I bought a new set of training tires yesterday, Maxxis Detonators, a tire I've heard good things about. I've been mounting clinchers for decades but getting these damned things on my rims was unbelievably difficult. Even getting the first bead on the rim was a challenge, that's something I've never seen before on the wheels in question. I'm not a fan of levering a tire on and ripped up my hands getting them on. I think I need to buy a bead jack and call it a day.

In general, I've noticed that current Kevlar-beaded tires seem to have become outrageously tight over the past few years. Lighter racing tires are generally a bit easier to mount, but the current crop of durable, high pressure belted training tires are unforgivingly difficult to mount. Armadillos (ugg), Gatorskins and Rubinos are all really tough to get on a rim when new. Perhaps modern carcasses have become so reinforced that they simply don't flex anymore. Perhaps tire manufacturers are terrified of lawsuits from beads blowing off and cut the bead diameter a mm or two. Regardless, it has reached a point where I dread having to mount new tires.

Has anyone else experienced this? Maybe it's just my weak, middle aged noodle arms.

Sidenote: I ended up getting them mounted with a little soapy water and grippy gardening gloves. Much sweating and cursing was involved in this process, which was conducted in private in the basement. A bead jack is in order here.