Puncture nightmare
Discussion
2024 Ribble Allroad SL R e fitted with Mavic wheels and Pirelli PZero "road TLR" 700cx 32 tyres.
Got a front puncture the other day, no problem, I always carry a spare inner tube, a puncture repair kit and tyre levers etc.
Could I get the tyre off to replace the tube? No way, the tyre beads are ridiculously tight on the rim, couldn't get the tyre levers to do anything.
Gave up in the end and rode home 13 miles on a flat front tyre, I can confirm that Pirelli P Zeros can be used as run flats!
Once home I eventually got the tyre off with an assistant helping and by using multiple tyre levers, a right b
h of a job.
But there is absolutely no way I can get the tyre back on the rim, it's way way too tight.
Changing a bike inner tube used to be a simple job, what are you supposed to do when you get a puncture now?
Why are these tyres so bloody tight? How do they fit them at the factory, do they use a tyre machine?
It appears that the tyre and wheel combo may be "tubeless ready" if so why don't they supply them "tubeless done" instead of supplying them with an inner tube and tyres that seem impossible to get on?
What are my options here? Find some tyres that you can actually get off and on the rim yourself and use an innertube, or go tubeless? Probably should have RTFM before I started riding the bike!
Got a front puncture the other day, no problem, I always carry a spare inner tube, a puncture repair kit and tyre levers etc.
Could I get the tyre off to replace the tube? No way, the tyre beads are ridiculously tight on the rim, couldn't get the tyre levers to do anything.
Gave up in the end and rode home 13 miles on a flat front tyre, I can confirm that Pirelli P Zeros can be used as run flats!
Once home I eventually got the tyre off with an assistant helping and by using multiple tyre levers, a right b
h of a job.But there is absolutely no way I can get the tyre back on the rim, it's way way too tight.
Changing a bike inner tube used to be a simple job, what are you supposed to do when you get a puncture now?
Why are these tyres so bloody tight? How do they fit them at the factory, do they use a tyre machine?
It appears that the tyre and wheel combo may be "tubeless ready" if so why don't they supply them "tubeless done" instead of supplying them with an inner tube and tyres that seem impossible to get on?
What are my options here? Find some tyres that you can actually get off and on the rim yourself and use an innertube, or go tubeless? Probably should have RTFM before I started riding the bike!
The tubeless ready Mavic wheels are tight, and I constantly have to push the bead into the centre of the rim as I’m going, but I can get the tyres on by hand. My lad is 24, and he has not yet managed to get the tyre back on without levers. He also managed to pinch the tube every time but once.
These work pretty well and are portable for roadside use:
https://www.tyrekey.com/
And/or something like this for the workshop:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cycling-Bicycles-BTL-78-B...
https://www.tyrekey.com/
And/or something like this for the workshop:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Cycling-Bicycles-BTL-78-B...
Some combinations are very tight tight.
You do need to break the bead of tubless ready tyres and get it right down into the well of the rim. You don't even need a tyre lever for that part.
When putting it on you need to keep working it around with both hands to final part of the tyre that hasn't lifted over yet.
You do need to break the bead of tubless ready tyres and get it right down into the well of the rim. You don't even need a tyre lever for that part.
When putting it on you need to keep working it around with both hands to final part of the tyre that hasn't lifted over yet.
I've got these tyre levers that you gradually keep moving round the wheel and clipping on until you get to the last part of the tyre and lift it over - they've made it a breeze to get pretty tight tyres on my road bike (although admittedly not tubeless).
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Birzman-Tubeless-Tyre-Lev...
Easily the best tyre levers I've used so far.
https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Birzman-Tubeless-Tyre-Lev...
Easily the best tyre levers I've used so far.
Siao said:
The best trick I've seen is rubbing a bit of soap/appropriate lube on the bead. It just slides over the rim, so much easier. Just apply a tiny bit on the bead part, it worked like a treat for me.
https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/inner-tubes/schwalbe-easy-fit-sponge-applicator/I use this, helps a lot
Tubeless rim tape can also be an issue as it’s sometimes a fair bit thicker than regular/ standard.
I avoid specific TR tyres too. Can’t speak for other brands as I tend to stick to Conti but the GP5000’s are tight to mount yet the stiffer bead of the TR variants makes mounting the latter too much of a faff especially in colder weather.
Always need a lever or two to remove the tyre but the combination of the right rim tape, tyre, and the technique of manipulating the tyre beads into the centre channel of the rim and feeding round, invariably results in a lever free remount despite having the worlds weakest thumbs.
