Bicycle tire/tube changes

[flatbutt]

OK this used to be easy, ya know back when I had hands that could exert morethan 5 lbs of pressure.

I struggled mightily to get the tire off and back on but what pizzed me off to the point of a core meltdown was destroying two tubes during mounting. Damn.

I need better levers for sure and maybe the tubes were too old but they both leaked after mounting. I watched for pinches and folds but prolly nicked them with the levers. Sigh, prolly just need practice but fark my icehole bros, my hands are throbbing!

Any tips? Brand recos for levers and tubes?

[look 171]

Don't use your thumbs to try and push the tires onto the bead. Use your palm to roll it on there and never your thumb. Also, do not use your tire levers to put tires on. Asking for pinch tube. A normal bike to ride around, all tube will be the same.

One other suggestion is to blow up the tube a tiny bit and shove the tube in then try and mount the tire until you get to a point where its impossible without leaking air out. That's the time to let out the air and roll the bead into the rim. This will eliminate the bead catching the tube causing it to flat.

[flatbutt]

Originally Posted by look 171

Don't use your thumbs to try and push the tires onto the bead. Use your palm to roll it on there and never your thumb. Also, do not use your tire levers to put tires on. Asking for pinch tube. A normal bike to ride around, all tube will be the same.

One other suggestion is to blow up the tube a tiny bit and shove the tube in then try and mount the tire until you get to a point where its impossible without leaking air out. That's the time to let out the air and roll the bead into the rim. This will eliminate the bead catching the tube causing it to flat.

I'll try that again but my hands are quite arthritic and those final 3-4 inches are tighter than a prom queens knees. and no lie bro my hands hurt, but no shops open.

[oldE]

And of course you partially inflated the inner tubes before mounting to give them some shape?

Best
Les

[stevej37]

This guy makes it look easy.

[masraum]

Are your tires "tubeless ready" or something like that? I believe the bead on tubeless capable tires is often tighter and stiffer than regular tires which makes them harder to mount.

[rwest]

May have to try different tires, some are almost impossible to mount and others just pop on nicely.

As others have said, no levers to mount- just about guarantees a flat.

They do make a tool that is like a pliers with long curved jaws the grabs the tire to move it by the rubber not like the lever that is between rim and rubber; I bought one, but haven’t tried it yet.

[LWJ]

You have great advice above. It really could be the tire. Some are just super tight. Even my caveman hands can struggle with these.

Bikes shops not open???

They are most certainly open where I am. Odd.

[vash]

Use more levers. Most guy can jam thru with two. Three or even four will really help with taking them off. On? Don’t buy tires that come rolled up. The bead is so unforgiving.

[Otter74]

I'm guessing perhaps you're dealing with narrow tires that are particularly difficult to mount. As suggested above, don't push with your fingers or thumbs - those muscles aren't very strong, and you're going to tire your hand out quickly. Delfate the tire completely, work the bead down into the valley of the rim, particularly on the side opposite where you are beginning to work it off or the last part you're trying to seat, and when you're getting the last part of the bead on use your hands to push and roll it over rather than your fingers. If you're at home, a little dish soap on the bead helps, too. And while it's fine (often necessary) to use levers to get the bead off the rim, you should never use it to get the bead on. It's a great way to pinch-flat the new tube. If you have a particularly difficult rim-tire combination, a VAR bead jack can help.

[Scott Douglas]

I've run into this problem as well.
The tubes I found for avoiding flats, are thick enough you could use them as tires by themselves.
As has already been said above, the key is to get the tire/tube squeezed into the 'valley' of the rim on the opposite side of the rim. This can be difficult when the tube is extra heavy duty like mine are. Use of squeeze clamps to help get it in there (the valley) is allowed, IMO.
I can remember changing tires on my JC Higgens 10-spd as a kid and using screw drivers as levers. Had to be really careful doing it that way.

[stevej37]

If you buy levers....get four of the stiff plastic ones. Some of the newer plastics will bend too much.

[Scott Douglas]

I've actually made levers out of old tooth brush handles.

[Purrybonker]

Tubeless ready tires don't frustrate the tire mounting/dismounting process in my experience it's tubeless ready rims that can make it more difficult.

I was out for a long ride and wrapped up the day with a total of five flats.

That's three patches, one new tube from my repair kit and another new tube from a passing rider who came to my assistance. After flat number 4 I was out of repair solutions and in for a 3 mile walk pushing the bike.

My rims are tubeless ready and it's almost impossible to dismount the tire with bare hands which was my usual practice with non-tubeless rims.

Remounting the tire is still doable with bare hands but would be a challenge with arthritis for sure.

