Bicycle Mechanics - Tire won't come off - frustrating...

Hi There!

I have a new one (for me at least). Have bought new wheels, 700c's, mounted tubes and tires (the front one a little tight though), to discover that the front tube was leaking. I wanted to change the tube, but I cannot get the freakin' tire off the rim. I have broken 3 tire levers now (plastic ones). I have removed tires lots of times before - but this time I am at my wits ends. Usually I put one lever in, use another one to pull around the rim - and the tire is off - well not this time apparently.

Anyone with a good suggestion?

Frustrated
Morten B

You leave the one lever in and you incrementally move the second one away and pry loose. The key is very incrementally. If you get greedy you will break the levers if it's really tight. Never met a tyre I couldn't get off in this fashion.

There's no strength involved at all, just leverage. Also make sure the tube is deflated all the way.

I usually do it that way, but when one lever is in, I cannot get a second one in - it's to tight.

I usually do it that way, but when one lever is in, I cannot get a second one in - it's to tight.

Squeeze the beads of the tyre towards each other (to the center of the rim) all the way around. This will usualy give you some extra room to work with

Make sure the beads 180 degrees from where you are prying are sitting deeply in the rim, so you have the tire bead where you are working are far "away" above the rim as possible.This is what operator said-more or less.

Use aluminum levers.Spray some simple green or other harmless lube on the tire beads so they slip off more easily.
Charlie

Good suggestions so far. Here's my method (which incorporates most of them):
1) Place tire on ground with valve stem on top, push down a bit on tire and release all air through valve.
2) Push valve stem partly up into tire so you can squeeze the tire beads in and down into the rim by valve.
3) Now work your hands slowly down around the circumference of the tire while pushing the bead in and down into the center of the rim - try to push any slack in the tire down to the part of the rim on the ground.
4) Once your hands reach the bottom of the wheel, flip it over so the valve location is on the ground.
5) Put some soapy water on the rim near the top and insert both tire levers a few inches apart.
6) Pry the first lever and then the second - now you should be able to slide one of the levers over slowly to loosen the tire (add more soapy water if the tire is still too sticky to let you slide the lever).

... 5) Put some soapy water on the rim near the top and insert both tire levers a few inches apart.

Where do you get soapy water when fixing a flat on the road?

(I passed on a good tire because I could not remove it with my on-the-road tools.)

Kam

4) Once your hands reach the bottom of the wheel, flip it over so the valve location is on the ground.
5) Put some soapy water on the rim near the top and insert both tire levers a few inches apart.


For tough tire/rim combinations always start prying at the valve stem. If the valve stem is opposite where you start it will keep the tire from finding center (opposite of where you are prying) and deprive you of the sometimes precious millimeter or two of slack. The reverse is true of putting tough tires on; always finish at the valve stem.

Where do you get soapy water when fixing a flat on the road?

Saliva works wonders in a pinch (or when you are too lazy to mix up some soapy water).

The only secret weapon you need is to ensure that the bead opposite the area you're trying to lever it over is sitting deeply in the center of the rim. If the lever is tight then hold some pressure on it while you use your other hand to further center the bead opposite the lever and for most of the way around the tire. This keeping the opposite side sitting deeply as possible in the rim channel is the single most important aspect of changing tires.

I know this aspect has been covered above but I don't think it was stressed enough. It is the single biggest factor in making tire changing easier.

Where do you get soapy water when fixing a flat on the road?

(I passed on a good tire because I could not remove it with my on-the-road tools.)

Kam
For most tire/rim combinations I find that just doing the first 4 steps will get enough slack in the tire so it can be pulled off the rim without using any tire levers or soapy water. But the OP was having lots of trouble and seemed to be at home - in that case making it as easy as possible included the use of soapy water for lubrication.

But if you do have a tricky tire & rim combination it's not that hard to have soapy water on the road - at least one of my bottles is normally filled with plain water and a small sliver of soap can be carried with your other tire-changing tools. Rub the soap along the inside edge of the rim and lightly wet it with water.