Easy Coker Airfoil tire change



J

john_childs

Guest
Last year I had the pleasure of trying to install a Coker tire on an
Airfoil rim. I had a *very* difficult time trying to get the tire on
the rim. I had such a difficult time that I wrote a thread about it:
'Putting a Coker tire on the Airfoil rim' (http://tinyurl.com/48pvc).

When I got home from NAUCC this year I had the pleasure again of
installing a new Coker tire on the Airfoil rim. This time it went
*much* easier.

At the beginning of the 10K at NAUCC I noticed that I had about a 1/2"
cut in the tread of my Coker tire. The cut was in the center area of
the tread. Fortunately it wasn't on the sidewall, and fortunately it
didn't go all the way through the casing. But it was clearly a bad cut
and I was going to have to replace the tire. Bummer. The tire still
has lots of tread left.

This time the tire change was much easier. The trick was switching to a
different rim tape. Last time I used Velox rim tape. The Velox rim
tape is good stuff, but it's rather thick and not very slippery. The
thickness makes it more difficult to install the tire. The lack of
slipperiness makes it more difficult to get the tire to slide all the
way into the center lowest part of the rim channel during the tire
install.

This time I tried 'Rox Ultralight Rim Strip' (http://tinyurl.com/6y4ne).
This rim strip is very thin and very slippery. I'm not sure it would
do well in a super high pressure road bike tire (120 psi to 160 psi),
but for the Coker tire the Rox rim strip should have enough substance to
keep the tube away from the nipples and spokes. A single roll contains
two rim strips which is enough to do two bicycle wheels or one Coker
wheel.

The Rox Ultralight Rim Strip made the Coker tire install sooooo easy. I
did the tire install using two 'Quik-Stik' (http://tinyurl.com/54vrd)
tire levers and a bicycle toe strap. I used the toe strap as a third
pair of hands to hold the tire in the center part of the rim channel
while I used the tire levers on the opposite side of the wheel. Easy.
The Rox rim strip allowed the tire to easily slide all the way into the
center area of the rim channel (where the diameter of the rim is the
smallest). The toe strap held it there. Prying the rest of the tire
over the rim was easy. I think I could have actually pried the rest of
the tire over the rim without any tire lever tools at all if I had to.
Wow!

The big trick is the Rox Ultralight Rim Strip. U-Turn has been using
Salsa rim tape, but I couldn't find the Salsa tape at any local bike
shops. I was able to find the Rox rim strip. I haven't tried the Salsa
tape so I don't know how well it works and how easy the tire install
would be. The Salsa rim tape is thicker than the Rox Ultralight rim
strip so I would expect the tire install using the Rox Ultralight rim
strip to be easier.

No longer am I scared of repairing a Coker flat out on the road. I know
I could do it if I have to.

Rox Ultralight Rim Strips rock!


--
john_childs - Guinness Mojo

john_childs (at) hotmail (dot) com
Gallery: '' (http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/john_childs)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
john_childs's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/449
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34284
 
LBS, here I come!

Thanks John


--
Sofa - you - pee - dee

'yea i no allot of mi frends an i r hecka smartr then othr peeple at mi
skool cus we can balense and we can ride farthar then other peeple wich
makes ur bran more exersised an it helps u consentrate an improves ur
mentel stamena' - 1wheelthrilla


'Unicycle Product Reviews' (http://tinyurl.com/368h6) *107* reviews on
*72* products

'London Unicycling Club ' (http://www.brianmackenzie.com/LUC/) (London,
Ontario, Canada)


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sofa's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/706
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34284
 
The last time you changed the Coker tire was in October. How hot was it?
This is August and a hot one at that. I left my Coker in the sun for
about an hour and was able to remove the tire without any tools, I was
just wondering if that made it different for you.


--
muddycycle - Nonchalance

"What can possiby mystify a madman?"
Hegira: Greg Bear
------------------------------------------------------------------------
muddycycle's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/1283
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34284
 
In both cases the tire was at indoor temperature. Not enough of a
temperature difference to expand the tire. In both cases it was a brand
new Coker tire.

The big difference really was the rim strip. With the Rox rim strip the
tire slid easily down into the center channel area of the rim. With the
Velox rim tape the tire would get hung up on the edge of the rim tape
and would not slide down. With the Velox rim tape the tire was actually
dislodging the rim tape during the install. It was a real hassle.


--
john_childs - Guinness Mojo

john_childs (at) hotmail (dot) com
Gallery: '' (http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/john_childs)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
john_childs's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/449
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34284
 
Now that people are back from UNICON I'll bump this up.