Good luck. No fun going out when you are constantly stressed about the possibility of a puncture, usually at the farthest point of the ride, knowing you are going to have an absolute mare changing a tube.
I avoid specific TR tyres too. Can’t speak for other brands as I tend to stick to Conti but the GP5000’s are tight to mount yet the stiffer bead of the TR variants makes mounting the latter too much of a faff especially in colder weather.
Always need a lever or two to remove the tyre but the combination of the right rim tape, tyre, and the technique of manipulating the tyre beads into the centre channel of the rim and feeding round, invariably results in a lever free remount despite having the worlds weakest thumbs.
Good luck. No fun going out when you are constantly stressed about the possibility of a puncture, usually at the farthest point of the ride, knowing you are going to have an absolute mare changing a tube.
The reason you struggled is because they are tubeless tyres, but with an inner tube fitted.
Get them converted to tubless pronto, because then
A) you probably wouldnt have noticed you'd got a puncture anyway
B) even if you did, you just jab it with a plug, give it a uick squirt of air and then carry on.
No one should be messing about with inner tubes in 2025!
Get them converted to tubless pronto, because then
A) you probably wouldnt have noticed you'd got a puncture anyway
B) even if you did, you just jab it with a plug, give it a uick squirt of air and then carry on.
No one should be messing about with inner tubes in 2025!
Andrew1234 said:
2024 Ribble Allroad SL R e fitted with Mavic wheels and Pirelli PZero "road TLR" 700cx 32 tyres.
Got a front puncture the other day, no problem, I always carry a spare inner tube, a puncture repair kit and tyre levers etc.
Could I get the tyre off to replace the tube? No way, the tyre beads are ridiculously tight on the rim, couldn't get the tyre levers to do anything.
Gave up in the end and rode home 13 miles on a flat front tyre, I can confirm that Pirelli P Zeros can be used as run flats!
Once home I eventually got the tyre off with an assistant helping and by using multiple tyre levers, a right bh of a job.
But there is absolutely no way I can get the tyre back on the rim, it's way way too tight.
Changing a bike inner tube used to be a simple job, what are you supposed to do when you get a puncture now?
Why are these tyres so bloody tight? How do they fit them at the factory, do they use a tyre machine?
It appears that the tyre and wheel combo may be "tubeless ready" if so why don't they supply them "tubeless done" instead of supplying them with an inner tube and tyres that seem impossible to get on?
What are my options here? Find some tyres that you can actually get off and on the rim yourself and use an innertube, or go tubeless? Probably should have RTFM before I started riding the bike!
I recommend Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyres.Got a front puncture the other day, no problem, I always carry a spare inner tube, a puncture repair kit and tyre levers etc.
Could I get the tyre off to replace the tube? No way, the tyre beads are ridiculously tight on the rim, couldn't get the tyre levers to do anything.
Gave up in the end and rode home 13 miles on a flat front tyre, I can confirm that Pirelli P Zeros can be used as run flats!
Once home I eventually got the tyre off with an assistant helping and by using multiple tyre levers, a right b
h of a job.But there is absolutely no way I can get the tyre back on the rim, it's way way too tight.
Changing a bike inner tube used to be a simple job, what are you supposed to do when you get a puncture now?
Why are these tyres so bloody tight? How do they fit them at the factory, do they use a tyre machine?
It appears that the tyre and wheel combo may be "tubeless ready" if so why don't they supply them "tubeless done" instead of supplying them with an inner tube and tyres that seem impossible to get on?
What are my options here? Find some tyres that you can actually get off and on the rim yourself and use an innertube, or go tubeless? Probably should have RTFM before I started riding the bike!
https://www.schwalbe.com/en/Marathon-Plus-11100756...
snotrag said:
The reason you struggled is because they are tubeless tyres, but with an inner tube fitted.
Get them converted to tubless pronto, because then
A) you probably wouldnt have noticed you'd got a puncture anyway
B) even if you did, you just jab it with a plug, give it a uick squirt of air and then carry on.
No one should be messing about with inner tubes in 2025!
Still run tubes in all my bikes, never liked the mess, faff and expense of tubelessGet them converted to tubless pronto, because then
A) you probably wouldnt have noticed you'd got a puncture anyway
B) even if you did, you just jab it with a plug, give it a uick squirt of air and then carry on.
No one should be messing about with inner tubes in 2025!
