I just finished mounting a set of Forte GT2k tires on a set of Matrix Titan II. I went through 2 GT2 tires, 2 tubes, 2 tire levers an extra trip to Performance Bike and total of 4 hours. The results were one broken nail, two very sore thumbs, back pain and two very stubborn Forte tires on the wheels.

I have been using the Forte tires for awhile now. They are difficult tires to mount but never took more than half an hour to do a set. I guess it must the the wheels. The tires were so tight I double checked to make sure those wheels were 700c and not 27". What are your tips and tricks when mounting stubborn tires? KY jelly?

Baby powder and prayer... having good steel cored levers helps too as many plastic levers are simply unworthy.

Some tyres are just a pita to install... I have some Avocet TT30's which are 27 inch by 7/8 folding tyres and I have never run into a tougher install than these.

They were well worth the pain as they are the best 27 inch racing tyre ever made.

Once they were installed and stretched a little removing and reinstalling them is still a challenge but it's nothing like that initial install.

I always use baby pwder / talc as it does make difficult installs much easier... Schwalbe Marathons can also be a pita.

The bead seems to become less pliable with miles. I have a Power Lever, which rotates about the axle and inserts under the bead. That eases the pain somewhat.. Nothing works perfectly with difficult tires. My biggest pain has always been Armadillos.

When I saw these offered here and there, I thought it was another gimmick that wouldn't work. I was wrong. These really will pull up and mount the meanest tire you've got:

https://cgi.ebay.com/VAR-Super-Tyre-T...742.m153.l1262

Hunt around for a good price. They seem to sell out quickly.

Tire spray polish that you would use for your car sidewalls makes it slippery.

I've also had to use a C clamp to hold down the tire while working on one side because the tire kept going around and loosening up.

I also like Pedro's tire levers. They are very wide which makes it easy on the hands and they have a nice hook on them helping to prevent from slipping off the rim.

Warm the tires up. I fold my tires into a figure 8 and use a strip of velcro or a zip tie to hold them in that shape and set them on the dryer rack in the clothes drier.

I'm not exaggerating the VAR. It simply hook over the bead while mounted on the rim you have 1/2 the tire/tube on. Pull it back towards you - *pop* and it's on. No kidding. That simple.

And I don't own stock in VAR. I was shocked.

+1

heat gun/hair dryer will do it, too (carefully, obviously )

You guys are overthinking the room...

https://www.jensonusa.com/store/produ...e.aspx?sc=FRGL

I was looking at these as a result of researching that VAR tool. Do you have one Damocles? Do you like it and would you reccomend it?

Trick I've found that works really well is to NOT try and push up on the centre of the unmounted section. It requires stretching the bead to work, an inhuman feat. Rather, push sideways on the two sections that's wrapping over the rim.

I've never tried the Kool Stop one. Appears to be the same principle. Nice.

Anyone have one of the Kool Stop tools who can post a picture of how to use it? It's not coming to me yet...

Picture This:

The upside-down 'U' side fits over the rim on the side you have 1/2 of the tire mounted on.

Now you have attempted, by hand, to mount the other 1/2 of the tire on the other side of the rim. But there is still, let's say, 6 inches that won't go.

So the other side of the tool straddles the rim and hooks underneath the bead of the tire where you can't get it over the rim.

Now you pull the tool back towards the side that is mounted.

This pulls the bead up and over the rim and seats it.

How's that? Got it?


Looks like the Kool Stop and the VAR work by the same principle. I can vouch for the VAR tool working.

+1 for the Kool stop. Bought it a few weeks ago and it works like a charm. If you get one you will kick your self for not getting it sooner.

Greg

^^ Yep - got it. Thanks! I had to go to Kool-Stop's website for a picture clear enough to see what you meant by the upside down U side of the tool. Makes perfect sense now. Should be VERY useful in the garage. Does anyone take it on the road?

I now carry the VAR in my seat-bag. Still frozen here - hope I don't need to use it in the Spring! LOL.

I couldn't get a wire-bead panaracer tire on by hand the other day, so dug out my crank brothers speed lever thing I had bought on impulse "just in case" once upon a time. This was the first time I'd needed to try the thing and it works great. Piece of cake. No pinching of the tube, and very little effort required.

https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/M...x?ModelID=8176

Absolutely! I've got a wheelset I can't even use because they have Armadillos on them, and I can't get them off. I bent a metal tire iron trying, and the none of my various plastic ones can even get under the bead.

I hate the idea of taking an additional tool on a ride. After looking at all the options I think VAR is the ideal tool because of it's size. Didn't VAR went out of business a few years back? Anybody know where I can get a VAR tire tool for less than ebay?

The going terms I've found are: OUT OF STOCK. I've been looking. But I picked up mine off eBay. Maybe ask Bike Tools, Etc? They do list them.

Wife bought me a KoolStop Tire Jack for Christmas - Good Stuf!

Okay, I'm about to go insane mounting a Continental Gator Skin to a Campagnolo Strada rim. Two broken steel tire levers, sore fingers, bleeding fingers. Finally got the tire on...and the tube of course got pinching in getting it on. Now...no good levers left to get the tire off. I'm about to lose my mind.

I'm going to get the VAR or the Kool Stop. There is at least one vote for the VAR and one for the Kool Stop. Anyone use both or very pleased with one or the other? I'm looking to avoid bloodying my fingers and having to scream and curse at a bicycle wheel in the future.

I was also using steel core/plastic covered Soma levers. Both are now broken. Can anyone suggest some better ones?

Thanks.

I rarely have a problem with this...
Powder, a little air in the tube, tube in tire, start with one bead and the valve stem set.
Usually people can get the second bead most of the way on, but there is that final
stretch of a few inches on the 2nd bead that they cannot get over.
Set the tire lever so that you can apply pressure to the bead,
and pinch the beads together all the way around the tire.
As you do this the bead gets pulled into the center deeper portion of the rim,
and off of the shelf that makes up part of the hook bead by the tension of the lever.
This gives you more "slack", kinda like the installation of a UST tire.
As you pinch you will feel the lever loosen, but you must keep a little tension on it until you get back to the gap.
Usually you can just pull it over with a thumb after that, or hold the bead and run the tire lever towards it.
The most difficult rim/tire combinations around are at least made manageable with this trick.

Same problem here, except with Campy Atlantas. Broken nail, bleeding fingers, lots of swearing. I tried baby powder on one rim, 409 on the other. Finally mounted both tires WITH someone helping, but tubes pinched somehow. My Park levers held up, though.

An entire build is on pause right now because I'm too frustrated with these rims/tires. I just made a few large orders, so I don't want to spring for a new tool.