I'm curious if anyone has experience with the Rox Ultralight Rim Strip
in a Coker or any other wheel. The Rox rim strip is really really thin
which kind of makes me nervous about it. It's so thin that it makes you
wonder just how it can hold.

I'm going to wait about a month and then deflate the tire so I can look
at the rim strip to see how it's holding up. Hopefully the rim strip
will be fine and I can stop worrying about it.


--
john_childs - Guinness Mojo

john_childs (at) hotmail (dot) com
Gallery: '' (http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/john_childs)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
john_childs's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/449
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34284
 
I took the tire off my Coker last week. When I took the tire off I
noticed that the Rox Ultralight Rim Tape had slipped in a few places and
exposed some spoke hole edges. Not good. It doesn't look like the
adhesive on the tape is strong enough to keep it in place in the Airfoil
rim. Bummer.

I'm not sure what caused the tape to move. I stretched the tape tight
when I installed it. It was in place when the tire was installed back
in August. Then I check it again about a month later and it was still
in good shape (I just deflated the tire and took a peek inside without
removing the tire). Now I check it in April and there were two sections
where the tape had moved over and exposed the edges of some spoke
holes.

Oh well.

I'm trying three wraps of electrical tape now for the rim tape. That
should work OK. Three wraps of electrical tape is a bit thicker than
the Rox tape and it was slightly more difficult to install the tire.
But only slightly more difficult. No great difficulty getting the tire
back on. I hope the electrical tape holds up.

I'm going to try the electrical tape for a month or so and then check it
to see if it's staying in place. If it's good then I'm going to
consider switching to a 29er tube instead of the stock Coker tube. I'm
not going to try a 29er tube until I can find a rim tape solution that
is going to stay in place. The 29er tube won't be as forgiving about
exposed spoke hole edges compared to the stock Coker tube.


--
john_childs - Guinness Mojo

john_childs (att) hotmail (dott) com
Gallery: '' (http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/john_childs)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
john_childs's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/449
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34284
 
Electric tape is what i have used for years, use a high quality electric
tape, and I only use two layers and I have never had a problem. Maybe
that's why I had no trouble getting my coker tire on the new bigger
airfoil rim.


--
Tellurider - Dan Wilson

There's a fine line between "Hobby" and "Mental Illness".
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tellurider's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/4972
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34284
 
Tellurider wrote:
> *.... use a high quality electric tape, and I only use two layers and
> I have never had a problem. *


Definitely use a high quality tape, because the cheap stuff will end up
turning into a sticky mess as it gets hot. The dark anodized airfoil rim
is bound to get pretty heated up in the summer sun.


--
One on one - Geezer Unicyclists Of America

"However, like the jet pilot, if the Coker rider tries to turn too fast,
he/she could black out."
-Memphis Mud

The De Beers people used to say, "Diamonds are Forever." But now their
ad says, "Diamonds Will Render Her Speechless." Why don’t they just
come out and say, "Diamonds--That'll Shut Her Up!"
Ron White - Blue Collar Comedy Tour

------------------------------------------------------------------------
One on one's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/5740
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34284
 
i buy all my electrical tape from the dollar store.

a few wraps has been on each of my many tires (bikes and uni's) and i
have never had to replace it

side note:

I heard there was now clear duct tape!

edit: I believe you yanks have something similar, 'the Dime Store?


--
Brian MacKenzie - LAN Solo

'TRAINING WHEEL NOT REQUIRED DVD - NOW AVAILABLE!'
(HTTP://WWW.LBMMULTIMEDIA.COM)

'Unicycle Product Reviews'
(http://londonunicyclingclub.ca/unicycleReviews.aspx)
*120* reviews on *77* products, never make an uninformed purchase again!


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brian MacKenzie's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/7650
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34284
 
Brian MacKenzie wrote:
> * I believe you yanks have something similar, 'the Dime Store? *


The eighty cent store.


--
harper - TANKED at GASWORKS

-Greg Harper

B L U E S H I F T

"My world view has come crashing down like a drunk clown on a giraffe,
riding through a cactus patch..." -evil-nick on "Entry of the
Gladiators"
------------------------------------------------------------------------
harper's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/426
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34284
 
harper wrote:
> *The eighty cent store. *


The Dollar Store.


--
bugman - Survivor 2004 Wolfman Duathalon

-* [ F O N T = c e n t u r y g o t h i c ] ' H e l p C u r e D i a
b e t e s b y S u p p o r t i n g M y R i d e ' ( h t t p : /
/ t i n y u r l . c o m / 6 8 m k v ) [ / F O N T ] * -

*Fund Raising Honor Roll*
Kathy Susanka
------------------------------------------------------------------------
bugman's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/3812
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34284
 
*Bump*

Not too long ago I tried to put a 29" tube, and a Brand New Coker Tire
on my new airfoil rim with the help of my Dad and two metal tire levers.
We didn't use any lubricant, or special rim tape, and we managed to
pinch the 29" tube and put a hole in it. But we did get the tire on. It
was pretty hard to get the tire on, but not impossible.

