Peteaud
Veteran
- Location
- South Somerset
Valve last for me.
Does fixing a puncture get easier?
- Thread starter Binka
- Start date
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I have always put the valve in first, ever since I started mending my own punctures some 50 years ago. I have never tried the valve last method. I will try it next time, but is it not fiddly to get the valve correctly lined up with the hole in the rim?
steveindenmark
Legendary Member
Totally agree. Take the front wheel off. Give it a clean and take it indoors with a couple of tyre levers and a pump.
Doing it in the cold and rain for any of us is a PIA, regardless of experience. Especially the rear wheel.
Steve
youngoldbloke
The older I get, the faster I used to be ...
The valve is inserted in the hole as usual - it's just that you finish fitting the second tyre bead at the valve position, rather than starting to fit the second bead at the valve position, and finishing opposite the valve.
Ah, I am with you all now. Excuse my baffoonary
. It is not putting the valve in last, but where you start/finish putting the tyre on the rim. In that case then, I always finish at the valve, always have done.
Sillyoldman
Veteran
Ah, I am with you all now. Excuse my baffoonary
Ha ha double buffoonery because that's what I thought the guys were meaning as well.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
I confess to the same misunderstanding!
I used to insert valve first and start the tyre at the valve, but I switched to valve in first, tyre at valve last and found that ...
... it was easier!
For the first time, I was able to put tyres back on without using tyre levers.
I used to insert valve first and start the tyre at the valve, but I switched to valve in first, tyre at valve last and found that ...
... it was easier!
For the first time, I was able to put tyres back on without using tyre levers.
Jon89
Active Member
Had a rear puncture today in the rain 
. I don't take the entire tyre off, feel round the inside off the tyre for anything that might have got in there and then just use some tyre levers to get one side off and slip your inner tube out valve first, then inflate the spare slightly and slip that in valve first.
. I don't take the entire tyre off, feel round the inside off the tyre for anything that might have got in there and then just use some tyre levers to get one side off and slip your inner tube out valve first, then inflate the spare slightly and slip that in valve first.
Machin
Regular
I thought I was a pro at tyre changing and then I got some Marathon plus tyres! I use a technique similar to the one shown in this video, but I use zip-ties /cable ties: you can get ones that have a built in lever for undoing them quickly and easily. I keep a couple in my bag at all times; as they weigh absolutely nothing.
On the plus side, I've now done about 7000 miles with Marathon Plus tyres without a puncture, riding throughout the winter in all weathers.
summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
I find that once you have taken tyres on and off several times it does get slightly easier ... not sure why (I don't mean practise lots though that helps, but they seem to be a bit more malleable). So far I have always done it at home preferring to walk a mile or two and sort it out in the comfort of home. I am waiting for that first one that isn't close enough to walk. Luckily it's not a frequent occurance for me ... a maximum of one or two a year. Recently had a new tyre put on as part of a service and when I picked it up he said he had replaced my inner tube too since it was full of patches - I counted them - all 6 of them and thought that wasn't bad since it had been on the bike for the last 6 years or so.
I've used talc to help ease the tyre back on the bike. Lots of swearing seems to be necessary too!
And experiment with different levers - I have a VAR lever which sometimes helps.
I've used talc to help ease the tyre back on the bike. Lots of swearing seems to be necessary too!
And experiment with different levers - I have a VAR lever which sometimes helps.
I'm glad I read this thread earlier today. I just put my Schwalbe Winter tyres on. The first took about an hour. After about twenty minutes I remembered the video, watched it, found some zip ties and then spent half an hour getting the tyre on. The second tyre took about half an hour altogether - and almost seemed easy. I wouldn't like to it by the roadside though.
Stonechat
Guru
- Location
- Staines, Middlesex
Had 3 punctures in a day once and repaired them all at the roadside (i.e. no spare inner tube)
Last edited:
So you watched the video and went against the advice most of the tyre manufacturers, read the posts above and you will find the video is very poor. The zip ties tend to squash they tyre onto the bead and not allow it to drop down into the well.
Now I am sure you all studied physics at school so I will be telling you something you certainly already know. First time fit if you think you might struggle, cool the rim and warm the tyre, simple case of expansion and contraction. I know this is not possible on the road, but as others have said second time around is easier.
Well, I haven't read the advice of most tyre manufacturers, the rim was freezing cold as it came in from the garage, the tyres had actually been pretty close to my radiator, and as it happened, despite how terrible the video apparently is, using zip ties made it much, much easier to fit the tyre.
Also, after some experimenting, I found that doing the valve first was easiest. When I did valve last I couldn't manage to do it without pinching the tyre. So I did valve first, loosened off the nut on the valve so that the tube could drop down into the tyre, and it worked really well.
This morning I rode into work on the tyres. I needed a little more effort to get going on them (understandably — they weigh more and aren't slick like my old tyres), and made an odd noise — a bit like riding on wet grit, or, when I'd got up to speed, like I had an electric bike. But passing pedestrians didn't seem to notice, so they're probably not too noisy. And they didn't affect how long I took to get to work. Now I just need some ice to ride on.
