I taped a set of wheels (WTB KOM i25 rims) with Gorilla tape, mounted my tyres, pumped them up and off I rode, all fine and dandy. But I've come across a bit of an issue, I can't get the damn tyres off the rim, they're locked/ welded in place to the tape.
I've tried levers, no success, standing on the tyre and pulling the wheel up, again nothing. Can't unseat them at all.
Any pointers?
violence is the only answer i'm afraid. we had 2 people doing the last set and just about managed to get a screwdriver between the bead and the rim, then gently prised it...
But they can be an absolute nightmare yes.
Are you saying there's no movement to the bead at all? Don't know what to suggest if that is the case - unless you know someone with the hands and arms of an urangutan, you might have to cut the tyres off.
If the bead is moving a bit, though, I would have thought you can always manipulate the tyre off given some perseverance.
Sounds about right, welcome to WTB rim ownership
weeksy
Subscriberviolence is the only answer i’m afraid. we had 2 people doing the last set and just about managed to get a screwdriver between the bead and the rim, then gently prised it…
It exactly what i've had to do with some combos on WTBs in the past
Are you saying there’s no movement to the bead at all?
Absolutely jammed fast, I've already ripped the front one trying to get it off and don't want to destroy the rear as they're basically new tyres
G-clamp and two bits of wood? Even better if you can cut some wood to match the curve of the rim?
Absolutely jammed fast, I’ve already ripped the front one trying to get it off and don’t want to destroy the rear as they’re basically new tyres
If they're brand new tyres that you've just fitted, why do you want to get them off?
new tyres
If they’re brand new tyres that you’ve just fitted, why do you want to get them off?
To have them as spares for the wheels I'm using
I use those exact rims with specialized, hutchinson, maxxis and wtb tyres with no issues. Also using gorilla tape. WTB rims are UST compliant so have the little bead shelf bit, but you just pop the tyre off it. Changed a punctured tube (old school hey) on thursday on the road with no probs.
Did you use a load of turns of gorilla tape or narrow tape that might have come unstuck and stuck to your tyre instead?
One wrap of tape that fit the rim. As I posted initially, the tyres appear to be welded - so to speak - to the gorilla tape at the edge of the rim.
I had something like this with a WTB tyre and rim combo. The boys in the office laid the wheel down on the floor, one held the wheel still, while another stood on the tyre with both feet to pop the bead. I realised that if I'd had a puncture in the wild I'd have been royally screwed...
Similar to the
G-clamp suggestion, above, but using molegrips instead - definitely use some shaped bits of wood, to prevent damage
Possibly because the tape went over the small lip in the rim that the tyre bead (ie: taped the full internal width of the rim) as that would make it much tighter and more difficult to remove.
I have WTB i29 rims and Schwalbe tyres have never been an issue but I've not used Gorilla Tape as the wheels came taped and have been fine - the tape they came with sits inside those bead seating lips so the bead is not in contact with the tape which is how its meant to be.
As to how to get them off, in addition to the advice given warming the wheel/tyre up first might help (with a hair dryer maybe)
Isopropyl Alcohol might soften the latex sealant up a bit too - maybe not at the same time as the heat though
As above or WD40 should do the job.
That's gorilla tape for yo, bet you don't use it again.
Possibly because the tape went over the small lip in the rim that the tyre bead (ie: taped the full internal width of the rim) as that would make it much tighter and more difficult to remove.
I have WTB i29 rims and Schwalbe tyres have never been an issue but I’ve not used Gorilla Tape as the wheels came taped and have been fine – the tape they came with sits inside those bead seating lips so the bead is not in contact with the tape which is how its meant to be.
WTB recommend using tape that is a few mm wider than the internal rim width.
TBH I've never had any issue removing tyres from WTB rims - and that's using the WTB recommendation.
big chunky pliers, maybe molgrips
wrap one jaw in electrical tape to protect the rim
lever the bead off from the opposite side
We normally clamp the tyre as close to the rim as possible,in a vice with soft-jaws, and twist the wheel.
Hmm OKI wonder if the tape was over onto the bead shelf then and it's just super tight, though I'm pretty sure mine overlaps the bead shelf and has been fine. Or perhaps some kind of lubricating agent was used that has made the glue on the tape migrate through the tape to the tyre, who knows. Or a bad batch of rims or tyre tolerances.
That’s gorilla tape for yo, bet you don’t use it again.
Not so simple. Mine were i23 rims, WTB Cross Boss tyres and WTB tape. It was like they’d been bonded onto the rim. Latex wasn’t part of the issue either as I first started the fun when they had tubes in
You need these levers, absolutely swear by them. When I had tubeless tyres stuck on my rims after days of trying everything these managed to just slip in between the rim and bead and they were off in seconds. Available in lots of places but here's a random link to a set so you know what to look for.
As to how to get them off, in addition to the advice given warming the wheel/tyre up first might help (with a hair dryer maybe)
If the rim is aluminium, I'd have thought getting it cold would be better (even if the tyre rim is wire but especially if it's kevlar)
Sounds as though the Gorilla Tape adhesive has been squeezed in between the bead and the tyre? Either way, you're going to have to break the seal somehow. The block of wood option seems most sensible, if time consuming. Otherwise it's a case of trying to find a flexible point in the bead and working it from there.
As others have said, alternating between a trough of cold water and warming the tyre with a hairdryer might at least help.
I feel the OP's pain. I had this with a pair of Spesh Purgatories that were so much of a nightmare to fit that they never came off - I even sold the wheels with the tyres still in situ - albeit with plenty of life left.
smokey_jo
Subscriber
Isopropyl Alcohol might soften the latex sealant up a bit too – maybe not at the same time as the heat though
Hell no. You need to save IPA for the upcoming zombie apocalypse.
You seen the prices of ipa online recently!
Not had a problem with WTB rims and other brand tires. If they are WTB tyres all I can suggest is a ridiculous amount of force. On my WTB rims it took me about 4 snapped leavers, bloody knuckles and about an hour to take of a pair of tyres. Trail boss and vigilante.
Went ok on stans rims so I thought it was just the tyre/rim combo. However it turns out they are still a pain to get off.
Both rims have single layer of thin stans tape.
Even different WTB tyres makes a difference. The Cross Bosses mentioned above are probably the worst i've ever encountered, Nanos were tight but not over the top. Trail Boss and Convict with i29s on another bike weren't anything to write home about either
WTB rims were ALWAYS pigs for me to mount tyres. Maxxis, WTB, Contis... Some more painful than others but always a pain. Trying to avoid tick rim tape/gorilla tape as it makes things even more difficult.
Rim's well is not too pronounced so squeezing tyre bead into it is ABSOLUTELY essential to have a success. On the plus side once fitted and seated they are breeze to inflate. No need of compressor or shot type devices.
On the downside taking tyres off tend to be even more painful then fitting.
My theory is that WTB designers decided to be a bit cheeky and all their rims as slightly bigger. 702 instead of 700c, 652 instead of 650b and so on... Just to troll consumers 😀
Cheers!
I.
Well I'm overjoyed that some of you have had no issues what so ever (not really what I was asking about) 🤦🏼♂️
And it looks like the only course of action is brute force! Guess I best go find a non-cyclist type person with some excellent upper body strength 🤣🤣