Curious: Tire Mounting
 

Which of you is able to completely mount a tire without using any tools, that is, by hand only?

Depends on the tyre, I need levers for the 700c Michelin slicks on my road bike, but I've got a 20" tyre on my folding bike that I can use my hands for.

Agree with Airburst. It depends on the rim and on the tire. With my 700 x 23 Michelins I have to use two plastic levers. But I'd rather have a tight fit than a loose fit.

It's been a few years since I needed a tire tool to install a tire. I use them often to uninstall tires.

http://www.teamestrogen.com/content/asa_levers

I have some tire/rim combinations that require the use of levers, but that link above has some tips that work well no matter what.

When mounting road tires, I generally find I'm more likely to pinch a tube if I try to shortcut the process with levers- its better to just suck it up and do it without them. Commuting tires with rigid sidewalls (even down to, say 700x23 Armadillos) never need tools to be mounted. I almost always use a lever to get a tire off, however.

Yep same here!

A little spritz of soapy water and a pair of thin leather gloves work for most combinations.

When the guy said turn the bike upside down I left the page. Ain't the way to do it.

I can remove most tires from wheels. some are quite harder than others, but if your technique is down, it is possible on all clinchers. I prefer to use pedro's tire levers most of the time since it's easier, but the no-tools thing is a sure way to win a $5 bet.

I am not necessarily mr. muscles; it's all in the technique. find an old mechanic to teach you.

I can usually get a stubborn tire on or off when my hands aren't hurt. You pinch the tire into the bottom of the rim and hold tension on it as you work it around opposite of the stem. Goes on the same way. Having said that a friend has a Swallabe marathon 32 that requires this tool to get it on. http://www.biketoolsetc.com/index.cg...&item_id=KS-TJ

I can always mount the tyre by hand. Sometimes I need the help of levers to remove.

One tip on how to not pinch the tube when mounting with levers. Place the tip on the exposed side of the rim just underneath tyre bead. Gently slide the lever under the tyre-bead, but never leaving contact with the rim-edge. This pushes the lever-tip underneath the tube as well. When you reach the edge of the rim, lift up the lever slightly, but never losing contact. When the hook-end of the lever clears the rim-edge, lift the lever up just past the height of the rim-edge and push the tire over. You don't want to flip the lever all the way up and over because that can pinch the tube.

I can almost always install without tools. THis is important because the chance of damaging the tube when using tools is much much much higher than without tools. I consider needing tools a failure and I can count on one hand the number of times this has been necessary for me.

I can sometimes remove tires without tools but I usually start with tools if they are handy.

Edit:

I had a pair of Ritchey 26" tires that were almost impossible to mount without tools... I believe they were a factory second (irregulaily small diameter bead by 1 or 2 mm) that my employer bought at a discount.

In a fit of ignorance about 27 vs 700c when I first started out I managed to mount a 700c tire onto a 27 inch rim. That was a bit of work and I had to resort to tire levers... :D Had to cut the tire and snip the bead to get it off so no chance of returning them to the store for exchange for 27's either. THAT was an expensive learning experience..... :D

These days, and knowing better, I seldom need to use a lever for mounting a tire. But I always use one to unmount and get the bead started and then I use the lever more as a zipper tool to run it around the rim to slip the bead off.

Depends on the tire, rim, and whether the tire has been stretched out yet.

After mounting them once with tire levers I can mount and dismount 25mm Continental Gatorskin folding tires on Mavic Reflex clincher and Open Pro rims by hand.

uh... mounting a tire by hand is the CORRECT way to do it. Who the hell uses a tool to mount a bicycle tire?

I use (1) lever to start the bead off when removing and that's it.

Use your palms, not your thumbs.

Or the sole of your shoe, if the tire is very tight.

or just HTFU and use your thumbs.

Another vote for "it depends". Most tire/rim combinations I've come across go together with no tools but occasionally one shows up that absolutely requires at least one tire lever insertion.

I have found that even the most recalcitrant tires when mounted the first time can be usually be remounted without tools the second and subsequent times if you have to repair a flat.

Congratulations, you found the line between HTFU and stupidity.

and despite toeing the line, I managed to stay away from stupidity. If you can't put ANY bicycle tire on without a tool, you need to put down the computer mouse and go rock climbing or something.

Yes, there were times working in a bike shop when it was very difficult (Michelin tires on Matrix rims, for example), but with proper technique, you can ALWAYS do it without tools.

I used to be able to do this with my bare hands, but over the years arthritis and carpal tunnel issues have made it problematic. Now I use this at home:

https://www.biketoolsetc.com/Product_Images/KS-TJ.jpg

and this on the road:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_mmv-q4MFOe.../s320/var1.JPG

It's hell getting old, but it's still better than the alternative.

Perhaps you could "name" the two devices so we can locate an example for ourselves.....

I googled the domain and photo name and came up with Kool Stop Tire Jack. 15 bucks if you really can't be bothered to stop watching chick flicks.