Sixth Element carbon wheels – my tires dont fit :-/

Absolutely impossible to get the tyres on (Maxxis Shorty and Spesh Purg). I’ve been as sympathetic as I can, but ive broke all my tire levers. Id be worried if I got a puncture on a ride, id never be able to fix it.

Any suggestions?

Are you using tubes, if yes then don’t.

Also buy stronger/better tyre levers and/or learn the technique to put on tight tyres.

What rim tape?

Are you getting the bead all the way into the well opposite the valve and then working around from there?

With the wheel on the floor I like to kneel on section of tyre already mounted so as to make sure beads are fully pressed into deepest section of rim – and work opposite side – a third tyre lever wouldn’t hurt – pretend your a world champion alligator wrestler …

Still no luck. I’m scared of cracking the rim. How does the rim tape make a difference?

have you given them a ring?

The rim tape can make a difference cos there’s a well in the centre of the rim where the bead needs to sit while you’re putting the tyre on.

If you’ve got really thick tape or you’ve taped over the rim bed rather than taped ‘in’ it then you’ll struggle to get the tyres on.

I’d just give Graham a bell in the morning though if i were you.

Not even that complex. Thick tape increases the overall diameter of the rim. That makes for tight tyres.

Metal tyre levers etc are not the answer.

What is the answer? Can you reccommend a thin rim tape?

Gorilla Clear Repair Tape from your DIY store

If it’s anything like the black Gorilla tape that’s still thick.

If you’re running tubes then get a plastic rim tape like Bike Ribbon.

If you’re tubeless then try a single wrap of electrical tape, or Stan’s tape if you want to do it properly.

Considering that the tyres are no way near getting into the rim, I can’t imagine a thinner bit of rim tape is going to do much difference. Like farting against thunder

Silly suggestion I know, but stranger things have happened – are they the right size rims? I’d imagine it would be hard work getting a 650b tyre onto a 29″ rim, for instance…

Considering that the tyres are no way near getting into the rim, I can’t imagine a thinner bit of rim tape is going to do much difference. Like farting against thunder

Then either you’re doing something wrong, or there’s a problem with the rims.

Tried lubricating the rim with some soapy water?

it’s been mentioned already but, you need to be sure to get the tyre right into the well of the rim. Carbon rims and newer alu rims quite often have a lot of “shoulder” and not much recess so it can need more attention- with older designs it wasn’t usually something you had to bother with, just because the shape of the rim meant the tyre naturally fell into the well. It’s not a tricky thing, it’s just something you might not have had to do before.

If it’s up on the shoulder or bead (ie where it’ll end up once the tyre’s inflated, the radius of the rim is effectively about 10mm larger so the tyre’s not going on.

photos?

Go to a motorbike dealer and get some of the lube they use for mounting tyres, it really works wonders.

Based on my recent experience with WTB tyres and Stans rims (they don’t play well together!) try the rim lube, pre-stretching the tyres (tyre on feet and pull upwards hard, repeating around the tyre), and using the tyre levers upside down for the last bit (so the end is curving into the rim – it makes sense when you think about it). All this made a job that I’d wasted hours on the previous day take 10 minutes in the end!

Furniture polish does the trick – for Motorbike tyres that is – so should be good for MTB’s.
As mentioned warm tyres go on easier an densure that you push the tyre on in the well.
You shouldn’t need to resort to metal levers – if you do you need rim protectors which make the job more diggicult and there’s a good chance of damaging the bead.

Take them back to where you got them from, get them to give you a tyre fitting demonstration. Fitting tyres is all about technique. Once you have it sussed (almost*) every tyre will go on easily without tyre levers.

*there’s always one 😉

Sounds similar to the experience I recently had with my new Pacenti road rims.
They came without tape so I fitted cheap plastic rim strips, and absolutely could not get tyres on there.
Following some advice from on here, I fitted 2 wraps of Stans yellow tape, pushed down into the central well.
I can now fit the tyres using just fingers (start opposite the valve) and remove using just a small plastic tyre lever.

Bead slip, soapy water or even talc can all help, but thinner rim tape and technique are usually the two key elements. Ask at your LBS – many mechanics pride themselves on a tool-free tyre install/removal. As I said, Gorilla Clear Repair Tape is a thin, clear PU tape (not the heavy, cloth-backed normal Gorilla stuff) – been using it tubeless on my carbon rims for over 18 months – you only need to cover the spoke holes – leave the bead ledge clear if its a tight fit.

simondbarnes – Member

*there’s always one

I almost wish I’d kept the Impossible Intense, it was great fun watching smartarses try and fit it. “You’re just doing it wrong man, all tyres go on with thumbs if you know what you’re doing, aaargh, my THUMBS!”

Abigale is running the 38mm 650bs with a Butcher up front and a Purgatory rear, took the Slaughter of in La Thuile last weekend to get a bit more grip at the EWS. Once the tyre is in the middle of the rim they go on very easy. Just needing a plastic lever for the last nudge over. Use a solution of washing up liquid and water on the tyre side walls but thats mainly to get them to pop easily. Running them tubeless

I’ve fitted a DHF and HR2 on mine. They were snug but went on easily enough once I realised my mistake. I made sure the tyre was nicely in the well of the rim, and started opposite to the valve. With a little lube they both went on with thumbs. Great secure fit. Removing them is reassuringly fun too. Quite a lot of effort is needed to break the bead seal but again not too difficult. Brilliant wheelset. I’m over the moon with mine.

Removing the you just let the air out, put the wheel on the floor and stand on the tyre!

I’m dying to know if you got them fitted though 😀

Leave the tyres out in the sun for an hour. Heat makes them supple and stretchy(ish).

I got them fitted! I figured the inner tube was not letting the tyre sit in the well of the rim as I was trying to stretch the tyre over the rim, so I went tubeless, much easier.