Tyre defeat and tired hands

Anyone else tried the P Zeros?

Got a set sitting in the garage ready to go, will report back when I get to them. In the meantime... is this is case of them being so bad in the garage that you've got zero chance if you've got an issue on a ride? 

I reckon so. I know that some tyres can become easier to remove and refit after they've been used for a while but I doubt these will reach that stage. 

I’ve not yet encountered the tyre that won’t go on a rim. But live in fear of that moment. I’d say it was more of a black mark against the cycling industry than changing standards

The only other thing I could think of was removing the rim tape and fitting something thinner than that already on, but the fact that the older tyres went on makes me suspect the Pirellis. 

Isn't that the Pirelli slick model that is available in gold dust quantities at 40mm too, which GCN covered on a loop test?

What VEL wheelset?

Are you pushing the bead into the rim well, starting opposite the the stubborn final bit and then continuing that process with both thumbs in opposite directions up to the stubborn bit, which will give you some slack to get some more of the stubborn bit on?

It might take repeating this process a few times, but I've yet to have it fail, including putting on Marathon Cross tyres on a wheel within ~2mins. Years ago I remember having a mare with a pair of Marathon Plus, before discovering this technique.

It's the Speedcore 30mm version of the P Zero. Good reviews, hence trying them.

I'm fairly comfortable saying that it's not a technique problem. 🙂‍↔️ The well of the rim looks to be deep enough too, even with the pre-fitted rim tape. I do have some other rims I could try the tyre on but that's already two I've tried so it seems a bit pointless. 

FWIW, it's the VEL 50mm rim with DT240 hubs. I have VEL wheels on the Topstone and they've been fine tyre wise.

What you need is a Tyre Glider!

bought one after a recommendation on this here forum. Brilliant tool 👍

Can’t seem to post a link, but have a photo instead..

I’ve got GP5000s on the same rim. When fitted new they went on ok - I think you put yours on once they’d been used, so they’ll have been a bit more supple? I reckon the Pirelli’s must just be a bad combo for the rim. 

@dander - thanks. That's what I wanted to hear before ordering more GP5000s 😀

30mm GP5000 went on my rear VEL 50RL no problem, went with a 25mm Schwalbe Pro on the front due to price.

scotroutes  - I has similar woes putting Mezcals on the Revolt X, with Giant carbon rims. I did get it on, eventually, tubeless, though was worried what'd happen if I had to get it off trailside.  I went to pop a seal to top up the sealant after 6 months and it came off, and went back on, by hand.  I do think sometimes new tyres maybe contract a bit or similar in storage.

Anyone else tried the P Zeros?

Oh yes,and I feel every cruel twinge in those tired old fingers(we are the same age 😉) 

They are absolute barstewards on some rims*

I got a set and was so scared of puncturing ,I would take a set of those BBB tyre pliers out with me.

It was the only thing that could get them back on.

That tyre slider thingy wouldn't touch them.

A real shame ,as once they were on, they were really nice tyres.

*I think when the manufacturing tolerances on the tyres and rims are at the two extremes ,you are in for a battle.

never used it but Schwalbe do a "easy fit tyre mounting fluid". No idea what's in it but it's supposed to help! Possibly something like fairy liquid would work also. Maybe once it's on for a bit the tyre might "relax" and be OK to take on/off?

I had this with my mates road tyres a couple of months ago.  Warm tyres helped a lot!  Before warming there were two of us with tyres hands and the tyre glider pictured above - which worked well previously was no help!

I'm still gutted at the lack of reaction to my post title. 🙄

Cushcore Bead Bro (I don't run inserts) - stops you chasing the tyre round the rim. Used in conjunction with steel cored levers I've not had a problem getting tyres on since buying one of these. It's small enough to go in the trail toolkit.

But rereading the OP you can't even get the bead over the rim! Crikey....

I've got those Pirelli P-zeros (36 IIRC) on my gravel bike - not had any problems getting them on.

I'm running them tubeless with the factory-fitted tape on both f+r.

You could try some washing up liquid to make them slide on a bit easier?

They're great tyres.

FFS - this stupid site and its useless ability to actually post what you type. 

EDIT - that’s twice now it’s failed to post what I typed. I give up. It was a response to the pun in the thread title I was trying to comment on…

I hesitate to say this but, have you tried some lube...? In the olden days on Marathons (the king of bastard tyres), you could only get them on by hand with lube.

