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Basic Tire Changing Question

2K views 17 replies 12 participants last post by  tinball 
#1 ·
While I am basically a mechanical newbie WRT cycling, I have changed a number of tires/tubes in my short cycling life. But every tire reinstall has been a "take-off/back on" as my tire purchases had been through a local LBS and the initial install was done by them.

I am going to try some Vittoria Corsa Evo CX'es that just arrived. And this is the first time that I have encountered "perfectly flat tires". Everything that I had re-installed to date was "shaped like a tire" (clinchers obviously). In installing these things do you just fold them up into a tire shape and work them on like the tires that I used to? I assume that I can figure this out, but wondered if there were tricks, techniques, or issues to be dealt with here?

Thanks.

dave
 
#2 ·
It will take care of itself. Once you have the first bead over the rim's edge, it will look like the tire you expect.
 
#5 ·
Agreed. No big deal.

There ARE a few tricks, like adding a little air beforehand, staying away from tire levers and aligning the sidewall markings (brand/model) with the valve stem. That way, if you get a flat, you can use the tube to estimate where the puncture occurred on the tire and check that spot for debris, thorns, etc.

The folks at Performance have a nice "how to" series. You may want to view it just to make sure you're doing all those little things to ensure problem-free rides.

 
#6 ·
For new tires I go around the tire and put it into 'tire shape'. It doesn't take long and makes mounting the first bead, and getting the tube in, both a bit easier.

New tires will be tighter than tires that have been inflated on a wheel.

I use tire levers to mount tires that are too tight to mount by hand. I haven't holed a tube with a lever yet and I have mounted a lot of tires. Just pay attention to where the tube is and stuff it up into the tire if it's close to the bead.
 
#7 ·
Big tip - inflate the tube by mouth before installing it. Install the tube into the rim, not just into the tire, before installing the 2nd bead. That make it so much easier not to pinch the tube. Don't use a lever or levers to install the tire. It's just too easy to pinch the tube with a lever.
 
#10 ·
Last set of tires I bought (folded), I hung on a hook for a day before I installed. I didn't have time that day, but the delay gave the tires time to retake their natural shape while hanging. Dunno if it made a difference, but they went on without a problem.
 
#13 ·
I hate the taste of "valve";) So I use a pump. Especially after it's collected a few thousand miles of road debris...

I did a search awhile ago for videos or guides on properly installing a latex tube, but didn't find any I would call "good". You?

All I know about using levers is that sometimes it's a PITA to get the tire on without one, and I'm pretty sure I haven't damaged a tube by using one in over 10 years. So it's possible. Just that last bit... sneak the lever under the bead and tight to the rim, and when it just barely hooks over the rim edge, pry it up.

The biggest danger is getting the tube pinched a little and having the tire get blown off down the road. That seems to happen to a surprisingly large number of people.
 
#14 ·
FWIW, I think that I maybe set a record for messing up WRT tires and flats a while back (somewhat inexperienced guy here).

1) Ran over some rather large piece of metal that I absolutely should have seen (flat #1)

2) Swapped out the tubes but did not carefully check the tire before re-install. It had a clean gash, new tube 'popped out' the gash for flat #2

3) Put in yet another tube and instantly created a pinch flat (used levers carelessly to put the tire back on) for flat #3

You can't make this stuff up :)

dave
 
#16 · (Edited)
I would consider 2 key things that work best for me that I haven't seen mentioned yet or in the videos posted.

1) When putting in either bead, as you get to last bit, make sure the rest of the bead is as deep into the center of the wheel as possible. This makes putting on the last bit of bead easier as has more room/length to move. This can make the difference between using your hands or having to grab a tire lever to finish - and or the amount of cursing you use depending on the wheel/tire combination :D

2)When mounting the 2nd bead, start opposite of the tube stem. The reasoning behind this is that it's more difficult to pinch flat the tube there trying to get the last bit over the rim. Also the stem isn't preventing some of the second bead from sitting as deep in the center channel of the wheel making getting the last bit easier to get on (see #1).

Some may disagree however. These work for me and have made changing tires when needed much easier.
 
#18 ·
That's the way I used to do it then I read an article by Lenard Zinn (I think) describing the method above where you end at the stem. It really made a difference in the ease of putting on tires for me. I used to not be able to do it by hand. Then I switched to that method and now can do it without leavers for most tire wheel combos so far (I have run across some that I have had to resort to using levers). Using this method, I've even been able to mount my tires on the notorious Pacenti SL23 V1 by hand even with using velox tape on the wheels instead of the thinner Pacenti or Stan's rim tape.
 
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