Tips - hard-to-change tire -
 

Hello - I have a tire that is very hard to get off and back on. Please post tips for making this easier - including tips that can be done out on the road. I have never had this much trouble.
This is a 24" wheel on an older Terry bike, with the 24" x 1 " wheel in the front, and a 24x1 "520" Panaracer Pasela tire, with wire bead. I know because having used a screwdriver, I can see the bead.
There are very few road tire options for this wheel. After first getting it on the wheel, I thought it would loosen up a bit.
I used two different types of tire levers. I can get the first in, but not the second -not anywhere around the rim. A more narrow, thinner one should get in there, but the thinner and more narrow, the more the lever just bends. I had to get a flathead screwdriver tip in right where the first lever was in, then pull along. I could not improvise anything else - butterknife, etc. - anything else is too weak or too wide.
I cannot imagine having to fix a flat on the road with this. I was in my garage, and under no time pressure.

I am used to removing and getting tires back on entirely by hand, and maybe with one lever for tough jobs. So, I don't know how to do this.
BTW: I have a 24 x 1 1/8 mountain bike tire on the way to see if that is easier. Besides this removal problem, the Panaracer tire is fine.

Consider using a paint can opener. Usually a 1.00 next to the house latex paint section in the home improv. stores. If it has any rough/sharp edges, be sure to polish those areas off to a smooth finish of the tool prior to using.

I have a hard time with my Bontrager tires on Bontrager rims. I found that I had to be very careful to get the bead(s) that was already on the wheel into the very center of the rim. This gave me the best clearance for the part of the bead that wan't on the wheel.

Generally speaking, a screwdriver is frowned upon for mounting tires. Ideally, you can mount tires without a tool. Until I focused on centering the bead I would have scoffed at this, but now I can put the tires on without a tool. If you can see the wire that forms the bead, your tire may be compromised.

I bought Pedro's tire tools after reading recommendations here. They work pretty good.

I have recommended Pedro plastic tire tools as well because of their strength relative to Park style or other
varieties of plastic tire tools. Their width may make use on a tight 520 sized wheel a bit problematic compared
with 622 sized wheels. Metal tools will score aluminum rims and raise sharp ridges on the rim, not a good
idea. I tried some plastic tools molded around a metal insert that worked for awhile but even those made a
mild dent in the rim edge, sans any sharp edge, but the plastic 'hook' that goes under the bead flattened out
after a year or so making them useless. Any tire tight enough to make insertion of one plastic tool difficult
means trying to get a second tool in will be impossible for most of us.

This tool https://www.nashbar.com/tyrekey-tire...rekey/p1007690 "might" be helpful, although
the product video showed its use on a tire that could probably have been installed by hand, but the tool looks
promising. Both Spin Doctor and Silca make reinforced tire tools that look to be narrow and strong. I have
used none of these.

One addition to your kit would be a small container of soap concentrate, which applied to the
rim and the bead facilitate removal but don't solve the problem of the bead repeatedly popping off the tool in
the first place.

Finally, since your tire selection is so poor, you might consider whether a 456 or 540 sized wheel could be fitted
as this might give you some more tire options. Depends on your fork/brake adjustability relative to the rim.

The times I've had a similar issue, the only thing that worked was to put two tools about six inches apart between the rim and tire and push down on both at the same time. Usually this will facilitate removal. Also, when the tire is at pressure, then goes flat, it seems to have "expanded" enough for easier removal. However, I wouldn't head out until the problem is solved. Saw an individual wrestle (with my assistance) for about an hour on the trail with a flat once, although he finally got it off.

One thing which might help would be to replace the thick cloth rim tape like Velox, if that is what you have, with a thinner tape like Continental Easy Tape, a couple of layers of Kapton tape or a layer of filament-reinforced packing tape.
The thinner tape will allow you top get the tire bead further down into the rim which will make getting the bead over the edge easier.
If you need any tools to mount/demount the tire you had better be sure you have them with you on the road or you will be stuck.