Today I patched up the 29" tube and we went to try to put the tire on
again. I put electrical tape over the current rim tape to allow the 29"
tube to slide better. The tube we got on ok, but we coulnd't manage to
get the tire on this time! The tire was on almost all of the way with
less than a foot of the bead that was off of the rim, and we were
pulling the little metal levers as HARD as we could. Out of the both of
us, we just couldn't get the tire on.

Sooo, we decided to bring it to our LBS, 1000 feet down the road. They
were amazed at the size of the Airfoil rim and Coker tire, naturally.
After 15 min of extreme prying, they popped our tube again, and couldn't
get the tire on. They actually considered it impossible. Since they
popped the tube they also gave me another one for free and didn't charge
for labor. They were really nice about it. Plus, they even broke 4 of
their tire levers just trying.

But the people at our LBS did have one suggestion: to heat up the tire
either by sticking it in the dryer or using a heat gun. Anybody ever
done this? I am thinking that if I use a heat gun, I should heat the
tire while it is already on the rim. That way, it won't cool down by the
time it takes to get it on because it's already on. Would this be
okay?

I am extremely frustated right now because even the LBS guys said it was
impossible :( . Could I have gotten a defect tire that is too small, or
a rim too big? Think of it this way, trying to stretch a non- stretching
material, like the tire, over something that is way bigger than it, the
rim... It looks like I am damaging the tire with the amount of force
being applied by the tire levers.

If heating up the tire to get it to expand is ok then I plan on doing
that next. Also, using a lubricant such as water and soap.

Thanks for your replies,
Lee


--
leeman180 - i should be out riding

'My Gallery' (http://gallery.unicyclist.com/Lees-Uni-Stuff) - last
updated 5/20/05
------------------------------------------------------------------------
leeman180's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/8441
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34284
 
get some metal tire levers (the kind they use for downhill bikes and
motor cycles)

[image:
http://www.cyclingnews.com/photos/2003/tech/reviews/park_levers/parklever1.jpg]


a typical plastic lever would probably go from the right hand side of
the pictured lever tothe right hand side of the logo section

you should get 1 (2 would be better, but one does the trick)


--
Brian MacKenzie - LAN Solo

'TRAINING WHEEL NOT REQUIRED DVD - NOW AVAILABLE!'
(HTTP://WWW.LBMMULTIMEDIA.COM)

'ps. just watched TWNR, the UW36 on the stairs broke my brain' - markf

'Unicycle Product Reviews'
(http://londonunicyclingclub.ca/unicycleReviews.aspx)
*120* reviews on *77* products, never make an uninformed purchase again!


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brian MacKenzie's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/7650
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34284
 
leeman180 wrote:
> **Bump*
> If heating up the tire to get it to expand is ok then I plan on doing
> that next. Also, using a lubricant such as water and soap.
>
> Thanks for your replies,
> Lee *


I used shaving cream as a lubricant on the tire. It worked very well.
You also have to get the tire thats on the rim into the well of the rim.
This will give you a little bit more tire to pull over the rim to get it
on. Squeeze the tire beads together to get it centered into the well. It
can be done. I have one of the "defective rims" and I was able to get
the tire mounted without much trouble. The "defective rims were a little
bit larger which made mounting the tire harder. Once you get the tire on
the rim, pump it up to about 65 lbs. That will seat it properly. Good
luck.


--
One on one - Proud member of the UALW and GUA

"However, like the jet pilot, if the Coker rider tries to turn too fast,
he/she could black out."
-Memphis Mud


------------------------------------------------------------------------
One on one's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/5740
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34284
 
with the proper tools, you won't need gimmicks like lubricant and
heating guns


--
Brian MacKenzie - LAN Solo

'TRAINING WHEEL NOT REQUIRED DVD - NOW AVAILABLE!'
(HTTP://WWW.LBMMULTIMEDIA.COM)

'ps. just watched TWNR, the UW36 on the stairs broke my brain' - markf

'Unicycle Product Reviews'
(http://londonunicyclingclub.ca/unicycleReviews.aspx)
*120* reviews on *77* products, never make an uninformed purchase again!


