Hard to fit tyres

[Daveh]

Hi!

Could someone tell me why some tyres are so hard to fit? My latest frustration was with a Hutchinson
- can't remember the model. I was about 20km from home when I had a puncture. You can't use the
plastic tyre levers, so I had to use a metal one, and every time I use them unless I am particularly
careful - and lucky - I puncture the tube when putting the tyre back on. Sure enough I did... I
eventually rode back with no tube - I didn't care if I ruined the tyre as it went straight into the
rubbish anyway!

Is there any reason for the tyres to be so tight? Is there any special technique to use when putting
them on the rim? Are there certain tyres to be avoided?

Looking foward to your comments.

Dave

 

[Rg]

"DaveH" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi!
>
> Could someone tell me why some tyres are so hard to fit? My latest frustration was with a
> Hutchinson - can't remember the model. I was about 20km from home when I had a puncture. You can't
> use the plastic tyre levers, so I had to use a metal one, and every time I use them unless I am
> particularly careful - and lucky - I puncture the tube when putting the tyre back on. Sure enough
> I did... I eventually rode back with no tube - I didn't care if I ruined the tyre as it went
> straight into the rubbish anyway!
>
> Is there any reason for the tyres to be so tight? Is there any special technique to use when
> putting them on the rim? Are there certain tyres to be avoided?
>
> Looking foward to your comments.
>
> Dave

... I'm sure you know this BUT just in case - when you have replaced the tube inside the tyre casing
just give it a few pumps of air to expand it so that you reduce the risk of pinching it with the
tyre levers.

You may need to deflate the tube to seat the casing in the rim before pumping it up again and going
on your merry way.

RG

 

[Bruce]

DaveH wrote:
> Hi!
>
> Could someone tell me why some tyres are so hard to fit?

The rims on my MTB make it hard to fit ANY tyre. the solution i found was .. i forget the name. It
is made in South Africa, a single telescopic lever that you
- hook under the tyre
- extend tool and hook other end on axel (QR)
- hold lever near tyre, and pull in 360 degree arc around rim

It will also put tyres back on, using the other side of tool.

Anybody know the name? Its great.

 

[Andresmuro]

Here is the trick to get tires on. When you mount the tire, massage the beads into the center of the
rim, which is deeper. Go around the whole tire massaging it in its entirety towards the center. This
should create some slack, even if a tiny amount. This should give you enough play to massage the
last section into the rim even with the most stubborn tires. Using this technique, I can mount
almost any tire into a rim w/o using levers, which can pinch tubes. Somwething else that you can try
is to stand on the tire casing and with your hands, pull as hard as you can. This may stretch the
tire if only a tad.

Andres

 

[Tauras]

keep a small bar of hotel soap in your kit, bit of soap and a drop of water and those hard to fits
will just slide on. Works welll on mtn bike tires, have fun!

Tauras http://www.slonet.org/~tsulaiti/surfreport/

"DaveH" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi!
>
> Could someone tell me why some tyres are so hard to fit? My latest frustration was with a
> Hutchinson - can't remember the model. I was about 20km from home when I had a puncture. You can't
> use the plastic tyre levers, so I had to use a metal one, and every time I use them unless I am
> particularly careful - and lucky - I puncture the tube when putting the tyre back on. Sure enough
> I did... I eventually rode back with no tube - I didn't care if I ruined the tyre as it went
> straight into the rubbish anyway!
>
> Is there any reason for the tyres to be so tight? Is there any special technique to use when
> putting them on the rim? Are there certain tyres to be avoided?
>
> Looking foward to your comments.
>
> Dave

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[Quantjock]

I've found that it isn't the tire that is mis-sized -- but the wheel. I've got 3 sets of 700cc
wheels and only my cheapest set is impossible to get tires on. I don't know if the spokes aren't
pulled tight enough, or if the rim is miscast -- all I know is: it's not the tire -- it's the wheel.

"DaveH" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi!
>
> Could someone tell me why some tyres are so hard to fit? My latest frustration was with a
> Hutchinson - can't remember the model. I was about 20km from home when I had a puncture. You can't
> use the plastic tyre levers, so I had to use a metal one, and every time I use them unless I am
> particularly careful - and lucky - I puncture the tube when putting the tyre back on. Sure enough
> I did... I eventually rode back with no tube - I didn't care if I ruined the tyre as it went
> straight into the rubbish anyway!
>
> Is there any reason for the tyres to be so tight? Is there any special technique to use when
> putting them on the rim? Are there certain tyres to be avoided?
>
> Looking foward to your comments.
>
> Dave

 

[Mike S.]

