Fitting Shwalbe Marathon Plus...tube pops

[Lozatron]

Following the advice of sage members of this forum I recently moved from a Ridgeback Hybrid to a second-hand Dawes Audax for my commute. I'm much quicker and the ride is *much* more fun (12 miles each way from West London to the city...)

*but*

I've come off twice, once due to a small pothole, once due to goin over one of those nasty metal slabs they put on the roads in the City.

I went back to my tired old hybrid but I want to get back on my lovely super steel-framed Dawes loveliness...so I've decided to take off my ultra gator skin 23s and replace them with Schwalbe Marathon Plus 28s.

Problem is...when I try to fit them on the rim, I can't seem to get the rim of the tyre to fit properly just above the valve. When I inflate the tyre it gets worse and worse - until the tyre pops off the rim (but only just above the valve...everywhere else is fine...)

Am I doing anything wrong? The wheel looks as though it should be able to take it. The fact that it's just popping out above the valve makes me think that the problem is where the valve joins the inner tube inside it - do different brands of inner tubes have different joins inside?

Sorry for vague rambling message - any and all help gratefully received.

 

[Steve Austin]

Are you screwing the little locknut tight before inflating the tyre?

 

[Lozatron]

Steve - thanks - yes I am - i thought that might be the problem so I tried not screwing it tight too...seemed to be the same.

 

[ComedyPilot]

Are you sure you have the correct size tyre for wheel combo? if a tyre is too big it could do that, otherwise part inflate tube, place in tyre, seal onto rim, and partially inflate tyre then spin rim to see if it's seated equally all way round, if not it'll show a tight/loose spot, then remedy by moving it.

 

[knonist]

Please allow me to share some recent experiences on fitting the M+.

My M+ arrived by post last Friday, and they arrived coiled and "deformed".

First try:

It took me almost 20mins to fit the front tyre with tyre levers and no success , because one side of the tyre will always come off as I roll the tyre to fit other part. It didn’t seems to fit to the rim as it has been coiled thus it is slightly deformed, and even when I managed to fit both side of the tyre on to the rim, it was too tight to fit the last bit in.

Second try:
I then decided to massage the tyre by placing it flat on the ground and step on it evenly for around 2 mins. This time fitting was much easier and more straight forward. I still have to use tyre levers but it is no longer impossible.

I did the same for my rear tyre but with a longer massage, and it fit without tyre leaver and it only took me 2 mins!

Before inflating them, I massaged the tyres by hand after the tyres were fitted, just to ensure I didn’t pinch the tubes.

 

[Crankarm]

Once you've got the tyre on check around both sides of the rim that the tube is sitting inside the tyre belt. Do not screw on the valve locknut. Slowly inflate tube checking that the tyre belt remains under the tube as it inflates and does not get pushed up and out by the tube. Once you have ensured this is the case then inflate tyre to full pressure.

Most 15/16mm rims will take up to 28C tyres. Obviously the wider the rim section the wider the tyre that can be accommodated. If a new tyre is tricky to get over the rim use a smear of washing up liquid to help it over . When tyre is fully inflated tighten valve stem locknut although this is not really necessary it completes the job. Once you've changed a few tyres you'll find you can do it without levers and just use your hands which obviously avoids the risk of pinching the tube with a lever .

 

[Piemaster]

I found my M+ a pig to fit (26x1.75 size) due to a bit of distortion on buying them.
On the positive side you'll probably never have to take them off for a you know what.

 

[fossyant]

Make sure you give the valve a shove in before inflating - this ensures that the tube is not pinched under the tyre rim. Bin the washer for the valve !

 

[betty swollocks]

Make sure you give the valve a shove in before inflating - this ensures that the tube is not pinched under the tyre rim. Bin the washer for the valve !

Yes, take the lock nut off and before inflating, give the valve a good push in wards towards the rim.

 

[garrilla]

I was once told by the guy in the LBS to ensure that the tube is partially inflated in the tyre before putting the tyre on. The inflated tube should not be firm but should stay in the tyre and not slip. The tyre/tube combo should then be put on the wheel at the valve and the valve-nut lighty screwed to stop movement while the tyre/tube is pressed on - without levers where possible and using a small amount of 'grease' if necessary (washing up liquid, marg, etc).

With Shwalbe's I have found the pressing the tyre on can be difficult, but not impossible. If you can warm the tyre up that may help - for the 'masseur', I suspect it is the warming effect of repeatedly treading on it rather than lossening effect of your shiatsu technique

I'd be inetersted to know why there is different info around vis the valve-nut if anyone knows.

 

[Lozatron]

Guys

Thanks for the great advice - two popped inner tubes later...pushing in the valve was the way forward.

So I managed to successfully fit my tyre and...there's not enough space for the wheel to turn with it on...I should just have gone and bought a boardman hybrid shouldn't I...

d'Oh!