Fitting new tyres to road wheels

[Gizmoish]

Sounds like a completely newbie question; I have been fitting/refitting/replacing tyres on MTBs for years, but yesterday I fitted some new rubber to the road bike (Rubino Pro black/lime) and it was almost ruddy impossible, they were so tight.

To the extent that it was properly difficult to get the first bead around the rim, let alone the second side with the inner tube inside. Eventually I managed it by a combination of swearing and tyre levers to get them on...

Is there an easy way, lifehacks, protips? It took me about an hour to do front and back, which is ridiculous.

Last time I had this much trouble getting something rubber where it had to go, she rolled over and said it didn't matter.

[covmutley]

I had the same problem yesterday! At least it was sunny in the garden whilst i struggled I ended up watching you tube videos and using just your thumbs is the way to do it, even though it does seem really tight. Once I committed to doing it this way it wasn't too bad, just takes a good strong push.

Eta my reply has nothing to do with your last sentence!

Edited by covmutley on Monday 20th May 22:39

[BMWBen]

Buy nice light racing tyres.

Then you'll have to change the tubes so often you won't be able to help getting good at it

[Brother D]

BMWBen said:

Buy nice light racing tyres.

Then you'll have to change the tubes so often you won't be able to help getting good at it

I 'upgraded' to light weight road tyres. Having 5 puntures in a week, with two in one day convinced me to go back to a more robust tyre...

[Rocksteadyeddie]

Like everything in life, there is a bit of a knack to it. If the tyres are very tight, and you are too weak to push them on with your thumbs , use a lever. Be very careful not to nip the tube and try levering on a small amount of extra tyre at a time -i.e. take lots of small bites at it. It can also help putting it on from both the unmounted ends in turn. HTH.

[PHmember]

Using levers put the tyre on & off the rim fully a couple of times WITHOUT an innertube in place. It stretches the new tyre nicely & you don't risk puncturing a tube. After 3 or 4 removals you'll find it much easier to get the tyre on with an innertube in place.

[GaryGlitter]

Washing up liquid (ask the wife where she keeps it).

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[ChrisMCoupe]

As others have said there is definitely a knack to it, some rims are harder than others too. I have personally never had to use more than 1 tyre lever and often none at all to get the tyre on the rim, but do like to use string or a couple of cable ties to keep the tyre on the rim as you work your way around. Shouldn't take more than a couple of minutes.

[Viperzs]

There is often some tolerance to wheel sizes. Although they say they are a certain size I don't think there is an actual set size that they all have to meet. Therefore a tyre will go straight onto one wheel where it might struggle on another.

You need to get yourself a decent set of tyre levers and just gently work them on. As someone said above if they are particularly tricky then some soap on the rim can help it slip over the rim.

[yellowjack]

Stick the wheel in a chest freezer, and warm the tyre up in the oven, only on a low heat, though




I'm not helping much, am I?

[agentnomad]

With new tyres and tubes the rubber is quite sticky, so dust them both with talcum powder this also helps the tyre slip over the rim as well as letting the inner tube move around inside the tyre so it is easier to get it inside the two tyre beads.

[okgo]

If you have time then put the tyres on the rims with no tubes for a night, this helps to stretch them a bit making it easier the next day. Of course with no tubes to speak of you can be pretty heavy handed with the levers to get it on.