How To Avoid Snake Bite On Tubes?

"Tom" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have one bike that has Bontrager rims and tires; its almost impossible

to

Quoted message said:

take the tire off to fix a flat and better yet, get it back on without 'biting' the tube. I'm
using the regular tools that you carry in the

bike

Quoted message said:

pack. Is there a magic tool or solution for changing these monsters without 'biting' the tube?
Surely there is a professional trick that

beats

Quoted message said:

my amateurish efforts.

Tom

VAR and Koolstop both used to make tire tools that hooked on one side of the rim and lifted the tire
bead up and over the other side of the rim. Rivendell still sells a copy of the VAR tool. Even with
this tool I've found it necessary to inflate the tube very slightly and watch the tire bead very
carefully to make sure that the tire bead doesn't pinch the tube. I've also found that a tight
fitting Kevlar beaded tire can be stretched a tiny bit by putting it on the rim and taking it back
off without installing the tube, then installing the tube and tire. My experience has been with
folding Michelins and very thin Salsa tubes, I won't promise that this will work with your setup but
it's worth a try.
--
mark

"Tom" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I have one bike that has Bontrager rims and tires; its almost impossible

to

Quoted message said:

take the tire off to fix a flat and better yet, get it back on without 'biting' the tube. I'm
using the regular tools that you carry in the

bike

Quoted message said:

pack. Is there a magic tool or solution for changing these monsters without 'biting' the tube?
Surely there is a professional trick that

beats

Quoted message said:

my amateurish efforts.

This is not "snake bite", which is the (usually) double puncture you get when you bottom out your
tire on your rim.

What you need to do is put enough air in your tube so it'll hold it's shape before you insert it
into the tire. Then, make sure the tube is centered over the rim before mounting the other side of
the tire. Go easy with the tire levers.

--
Robin Hubert <[email hidden]

Tom said:

I have one bike that has Bontrager rims and tires; its almost impossible to take the tire off to
fix a flat and better yet, get it back on without 'biting' the tube. I'm using the regular tools
that you carry in the bike pack. Is there a magic tool or solution for changing these monsters
without 'biting' the tube? Surely there is a professional trick that beats my amateurish efforts.

It's easy - don't use the levers. There are some tire/rim combinations that make it difficult, but
it's always possible (with enough hand strength and resolve). Move the bead of the tire toward the
center of the rim as you push it on - that leaves more slack at the uninstalled part.

Mark Hickey Habanero Cycles habcycles.comhabcycles.comOpen ↗ Home of the $695 ti frame

I recently acquired and used the Crank Brothers Speed Lever on a set of wheels I have.
Campagnolo Vento with Vredestein Fortezza Tri Comp tires. Very, very difficult to get on using
conventional tire levers and thumbs. But the Crank Brothers Speed Lever put the tire on and took
it off with ease.

I would suggest finding out if your local bike shop carries this tool. Take your wheel to the
shop and tell the shop you are going to try the tool on your wheels. If it works, buy the tool
right there.

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"Tom" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

I have one bike that has Bontrager rims and tires; its almost impossible to take the tire off to
fix a flat and better yet, get it back on without 'biting' the tube. I'm using the regular tools
that you carry in the bike pack. Is there a magic tool or solution for changing these monsters
without 'biting' the tube? Surely there is a professional trick that beats my amateurish efforts.

Tom

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I try to pre-stretch the tire at least overnight like this. Another way I prefer is to order
replacement tires far enough in advance so that they can be installed on a junk wheel and
pre-stretched for several weeks.

Quoted message said:

I've also found that a tight fitting Kevlar beaded tire can be stretched a tiny bit by putting it
on the rim and taking it back off without installing the tube, then installing the tube and tire.
My experience has been with folding Michelins and very thin Salsa tubes, I won't promise that
this will work with your setup but it's worth a try.

Thanks fellows. Will follow up on your leads and advice.

Tom

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I'm not familiar with the Bontrager design, but I'm assuming it's a flat bottomed double wall
construction.

The best I can offer is mount one bead of the tire first, get the valve stem into the hole and, with
just enough air to give the tube a round profile, work it all into the tire.

Let the air back out and begin seating the other bead using only your hands. make sure none of the
tube tries to creep in between the tire and rim.

When you get to the last part, again let as much air out of the tube as you can and, starting from
the opposite side of the wheel press the bead of the tire as deeply into the rim as you can and work
your hands around towards the unseated section, pressing tire into rim as you go.

Unless the inside of your rim is real shallow, this should give you enough "slack" to pop the rest
over the edge. You should never use a tool to mount a tire.

