Arrrrggghh – trying to mount Continental Travel Contact folding tyres to a set of 26″ Crest rims to use for some touring on the hardtail and having a complete nightmare.

Managed to fit 1 of them after much swearing but the other simply will not go on.

There seem to be 2 problems-
The protective kevlar puncture proof strip has taken the shape of the folded tyre so keeps popping the bead out of the rim as the tyre has such a flat profile.

The bead is sooooo tight I can’t actually get it on. Why one went on and not the other I don’t know.

Anyone want to buy a pair of brand new Conti Travel Contact 1.75 folding tyres for £40 posted

Heat the tyre with a hair dryer and then retry with it still warm.

Never heard that one before I’ll give it a go.

give it a blow wave while you’re at it. the conti’s love being stylish

Unpack the tyre and stick an inflated tube inside (no rim/wheel). Give it a day and it should now hold that shape. As for getting it on, youve picked a tight combo so you will struggle. Be calm, go slowly, tiny bits at a time. If you approach it with a slow methodical approach it will go on, get yourself settled, make some space to sit on the floor so you dont get annoyed etc. Good tyre levers help, i like TACX ones as they have a sharp hook to get under the tyre and have a bend which helps pushing the tyre over. Pedros ones are also good but miss this feature.

Once on inflate and leave a few days if possible, then remove and refit (i know it will be horrible, but it will help stretch the bead and also train you in removing/re-fitting which you will be glad of when the time comes!)

Cheers

Got a set of Pedros levers.

With of a combination of hair-dryer and taking my time the 2nd one is on.

I did the first one a couple of days ago and have just taken the inner tube out and it’s gone up tubeless first attempt with no issues. Also much easier to get the bead back on this time. I guess it’s tightness made inflating tubeless much easier – just a few pumps with the track pump and it was up.

They may have been a bugger to get on the rims but they are the easiest tyres I’ve ever set up tubeless.

I took both on and off again a couple of times before doing tubeless set up which seems to have allowed some give in the bead.

Glad you got sorted, dont go to high pressure wise with tubeless, the bead might be tight but prob wont take more than 60psi.

I found putting a bit of washing up liquid around the rim helped to get them on!

Good news is that you’ll probably not have to get them off all that often. Mine have been on for about 5 years with no flats yet.

Soak in hot bath for while?

Talc for “lubrication”