"DaveH" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi!
>
> Could someone tell me why some tyres are so hard to fit? My latest frustration was with a
> Hutchinson - can't remember the model. I was about 20km from home when I had a puncture. You can't
> use the plastic tyre levers, so I had to use a metal one, and every time I use them unless I am
> particularly careful - and lucky - I puncture the tube when putting the tyre back on. Sure enough
> I did... I eventually rode back with no tube - I didn't care if I ruined the tyre as it went
> straight into the rubbish anyway!
>
> Is there any reason for the tyres to be so tight? Is there any special technique to use when
> putting them on the rim? Are there certain tyres to be avoided?
>
> Looking foward to your comments.
>
> Dave

Some times it is even a too thick rim strip causing the problems. I had a friend that was blowing
tires off his CXP33s till he went to a thinner rim strip. After that, the problems stopped. The
combination of a slightly oversized rim, a slightly undersized tire, and a thick rim strip all
conspire to frustrate us.

Try going to something like a Ritchey strip, or something similar. Your LBS should be able to set
you up with something. If not, then a strip or two of packing tape may work.

Mike

 

[GearóId Ó Laoi]

Andres is right. I always do that and can get anything on without levers, with patience. Another
point. Any bit of air in tube can cause a problem.

 

[Robert Taylor]

Kool Stop makes a great tool that really helps get a tight fitting tire onto the rim. You can see it
by going to: (http://www.koolstop.com/brakes/accessories.html) and then clicking on TIRE BEAD JACK.

I bought one from my LBS (about $10) and it has never failed me.

Bob Taylor

 

[Alex Rodriguez]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
>
>
>DaveH wrote:
>> Hi!
>>
>> Could someone tell me why some tyres are so hard to fit?
>The rims on my MTB make it hard to fit ANY tyre. the solution i found was .. i forget the name. It
>is made in South Africa, a single telescopic lever that you
>- hook under the tyre
>- extend tool and hook other end on axel (QR)
>- hold lever near tyre, and pull in 360 degree arc around rim It will also put tyres back on, using
> the other side of tool. Anybody know the name? Its great.

I think this is the crank brother, or is it cook?, device. I have one and I was not impressed with
it. It works fine with tires that go one easily. With the really stubborn tires, it sucks. I have
had better luck use the VAR tire levers. It is a wishbone shaped device that hooks onto one side of
the rim and the other goes under the tire bead. You can then leverage the tire into place.
-----------------
Alex __O _-\<,_ (_)/ (_)

 

[Alex Rodriguez]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
>
>
>I've found that it isn't the tire that is mis-sized -- but the wheel. I've got 3 sets of 700cc
>wheels and only my cheapest set is impossible to get tires on. I don't know if the spokes
>aren't pulled tight enough, or if the rim is miscast -- all I know is: it's not the tire --
>it's the wheel.

This will vary. I've had experiences with wheels where one brand of tire slipped right on, but a
different brand was very stubborn.
-----------------
Alex __O _-\<,_ (_)/ (_)

 

[Mike S.]

"Alex Rodriguez" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> >
> >
> >DaveH wrote:
> >> Hi!
> >>
> >> Could someone tell me why some tyres are so hard to fit?
> >The rims on my MTB make it hard to fit ANY tyre. the solution i found was .. i forget the name.
> >It is made in South Africa, a single telescopic lever that you
> >- hook under the tyre
> >- extend tool and hook other end on axel (QR)
> >- hold lever near tyre, and pull in 360 degree arc around rim It will also put tyres back on,
> > using the other side of tool. Anybody know the name? Its great.
>
> I think this is the crank brother, or is it cook?, device. I have one and I was not impressed with
> it. It works fine with tires that go one easily. With the really stubborn tires, it sucks. I have
> had better luck use the VAR tire levers. It is a wishbone shaped device that hooks onto one side
> of the rim and the other goes under the tire bead. You can then leverage the tire into place.
> -----------------

I've got one of those. They work wonders if nothing else will work. Thankfully, I haven't had to use
it too many times.

Mike

> Alex __O _-\<,_ (_)/ (_)

 

[Iguana Bwana]

On 25 Mar 2003 02:09:18 -0800, [email protected] (DaveH) wrote:

>Could someone tell me why some tyres are so hard to fit?

