Hi,
Just had to put new inner tubes on the front and back wheel and had a real struggle getting the tyres off the rim. After some help from YouTube, I eventually managed to release both of them but it really was a struggle.
Now ready to put them back on and just wondered if any of you do anything to prevent this happening. One of the YouTube vids I watched suggested using red rubber grease on the rim. Sounds like it'll work but just thought I'd ask for a 2nd opinion as I haven't heard this before.
Thanks, Mark
I have big tub of Barbieri "soap" that's good for getting stubborn tyres on. Never had a problem getting them off again.
Is this owing to the tyre sticking to the rim's bead hook? Because that's generally a good thing! Maybe technique? Offset spoke holes? If so, release the side where spokes are closest to rim edge first.
I'd be very wary of lubricating the tyre rim junction. Tyre soap/lube helps get tyres on but then dries out. Some rim/tyre combinations are tricky to break the bead (unset the bead) but it's usually just a bit of perseverance that's needed. Maybe use the wrong end of a plastic tyre lever to push the bead into the centre of the rim (the "well")?
I've seen tyre/rim combos where I've had to stand on the tyre with my toes and push it out of the bead. I've never seen anything more "stuck" than that.
Last resort - for WTB tyres on WTB rims with an insert (couldn't even shift them with the standing on hack above).
Not ideal for trailside repairs though..
I have just bought that tool after I had to CUT the last WTB Trail Boss off. It does have an insert in it which makes it much harder. If I was younger and stronger, I might have stood a chance...
Thanks for all the feedback, much appreciated.
My problem was the tyre sticking to the rim's bead hook. In the past I've always been able to just pop the tyres off with my hands but that wasn't working with the tyres on my new bike. Didn't realise it was such a problem until I searched on YouTube and found no end on videos on how to sort it ranging from using clamps, vices, lubricants, blocks of wood etc. I managed to get mine off by leaning the tyre on a piece of 4*4 timber, tyre on the timber, rim just off it, then pulling up quickly on the rim. All described in this little gem of a video by 'The Biking Viking' -
Even using this technique I found it was difficult.
Since my original post I've read on some motorbike forums that the riders use use red rubber grease on the rims bead hook to make removal of the tyre easier.
Still got mixed thoughts on whether I'll go with it. Will sleep on it and decide tomorrow.
Thanks everyone 🙂
The last thing you want is the tyre sliding on the rim. If you're still(!) using inner tubes, you're well on the way to ripping the valve out the tube. Otherwise, all that's going to happen is that you brake hard, the rim slows down, the tyre slips and doesn't - you carry on and hit something! The idea of greasing that interface is bloody stupid IMO!!
Even with tubeless fluid liberally coating the beads its very rare that I've struggled to break a tyre free from a rim, even after a year or more of being mounted. There was a WTB Judge that I had to use a block of timber and a lump hammer to crack off, but that was a one off in well over 20 years (probably nearer 25) of running tubeless.