Tyre changing.

[Lurcher100]

Hello all, just thought I'd share this. Each time I've changed a tyre I've really struggled. First time was putting 700 28 Continental Sports on 22 rim to improve rolling resistance from originals. Now with weather changing gone to Schwalbe Marathon 32s for grip & puncture resistance. Always find it difficult and today managed to change on front wheel after 1/2 hour only to see i had rotation wrong! Went for a pint. Dreading ever having to do this outside if unlucky. Is it me?

 

[smokeysmoo]

This video should help

 

[pclay]

Schwalbe Marathons have a reputation for being difficult to put on, due to the tick anti puncture strip.

I would forget the ration arrow, it make no difference which way the tyre is installed.

 

[Jody]

Don't worry about them being back to front. I would just leave them and run as is.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

today managed to change on front wheel after 1/2 hour only to see i had rotation wrong!

If it niggles you, you could just flip the wheel around (unless you have disc brakes).

 

[raleighnut]

Fit the wheel the other way round (this only works with rim brakes )

 

[Rooster1]

Please buy one of these, taking off a tyre is like spreading butter on bread (and putting it back on) ...

Crank Brothers Tool Speedier Lever

 

[groundy74]

Please buy one of these, taking off a tyre is like spreading butter on bread (and putting it back on) ...

Crank Brothers Tool Speedier Lever

Ordered, hope its as easy as you say

 

[J1888]

I had murder trying to get my 25s onto the rim and one tip that helped me was to hold the wheel horizontally against my stomach (rock hard abs, sorry), and pinch the tyre each side onto the rim; obviously once you get to the final bit of tyre, this is much more difficult, but just taking it in very small amounts gradually has helped no end. Whereas like you it once took me 20-30 minutes of effing and blinding, I can now do it in about 3 minutes.

 

[MichaelW2]

Plain Marathonis not as hard as Marathon Plus.
The trick is to persuade the bead to drop into the central well with a smaller diameter so giving more slack to ease over the edge. Squeeze the beads together and rub the excess towards the stuck bit, from both sides.

 

[jay clock]

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/...1_dc|pcrid|161845658788|pkw||pmt||prd|89487UK

These are pretty good

 

[mjr]

Ordered, hope its as easy as you say

I've got one but I don't get on with it (for road bikes - it's fine on MTBs) as well as the Koolstop Bead Jack, but that is bigger. Others like the var tool.

Regular tyre levers with lips like the Bontrager red levers (metal-cored) or Park Tool blue levers (not) are helpful if you don't want to carry a big lever.

 

[mjr]

(Marathon pluses are swines for doing this. I guess marathons may be the same)

They're not - pluses have armoured sidewalls while marathons are a bit more flexible.

Great list of tips. One to add: leave the rim-valve locknut very loose until you've inflated the tyre, else it can pull the tube under the tyre bead and push the tyre off the rim.

 

[growingvegetables]

Is it me?

Nope. .

And nothing to add to all the good advice (especially the video clip) - but just thought I'd add a wee "We've all been there " reassurance.

My personal favourite bit - the tip about having some air in the tube, to lower the risk of snake bites. Forty+ years of changing tyres, forty+ years of snake bites, forty+ years of ... "choice language" ...... DUUUUUUH! That was the trick that solved it for me.

 

[Lurcher100]

Fit the wheel the other way round (this only works with rim brakes )

Thanks have discs, hands not what they were.