If you think decoding those numbers is tough, wait until you try fitting road (700c) tubeless tires. Buying is the easy part as in theory any 700c tubeless tire will fit provided you're within the appropriate width range, which is relatively generous (provided you respect hooked/hookless). In practice it is far more complicated and the experience can be a nightmare. Sometimes the wheel/tire manufacturers don't follow standards, other times they do but results leave something to be desired. You have Uniform Standard Tubeless, Tubeless Ready, Tubeless Easy, Tubeless Compatible, hooked, hookless, yet no real guarantees the tire and wheel will be compatible.
I fit Continental GP5000TL (depending on the generation and width, they are notoriously difficult to mount) to two different sets of wheels. One set of wheels gave me a hard time and it took 30-45m per tire, but they eventually went on. On the second set of wheels, one went on easy enough. The second took well over an hour and resulted in multiple blisters (and much cursing) even after using every known trick. Schwalbe Ones in comparison mounted in a minute with no struggle, and actually hold air better than the Contis which can supposedly be used without a sealant.
It is really pissing me off that "tubeless ready" wheels and "tubeless ready" tires have made it infinitely harder to just fit a tire with a good old tube inside.
With the exception of hookless rims (which are not common yet, at least here), TL wheels will take a clincher tire and tube, and TL tires will take a tube. The potential incompatibility comes from TL tires and TL wheels, not at all related to tubes, and is because of lack of spec and manufacturing tolerances.
Sure, except now rim and tire manufacturers go to the opposite ends of manufacturing tolerances on their respective parts because no one wants some niche road tubeless setup popping off at 7 bar. The result is tires like the GP5k (not even TL version) where I've struggled to get even the first side over, on rims that are tubeless ready and, no coincidence, have a history of being difficult to fit tires on.
I want to be able to fix a flat outside, not call an Uber.
Ah fully understand, I thought you meant there is somehow incompatibility between tubes and TL wheels/tires.
I’ll echo your frustration 100%. I found Schwalbe Ones are much looser fitting and have no problem mounting them on two sets of rims I have that will barely take a GP5K.
normally when fitting a tire, you put the bead on one side in the "gutter" in the center of the rim where the diameter is narrower while you lever on the bead on the second side. leaving the first bead loose and un-seated while you pop on the second bead makes it pretty easy.
rims with thick rim tape designed to seal with tubeless tires have much less gutter, so it's a bit more difficult to squeeze the last bit of the tire onto the rim. they're compatible, just difficult to work with.
There are tire/wheel TL combos that are just not compatible, no matter what you try. Centering the tire is key, soapy water helps, you may need to warm up the tire, a tire jack may be needed in some cases .. but none of those will work 100% of the time, which is ridiculous.
Did I break down and take it to the LBS for mounting? Also, absolutely not. Why pay someone $20 to mount the tire when I can spend an hour fighting it and end with nasty blisters?
I've heard quite a few people complain about GP5000TLs, but that's what I've been using for a while (on Prime carbon wheels) and haven't had too much trouble with them. With tubeless tyres, you really have to make use of the inner rim well (i.e. the middle bit) to give you the crucial extra mm or so. At least with tubeless tyres you can use tyre levers to get the last bit on and not worry about puncturing a tube. Schwalbe Ones are easier to fit in my experience, but they seem to have the durability of butterfly wings and even worse, they can get slippery in the wet when they're at high pressure (e.g. over 70psi).
I've seen videos of people easily fitting tyres using just their thumbs, but I refuse to believe that's possible.
It entirely depends on the rim. First generation GP5000TLs were impossible to fit on some rims, difficult to fit on most rims and reasonable on a few. Second generation (I think late 2020/early 2021) are a slightly looser and will fit on more rims. I can't speak about the latest gen. released late last year.
I personally love GP line of tires (used 4k/5k clincher and 5k TLs) as they have a good compromise of puncture protection, tread wear and rolling resistance. They generally rate at the top for just about any tire I'd use in a non-race scenario. I will not buy another pair though until I switch wheels as I have no desire to torture myself. I did not go as far as to bake the tires to loosen them, but I did let them sit out in the sun which made a bit of a difference.
The other factor to consider is roadside repairs. If you have a really hard time mounting the tire initially and you puncture severely enough to need a tube (sealant leaked and plug won't hold), you're likely calling for a ride back. I did find they loosen after 500-750km so you are more likely to be able to fix it roadside if needed. I sliced the sidewall on my almost new GP5k but thankfully the plug held. Irresponsibly I used it for another 500km+ until it would no longer hold pressure overnight, but I do not recommend that route!
As for using tire levers - buyer beware when it comes to carbon. I resorted to levers, but you do run a risk of permanently damaging your wheel. I have seen a picture of someone put one of the plastic with steel spine levers straight through their rim doing this. A tire bead jack is a far safer and far easier option (though I've yet to buy it).
Indeed, there's one bike in the family fleet, a Surly with tubeless-ready 650b's, that are a beast to mount. I can get them on and off, but I have strong hands -- jazz double bassist for 40 years. My spouse has no hope. If she flats on a ride, she has to make the Call of Shame. ;-) This isn't reasonable.
As I read somewhere else, Frank Schwinn and Frank Brilando wanted a bike to be serviceable by a 10 year old.
I did okay with gp5000 clincher for tubes, and just two cheap plastic tire levers and my own thumbs. But what you have described for the tubeless version is something I've seen very widely reported from a number of other sources as well.
I fit Continental GP5000TL (depending on the generation and width, they are notoriously difficult to mount) to two different sets of wheels. One set of wheels gave me a hard time and it took 30-45m per tire, but they eventually went on. On the second set of wheels, one went on easy enough. The second took well over an hour and resulted in multiple blisters (and much cursing) even after using every known trick. Schwalbe Ones in comparison mounted in a minute with no struggle, and actually hold air better than the Contis which can supposedly be used without a sealant.