loonydude

I am trying to get a size 23 conti grand prix 4000 clincher tire on my bontrager race front wheel. I can't roll it in no matter what and my thumbs are too sore to do anymore. Any tips? how do people roll on their tires like nothing?

merlin55

spray windex on the inside of the tire bead and the rim....and/or carefully use tire levers. After the tire has been on the rim a few weeks it will be much easier the next time as the beads stretch a little

operator

This is why we invented tyre levers, and proper technique. You may want to try squeezing most of the bead into the center of the rim, this will give you more bead to work with on the last section.

1saxman

Get a few aluminum tire spoons - sometimes you just can't roll one on.

3alarmer 

(This is a cut and paste from another thread.)


Possibly slightly off topic, but the only
thing I can think to contribute at the point
is directed at those of you who have noticed
that with the development of higher pressure
clinchers has come much tighter beads (which
makes a lot of sense if you think about it)
is this:


which you can buy here:
https://www.amazon.com/Kool-Stop-Tire...7447792&sr=1-1

or lots of other places and for which I am eternally
grateful, because I mount a lot of tires and have old
thumbs.

You can thank me later.

Regards,
Mike Larmer

FBinNY 

The key is to move the tire to the center - deeper section of the rim. If you use a bulky rim liner, replace it with a polyurethane or nylon, or possibly reinforced filament tape, to get the center diameter yet smaller.

Moving to a deeper section for 3/4s of the tire allows extra slack for the remainder. It also helps to save the valve area for last because the width of the valve stem often keeps the tire away from the deepest part of the rim.

Once you've pushed the tire in, massage it around toward the last section to get as much excess tire there as possible, then try to massage it over. Soap and water or Windex may help, and in extreme cases putting a tire lever between the tire and rim on either side of the last section and using that to push the tire over as you lift with your thumbs works.

Tire jacks also help, but keep in mind that if it takes this much to get it on, how will you get it off if you get a flat out on the road?

3alarmer 

FB:

In my experience, a lot of guys who poo-poo
these things have a great deal of experience
wrestling with tires and feel that this is just
another frou-frou tool from somebody who
wants to profit from the clueless.

Usually they give the common tips on technique
(pulling the beads into center, soap, etc.)

I've mounted and unmounted a lot of tires over
the years. I know the tricks and techniques.
Some of the newer clinchers are just unmanageable
without something like this (Schwalbes come to mind).

With regard to:

this is a valid concern. These help not at all in
removal, for which you still need a lever. But they
weigh almost nothing and are reasonably portable
for use in remounting if needed. As the other poster
noted, once the tire has been run at pressure for
some time, the bead usually stretches to a more
convenient dimension.

Regards,
Mike Larmer

Retro Grouch 

The trick is at the opposite side of the tire. The center of the rim between the two beads is a little lower. The trick is to get the two tire beads opposite the last bit you're trying to force onto the rim, in this low spot in the rim.

1. Pinch the tire beads together toward the middle of the rim all the way around.
2. Hold the wheel with the last bit of tire on the bottom.
3. Grab the tire at the 9:00 and 3:00 positions and push straight down.
4. When you feel like you've got all of the slack concentrated at the bottom, try again to force the last bit of tire onto the rim.

You can use a similar process for removing the tire without tire levers. I won't say that I never use tire levers, but my use of tire levers is pretty rare..

Soil_Sampler

had good luck with my speed lever and soapy water.

reptilezs

i never really liked used the thumbs for the rolling the last bit of tough tires on. i just put the meat of my palm over the bead and roll it over.

fietsbob

VAR tire levers have a tire jack function, too, I use 2 on really tight tires.
Bring them towards each other so bring the bead over the rim in steps.

achoo

Also, instead of trying to push your hands and roll the tire over, place the wheel in your lap and pull it towards you. You'll be able to put a lot more force on the tire because muscles can apply a lot more force when simply resisting elongation than the force they can pull with when contracting.

LesterOfPuppets

+1. Palming it is the only way to go.

FBinNY 

Mike,

I wasn't poo-pooing tire jacks. I've sold many of them over the years. My point is that it's easy to abuse jacks and horse on tires putting oneself at risk of not being to remove them later on. If the tire is reasonably (but not too) tight a jack is handy for those who don't have enough hand strength, or lack the thick palm callous that makes it easier to mount tight tires.

Using a jack is fine, but first one should use good sense in choosing rims and tires that can be mounted more easily. Also, learning techniques to finesse tires on rather than brute force or leverage is always a good thing. Then use the tools that best suit your needs and tastes including a tire jack.

rogerstg

+2
And if it's really tough, I put my cycling glove on.

Looigi

This may or may not help in your situation but in general, finish about 10 cm either side of the stem instead of opposite the stem. If you try to finish opposite the stem, the stem prevents the bead from going to the center of the rim.

Burton

Personally I make a point of putting tires on by hand. That includes UST and studded tires as well. Is the first bead will go over the rim without tools, then if carefully positioned - the second one should too!

BikeWise1

We never use anything more than a QuikStik. You only need one, and it can help put really tight tires on without pinching the tube.

That said, 99% of it is technique. Occasionally, I get "proud" guys who won't admit they are clueless about installing tires. They won't ask for help, nor will they pay me to quickly install their new tire so they can get on with their lives. After they've futzed around in the alley for 30 minutes or so and pinched at least 2 tubes which they claim I sold them as defective (!), I will have pity on them and while carrying on a running conversation, quickly insert a new tube, pop the tire on with bare hands, inflate it and hand it to them, never having stopped talking. This process takes less than a minute. I then smile and walk away wordlessly. It's all in good fun.

But seriously, some great advice in this thread. I always mount one bead, then insert a barely inflated powdered tube (just enough to give it shape) and make sure the tube is up on the rim out of the way. Then it's no big deal to start at the valve and roll, roll, roll the bead over the rim lip. Your hands work away from each other at first, then you rotate the wheel 180 degrees, and work your hands toward each other. I'm almost 50, so if the bead is super tight, I've been known to lever it over with a QuikStik, but most of the time, they just pop right over.

Good luck.

3alarmer 

Indeed, I also use one of these with great results.

The other 1% is obstinacy.

loonydude

YEP! I eventually figured this method out myself. It's a charm and a wonder!! 1 bead on, then barely inflated tire, then second bead. just magical...after hours of rolling with brute force and killing my thumbs.