After getting a tire cut nearly open on some sharp rocks, I decided to replace it before it blew out on a ride while I was far from home. I got out some plastic tire levers that I've successfully used before, and much to my dismay, while trying to lift the bead out of the rim, these things fold over like a wet noodle. Apparently I only get a couple uses out of these before they integrity is compromised and they aren't rigid enough to pull the bead off the wheel. I started to resort to using screwdrivers, but stopped after realizing this would do little besides ensure that I have many dents in my rim. Does anyone else have this problem? Now I'm stuck with a tire on a wheel that needs replacing, no way of getting it off, and tire levers that bend like pasta, and a fair deal of frustrations.

does anyone have any suggestions?
Has anyone had luck with some particular plastic levers?
do you use metal levers?

any advice would be appreciated.

What tire and what rim are you running? Some combos weren't meant to be. I use GP4000's with Velocity rims. I use one tire lever and get them off no problem. If I really like, I can get them off with only my hands. Also true for my Mavic rims and the Bontrager rims on my wife's roadie.

Now my MTB running Botrager rims and Panarcer tires was super tough. I switched to Sun Rhyno rims and the same tires are 10 times easier to remove.

Have you considered steel? I will be getting a few so I can swap out regular tubes for solid rubber inserts in a friend's wheelchair, and while I can do one side of the tire with plastic, there is NO WAY I'll be able to do the other with plastic levers. I've seen steel levers on ebay for as little as $4 before shipping.

I carry a pair of Pedro tire levers. I think that they're made out of nylon. I also have a set of Pedro tire levers (the kind that look like screwdrivers) in my toolbox.

I've never had a problem with my nylon tire levers.

+1 on the Pedro levers. I've never had a problem. They are pretty beefy.

It might not be the levers. If you haven't already done so, try this:

Before trying to pry the tire off of the rim, pinch the two tire beads in in together all of the way around. The center of the rim is lower and that allows the tire to become non-concentric with the rim and gives you more room to work with. Some tire and rim combinations are more difficult than others, but MOST of the time I don't need to use a tire lever for either installing or un-installing bike tires.

You shouldn't need levers at all, at least for any steel-bead tires. Kevlar beads are made tighter, due to them having a bit more stretch in use--so they are always more difficult to get off and on.

Also using levers makes it more likely to damage the innertube by pinching it with the lever.

I'm using serfas seca fps 27x1.25 on sun cr-18 rims. I know the tires are rather sticky. I've tried pushing the bead into the center of the rim so it sits in the lowest part. The thing I find most frustrating is, I've changed these tires before. I've had flats with this exact set, on these wheels, which I got off with these tire levers. I don't understand what could have possibly changed since then. Thanks for the suggestions on the level brands

I have found that some tire rim combinations require metal levers.

Just had my 106 th road flat yesterday from a staple.
Used plastic levers, but it was iffy with them.

Metal levers, they're cheap and last forever. Of course you can scar your rim pretty significantly, so don't do that.

What plastic levers?

I use the blue Park plastic levers with no problems.

Yup, the Pedros are the best plastic levers. But I prefer the Soma steel core levers, it's what I carry, but I know people that carry the Pedros and swear by them. Anything less then a Pedros could leave you with a broken lever if your not real good at doing tire repairs.

There's also another device I love called the QuikStik, once you get the bead started you slip this in and just run it around the diameter of the rim and zip the tire is off fast. In fact the world record tire removal was done using that QuikStik...not saying you'll be that fast with it.

If you have really tough tires another tool called the VAR makes the final bead installation a snap.

I've broken plastic levers on bikes where the tube, tires and rims seemed to be all welded together. Lubing the tube and tire beads liberally with talc make it a lot easier to put on and take off. Lubed, I use one plastic lever to remove the tire and no levers to install most tires.

Yes, lube makes a huge difference. I use rubbing alcohol. Once when I had a flat I happened to have a bottle of rubbing alcohol with me. Out of frustration I poured some on the rim to try to make the tire level slide easier and it worked wonders. So now I use rubbing alcohol whenever I change a tire.

Never had a problem with either Pedro's or Park Tool plastic levers. Lesser levers are a waste of money.

Pedro's levers are the best I've used:

https://www.gravelbike.com/?p=1168

I use automotive trim panel removers. they use these in automotive body shops to remove the interior trim and plastic in the car without scratching the panels. also works great for removing bicycle tires. I used them half a dozen times on my tires so far with no problems. they are super tough plastic and almost impossible to bend or break.

they come in a five piece set. the three wider ones work the best for removing bicycle tires. their size and width gives you a lot of leverage which makes it easier to get the tire off.

https://www.amazon.com/Astro-Pneumati...s=trim+remover

Yes. This fellow is correct. If you're using the levers to pull the bead over the rim without first centering the bead, you'll probably also bend steel levers. If you do it right, the levers easily suffice.

Oops! I have always used talc on the tube, but never thought of putting it on the bead. Some days I learn something; some days I don't.

While on a ride, try a used bar of soap. The small piece that you don't need. Scrape that on the rim or bead part. If difficult, wet it with your spit to make it extra slippery. Its just the final part the last few inches that are tough to get on.

Pedro also, never had an issue.

If you cant get the tire off , just cut off. Pair decent wire cutters will cut off in like 2 seconds.

Man some of you guys go through a lot of weird stuff just to get a tire on. All I ever do is apply talcum powder when I have new tire to the tube, after that I never need powders or liquids or soap to get the tire on or off.

+1......I carry my spare tubes in a baggie lightly coated in powder. Some of the problems listed in this thread seem more like operator error than tire lever problems. I've watched and then helped several cyclists replace a tube on the road. Their fighting with the tire was alway more the operator than the equipment themselves.

Exactly, I think some people just don't know how to put a tire on. What's weird is once a new tire goes on the first time, it gets easier after that, yet their applying gunk to get them on.

I help people on the side of the road all the time, once though a guy refused my help saying he got it handled, so I rode on. I came back about 45 minutes later heading home and he was still there...trying to get the tire on. So I stopped and asked him what's going on and he said the damn tires were too stiff and don't fit the rim right. So I asked if he would mind if I tried, by this time he was tired and angry and just gave me wheel, in 2 minutes I had it on, he looked at me with disbelief. So guess what I did next? I took his tire levers he gave me to use and removed the tire from the wheel much to his dismay, and then I gave the levers and wheel back to him and talked him through it. 4 minutes later he had on himself. He thanked me a lot, he never knew what he was doing wrong till I showed him. I usually do explain to people first and let them do it while I talk them through it, but I thought when I saw him there 45 minutes later there was a problem with the wheel and tire so I did the first time thinking this could take me awhile. He just wasn't getting the tire bead to squish in and drop into the channel. It was a snug fit, it snapped in.

Most tires I can put on by hand but that one I don't think I could of because it was pretty snug.

Plastic levers? mine are OK.. I use 3 for tight tires..
set all at the same time, pulled down all at once.

then a large enough section of tire is dislodged, to hand work the rest..


i'm still using the ones that Michelin packaged with their Hi-Lite tires, in the 80's..


Hand remounts.. assume Sumo crouch to get leverage..