eric von zipper

Just got a new set of wheels, Sun Rhyno Lite rims, and I am having the hardest time putting tires on them. I've read that these rims can be a little tough, but damn, I've been trying for an hour now. Any tips or tricks?

pj7

I have those rims on one of my bikes and it is very very difficult to get a new thinner tire on them. Once the tire gets used a bit it becomes easier, but new... ugh!
Lube the rim up and take it slow, that's all I can say.

eric von zipper

Yeah, the tire is new. What should I use to lube the rim?

bkaapcke

Water with dish soap. If you can, lay the tire out in the sun for 20 minutes. Let it get warm. bk

pj7

bk hit the nail on the head there
heat the tire up a bit and lube the rim with soapy water
I'm fairly agressive when mountain a tire and have broken many tire leavers (a person should really never break one) on my sun rims... the hardest tire I had ever put on there was Kenda Klondike studded tires, I don't want to say what I *finally* ended up doing to get it on

eric von zipper

Thanks a lot. I'll give it a go tomorrow when the sun is out.

Portis

I've got these rims too. I've put lots of different tires on them, and it always is somewhat of a struggle but no biggie. I used to repair auto tires for a few years in my youth, so once you know the knack it applies to the bike tires as well.

The trick is to get as much slack as you can out of the tire. Explaining that is hard to do, but once you know how to do it, it applies to pretty much all tires that are "tight." Best I can do is tell you to get the beads close as possible together and as close as possible to the rim strip area, opposite of where you are trying to slip the beed over the rim edge. (told you it was hard to explain.)

Lastly, it is good to re-iterate that these rims are tougher than most. I especially hate changing flats on these on the road in extreme cold. It will test your abilities and your patience. In the garage they are fairly easy.

grolby

You haven't said how wide your tires are. I wouldn't use anything skinnier than 1.5". I've used 1.25" tires on these rims, and believe me, they were the very devil to get on and off. 1.75" Panaracer T-Servs went on easily with no struggling, except for trying to get the Kevlar bead to set correctly.

Dogbait

I've used diluted dish detergent and also windex, with good results, in the past to mount tight tires. On the road, water or spit will do.

The tire-rim combination makes a difference too. I have a set of Rhyno Lite XL rims and mounted a new pair of Kenda Kross (1.95, wire bead) tires using just my thumbs and no lubrication.

pj7

Yeah, the Kenda Kross (I had the Kenda Kross Plus) tires are a dream to mount on these rims. The Kenda Karma mount so easily you'd think they were about to fall of.

eric von zipper

The tires are 1.5", Performance brand (Forte?) I got for cheap until I get some Schwalbe Marathons. But, I'm thinking that I've had such a hard time with the ones I'm using now, I may never get the Marathons on them.

onbike 1939

Talc works also. Some of the problem is the soft rubber used in tyres sticking on the outside of the rim. Give the rim of the tyre a dusting of talc and this will help.

idcruiserman

I had a set of those on my MTB, and I always had a lot of trouble with tires. It helped a little to warm up the tire, but the permanent fix was sticking the wheels on the wall.

eric von zipper

Crisis over. A friend taught me how to roll the tire on the rim, one side at a time. Still tough but it's a good trick and works.

jbrians

My only concern would be tires that slip on that easily MAY peel off the rim before you could stop if you ever flatted...like going down hill or something. It's never happened to me but I could have just been lucky so far.

dobber

Another acknowledgment of the Keda tires. I can usually bully them off without levers, getting them on is a breeze. Haven't had any problems with them coming off inadvertently.

I've got some Michelin COuntry Rocks on both CR-18 and Rhyno rims, they're pretty easy to manage also

stapfam

I use the Kenda Karma on the Tandem and I have Mavic rims. I have the folding version and I find them just about right tension. One tyre lever to get off and Good hand pressure to put back on. The Rhino lites I have are No different But I use Panaracer Fire XC tyres in the folding form again. Only thing is that I do have one set of wheels that are a bu**er to mount tyres with. They have a thick cloth rim tape and it is difficult to get the bead fully down into the rim recess.

Now if it is a choice between a tight tyre to fit or one that slips on easily- Give me the tight tyre anytime. The loose tyres have a habit of turning on the rim at low pressure.

EDIT If it is mounting the tyre that is causing a problem- get to the stage where the lever has to be used and run round the mounted part of the bead- Pushing it firmly into the recess. Providing you keep pressure on the Lever- the bead will stay in the reces and the tyre will mount easier. Now as to getting them off again- that is a different matter

MTBaddict

I have a set of these rims too. Problem is that they have no "gutter" or recess for the bead to drop into when mounting/demounting. I have learn to look for that feature in any rim that I buy.