Tyre levers..............any particularly good ones out there ??

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cd365

Guru
Location
Coventry, uk
Learn to do it without tyre levers.
 

slowmotion

Quite dreadful
Location
lost somewhere
I've used red plastic Tacx levers for about six years and they have always worked fine. I couldn't find them a couple of months ago and bought some blue plastic Park Tool ones as a replacement. I dislike them with a passion. They have the unfortunate habit of spontaneously springing out of the bead as you operate the adjacent lever. Fortunately, I found the Tacx levers again. The PT levers are consigned to The Unloved Drawer.
 

Spoked Wheels

Legendary Member
Location
Bournemouth
I busted a thumb the other day fitting a new set of 23c Michelin tyres on some 23mm rims. I'm still suffering the effects.... I only find it difficult with new tyres, even with the Parktools levers I have used for years, so I ordered a set of metal levers. Very happy with them but you do have to be careful with them. Practice with an easy to fit tyre first.

Some rims like the pacenti make things very tough. The new pacenti are easier though.

The Parktools levers are very good too. I think I have ever broken 2 in many years. The technique is very important though, I just don't have very strong hands I guess.

I also have a pair or rubber gloves from Aldi that I wear when fitting tyres.... make it easy to use the palms of your hands to roll up the tyre.... a good technique with easy to fit tyres, like the same Michelin with at least 100 miles on them.

I'm having too fit tyres all the time now for people that ask for wheels with new tyres alreasy fitted or bring me wheels to fix with tyres already on. So I invested on a tool that goes by the name kool stop tyre jack the tool does work but I'm not sure how long it will last. If it was made of metal then I'd be happier :smile:
 

Soltydog

Legendary Member
Location
near Hornsea
I bought the Park Tools ones, thinking they must be good, everything Park Tools is??? Really struggle with my Hardcase AW3 tyres on H Plus rims :sad: Last time I needed to remove the tyre I was having a hard time removing the tyre with my levers, my mate lent me his leyzene levers & it was off in a breath. maybe the Park Tools ones are good, just not suited to my tyre/rim combo :wacko: Going to order the Tacx ones & see how i get on with them, need to order some other stuff from Ribble too :okay:
 

sidevalve

Über Member
chuck the plastic stuff away a and find a set of the old fashioned metal ones. POLISH the ends until they are smooth and very shiny [use fine emery paper and metal polish]. They will never fail and last for the rest of your life.
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
All of this discussion about tyre levers would be unnecessary if people would just use TALC as a dry lubricant.

talcum-powder.jpg
 

vickster

Squire
Even with talc, I can't get tyres off a rim without levers. I don't usually need them to get a tyre back on, unless new
 

Globalti

Legendary Member
No, it's almost impossible to remove a tyre unless you start with a lever but with plenty of talc I can get any tyre back on the rim with two thumbs, which avoids the risk of damaging the tube with the lever.
 
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