Why are my tyres so hard to change?

Wishbone Ash

woody1 wrote: »

glad to hear this, was trying to put a set onto the young fellas bike, got the front one on eventually but tore the tube with the levers, didnt even try the back one, itl be going into the bike shop soon and they can do it ..

If you're doing it at home, you can use cable ties to secure each section as you go along. Start at the valve and work around each side alternately without levers. (Not possible at the roadside but, with marathon Plus's, you won't be in that position. Also, they become more supple after a bit of use).

Weepsie

As an FYI, I stuck some lifeline tyres onto my commuter last night. Preposterously easy.

They're not brilliant tyres, but cheap and grand for this bike.

Nothing will be as much a struggle as my ice spike tyres, permanently in place on a spare wheel now.

murphyebass

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

If you're doing it at home, you can use cable ties to secure each section as you go along. Start at the valve and work around each side alternately without levers. (Not possible at the roadside but, with marathon Plus's, you won't be in that position. Also, they become more supple after a bit of use).

That sounds like an absolute nightmare. Imagine you get a flat at the side of the road.

route66

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

I punctured Gators several times and blew the side out of one. They are by no means puncture proof. There's a knack to getting them on and can be easily done on the roadside without levers.

I stopped using them a few years ago because, as you say, they are very dodgy in the wet especially the extra durable version of them - can't recall the sub-name of them (Dead something?).

Gator Hardshell (link) ?

I had these on a Trek hybrid and they were indestructible. After about 8 years of proper use (10 - 15K Kms total) they punctured one day and it was only then that I saw they were worn to the canvas.

I can't remember any particular low grip incidents with these, but years ago I had regular Gatorskins (link) on a road bike and I got a few scary moments on those. Have used GP4000s ever since

Wishbone Ash

murphyebass wrote: »

That sounds like an absolute nightmare. Imagine you get a flat at the side of the road.

They are particularly difficult to put on when new. They are much easier after a bit of use. In saying that, have you ever seen a punctured Dublin bike? They use Marathon Plus. I put 25,000kms on a pair on a commuting bike without a single puncture. I still have them hanging up in the garage - well worn and full of nicks and cuts but they've never let me down.

Weepsie

I've only had one puncture on marathon plus myself and it was the biggest, shard of glass you could imagine that did it. Any other tyre would probably have been unusable to be honest, but not these.

Mine are still there, just in case. I hold them partly responsible for my fractures elbow, but I had a similar spill on gp4000s so who knows

murphyebass

My new Pirelli’s arrived. Tried one on my front tyre which I knew would be tight.

No joy. Ever so slightly too big for the frame.

Back to my Gatorskins it is for now before I buy a new bike. Will keep the 25’s for then.

I nearly cried.

crosstownk

murphyebass wrote: »

I must have been very lucky so.

As it happens my new Pirelli’s just arrived.

Hope they fit the bike now. I went with 25’s to see what all the fuss was about.

murphyebass wrote: »

My new Pirelli’s arrived. Tried one on my front tyre which I knew would be tight.

No joy. Ever so slightly too big for the frame.

Are you saying that your 25 Pirellis wont clear the bike frame? This would be most unusual.

Or do you mean they are tight to fit to the rim of the wheel??

magicbastarder

i used to own a bike which took a 23 on the front but it literally had about 2mm to spare between the tyre and the inside of the fork crown. this was not the gap between the side of the tyre and the fork tine, it was the gap between the centre of the tread and the fork crown.

murphyebass

crosstownk wrote: »

[/B]



Are you saying that your 25 Pirellis wont clear the bike frame? This would be most unusual.

Or do you mean they are tight to fit to the rim of the wheel??

I’m saying I’d need to file away the part under the fork for it to fit which I’m not gonna do.

Bear in mind the bike is 10 years old. 25c wasn’t really thought about at the time I suppose.

Tbh I was considering buying a new bike under the bike for work scheme so this just another reason to buy a new bike.

crosstownk

murphyebass wrote: »

I’m saying I’d need to file away the part under the fork for it to fit which I’m not gonna do.

Bear in mind the bike is 10 years old. 25c wasn’t really thought about at the time I suppose.

Tbh I was considering buying a new bike under the bike for work scheme so this just another reason to buy a new bike.

Ah OK. I incorrectly assumed the bike was relatively new.

murphyebass

crosstownk wrote: »

Ah OK. I incorrectly assumed the bike was relatively new.

Nah old as fook. Still in good nick though.

Pity the 25s won’t fit. Would love to have them on for my long spin today.