Be sure the bead gets seated correctly before putting too much air pressure into the tire.

May you have the wind at your back. And a really low gear for the hills! Chris

Chris'Z Corner "The Website for the Common Bicyclist": geocities.comczcornerOpen ↗

Chris wrote:

"You should never use a tool to mount a tire."

Well Chris I still have a 'young' mind and young ideas; but, my 73yr old muscles are not what they
used to be. On most of my other bikes I've sprayed a little Simple Green on the tires and then
forced them over the rim. These on my wife's bike have just been too much. And she had two sticker
burs embedded in the tire that you could not feel inside the tire; but, would pierce the tube as
soon as she put her weight on it on the road. Finally found them and dug them out. I've fixed four
flats on her rear tire the past week or so and am about ready to take a gun to it. ha!

But will keep trying. Thanks.

Tom

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Mark Hickey <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

It's easy - don't use the levers. There are some tire/rim combinations that make it difficult, but
it's always possible (with enough hand strength and resolve).

holy cow, id have to see it to believe it..

i had the distinct displeasure (though i cant say it wasnt humorous) of mounting some new conti
folding tires onto a campy shamal wheelset. i dont know if it was these tires. or these rims. or we
just got the tightest two tires conti made in 2003, and the largest rims campy made in 19??, but
there was no way two strong mechanics working together could mount them by hand.

even with the VAR tool, it was no piece of cake.

i feel pretty secure saying that these would not have gone tool-less, despite the list of usual
tricks. and woe the unhappy cyclist who flats far from home.

-anthony (who couldnt help but notice the many dings in the rim from previous attempts to unmount
tires with metal tire levers) anagnostou

(ant) said:

Mark Hickey <[email hidden]> wrote in message

Quoted message said:

It's easy - don't use the levers. There are some tire/rim combinations that make it difficult,
but it's always possible (with enough hand strength and resolve).

holy cow, id have to see it to believe it..

i had the distinct displeasure (though i cant say it wasnt humorous) of mounting some new conti
folding tires onto a campy shamal wheelset. i dont know if it was these tires. or these rims. or we
just got the tightest two tires conti made in 2003, and the largest rims campy made in 19??, but
there was no way two strong mechanics working together could mount them by hand.

even with the VAR tool, it was no piece of cake.

Maybe, but I've been able to eventually get the tightest tires on the biggest rims without tools
(though sometimes at the cost of a blister or two). Call me stubborn...

Mark Hickey Habanero Cycles habcycles.comhabcycles.comOpen ↗ Home of the $695 ti frame

Mark Hickey said:

Tom said:

I have one bike that has Bontrager rims and tires; its almost impossible to take the tire off to
fix a flat and better yet, get it back on without 'biting' the tube. I'm using the regular tools
that you carry in the bike pack. Is there a magic tool or solution for changing these monsters
without 'biting' the tube? Surely there is a professional trick that beats my amateurish efforts.

It's easy - don't use the levers. There are some tire/rim combinations that make it difficult, but
it's always possible (with enough hand strength and resolve). Move the bead of the tire toward the
center of the rim as you push it on - that leaves more slack at the uninstalled part.

This is also what works best for me, but I seem to remember that Bontranger rims are tougher to do
this (I have a Mustang on the front -- wore the rear out and have replaced it 2x since 🙂).

Pushing the tire bead to the center of the rim's really important to get enough slack. Some rims are
cut a little deeper in the center and this makes it even easier. I get the tire started going on and
as I add to tire in the bead, I keep going around the rim and pushing the rest of the time into the
center. This works for the Mustang.

Also, putting enough air in the tube so that it holds itself out of the rim/tire-edge helps prevent
that source of mount-pinch flat.

David

Tom said:

Chris wrote:

"You should never use a tool to mount a tire."

Well Chris I still have a 'young' mind and young ideas; but, my 73yr old muscles are not what they
used to be. On most of my other bikes I've sprayed a little Simple Green on the tires and then
forced them over the rim. These on my wife's bike have just been too much. And she had two sticker
burs embedded in the tire that you could not feel inside the tire; but, would pierce the tube as
soon as she put her weight on it on the road. Finally found them and dug them out. I've fixed four
flats on her rear tire the past week or so and am about ready to take a gun to it. ha!

But will keep trying. Thanks.

Don't use Simple Green. It attacks aluminum -- slowly, so it's ok to use it as a cleaner, but they
way that you're using it, it stays in contact with the rim.

I'd use dish soap 🙂

David