If it's any help, tyres often loosen up with use/time. I fitted a pair of GASP! 26" /GASP! Panaracer Fire tubeless tyres a few months ago and they were the champions at bastardness - including the aforementioned Marathons. I had reason to take one off recently and it was like an old (slack) friend... off and on by hand. 

Oh, and beware those sliders recommended above. A friend used one recently having resorted to a filthy tube. He used it with much alacrity and enthusiasm then ripped the tube apart 🙄

Yep, I'm well versed at fitting Marathon Plus's😂 They were a regular in the Edinburgh shop, and sometimes lube helped. 

I've decided to return these and order the GP5000s instead. I just don't think it's worth the risk of somehow fitting them but being unable to carry out a roadside repair. 

Gave up on a set of Pirelli P Zero TLR 30mm. Couldn't even get one bead onto my Roval wheels; they were preposterously tight. Fortunately had kept the packaging and was able to return them.

The Specialized Turbos that I took off and the Vittoria Corsa Pros that I bought instead were still tight to get off, but I could get both beads over the rim hook to fit them with just thumb strength.

I guess I now know why there are so many cheap deals on pzeros......

Got stung with some wtbs once that I could only get off with some very sizable metal levers meaning no field repairs...... Won't be doing that again . 

just gave up on my Corsa Speeds for the same reason. blinding fast tyres i had run tubeless so already stretched a bit. decided to try them with TPU tubes instead on the race bike. it’s now back to the 23/25c GP5000s. i know every trick. the original Corsa Speeds were so tight they buckled my HED disc wheel which was replaced under warranty!

I may put them in the oven for an experiment.

And yes i always think what will you do out on the road. GP5000s on Open Pros don’t need levers or tools. Which is why I love them. 

To wrap this up - the P Zeros were returned for a refund. The GP5000s were ordered, arrived and fitted without the need for tyre levers. 

In stark contrast to the confusing world of mountain bike tire choices, everything I've read about road bike tires seems to boil down to just fit GP5000s and move on with your life. This is yet another confirmation

Just to be clear. Gp 5000 are still the answer even if your using tubes? And if the answer is yes then we aren’t ordering a different version?

 My gravel bike is going to have its 700c wheels set up with actual road tyres. Everything else is tubeless but these aren’t yet. 

@ampthill

There is a non tubeless version of the GP5000, whether it is exactly the same compound I'm not sure. 

I quickly found them on offer as 25's from Tredz just testing my memory. 

Useful thread as just about to change my son's road bike for a better second hand one and it seems I now know the answer to "what tyres" if it needs new ones.  

Been very pleased with the GP4000s on his existing bike. Not tried the 5000 yet ourselves but does seem the logical next step. 

It's the tubed-type GP5000s I've just fitted. Although tubeless on everything else, I've yet to be convinced of tubeless on the road bikes. 

I've yet to be convinced of tubeless on the road bikes. 

I'm just coming back to road riding as a result of my eldest getting into it and I'm of much the same mind with nicer/lighter tyres and/or him sorting it out if he flats out on his own. 

That said I am running Giant Turano 28's tubeless on my gravel bike for road use at about 90psi.  So far so good but I worry about whether an anchovy stands any chance of holding at that pressure. They're a bit more robust as tyres in the first place though.  

Just to add my 2p to this thread... I'm a great believer in gp5000 but I found that the s version appeared to puncture rather regularly.... I just put the as version on my road bike as I wanted 35 mm and the s version didn't come in that width. Happy to say that I've now written over 2,000 km on the as versions and I haven't noticed any difference. Apart from, I haven't heard a single puncture. Both the s and as versions appear to be fittable by hand or with a single tire lever

Road tubeless suffers non of the issues that plague MTB tubeless. 

It's literal fit and forget and pump up once in a blue moon 

Anchovies work fine. The Sealant works in some pretty big holes too - saved my day when I realised I had a puncture ,a deep rim and a short valve. 

I had a huge battle with mine, admittedly on what are actually old mtb rims that they just repackaged as road rims in the early days of road tubeless. I ended up much the same as OP, I did get them on but I had no confidence in being able to remove them at the roadside so I got rid. Actually just stuck em on ebay with "I fitted these once but they don't play well with my rims" and sold really quickly for barely less than new price, IIRC