Viewing 17 posts - 1 through 17 (of 17 total)
  • how difficult can it be – dark side warning
  • infidel
    Free Member

    I had a flat tyre on my road bike this morning. In trying to change the inner tube I’ve managed to break 2 tyre levers (the supposedly unbreakable specialized ones) and give myself a pinch flat too. I have no trouble changes mountain bike tyres but these road ones seem so tight on the rim – they are Michelin Krylions. Anyone got any advice on making the job easier or where I may be going wrong?

    Ta,
    Mark

    UpQuickDownSlow
    Full Member

    Pedros tyre levers.

    Also, I find the inner tube is most likely to get trapped next to the valve. Once the tyre is on, push the valve in to free any trapped tube. (And you do put a little air in the tube before fitting, don’t you?)

    Smee
    Free Member

    Intense tyre levers. They weigh about 3 tonnes, but never had them fail me yet.

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    Onzadog
    Free Member

    tubeless. Worked a treat on the tricross I use for commuting

    maxlite
    Free Member

    Never had a problem with my Krylions

    As UQDS says, plus always check round the rim for pinched tube, also a little washing-up liquid on tyre rim makes things much easier:-) One roadie I know even carries some with him on rides!

    glenp
    Free Member

    I had some Michelin tyres once that were virtually impossible to mount – made worse by the Trek rims, which were tight also!

    Normally you stand a pretty good chance at getting them back on without using tyre levers at all. Getting the tyre bead very well into the middle of the rim helps a lot, as does sort of dragging the tyre around in both directions towards your last bit (pulling it tight where it is already mounted and maximising the slack for the last bit).

    Another tip is to have a little bit of air in the tube so that is holds shape, and then using the end of a tyre lever to poke the puffy bits well into the tyre as you go. You can also try wetting the end of a plastic tyre lever and sliding it along the rim, rather than using the normal bending action – but expect to lose some knuckle skin if you try that one.

    UpQuickDownSlow
    Full Member

    Once managed to punch myself in the face as I pulled a tyre lever towards me along the rim and it slipped out.

    squiff
    Free Member

    Get some Michelin pro 3 tries, very easy to get on and I use Park tools tyre levers (in a pack from CRC, blue one’s) which are great

    squiff
    Free Member

    or Topeak Shuttle Tyre Levers 1.2, fooking excellent

    joemarshall
    Free Member

    Maybe I am just lucky, but I’ve never run road bike tyres that you couldn’t get on and off by hand, by making sure it is in the depression of the rim at the opposite side of the wheel to where you’re putting it on / taking it off.

    Tyre levers for taking stubborn tyres off maybe, but I reckon no road bike tyre needs levers to get it onto the tyre.

    Downhill bike tyres on wide rims on the other hand, blimey those are a nightmare.

    Joe

    stratobiker
    Free Member

    What Joe said +1

    You shouldn’t need tyre levers on or off, tubeless or not.

    Work on your technique, making sure you push the tyre into the “well”.

    infidel
    Free Member

    roger that. will try this evening! thanks all.

    drinking wine and preparing to get wrathful……..

    MoreCashThanDash
    Full Member

    I’m dreading changing my Krylions as I find them very tough to get on and off – have 50 nicks and cuts in the back one, can’t put it off to much longer!

    oldgit
    Free Member

    Not all rims are the same, some Alex rims seem slightly o/s. For example I had some Vittorias on some cheap Alex rims and when I swapped them to my Ultegras the rims just passed straight through the tyres.

    samuri
    Free Member

    BikeMagic have a good guide for getting tyres on and off without levers. That one has always worked well for me on road and MTB tyres. Never found a tyre I couldn’t get off by hand.

    paulosoxo
    Free Member

    crank brothers speed lever, it attaches to the qr skewer, then you wind it round the rim, pushing the tyre bead over as it goes, ingenious and works great

Viewing 17 posts - 1 through 17 (of 17 total)

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