Also you would be surprised at the amount of people still running tubes
WPA said:
Still run tubes in all my bikes, never liked the mess, faff and expense of tubeless
Also you would be surprised at the amount of people still running tubes
Oh absolutely if it works for you then great. Just like Cantilever brakes still work for some. But I prefer the fact that in about 20 years of running tubeless, I've had less ride stopping punctures than you can have in one ride with tubes in! Also you would be surprised at the amount of people still running tubes
I had a good session pulling thorns out of an old tyre I was changing the other day, at least 7 or 8. Not a single one of them I'd even noticed up till that point, every single one would have been a ride stopper, tyre off, repair, refit...
Andrew1234 said:
2024 Ribble Allroad SL R e fitted with Mavic wheels and Pirelli PZero "road TLR" 700cx 32 tyres.
Got a front puncture the other day, no problem, I always carry a spare inner tube, a puncture repair kit and tyre levers etc.
Could I get the tyre off to replace the tube? No way, the tyre beads are ridiculously tight on the rim, couldn't get the tyre levers to do anything.
Gave up in the end and rode home 13 miles on a flat front tyre, I can confirm that Pirelli P Zeros can be used as run flats!
Once home I eventually got the tyre off with an assistant helping and by using multiple tyre levers, a right bh of a job.
But there is absolutely no way I can get the tyre back on the rim, it's way way too tight.
Changing a bike inner tube used to be a simple job, what are you supposed to do when you get a puncture now?
Why are these tyres so bloody tight? How do they fit them at the factory, do they use a tyre machine?
It appears that the tyre and wheel combo may be "tubeless ready" if so why don't they supply them "tubeless done" instead of supplying them with an inner tube and tyres that seem impossible to get on?
What are my options here? Find some tyres that you can actually get off and on the rim yourself and use an innertube, or go tubeless? Probably should have RTFM before I started riding the bike!
This seems to be a thing with Ribble. When I bought my Gran Fondo about 7 years ago I upped the wheel spec to Mavic Ksyrium, which at that time came with matching tubeless tyres - sold as their own 'system'. When the bike was delivered, the wheels had tubed tyres fitted, with the tubeless tyres and valves in a separate package. Bizarre....Got a front puncture the other day, no problem, I always carry a spare inner tube, a puncture repair kit and tyre levers etc.
Could I get the tyre off to replace the tube? No way, the tyre beads are ridiculously tight on the rim, couldn't get the tyre levers to do anything.
Gave up in the end and rode home 13 miles on a flat front tyre, I can confirm that Pirelli P Zeros can be used as run flats!
Once home I eventually got the tyre off with an assistant helping and by using multiple tyre levers, a right b
h of a job.But there is absolutely no way I can get the tyre back on the rim, it's way way too tight.
Changing a bike inner tube used to be a simple job, what are you supposed to do when you get a puncture now?
Why are these tyres so bloody tight? How do they fit them at the factory, do they use a tyre machine?
It appears that the tyre and wheel combo may be "tubeless ready" if so why don't they supply them "tubeless done" instead of supplying them with an inner tube and tyres that seem impossible to get on?
What are my options here? Find some tyres that you can actually get off and on the rim yourself and use an innertube, or go tubeless? Probably should have RTFM before I started riding the bike!
I know others have already said it but you do need to handle tubeless tyres slightly differently when removing or replacing. Make sure you break the beads away from the rim completely on both sides (by hand) before going anywhere near them with a tyre lever. When refitting keep both beads in the centre of the wheel rim until the whole tyre is on. When the tyre is on the wheel, press the centre of it to expand the beads towards the rim. This last bit allows you to pump the tyre up with a normal pump, even when no sealant is used.
Siao said:
The best trick I've seen is rubbing a bit of soap/appropriate lube on the bead. It just slides over the rim, so much easier. Just apply a tiny bit on the bead part, it worked like a treat for me.
Or inappropriate lube. It was a case of desperation, I managed to get some lube although it had words like "silky" and "intimate" on the tube 
It did the trick though...
snotrag said:
WPA said:
Still run tubes in all my bikes, never liked the mess, faff and expense of tubeless
Also you would be surprised at the amount of people still running tubes
Oh absolutely if it works for you then great. Just like Cantilever brakes still work for some. But I prefer the fact that in about 20 years of running tubeless, I've had less ride stopping punctures than you can have in one ride with tubes in! Also you would be surprised at the amount of people still running tubes
I had a good session pulling thorns out of an old tyre I was changing the other day, at least 7 or 8. Not a single one of them I'd even noticed up till that point, every single one would have been a ride stopper, tyre off, repair, refit...
Got a big front puncture, darted it to seal and inflated with an electric pump. 5 mins and on my way, sometimes new technology is good. Give tubeless a go.
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