sweeks

The rationale for starting 180 degrees from the valve is that at that location the tire's bead can drop into the deepest part of the rim, providing more slack when finishing at the valve. Starting at the valve gives less slack because of interference by the valve stem. This may vary depending on the profile of the rim, so is probably not a game-changer.

Montag311

I like to align the valve with the treadwear indicator that Continental tires have. Makes it much easier to find when it's worn down to almost nothing. There's a TWI mark next to it on the sidewall but it's mixed in with a lot of other stuff, and I usually end up spinning the tire around four or five times before I can find it.

gioech

reading all these post made me realize how bad i was fitting my tire in the wheel ahahhaha thanks all

rumrunn6

I use a white china marker to rub the raised/embossed printing. actually, now I often just write the PSI w/ the china marker. I also write the tire width, cuz I often forget for conversations. also write arrows showing rotation direction. so dumb when I mount tires backwards ...

ClayH 

Sometimes stubborn tires, usually MTB tires, will go on ok but won't seat completely, so it doesn't spin true. In our shop it was a joke that I when I was new, guys would be overfilling the tires to get them to "pop" into place, occasionally making a really loud pop and they thought it was funny to see me flinch at the sound. A few months later and I'm used to it.
To both help get a stubborn tire on those last couple of inches, or to seat a stubborn MTB tire I will sometimes spray bike wash all the way around the bead on both sides before inflating the tire, working it into the the inside of the rim as well. Dries quickly and can really help on tough combinations.

Jax Rhapsody

I put the tube in the tire, inflate it, put the valve in the rim, and bang it all on the wheel with a hammer. I thought that's how everybody did it?