Whats the secret with fitting tyres with a stiff bead?

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Location
Shropshire
O.k. winter is over so I decided after giving my commuter bike a spring clean to put the summer tyres back on, Continental sport contacts, what a night mare!
I broke two sets of plastic tyre levers and punctured both the front and rear tubes when I had to use the old spoon method which also has slightly marked the rims? I find the last 8 inches or so of the bead nearly impossible to fit. I've never come across this in 25 years of serious cycling 5 kids and half the estate of kid’s tyres and punctures. Is this just these tyres or all the puncture resistant types? What’s the knack of fitting them? Judging by this experience I don't think I'll ever fit them again as I dread having a puncture at the side of the road and having to fix it!:laugh:
 

sheddy

Legendary Member
Location
Suffolk
I will be shot down, but there are other bike tools which will lever the bead on using the other side of the rim as a pivot. If I can be arsed I will wander out for a look and see if it has a name on it...
 

Gerry Attrick

Lincolnshire Mountain Rescue Consultant
It is a fact of cycling that some combinations of tyre and rim are a pain in the butt to fit. In nearly every case I have encountered, the problem has been solved with the liberal application of your wife's/girlfriend's/boyfriend's/partner's talcum powder along the tyre beads. If you are really stuck, a friendly natter with the local tyre fitting depot may see you depart with a small quantity of official tyre lube. Unlike soap and Fairy Liquid and lts ilk, tyre lube won't cause corrosion.

Try talc first though.
 

MacB

Lover of things that come in 3's
sheddy said:
I will be shot down, but there are other bike tools which will lever the bead on using the other side of the rim as a pivot. If I can be arsed I will wander out for a look and see if it has a name on it...

a VAR lever from SJS cycles, a Crank Brothers Speed Lever or, my personal favourite, the Simson Tyre Mate. The speed lever is great for removing tyres but doesn't refit tight ones so well. The VAR lever is good at getting them back on but the Simson puts this to shame, but VAr is more portable.
 

longers

Legendary Member
The tyres and rim combination I've currently got on one bike are a tight fit and I saw a technique on yacf that meant getting it on as far as you can and then standing on the remainder and pushing the top of the wheel away from you to pop it on. It worked!
 
OP
OP
BADGER.BRAD
Location
Shropshire
Some interesting ideas there ! I can see standing on the tyre working at the side of the road and also Sheddys alternative tyre lever tool working. I more woried about getting a punchure out on the road as I ocasionally end up 20/30miles from home when I'm on a mission.In fairness to Continental tyres I see if I had brought the tyres myself ( rather than fitted to the bike) they offer a years garentee agaist pucntures with a replacement tyre and tube if you do get one,They must be pretty confident to offer that !So Hopefully I'll never have to fix one at the side of the road!

Many thanks everyone.
 

Kestevan

Last of the Summer Winos
Location
Holmfirth.
I've just fitted Michelin Krylion folders on Fulrcrum wheels. and I'm hoping like hell I dont get a puncture on the road.


Damn things took 3 hours to fit, and I must have pinch flatted 10 times. However judging by the last set, when they have been on for a while they should stretch and be much easier to fit next time
 

MacB

Lover of things that come in 3's
Kestevan said:
I've just fitted Michelin Krylion folders on Fulrcrum wheels. and I'm hoping like hell I dont get a puncture on the road.


Damn things took 3 hours to fit, and I must have pinch flatted 10 times. However judging by the last set, when they have been on for a while they should stretch and be much easier to fit next time

This could be a wet kipper round the face moment but, you can always fit and remove several times before adding an inner tube to the mix:biggrin:
 

Kestevan

Last of the Summer Winos
Location
Holmfirth.
I did... still popped the damned things.

I find it's only when they have been inflated to 120psi for a while that they get easier.
 

GrasB

Veteran
Location
Nr Cambridge
Silly question but have you got a tyre that's a little to small for the rim? I found that the 26x1.3" were a total PITA to get on my 23mm rims but fine on the 20mm & the reverse was true for the 26x1.6" tyres
 

swee'pea99

Legendary Member
longers said:
The tyres and rim combination I've currently got on one bike are a tight fit and I saw a technique on yacf that meant getting it on as far as you can and then standing on the remainder and pushing the top of the wheel away from you to pop it on. It worked!
Love it! I'm def going to try that one.

Re the OP tho', I endorse spomeone's point about it differs amazingly between different wheels/tyres which 'are the same size'. Some combos go on really easy, some are an absolute swine. When push comes to shove I've aways used metal levers and brute force, but I've got a fair few pinch flats, and it's a *real* pain.
 

andrew_s

Legendary Member
Location
Gloucester
Kestevan said:
I did... still popped the damned things.

I find it's only when they have been inflated to 120psi for a while that they get easier.

Tyres vary.

I've had a Conti GP4Seasons that I found impossible to fit to the wheel I was using. It needed tyre levers to get the first side on, and the second side I had to start on the tyre levers when there was still well over a foot of bead to fit.
Other GP4S have been no problem, on the same rim.
In the end I gave up and fitted a different new GP4S.

I then got a different (new) wheel with the thinnest possible rim tape, and eventually got it on after an hour's struggling with tyre levers (including the VAR, which just bent). It's been sitting with 160psi in it ever since, waiting for the other new tyre to wear out. Hopefully it will be stretched enough by then.

The tight tyre had been bought cheap from the bargain basket at the LBS. I reckon someone had taken it back after failing to fit it.
 
Top Bottom