tyre levers

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got-to-get-fit

New Member
Location
Yarm, Cleveland
I recently had a great deal of trouble getting the tyre back on my vuelta wheels .....i mean a lot of trouble!! so much so that my plastic tyre levers got so much stick that they heated up and became bendy and unusable. I went out the next day to buy some more and the LBS recommended some metal ones, which i duly bought. Im just worried that these will wreck the wheel rims next time im trying to lever the tyre into place......will this be the case...? It wouldnt be so bad but the bike isnt even mine its a mates that im loaning errrrrmmmm long term until he remembers i have it.
 

Elmer Fudd

Miserable Old Bar Steward
GTGF, the only thing I can suggest is run the end (snigger! snigger!) round a fairy liquid, or a.n. other brand of washing up product, you know lubrication makes sense ! Also makes it easy to get tyres back on, a dab on your finger and run it round the rim (I'll leave the sexual innuendo off that one ! I'm having a sarnie)
 

Elmer Fudd

Miserable Old Bar Steward
This is also an excellent D.I.Y. tip, always put a bit of washing up liquid on a screw, and if you've got a really small drill it helps even better to drill a pilot hole, but the washing up liquid helps the screw fly in.
 

Steve Austin

The Marmalade Kid
Location
Mlehworld
metal tyre levers have no place getting anywhere near modern ally rims.
I think pedros make lever that has metal core that i would use, but no way am i letting metal near my rim
 

Chris James

Über Member
Location
Huddersfield
I have only ever used spring steel tyre levers on aluminium rims and have never damaged a rim.
 

bonj2

Guest
metal tyre levers do scratch rims, yes.
If you use them in such a way they heat up you're not using them right.
 

Peyote

New Member
Elmer Fudd said:
This is also an excellent D.I.Y. tip, always put a bit of washing up liquid on a screw, and if you've got a really small drill it helps even better to drill a pilot hole, but the washing up liquid helps the screw fly in.

My Dad gave me the tip of using vaseline, or similar water resistant grease. Especially useful when you're rying to unscrew the panels on a fence that's been open to the elements for ten years!
 

Peyote

New Member
Elmer Fudd said:
GTGF, the only thing I can suggest is run the end (snigger! snigger!) round a fairy liquid, or a.n. other brand of washing up product, you know lubrication makes sense ! Also makes it easy to get tyres back on, a dab on your finger and run it round the rim (I'll leave the sexual innuendo off that one ! I'm having a sarnie)

I find talc is also a good lubricant for getting tyres back on.

Handy Hint - if you put some talc over your innertubes when inserting them into the tyre, as they inflate the talc will allow a bit of movement between tube and tyre, preventing and folding problems.
 

domtyler

Über Member
Yes talc is much better for tubes and tyres. I have some of the metal core levers and they are pretty good although the all plastic Park Tools ones are just as good if not better.
 

Tim Bennet.

Entirely Average Member
Location
S of Kendal
If you are struggling to put tyres on, then the VAR lever that looks like a big clothes peg, is really good. I got one years ago, but never used it as all my tyre / rim combinations went on easily with a bit of spit, but Mrs TB has just got some 26 inch Gatorskins which needed all the help they could get to go on Mavic rims. The VAR lever worked a treat.
 

frog

Guest
Another vote for the VAR. It works in the opposite way to a normal tyre lever and hardly touches the rim. The down side is it is a bit on the long side.
 
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