Tired of tight tyres

[lejogger]

I've recently changed the rubber on both my bikes... Michelin krylion carbon on the commuter (from conti gp4 seasons) and conti gp4000s on the best bike (from conti ultra sport).

I've never had a problem with the gp4 seasons but putting the two new sets on and even getting the ultra sport off was an absolute mission. I was utterly exhausted by the time i'd finished and it made me hope and pray that the p******* fairy isn't about for a while because doing a change at the roadside would be horrendous.

So firstly, am I doing something wrong? Is it that some tyres are tight and some aren't? Does anyone have any tips for making the process a bit easier... The bit I'm really struggling on is getting the final 6 inches or so up over the rim when the tyre is already as taught as it wants to be. I'm ashamed to admit I had to use a tyre lever at one point... Surely it shouldn't be that difficult?

 

[ianrauk]

Are you making sure that the tyre is pushed down in to the recess of the wheel rim? Use your hands, starting from the bottom and push the tyre into the recess working your way round. That will give you precious mm's to make the tyre easier to get over the rim.

 

[Inertia]

I'm no expert but reading your post I recognized myself in it, I had incredible trouble taking tyres off and asked myself the same questions. I also dreaded what would happen if i had to fix it at the roadside. I literally threw tools at the wall it was that hard taking the tyre off. Although the tyre said it was the same size as the previous set which were came with the bike, I ordered the next size up and they fitted fine with no stress. They were different manufacturers so maybe they can vary slightly and this can make a difference.

 

[numbnuts]

try one of these
http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b65s72p1263
http://www.sjscycles.com/Instructions/VAR/VAR_Tyre_Lever_Instructions.pdf

 

[lejogger]

Are you making sure that the tyre is pushed down in to the recess of the wheel rim? Use your hands, starting from the bottom and push the tyre into the recess working your way round. That will give you precious mm's to make the tyre easier to get over the rim.

cheers. That makes sense... And I'll give it a try next time. Although I'm hoping the next time won't be for a while!
I was literally at the limit of my power just trying to stretch the edges on. Once you get it about 92% there it seems to just pop on itself no problem but can be a tremendous struggle to get it that far.

Does it also vary from rim to rim also? And are folding tyres easier than beaded ones?

 

[lejogger]

try one of these
http://www.spacycles.co.uk/products.php?plid=m2b65s72p1263
http://www.sjscycles.com/Instructions/VAR/VAR_Tyre_Lever_Instructions.pdf

ingenious!... But I'm a man... man who invented the wheel and built the Eiffel tower out of brawn and sweat! I should be able to just look at the tyre and make it pop onto the rim out of fear alone!

 

[I like Skol]

Did you replace the rim tape at the same time by any chance? I recently changed just the rim tape as I noticed the oem stuff was micro thin and well on it's way to collapsing into the spoke holes on my road bike. Same tyres could be fitted and removed quite easily just with bare hands (700x23c) before fitting the cloth rim tape but it is a bit of a struggle now and bizarely more difficult on one wheel than the other (Same rims and tyres). The thicker rim tape definitely takes up more room and makes tyre fitment more challenging.

 

[Globalti]

How many times do I have to post this on bike fora?

USE TALC!

The new tyres will have been clean and sticky and talc is the best dry lubricant for rubber known to Man. Divers use it all the time for their equipment. Sprinkle liberally on the bead all round, make sure the same bead on the opposite side of the wheel is pushed well up into the well of the rim and you'll be able to ease the tyre on with your fingers.

 

[lejogger]

Did you replace the rim tape at the same time by any chance? I recently changed just the rim tape as I noticed the oem stuff was micro thin and well on it's way to collapsing into the spoke holes on my road bike. Same tyres could be fitted and removed quite easily just with bare hands (700x23c) before fitting the cloth rim tape but it is a bit of a struggle now and bizarely more difficult on one wheel than the other (Same rims and tyres). The thicker rim tape definitely takes up more room and makes tyre fitment more challenging.

nope, 'fraid not. Still the original rim tape... How often should you change that out of interest? Just when it starts to fray or wear around the spoke holes?

 

[lulubel]

Some rims seem worse than others for getting tyres on as well. I put my used Rubino Pros on my new rims, and had an awful job getting them on (compared to the old rims). I use tyre levers - tough plastic ones that don't snap too easily - because I wouldn't have a hope of getting the tyres on otherwise.

 

[I like Skol]

nope, 'fraid not. Still the original rim tape... How often should you change that out of interest? Just when it starts to fray or wear around the spoke holes?

If it's ok then leave it alone! I only changed mine because I had bought a new road bike and owned it 6 months before I decided I should do a dummy run puncture repair just in case. These are the skinniest tyres I have ever owned and finding out they are too tight to remove at the roadside would be a disaster. I was appalled at the quality of the oem rim tape, sure it was very light but IMO not fit for purpose. Velox cloth rim tape fitted and even though I run one tyre at close to 120psi it barely looks touched last time I took a tyre off.

 

[screenman]

Valve bit last, if not it will have the effect of making your tyre smaller as it cannot drop into the rim at that point.

 

[mickle]

What screenman said.

 

[lejogger]

Valve bit last, if not it will have the effect of making your tyre smaller as it cannot drop into the rim at that point.

last??! Blimey, I have been going wrong then. I've always got the valve area sorted early doors and then moved around the rest. Cheers for that

 

[MacB]

I do valve bit first and don't use talc, no problems fitting by hand so far, and I use cloth rim tape. What Ian said in post #2 works for me. Get the tyre on until you're at that last tough bit then work round the tyre by hand pinching into the recess/well. The only one I've ever had a struggle with was an M+ on a Rigida Sputnik rim but it still went on with this method. Sometimes I need to let the air out of the tube to get the tyre pinched into the well properly.

I'm sure there are tyre and rim combos out there that would/could defeat this method but I've been lucky not to meet them so far.