Truing a tyre (not a wheel!)

[Cheule]

Another question folks

I've bought a pair of Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres for my MTB commuter bike, and as is common for internet vendors, they arrived folded up. I've put them on the wheels, pumped them up, but there's a visible "wobble" in both tyres, and this is transferred up the frame to me. I had hoped that when pumped up they'd lose the fold mark, will they over time or is there a trick to it?

 

[NormanD]

Turn your bike over or hang it from a bike rack, Release a large amount of air from each tyre, down to say 10 psi  for each, then grab a hair dryer and heat the tyres, then inflate another 20 psi and let them cool down, heat once more before filling the tyre to the pressure you normally use, allow to cool.

Now go on a test ride 

 

[Moodyman]

You'll address some of the wobble using the methods mentioned above.

But you're best off overpumping them & deflating 2/3 times. This stretches the rubber and straightens out some of the wobble.

Then ride with a wobble. The riding will break in the new rubber and it'll become more supple. It will then itself straighten.

Or, you can hang them up for a few days if you don't need to use them straight away. They will straighten by their own hanging weight.

 

[Tynan]

or buy lighter tyres or buy them from a LBS

 

[guitarpete247]

I was always taught that when refitting tyre after repair or new tyre to pump it up and bounce it round. Then deflate and check for alignment of valve and on rim etc. and reflate to full pressure. If neccessary do this a couple of times.
I got some tyres through post, "Schwalbe Landcruiser", and they were a little kinked. I tweaked the beading to get it true before fitting and after going through bouncing tyre round I have had no problems or wobbles.

 

[fossyant]

or buy lighter tyres or buy them from a LBS

+1 to lighter tyres - life is soooo much easier !

 

[e-rider]

The 'wobble' is not caused by the tyres being folded (unless they actually managed to damage the wire bead; which is possible) but you simply haven't fitted them true.

This is easy to do with Schwalbe tyres as they are usually a little too loose. Let some air out and straighten them up and pump up again. With some tyre/rim combos this can take several attempts and be a real pain in the ar$e.

 

[jimboalee]

How do you mean "Folded up". Creased with bends in the wire bead, or doubled looped to make a circle half the diameter?

If they are FOLDED, send them back.

Ribble 'double' their's so they arrive in a neat 1ft 2" diameter parcel. ChainReactionCycles sent me two ContiGatorskins in a 2ft square box so they weren't distorted at all.