Tight tyre help

[aJohnson]

So I'm putting some different wheels on my bike, now the tyres which are on the different wheels are extremely difficult to get off. I've broken a tyre lever already and I cant seem to get anywhere near getting it off. Is there any tricks which will make it easier to get off? I'm currently using spoons. Thanks,

 

[accountantpete]

You could try warming the tyre with a hairdryer.

Personally I use Pedros tyre levers which will shift anything.

 

[Gerry Attrick]

Use good quality tyre levers such as the Park Tools type or the Soma stell cored type. Nick your partner's talc, and having deflated the tyre, press the beads of the tyre into the weel of the rim and sprinkle liberally with talc.

Now press one of the beads into the well of the rim opposite the valve and work around with your thumbs until about 12 to 18 inches of bead is sunk. If it keeps popping up, use cable ties to temporarily hold in place. Then use a tyre lever to lift a small section of tyre immediately to one side of the valve off the rim and lock the lver in place using its built in hook around a spoke. With another lever the other side of the valve, do the same. As this section of tyre comes off the rim, you should now have a continuous length of two or three inches off the wheel. Now go back to the bit you secured with cable ties earlier and working away from the ties, sink more bead. At some point you will probably feel the tension in the bead relax. You can then remove the rest of the tyre with fingers only.

 

[Gerry Attrick]

Yep, the Pedros levers are also top notch.

 

[aJohnson]

Thanks, walked to LBS and got 2 sets of different park tools tyre levers, managed to get one tyre off after a lot of fighting with it, now to do the second one.

 

[e-rider]

I've heard of having trouble getting tyres on, but never off!

 

[Globalti]

USE TALC!

*wanders off shaking head and muttering "how many times do you have to tell people?"*

 

[Theseus]

Check the ETRTO number on the tyre and compare to the BSD of the wheel. Are you sure that you have the right size?

 

[robgul]

One trick I used with Marathon Plus fitting was to fit a toe-clip strap tightly to the rim and tyre at one end of the fitting area - which meant that you had both hands free to wrestle with the tyre and lever(s) - a sort of tourniquet I suppose!

Rob

 

[2Loose]

Must lovingly buy my missus some talc, just in case - +1 for thoughtfulness, +1 if I can nick it again at a later date
Although fairy liquid also helps but is far more messy.

 

[Globalti]

.....not to mention the salt used as a thickener.