I have a set of wheels which I built for my commuter using Sun CR18 touring rims. These are about 22mm wide and are very strong. I have had GREAT difficulty mounting tires on these, so much so that I have abandoned the idea of using them for commuting for fear of getting a flat on the road and being unable to fix it.
To date I have only tried 700cX23 tires on these. A Sun rep. counciled me to not let the bead set on the back side when mounting tires, which allowed me to get tires on, but again, with great difficulty.
Will going to 700cX28 or 32 size tires address this problem? Do you have any tire recommendations? (EG. wire bead vs kevlar folding) What about specific brands? The Michelin City (wire) and the Vittoria Randonneur road version seem appealing. Is it just that the rims are badly sized?
Changing the size of the tire may or may not help your problem. Your best bet is to change tire brands or styles. All wheels and tires have slightly different dimensions and certain combinations can be very difficult to mount the first time. The tire will stretch out and changing a flat on the road should be easier than the original mount.
I use quick stix to mount all my tires and as long as you make sure the bead is near the center of the wheel when pulling it over the rim you should be able to get it on.
I have a set of wheels which I built for my commuter using Sun CR18 touring rims. These are about 22mm wide and are very strong. I have had GREAT difficulty mounting tires on these, so much so that I have abandoned the idea of using them for commuting for fear of getting a flat on the road and being unable to fix it.
To date I have only tried 700cX23 tires on these. A Sun rep. counciled me to not let the bead set on the back side when mounting tires, which allowed me to get tires on, but again, with great difficulty.
Will going to 700cX28 or 32 size tires address this problem? Do you have any tire recommendations? (EG. wire bead vs kevlar folding) What about specific brands? The Michelin City (wire) and the Vittoria Randonneur road version seem appealing. Is it just that the rims are badly sized?
Sounds like you're not the first person to experience difficulty mounting tires on those rims. Check out this old thread, if you haven't already seen it:
I have a set of wheels which I built for my commuter using Sun CR18 touring rims. These are about 22mm wide and are very strong. I have had GREAT difficulty mounting tires on these, so much so that I have abandoned the idea of using them for commuting for fear of getting a flat on the road and being unable to fix it.
To date I have only tried 700cX23 tires on these. A Sun rep. counciled me to not let the bead set on the back side when mounting tires, which allowed me to get tires on, but again, with great difficulty.
Will going to 700cX28 or 32 size tires address this problem? Do you have any tire recommendations? (EG. wire bead vs kevlar folding) What about specific brands? The Michelin City (wire) and the Vittoria Randonneur road version seem appealing. Is it just that the rims are badly sized?
Thinner rim strips are also a big help. After heaps of trouble mounting Continental GP4000s on Sun Assaults, I got rid of the Velox strips I'd been using and installed Rox Ultralights. Just a few hundredths of a millimeter makes a big difference.
Thanks to all. I'm getting the recommended tire lever, and have already gone to a thinner thickness rim strip that I made from a fiberglass tape which we used in the aircraft industry. It probably enabled me to mount the tires I now have on the wheels. From the link to the earlier post it does appear that I'm not alone. I'd advise others to avoid CR18 rims altogether!
From the link to the earlier post it does appear that I'm not alone. I'd advise others to avoid CR18 rims altogether!
I've had a few wheel and tire combo's that are impossible to change. I guess some tires are made on the small side of tolerances and some wheels are made on the large end of the scale.
I would put them in the dryer for a few minutes. It will enable you to mount them a lot easier. After they have been on the wheel for a few they will be easier to remount.
I would put them in the dryer for a few minutes. It will enable you to mount them a lot easier. After they have been on the wheel for a few they will be easier to remount.
To add to the general discussion of tire mounting: I've had Mavic MA-3 (or it is MA-2) road rims for years, and generally have not had trouble mounting most tires. However, last Fall I got some Hutchinson Flash (wire bead) tires in a wider size, and could not mount one. I bought some longer fiberglass levers that were recommended by one shop, and ended up breaking one of those. I finally took the wheel and tire to another shop and had the owner mount the tire. He was nice to me and recommended (and sold me) a pair of very cheap steel levers. He said to file one end of the spoon to make it easier to get under the tire when dismounting. I realize that steel levers are not recommended for alloy rims, but my rims are old and they don't work too well without tires, anyway! The mech. mounted the tire for me used them and did not mar the rim. I haven't had to try the steel levers yet, and I don't anticipate getting many flats on these tires as they are pretty robust. I like the look of that VAR lever, wish I'd had it to try at the time. I've also used Quix Stiks before, but broke that on another tire.
Before tossing a tire into the dryer be aware that nylon and polyester fibers shrink when heated. Aramids such as Vectran, Technora and Kevlar are more stable.
I think that by and large, it comes down to the mfr sizing. I have some 700 x 25 on my singlespeed, and for the life of me, they look like 700 x 19! In terms of fit, they go on easily. Continentals always seem to fit really tight to me. So to both fit and width, it really varies quite a bit.
