# "Folding" vs. "Wire Bead"



## Porschefan (Jan 14, 2011)

I see many models of tires offered in both a "folding" and a "wire bead" version. I assume that the wire bead version has, mmmm, a wire bead embedded in it and the other doesn't? But I don't know why you would choose one over the other? I'm pretty sure this is one of those basic things, that I don't know.

TIA for any enlightenment.

EDIT: Well, I just found this at Shiggy's site: Folding vs. Wire Bead

As I read it, this makes the point that ease of mounting is not necessarily related to whether a tire has a bead or not. But I still don't understand why one would choose one over the other--especially on the same model of tire. It must be connected in some way to the rim that you plan to use??


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## chinaman (Jun 8, 2007)

I think usually the wire bead is cheaper and heavier than the folding bead


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## mtnbiker72 (Jan 22, 2007)

As mentioned in Shiggy's article, often the wire bead version of the tire also uses a cheaper casing and harder rubber. For example, WTB usually uses a 60tpi casing and their DNA rubber on their folding bead tires while using a 27tpi casing and a harder rubber compound on their wire bead tires. This means the folding bead is lighter (in WTB's case, about 200g lighter), more supple to conform to the trail, and a grippier rubber compound. The wire bead version would be longer lasting though.


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## lyndonchen (Nov 8, 2007)

Would a wire bead hold better than a kevlar bead tubeless?

I recently had a crash when my front tire burped on a rocky descent. It was a folding Ardent (non-UST) on a Flow rim (26"). I was running lowish pressure, maybe 20psi, so to start with I'm going to add a little more air.

I've only run UST tires on UST rims in the past and hadn't had a problem with burping, so my confidence is shaken a little with this new setup. Now, I could run UST or TR tires, but the sub-$20 wire bead tires are tempting. So I'm wondering if I'd see better bead security with a wire bead over folding.


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## Squash (Jul 20, 2003)

lyndonchen said:


> Would a wire bead hold better than a kevlar bead tubeless?
> 
> I recently had a crash when my front tire burped on a rocky descent. It was a folding Ardent (non-UST) on a Flow rim (26"). I was running lowish pressure, maybe 20psi, so to start with I'm going to add a little more air.
> 
> I've only run UST tires on UST rims in the past and hadn't had a problem with burping, so my confidence is shaken a little with this new setup. Now, I could run UST or TR tires, but the sub-$20 wire bead tires are tempting. So I'm wondering if I'd see better bead security with a wire bead over folding.


A wire bead tire would be marginally more secure than a folding bead tire. However your basic mistake was in assuming that you can automatically run that low of a pressure with a standard tire when set up tubeless. I've run standard tires tubeless for about 4 years with only one burp, and that was my fault, didn't check the pressure before the ride and it was too low. I've also found that when using a standard tire tubeless it is rarely possible to run much more than 5 psi lower than what I would run the tire at tubed. I've tried many tires that I had to run at the same pressure tubed or tubeless and I've even found a few that I had to run higher than tubed to keep them stable and on the rim.

Anyway, you're headed in the right direction, add some pressure. What happens when a tire burps is the tire receives and impact hard enough to cause the bead to unseat from the rim for a split second allowing air to "burp" out. A more aggressive tire bead, TLR, UST, etc. is certainly a help in that respect. A standard wire bead usually isn't anymore aggressive than a standard folding bead. However, the sometimes heavier construction of a wire bead tire will sometimes help in that the tire doesn't flex as much, also a steel bead doesn't flex as much or as easily, so would give a bit more security. But it should also be noted that the reason that these tires are cheaper is cheaper construction. You get what you pay for. With the cheaper wire bead versions tire performance is often noticeably compromised.

Your best bet, if you don't want to go with a heavier wire bead or full UST tire, and maintain the overall performance that you are used to, would be to go with a tire that is "tubeless ready", i.e. standard casing with a more aggressive (in some cases UST spec) bead. Your call of course.

Personally I'd try just what you are going to do, bump the pressure a bit and go from there. If you can't get the tires to stay put within what you would consider a reasonable pressure range, then try something different. :thumbsup:

Good Dirt


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## shiggy (Dec 19, 1998)

lyndonchen said:


> Would a wire bead hold better than a kevlar bead tubeless?
> 
> I recently had a crash when my front tire burped on a rocky descent. It was a folding Ardent (non-UST) on a Flow rim (26"). I was running lowish pressure, maybe 20psi, so to start with I'm going to add a little more air.
> 
> I've only run UST tires on UST rims in the past and hadn't had a problem with burping, so my confidence is shaken a little with this new setup. Now, I could run UST or TR tires, but the sub-$20 wire bead tires are tempting. So I'm wondering if I'd see better bead security with a wire bead over folding.


It is not the bead material that is the issue. It is the bead type--both tire and rim. Using any standard tire and/or rim without inner tubes is outside the design intent and is more prone to issues.

And UST/TLR tires are not designed for use on Notubes rims.


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## StanSuarez (Jul 12, 2011)

My most burp resistant combo was with a "tubless-ready" tire(Geax TnT) and a Shimano UST wheelset(MT65). The Rim had a really deep tight groove that the tire's bead would really POP into and stay there. Even when I had to dismount the tire on purpose, I had to use quite a bit of "english" to unseat the bead on that one.


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## Salespunk (Sep 15, 2005)

20 psi is pretty low for a non TR or UST tire/wheel combination. Minimum I would run is 25 psi with non specific setups. Wire vs Kevlar bead is only weight. Wire bead tires are pretty rare these days and are the cheap option. They are never designed for tubeless setups.


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