If your rims are tubeless ready you and I both should just bite the bullet and give in to the tubeless movement.

Flats are much less frequent with tubeless kit! So I've been told many times anyway.

[Laneco]

For the road bike - tire brand makes a big difference for me as to ease of install/removal. Michelins used to drive me nuts until I had then on and off a couple of times. Just really tough the first install/first removal on the wheels I was using.

Tips to make it easier. First...check to make sure you have no spoke or little metal spur from the wheels sticking up that will give you a flat...

Put a little air in the tube and put the tube and tire on the wheel together (rather than one side of the tire, stuff the tube in, then the other side of the tire. The air pushes the tube slightly against the tire and AWAY from the tire levers.

Good levers are worth the money. Most tires I can mount with one good lever (and many mountain bike tires I can do with no levers), but if you have 3 even the truly stubborn ones give up and do your bidding. A little baby powder makes helps the tire/tube to give up their stickiness and can make it easier to put on. The first side usually goes fairly well. The second side is usually the pain in the arse. Roll the tire bead by hand deep to the center of the wheel as they are usually concave (don't try to keep the bead up near the edge where the mount is). The last foot or so are where the tire tries to make a straight line across the wheel.

At this point, use one lever to "anchor" one side of that flat stretch and go to the opposite side and begin rolling the tire onto the wheel with another lever. If you get stuck, stop - use that 2nd lever to anchor that point. Now you have two levers which are hopefully fairly close - like 8-10 inches apart. Hold the wheel with one hand and use the third lever a few inches inside of one of the other two to "flick" just a little more tire onto the wheel. Keep it close - looking for no more than 2 inches. When that little bit pops on, leave that lever there to anchor your spot. Remove the lever that is behind it, and use it the same way. You'll shrink the space down and then last move has the last of the tire popping in.

This has helped me install even the most constipated combination.

angela

[flatbutt]

Thanks all. I'm a member of REI but my local store is booked for no contact service until July! I have got to get this done because it's the only real aerobic exercise I can do.

I've been using Bontrager tires but can't get them ib 700 x 23 anywhere I looked so I'm trying Continental gator skins. Hoo wee are they tough. The last 6 inches are just torture.

I can't see anyway of getting that last 6 inches on without levers. It is just too tight. I'm down to my last tube and I'll try again tomorrow and let you know how I make out.

Thank you all for posting your advice.

[Brando]

I just went through the same two weeks ago - destroyed two tubes. Turns out one of my tires had been flat for a while and wasn't seating the bead, filled it up to 40 PSI and BLAMMO. I did the 10 PSI pre-fill, seat the tire with spoons, fit the bead, and filled it the rest of the way no problem. 3rd time's a charm.

[hcoles]

Originally Posted by Otter74

I'm guessing perhaps you're dealing with narrow tires that are particularly difficult to mount. As suggested above, don't push with your fingers or thumbs - those muscles aren't very strong, and you're going to tire your hand out quickly. Delfate the tire completely, work the bead down into the valley of the rim, particularly on the side opposite where you are beginning to work it off or the last part you're trying to seat, and when you're getting the last part of the bead on use your hands to push and roll it over rather than your fingers. If you're at home, a little dish soap on the bead helps, too. And while it's fine (often necessary) to use levers to get the bead off the rim, you should never use it to get the bead on. It's a great way to pinch-flat the new tube. If you have a particularly difficult rim-tire combination, a VAR bead jack can help.

+1 - It helps to understand the drop-center design. By working the bead down into the center and then hold tension as you move both hands around the tire - 99% of the time you can get the tire on without a lever and in most cases not much force required to roll the last few inches on using just your palm or thumbs. I have tuebless ready rims but still using tube tires.

[zakthor]

I think im a real ace at swapping bike tires, almost never need more than my fingers. Sometimes i put water around the tire bead so it can slide. The bead needs to slide around the rim to make space. Pinch the bead from each side into the center of the rim, there is a shelf around the outside where the bead will be tightest.

I dont think ive used a tire lever in five years but there are tough combinations. I need to be able to repair so I wont stand for it and would get a tire i knew i could change.

Some tire rim combinations are a disaster. I remember an early bontrager ust tire that i needed a tire lever to get the tire bead on to a mavic rim - never a good sign. It made a snap-BONG when it clicked into place and i knew i was hosed. Spoke tension had fallen off. I had to use a wire cutter to get that tire off the rim. Those were the days when the tubeless spec wasnt agreed yet, not so common now..

[RSBob]

I use Gatorskins which are just about impervious to flats. Have put on 500 miles this year with no flats but then I watch for glass and objects. They are not easy-on/off but the trade off is fewer flats. Combine that with the excellent tips above and you should be golden.