Swiss spokes, Mavic or Stans rims for example) will give you a bike whose performance and feel you won't initially recognise...

[Scarfy96]

Great info thanks.

So far most of my riding I haven't seen anyone! Firetrails and some single track. Fire trails are loose gravel, single track varies but there is a moderate amount of leave etc on them.

No plans on changing the tyres at this stage, just reading the other tyre thread got me wondering what I had and couldn't work it out. Figured it wasn't tubeless but wasn't sure.

[Jean]

Before stepping down the tubeless route, pause and note that if you are specifically looking at Crossmarks they are also available in non-tubeless vesions. Tubeless is not rocket science, but it's not a straight forward process by any means. Doing some research before opting for it would be my suggestion.

Crossmarks are good good tyres, though not everyone likes them. Lots of peple put them on the rear only and put something more aggressive (i.e. nobblier) on the front (eg Maxxis Ardent). It depends what sort of riding you are doing, terrain, etc, etc, etc, etc, until you disappear down a tyre discussion vortex.