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