Now I'm mounting the brand new tire, another GP4000S. There's no tube in the tire yet.

Even the first bead needs a tire lever! And once it's on, it can't be slid around on the rim to align the tire label with the valve. That's really tight.

This is as far as I can go by hand.


Pop the first bead onto the rim. I start near one side, not the middle. It's not difficult with the lever to help out.


The first bead is on. Next, the tube valve is inserted in the rim, and the tube tucked into the tire. Some of the tube won't stay in place, that's OK for now. (Often, a small amount of air in the tube will give it some shape and make it easier to install. It helps to keep it from being caught under a tire bead, too)

EDIT-- I put enough air in the tube so it holds it's shape, hold the valve next to the valve hole on the rim, and guide the opposite side of the tube into the open tire, so that the tube doesn't have excess slack anywhere around the rim. The air helps keep the tube up in the tire as I push on the beads by hand. Once I'm down to the last section of bead, I let the air out.

Start at the valve and hand load the second bead. Make sure to press the valve back in as far as it will go toward the tire tread, so the tube doesn't get pinched under the rim there.


This is as far as I can get without tire levers. The tube is up inside the tire, away from the rim edge.


Only one lever is needed now.

I get as close to the left end of the remaining bead as possible. If I try to lift in the middle, I'll just break the tire lever.

It doesn't take much force to lift less than an inch more of the bead over the edge.


An easy lift over, then slide the lever sideways just a short distance, less than an inch, and repeat the lift. It goes fast.


Not much force is needed.


Getting close now.


One more lift.


The last section pops over all at once.


Done!

Now go around the bead on both sides and push it toward the center of the rim. Look in the gap to make sure there's no tube pinched under the bead. (Why do they make black rim tape! Any other color would be better for spotting pinched tubes under the bead!)

I was rushed one time, skipped this step, and the tube slowly pushed the bead off the rim after about 30 minutes. Then the tube expands like a balloon and blows up with a BANG! It was really loud indoors! Glad I wasn't riding it!