Ebay question - about modern Mavic Crossland wheelset

[djoptix]

Wondering if anyone can help with a quick question about a modern wheelset I've just acquired. I got it from Ebay, and it's Mavic Crossland hubs and rims with Continental Vapor tyres. When it arrived I noticed something odd - the wheels both looked to be out of round. However, when I looked more closely, the wheels are perfect.

I thought that it might be because they had been sat on flats, and the tyre was deformed, so I pumped them up to 60psi and left them for a day. No change. Then a friend had a look at them and pointed out that the tyres appeared to be seated further into the wheels at one point around each rim. I deflated the tyre and had a look inside. It turns out that the wheels have a special plastic rim tape thing that doubles as a seal if you want to go tubeless, and it looks like someone has seated the tyres with metal levers or similar and unseated/slightly damaged this strip. This is making the tyres sit funny.

These wheels are notoriously difficult to get tyres on/off (slightly oversize) and since the tyres are Continentals, it's even more difficult than normal. I've got strong hands but there's no chance without levers. So my question is, shall I try and get the tyres off and see if I can re-seat the rim strip, or just ask the seller for a refund? Having never worked with these rims before I don't know how easy these rim strips are to reposition. Anyone have some wisdom they'd care to share?

 

[JeRkY]

Tip: run some soapy warm water around the beads of the tyres /rims when fitting/removing, Makes life a lot easier. I have similar issues on my Stans crest rims I simply couldnt get the tyre on without it, even using a Pedro's DH tyre lever.

You shouldn't need to get a refund for some rim tape... man up and seat your tyre properly

 

[02gf74]

about the seating - I have tyres that do that, and they are not cheapo either, kinda mystery whay they should.

no amout of prodding, pulling etc can fix it.

in your case, remove the tyres, you will have to at some point anyway, and see what is going on inside.

keep them indoors so they are nive and warm - softens the rubbe a bit thus making easier to get off.

are they kevlar or steel bead? if the latter, and they are notoriously tight, then you are gonna struggle.

 

[djoptix]

You shouldn't need to get a refund for some rim tape... man up and seat your tyre properly

It's not just rim tape. It's a custom insert which only fits that rim, without which tubeless operation doesn't work and without which a normal tyre may not seat properly either. This insert is apparently only available from Mavic dealers and is so expensive that it makes repair uneconomical.

I've removed the tyre and the insert is deformed from having been butchered with a screwdriver. It won't re-seat. I think I'll just have to cut it off, re-line the rim and cross my fingers that tubed operation is still possible.