rms13

I just got some new wheels with Kinlin XR200 22mm rims and Michelin Pro4 700x23 folding tires. I've been trying to mount the tires since last night. Tires are winning, they still aren't on and I've lost 75% of the skin on my hands haha. I've had a hard time mounting tires in the past but always been able to work through it. With these, I can't even get one side of the bead seated completely. I usually start at the valve, get one side seated and then start the other side at the valve and work around but these almost seem too small for the rim they are so tight. I tried levering, soapy water, stretching the tires and even stuck one in the microwave for a few seconds to warm it up but getting no where. ....arahh

10 Wheels

This works ...

Bike Tools Etc. - 1000's of bicycle tools and parts for the home mechanic!

rms13

Yeah I've seen other recommendations for Crank Bros speed levers and another tool too. I think that's the point I'm getting to

Wanderer

Just take your time, and keep recentering the tire in the well of the rim. Helps to lay the tire in the sun for a bit first. You should be able to do it without tools, if you take your time, and keep recentering the tire in the well, whenever it get hard to install more....

FastJake

For what it's worth I refuse to use a tire/rim combination I can't mount with relative ease using tire levers. Some combinations simply don't work and I will not tolerate it. I prefer a system I can mount by hand but if I have to use plastic tire levers that's ok. I want to be able to change a flat on the side of the road without carrying around one of those bead jacks.

I have a wheelset with Kinlin XR200 rims and they are a bit tight but not unreasonable. I'm using the thick Velox cloth rim tape and I've been able to mount various tires by hand like Continental Gatorskin (wire bead), Continental Ultra Race (folding), and Serfas Tuono (wire bead.)

I'd suggest different tires or thinner rim tape.

qclabrat

that's my position as well, murphy's law will get me a flat, which I won't be able to change a tire

Is there a website database for rim diameters and tires? i recall seeing one sometime ago

fietsbob

My favorite on the road tire lever is VAR's Its functionally a compact version of the one linked to in 2nd post , Foe narrow tight High Pressure tires , I use 2.

Bill Kapaun

I finish at the valve.
Else you fight the additional thickness of the rim tape overlap.

dsbrantjr

If you are using a thick rim tape like VELOX you might try a thinner type; it will let the tire bead drop further into the rim which might give you the additional clearance you need.

Also if you need a tool to mount the tires you had better have it with you when you get a flat. If you are having trouble doing it in your shop, consider how difficult it will be when you are tired and/or have cold, wet fingers. I always seem to get flats in the rain, when it is getting dark out.

Vintage_Cyclist

+1

I've been using these for 30 years. Rarely need the tire jack, but when it is needed, it does the trick.



Not as commonly available in the US as it used to be, but they can be found on Ebay (Var Super Tyre Tire Tool New | eBay) or from one of the UK bike stores.

fietsbob

There are Distributors carrying VAR, in the US. Mel Pinto Imports is the longest standing one , ask Your LBS to set up an Account

rms13

Thanks for many suggestions. For rim tape I'm using this

Rim Tape | Merlin Cycles

It's plastic strip and maybe part of the problem?

I certainly agree with what will happen when I get an on road flat (which I have only had 1 in 5 years ...knock on wood). But I i did have one other set of folding tires in the past that were very hard to mount but after being on the bike for a while, i didn't have any issues when I had to change a flat with them

dsbrantjr

I use Continental Easy Tape which appears to be thinner than the one pictured; it's also pretty slick which may be helpful.

Leebo

Throw in the dryer for 10 minutes?

noglider 

Never heard of this. Does it work?

There ought to be a video for fitting a tight tire. Does anyone know?

Lonesome rider

Mounting one side and then another is too complicated and causes unpredictable punctures in my book. Do all at once. Start mounting both sides at the opposite bank and go towards the valve both ways simultaneously. When 3/4 of the side is mounted, push sidewalls to the center well (the deepest zone of the rim profile whether it's U or V-shaped) at the opposite side (where you did start), zip-tie there and keep pushing remaining part of the sidewall to the rim. Retract the valve back slightly so it frees the place where the last part of the sidewall has to slip.

I damaged aluminum rim while trying to mount steel-wired Silver Arrow Duro 700x20c and punctured 3 or 4 tubes beyond repair. The learning curve is hard but it can be done. Above mentioned method works best. Good luck!

dynaryder

+1,haven't had a tire yet I couldn't get on with this. And I've never pinched a tube with it.

rms13

OK, ordered the Kool Stop tool. I went to LBS today to see if they had them or something similar but they looked at me sideways and claimed that they never needed anything but their hands to mount a tire. Combined age of the two mechanics there was probably 30. I'll try some of the other tips tonight and have the Kool Stop on the way if all else fails

Deontologist

+1 for Kool Stop tool. I thought I couldn't mount tires. Until I got some real tire levers (Pedros, not Spin Docs from Performance) and the Kool Stop bead jack. That thing makes mounting tires a snap. One thing about the bead jack though - they're not as useful when you only have a tiny bit of bead left to put on the rim. The tool is a bit too big for that.

For the last bit of bead just use the tire lever backwards ... put the hooked end face down on the rim, and then use the tire lever as a lever to push the bead up. Pop and in it goes!

RR3

I had always been able to mount any tire using just my hands until I encountered the Challenge Parigi Roubaix. The pair took hours and yes, I know how to ensure the bead is inside the well.

Ultimately what helped was mounting them to a deeper well set of old rims and then pumping them up to the max pressure for a few days. I did buy one of those tire jacks but pride had me looking for another solution. In the end I stopped using these tires mostly because they wore out too quick but some rims are wicked hard to mount using these Challenge tires.

I suppose heating tires and putting wheel into my -20F freezer would help.

MichaelW

See here.

sch

You might get some of those small motel shampoo tubes and toss them in your bag with the other tools: liquid soap on the tire bead and or wheel rim can reduce friction
enough to ease a tight tire/wheel combo into place. I too have spent 30+ minutes both at home and on the road wrestling with tight combos and you can certainly do a
job on your knuckles. Michelins do tend to be a bit tight IME as well.

rms13

Using a combo of tricks here I have managed to get one side seated and the other side 90% on. Started opposite the valve so now I have that stubborn bit at the valve to do on both wheels. Sadly it's taken am hour of working to get this far tonight. I've used zip ties all around to compress down the tire into the rim and take up slack. Hopefully tomorrow, day three will be the charm! Really join they stretch a bit during use so they are not this bad next time

Drew Eckhardt 

1 mil Kapton tape - .005" for two wraps versus .010" for thin rim strips (Rox) and .020" for most others including Velox. The slack can make the difference between cussing at tools and hand mounting. Use 16mm (5/8") for narrow, 19m (3/4") for wide rims.

Finish at the valve so you have the most slack.

onbike 1939

+1