Good excuse for a new bike. :-)

CramCycle

route66 wrote: »

I used to have lots of difficulty fitting tyres before I adopted the following technique which I read about somewhere:

Go as far as you can until you get to the last difficult bit (which should be nowhere near the valve). Then try harder. Keep going until you have the absolute minimum of bead exposed. Then, and only then, turn your attention to the opposite side of the wheel; squeeze the beads together and push these into the well of the rim. This should provide enough clearance so that you can push the remainder of the tyre in.

This has worked well for me on GP4000s, wire rimmed Schwalbe Marathon tyres, wire rimmed gatorskins, etc and mostly without tyre levers - just roll the last bit on.

I discovered this by accident after nearly flinging the wheel and a half put on Schwalbe marathon across the wall into my neighbours in frustration, made them relatively easy, a great tip that I only figured out by luck in the last year.

Type 17

This thread has reminded me of a story from my youth:

Many years ago (summer of 1989), I was working in a bike shop in London and a guy came in, saying that he had had terrible trouble getting a new tyre (bought elsewhere) onto his rim, and he had pinched the tube, but now he couldn't get it off.

We took a look and realised that he had bought a 700c tyre (ETRTO rim size 622mm) and had actually managed to get it (with steel tyre levers) onto a 27x1¼" rim (ETRTO rim size 630mm). The tyre's diameter was fully 8mm too small for the rim, and the bead was stuck firmly in the rim-well all the way around.

We couldn't get it out ourselves, so we had to snip away a section of the tyre with a side-cutter pliers to expose the wire beads, and then snip them to remove the ruined tyre and remains of the tube.

We congratulated him on his tenacity, and gave him a discount on a new 27" tyre.

magicbastarder

Type 17 wrote: »

We congratulated him on his tenacity, and gave him a discount on a new 27" tyre.

you should have given him a job. after that he'd probably have been able to get a tyre onto a rim it was actually designed for simply by looking at it.

Truthvader

Havent been on a bile for over 40 years. Two forks did the trick when I was kid. Os everything now just a bit more difficult?

Type 17

Truthvader wrote: »

Havent been on a bike for over 40 years. Two forks did the trick when I was kid. Is everything now just a bit more difficult?

It's probably easier now - decent nylon tyre levers (kinder on the hands, and kinder on alloy or carbon rims (which are a lot stronger and resistant to dents/flat-spots than old steel rims)), thinner-walled but wider tyres (easier than cheap, thick 23's).

Add in foam rim tape and oval-section drop-bars (much nicer on the hands) and indexed gear shifters as part of the brake levers (rather than friction ones on the down-tube), and you get why I never wanted a racer when I was young (got my first drop-bar bike in 2017 after a lifetime of 3-speeds, BMX's, MTB's and flat-bar racers).

magicbastarder

I think he/she meant is getting tyres on more difficult these days. If so - tyres are a different beast now, generally the more puncture proof they are, the harder they are to mount onto the rim.

Type 17

magicbastarder wrote: »

I think he/she meant is getting tyres on more difficult these days. If so - tyres are a different beast now, generally the more puncture proof they are, the harder they are to mount onto the rim.

I know, but s/he hasn't been on a bike in 40 years, so I was just catching him/her up on other developments too

magicbastarder

mentioned here before, but my 70+ year old mother in law has never been on a bike.

Truthvader

magicbastarder wrote: »

mentioned here before, but my 70+ year old mother in law has never been on a bike.

She better learn cos the Greens look like they are getting into power.

Going to fight them all way from the comfort of my car myself. I've done my time on bicycles. Anyway as above it appears I will be more comfortable doing a full engine rebuild than changing a tyre on a bike these days (and quicker if the posters here are to be believed)

magicbastarder

i bought new tyres recently and they flew on. some tyres are more equal than others.

I'm still using spoons my dad used before me as levers :pac:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0_zzCLLRvE

Truthvader

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm still using spoons my dad used before me as levers :pac:

Ah finally someone on my level I can help.

Forks are better because they fit in between the spokes and hold the first insertion in place leaving you hands free to get your second fork in

Truthvader

Truthvader wrote: »

Ah finally someone on my level I can help.

Forks are better because they fit in between the spokes and hold the first insertion in place leaving you hands free to get your second fork in

There actually used to be a fork!!!!!!

Long gone now and one from the drawer in the kitchen today wouldn't be the same. Not as malleable as the 40 odd year old ones we used to have, yeah our forks as kids were ****e for eating with but great as tyre levers