Tyres like rims, differ in their actual vs stated sizing. The combination of a slightly undersize
tyre with a slightly oversize rim makes for tight fitting, particularly so of those with an
inflexible wire bead. IME judicious use of Michelin plastic tyre levers which won't damage the rim
are the answer to those which stubbornly resist hand fitment.

As for which particular tyres. Personal experience or word of mouth generally determines my list,
which IME is a function of ea individual tyre model rather than a particular brand per se. But model
changes are so dynamic now, it's semi-impossible to keep a meaningfully accurate list for any period
of time. By the time you need a new set of tyres or get through trying something else, the model has
frequently been superseded.

Iguana Bwana

 

[Jon Isaacs]

>Here is the trick to get tires on. When you mount the tire, massage the beads into the center of
>the rim, which is deeper. Go around the whole tire massaging it in its entirety towards the center.
>This should create some slack, even if a tiny amount. This should give you enough play to massage
>the last section into the rim even with the most stubborn tires. Using this technique, I can mount
>almost any tire into a rim w/o using levers, which can pinch tubes. Somwething else that you can
>try is to stand on the tire casing and with your hands, pull as hard as you can. This may stretch
>the tire if only a tad.
>
>Andres

Since someone showed me this trick 10 years ago, I have not had to use tire levers once. I
have mounted some tires others found impossible, it really does work. Strong wrists are a big
help as well.

Jon

 

[Tbgibb]

To Andres' excellent advice I'll add that it makes it just a little easier to pushl on the tire with
your hands rather than try to push on the bead with your sore thumbs.

Tom Gibb <[email protected]

 

[A Muzi]

"DaveH" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Hi!
>
> Could someone tell me why some tyres are so hard to fit? My latest frustration was with a
> Hutchinson - can't remember the model. I was about 20km from home when I had a puncture. You can't
> use the plastic tyre levers, so I had to use a metal one, and every time I use them unless I am
> particularly careful - and lucky - I puncture the tube when putting the tyre back on. Sure enough
> I did... I eventually rode back with no tube - I didn't care if I ruined the tyre as it went
> straight into the rubbish anyway!
>
> Is there any reason for the tyres to be so tight? Is there any special technique to use when
> putting them on the rim? Are there certain tyres to be avoided?

Many tight tire situtaions involve the rim liner. Some rims have spoke holes that are so large and
close to the bead seat that no liner could possibly both cover the hole and avoid the bead seat.
When a liner occludes the tire's seat on the rim, it is difficult to mount (and sometimes impossible
to properly seat) a tire. Check that. Cyclists sometimes hypercorrect and use two rim liners. That
makes mounting/removal daunting. The easiest rims to mount tires on have a big difference in
diameter between the channel in the center of the rim and the bead seat. When you mount a tire, the
bead can drop down to that smaller center diameter on one side while you easily lift the tire over
the top of the rim on the other side. (That concept was Michelin's gift to the world). So anything
that gives you more room in the center will help. The Ritchey rim liner ( looks like ripstop nylon -
maybe it is) is the thinnest I know of and does help a lot of your rim doesn't have much
differential from the center well to the bead seat. Tires do vary by brand so you might try other
brands of tire to see which fits more easily. I don't think it is unreasonable to ask to your LBS to
let you try a few tires on your rim. It doesn't take long ( you don't need a tube for this) to test
fit a tire. What rim are you using? What rim liner? Lastly, I think you are right to be concerned
and if I were you I would sort this out and get a more reasonable combination before finding myself
stranded somplace with a recalcitrant tire. If the dealer supplied this rim/tire combination I would
expect an exchange gratis.

--
Andrew Muzi http://www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April 1971

 

[Paul Kopit]

On Tue, 25 Mar 2003 21:31:46 -0600, "A Muzi" <[email protected]> wrote:

>That concept was Michelin's gift to the world). So anything that gives you more room in the
>center will help. The Ritchey rim liner ( looks like ripstop nylon - maybe it is) is the thinnest
>I know of and does help a lot of your rim doesn't have much differential from the center well to
>the bead seat.

I worry about the plastic or nylon rim tapes. On a tandem, a failure mode for the overheated rim is
for the rim tape to melt and implode the tube. I don't know specifically about Ritchey but some of
them are non-reinforced plastic. Two wraps of strapping tape is very thin but is a pain if you need
to remove.

 

[David Damerell]

Gearóid Ó Laoi, Garry Lee <[email protected]> wrote:
>Another point. Any bit of air in tube can cause a problem.

I always start with air in to keep the tube out of the rim bed where it can become pinched, and
deflate it as I finish the job.
--
David Damerell <[email protected]> flcl?