My tyres won't come off!

[Rebel Ian]

My new tyres (Continental Gatorskins) have turned up and one of my tasks this morning was to put them on . Nice simple job I thought.

However, my current tyres (Vittorias) are absolutely refusing to come off. I've had to go and buy metal levers as the plastic ones just bent. I'm sure I heard the tyres laugh. However, it's a mammoth struggle to get one lever under the tyre let alone two to try and get the bloody thing off.

I've changed hundreds of tyres and tubes since I was a kid but never experienced anything as tight on the rim as these things. Any tips???

 

[tyred]

Try to ensure the tyre bead is in the deep "well" of the rim and that the tube is fully deflated.

Funnily enough, I recently put a set of Vittorias on an old Viscount that I had been working on and I found them ridiculously tight and to fit and difficult to centre on the rim after they were on. Fitting tyres is something I have never struggled with before, even tractor and lorry tyres.

 

[Rebel Ian]

I've had another go and managed to get two levers under the rim but it needs a third and that's a bridge too far for these bad boys it seems. I fear an embarassing trip to the bike shop to get them to do it. I might ask the missus to take them and play the "I'm just a weak female" card!

Just as well I've not suffered a puncture whilst out on these. That would have been really annoying.

 

[4F]

Junior hacksaw, save the laughter at the bike shop

 

[Rebel Ian]

Yes, I thought of just butchering them but I was rather hoping too use them as spares. Mind you, they're no good as spares if I can't get them off to change a flat so maybe the hacksaw is the way to go.

 

[raindog]

Don't saw through the rim as well.

 

[bungee]

I had a similar problem the other night, took me forever to get the tyre back on after repairing a puncture, took me and someone with a lot more experience than me about 20 minutes to get it back on.

Same tyre today however, I managed to get off and back on in 6 minutes. Only difference was it did it in the blazing sun (bike had been sitting out in it for a while). With my little understanding of chemistry/physics, I can only assume the extra heat made the tyre expand by a very small amount making it much easier to get on an off. I guess what i'm saying is, maybe try it somewhere a bit hotter (although i'm not in any way advocating directly heating your tyre).

 

[Piemaster]

To quote Scott Adams:
“There are very few personal problems that cannot be solved through a suitable application of high explosives”

 

[slowmotion]

Try to ensure the tyre bead is in the deep "well" of the rim and that the tube is fully deflated.

Absolutely. If a lot of the tyre is down in the well, you end up with more slack elsewhere which can be used to slip the bead on or off the rim. Have a peek at the wondrous Spa Cycles video...



View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XUFVrl0UT4

 

[cyberknight]

I've had another go and managed to get two levers under the rim but it needs a third and that's a bridge too far for these bad boys it seems. I fear an embarassing trip to the bike shop to get them to do it. I might ask the missus to take them and play the "I'm just a weak female" card!

Just as well I've not suffered a puncture whilst out on these. That would have been really annoying.

To get 3 in i stick all 3 in under the tyre before i lever them over , i find it is an easy way to get wire bead tyres off.

Once i have all 3 over i can just whizz the end one around the rim to get the tyre off .

I use conti gator wire on bead .

 

[PoweredByVeg]

Your next post is gonna be "My tyres won't go on!"

Getting Gatorskins onto my wheels was a right b'stard

 

[fossyant]

Pedro's levers are really good for removing barsteward tyres.

I have these as backups in the tool box - most of my tyres are folders (even MTB) so are easy on, easy off !

 

[funnymummy]

My new tyres (Continental Gatorskins) have turned up and one of my tasks this morning was to put them on . Nice simple job I thought.

However, my current tyres (Vittorias) are absolutely refusing to come off. I've had to go and buy metal levers as the plastic ones just bent. I'm sure I heard the tyres laugh. However, it's a mammoth struggle to get one lever under the tyre let alone two to try and get the bloody thing off.

I've changed hundreds of tyres and tubes since I was a kid but never experienced anything as tight on the rim as these things. Any tips???

When I got my Dawes, she came with Vittorias fitted, after several 'pops' all of which I had to get my LBS to fit new tubes as couldn't get the tyres off I decided to change to Gators... I ordred them from Wiggle, as way chaeper then my LBS was could do - After 30 sweaty minutes I took a apair of scissors to the Vittorias!

 

[Rebel Ian]

To get 3 in i stick all 3 in under the tyre before i lever them over , i find it is an easy way to get wire bead tyres off.

Once i have all 3 over i can just whizz the end one around the rim to get the tyre off .

I use conti gator wire on bead .

Now that's a good suggestion. Fortunately for the Vittorias I had to go out this evening so they have been spared the hacksaw for now. I'll try your tip in the morning and if that doesn't work then the hacksaw it is!

 

[Rebel Ian]

You have let the air out of the tyres first?

Seriously though, never heard of anything like this, what size are the tyres ?

Oh blimey, why didn't I think of letting the air out first?! Of course I've let the bloomin' air out and made sure they're fully deflated. The tyres have a solid wire right around them which makes deforming them, even when they're off, almost impossible. They're 23s.

Take a bow Mr cyberknight.......your tip worked . It took the help of SWMBO to stop one of the levers pinging back straight into my face as I applied the third but I managed to get three under the rim before putting one all the way over. It also helped putting them slightly closer to each other than I had been.

The Gatorskins I put on in their place were folding ones so a piece of cake. Lesson learned - folding tyres only in future. I know what's going to happen now though. Having gone 1300 miles on cheapo Vittorias without a hint of a flat I'm now going to get a puncture on the Gatorskins!!