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brian MacKenzie's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/7650
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34284
 
Brian MacKenzie wrote:
> *with the proper tools, you won't need gimmicks like lubricant and
> heating guns *


With a common household lubricant, you won't have to invest in tools.:D


--
One on one - Proud member of the UALW and GUA

"However, like the jet pilot, if the Coker rider tries to turn too fast,
he/she could black out."
-Memphis Mud


------------------------------------------------------------------------
One on one's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/5740
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34284
 
One on one wrote:
> *With a common household lubricant, you won't have to invest in
> tools.:D *


you'll have a tire lever on the trail when you need it, even if you are
freshly shaven



:D


--
Brian MacKenzie - LAN Solo

'TRAINING WHEEL NOT REQUIRED DVD - NOW AVAILABLE!'
(HTTP://WWW.LBMMULTIMEDIA.COM)

'ps. just watched TWNR, the UW36 on the stairs broke my brain' - markf

'Unicycle Product Reviews'
(http://londonunicyclingclub.ca/unicycleReviews.aspx)
*120* reviews on *77* products, never make an uninformed purchase again!


------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brian MacKenzie's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/7650
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34284
 
Brian MacKenzie wrote:
> *you'll have a tire lever on the trail when you need it, even if you
> are freshly shaven
>
>
>
> :D *


Having smooth legs is a plus especially for summer riding.
Who the heck rides a Coker on the trails anyway?
:D


--
One on one - Proud member of the UALW and GUA

"However, like the jet pilot, if the Coker rider tries to turn too fast,
he/she could black out."
-Memphis Mud


------------------------------------------------------------------------
One on one's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/5740
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34284
 
You guys can shave each other in the middle of a lap...

Quite seriously, you should be able to put the tire on with no tools and
no lube. The bead-in-the-channel thing is the trick. Recall rim or
not.

Heating up the tire is not a good idea, IMHO.

Bring your Coker to a NYUC meeting, and I'll show you in person. :)


--
U-Turn - As long as my feet keep movin'...

Weep in the dojo... laugh on the battlefield.
'LiveWire Unicycles' (http://www.livewireunicycles.com)
'Strongest Coker Wheel in the World'
(http://www.unicyclist.com/gallery/albup39)
'29er Tire Study' (http://u-turn.unicyclist.com/29erTireStudy/)
'New York Unicycle Club' (http://www.newyorkunicycle.com)
-- Dave Stockton
------------------------------------------------------------------------
U-Turn's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/691
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34284
 
The Coker tire can be very difficult to get on an Airfoil rim. The
proper tire mounting procedure needs to be followed to make it a humanly
possible job.

Get the bead of the tire down into the deepest part of the rim (where
the diameter for the rim is the smallest) while you're putting the tire
on. I use old-school bicycle toe straps to hold the tire in place. Get
the bead into the center part of the rim and cinch it down with a toe
strap. Then move to a place about 1-1/2 feet away and cinch that spot
down too with a toe strap. Now start prying the tire over the rim
working to a final spot that is on the opposite side from the toe
straps. As you're working the bead over the rim keep pushing it down
into the center part of the rim as you go along. For the last bit you
can use a metal tire lever or a very stout plastic tire lever (like the
Pedros lever). See the picture in 'this thread'
(http://tinyurl.com/8b52e).

Heating the tire sounds like a very bad idea. It is completely
unnecessary and could possibly damage the tire. The tire isn't going to
expand when it gets heated. All the heat will do is possibly make the
tire more pliable and easier to work with. The heat isn't going to make
the diameter of the bead bigger.

A little silicone spray lubricant works well. If you're using a brake
you'll want to keep the silicone spray off of the brake surface or else
clean the brake surface with something after you're done. I just spray
the bead of the tire with silicone spray. That makes it a little easier
for the tire to seat after it is installed and inflated for the first
time.

I gave up on the electrical tape. The tape didn't stay in place well
enough. It wanted to creep. I didn't trust it to stay in place.

Continental makes a 'rim tape' (http://tinyurl.com/dgtvr) that I want to
try. Next time I change my tire I'll give it a try.

Right now I'm using yellow 16 mm wide 'Pedro's'
(http://www.pedros.com/frames/tools.html) rim tape. It's nylon fabric
style tape. But the adhesive didn't seem as strong and sticky as I
would like.


--
john_childs - Guinness Mojo

john_childs (att) hotmail (dott) com
Gallery: '' (http://gallery.unicyclist.com/john_childs)
' Unicycling Bookmark List' (http://backcountry.unicyclist.com/) ::
'World Clock' (http://tinyurl.com/a99y3) >>>'Click Me'
(http://tinyurl.com/7lvbu)<<<
------------------------------------------------------------------------
john_childs's Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/449
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/34284
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top Bottom Back