How in the hell do you get a tyre back on when you’re fitting a rim defender? Stuck a Nukeproof ARD in the rear of my hardtail last night and can’t for the life of me get the second side seated. Usually okay with Thumbs of Steel but of course you can’t get the bead down into the well of the rim with the foamy thing in place so that last foot of bead in resulted in swearies, broken zip ties, and at least one tyre lever being ejected through the back door (wahey) and across the full length of the kitchen.

Any twop twips before I bin the bastard thing?

Use a tyre lever, push the bead into the centre of the rim under the insert.

It’s what I did when reseating the tyre with a rimpact insert in, I also think it’s what cushcore suggests.

What he says but with the ARD inserts I’ve found it easy enough to push the bead into the rim bed with my hands since the ARD insert doesn’t really push the bead into the rim wall.  Getting a tyre off, specifically breaking the bead away from the rim, I’ve found more tricky but still not bad. Look for a YouTube video, once you see the technique it isn’t bad

Mine are on (the On-One 27.5+ ones) but are so tight I’m struggling to let air out of the front tyre after seating them. They’ve been inflated to seating pressure but the rear is a few PSi too hard at the moment. Even removing the valve core and prodding a hex key in isn’t working.

On the plus side I know I won’t be able to get them off on the trail so have stopped carrying a tube.

A bit of soap really helps.

Seat the tyre on the rim, then pull one side off, insert the core, then push the other bead under it so there’s more room (rather than trying to get two beads under it at the same time.

Seat the tyre on the rim, then pull one side off, insert the core, then push the other bead under it so there’s more room (rather than trying to get two beads under it at the same time.

That’s what I’m doing – one side on, fit insert, try and get second bead on. Well, that, failing and cursing a lot.

Use a tyre lever, push the bead into the centre of the rim under the insert.

I’ll give that a go. I’d tried a bit, that and trying to stretch/shuffle any slack around, but hadn’t got anywhere near it.

Most difficult bit I seem to remember was getting the first few inches to stay in the centre of the bed as the rest of the tyre that isn’t in yet keeps trying to to pull it back out again.

There was definitely grunting and swearing and the front (2.5 inch WTB) was easier than the rear (2.4 inch DHR II) as there was more space.

On the plus side I know I won’t be able to get them off on the trail so have stopped carrying a tube.

I’ve got some Vittoria CX tyres which I didn’t fit inserts to for specifically that reason, it’s already debatable whether I could get them on with cold hands!

Shoving the bead in helped, combined with bigger zip ties (to stop the tyre peeling off) and a pair of bead jack pliers and it’s on. I fear for ever having to take it off again, mind…

Fit the tyre without insert, let the tyre down, remove one side of the tyre insert and refit tyre inflate. Job done

This can be a soul destroying struggle. The more you do it, the better you will get.

I had to change a tyre on a wheel with an insert this weekend in a car park. I had the tyre on and off 4 times, but for some reason the valve started leaking, so Depute my perseverance and eventual triumph in getting the tyre on, I still had to abort the next day’s ride.

Ours went on with lots of soap and two of us being very careful with a couple of park tyre levers. First time however.

We basically got it 90% on, and then I pulled the Ard up/back as best I could while eldest pushed wth magic thumbs and levers under the insert. Soap. Lots of soap.

(Schwalbe Magic Mary / Ard / RaceFace rim)