Having finally given in & deciding the Beavers were now needed I had a battle & a half to get the buggers actually on the rims they were that tight. Then I wondered about when I need to get ’em off again & the force that might be necessary. Am I likely to damage carbon rims by using standard (albeit plastic) levers or am I just being a numpty?

I’m a bit more cautious with my carbon rims but I’ve always been fine, using plastic levers

Use the Superstar ones on ours, plastic coated metal, although I was very impressed with the Marshall at the Grizedale Enduro who whipped the tyre off Abigales rear rim with just his hands.

No need for leavers with right technique. I use my foot on the tyre and can put on or take off a tubeless tyre without leavers. Changed two Maxxis HR2 yesterday no issues on SRAM Roam carbon rim.

Technique:

1. let all the air out
2. Angle wheel about 45 degrees
3. Step on tyre – sort of heal and ball of foot
4. Press down on tyre with foot pushing the wheel away
5. You might need to rotate the wheel a bit but even on old sealed tyres the seal will break

Putting them on much the same. Its also a great technique for on the trail. You end up with the tyre on one side and that little 150mm of tyre really tight on the second side where people use leavers. Don’t. Use your foot like above.

I do use two tyre leavers about 100mm apart once the seal is broken on both sides to get the tyre over the lip but there is really no force needed at that stage. Just helps.

I never lock the leaver to the spoke

No need for leavers with right technique

Same here normally but these were unbelievably tight to get on.

Have you lube’d the rim and tyre with a bit of stans = oh errr to help it slip on

note I did not say slip in ……… or mention going in dry

I challenge anyone to get a WTB tyre on an Enve or any other tall carbon rim without levers.

I lost weight and shed tears trying with levers !

I now use Specialized tyres and they tend to buckle if you don’t use levers and try to use your bare ‘ands (in a pirate voice)