The Kool Stop Tire Jack is a wonderful tool for this scenario.

I've had luck with 3 or more levers and lubed with rubbing alcohol.

+1 for the Kool Stop Tire Jack.

reading the thin rim tape suggestion, it just dawned on me, that the trick of making sure the deflated tube/tire is well in the center channel before trying to get the tire onto the bead, would also be helpful getting it off the rim

I had a tight fitted tire on my bike and punctured on a ride. It was a stiflingly hot humid day. I broke two tire levers trying to get that tire off. One of them was my VAR set. I forget how I finally got the tire off but I soon replaced it with one that wasn't nearly as tight. Now if I put a new tire on at home and it's really tight I take the tire back and get something different or I try the tire on a different wheel. I do NOT want the hassle of trying to remove a too tight tire on the road again. I suggest trying a different tire.

Cheers

I bought a Kool Stop Tyre Jack and never looked back.

The OP problem in part is that the Panaracer is the ONLY tire found on google search for this size rim (520 rim, nominally 24"). I too had this problem on my first set of 406 rims, which turned out to be 1-2mm oversized. Finally got a 2d pair of wheels built and mostly do with the new rims.

+1 for Kool Stop.

We actually had a pair of tires that we could not install. They were super tight tires, on tubeless-ready rims. Fortunately the shop gave us a refund, as they had not touched pavement.

Ditto on the recommendation of a thinner rim strip. Narrow tires on skinny rims need all the extra room they can get.

Try using two tire levers at the same time - maybe ~1 spoke apart. If that doesn't get it freed up, try 2 spokes apart. Then a third tire lever just beyond where the bead wraps over the sidewall of the rim.

Yes. It is!

Best lubricant for inner tubes is talcum powder. Use it liberally before installation. It is also possible to get it in there slowly while in process of removing a tire. Talc can make it seem like the tire just got 1/2" bigger. There is already talc inside the inner tube, might just as well use it on outside.

The lever that doesn't bend at all is the Lezyne alloy lever.

yes -
 

thanks. yes, i have another tire ordered. it is a mountain bike tire, 1 1/8 x 24. --It would be a real change to have to be ready for this elaborate difficulty on the road. This is my son's bike - I want him to have pleasant experiences as he begins road riding with me. We are on Gulf Coast - hot humid most of the time. The hurricanes do cool things off for a couple days when they pass through, however.

oversized rim -
 

thanks. in looking up this wheel size and tire, i came across a couple posts that made me wonder whether this particular wheel is a bit too big. The bike calls for a 24 x 1 wheel which should be a "520," and I have assumed this is a 520 I have. This is an older Terry with the 24" wheel in front / 700 in back. It is very possible neither wheel is original - we bought this from local cyclist who says his wife put a lot of miles on that bike, and he was something of a wrencher - bike mounted on decent bike stand when we went over to look at it.

There is a "540" standard wheel, as well - I believe the standard 540 tire is supposed to be 24 x 1.125. I am looking at Shelton Brown (RIP) info. I think i will check to see if wheel seems to be 520 or 540. getting a "520" tire on a "540" wheel would be something to put on my resume.

Hi - no go on that. I did get a second in fairly far away - when I got the screw driver in there and starting sliding along rim edge, that made it want to lap out, and things were easy from that point.

I've the same problem. As fast as I try to lever the tire on to the rim, it moves off the rim in the other direction.....

BUT.... I have a fix!

Now I carry a length of parachute cord (2~3'). I wrap the cord around the rim and tire at a point where the tire is on the rim.
Now I only have to control one end of the tire, the other end can't jump the rim while I levering away.
I was about to cut up a new pair of Continentials with scissors in frustration until I tried this.

All the best

Barry

Barry

I had Marathons that were the devil to remove and install. I used metal tools to remove them and the Kool Stop to install them. After the tires wore out I no longer buy them.

It's been said a few times but I can't say enough how much of a game changer patient and repeated pushing of the bead into the well of the rim makes