I'veGotABikeSyd

This is crazy. I just received my new Michelin Speedium tires in the mail and they are shipped (as they are in the lbs as well) folded flat. I'm trying to mount these things on my rim but the minute I get more than 2 inches away from the starting point the tire pops out and returns to it's original flat shape (as opposed to the desire tubular shape). I'm used to tires already being more "in-the-round-shaped-like-a-U" when I mount them so this is new territory for me... Any hints on installing "flat" tires??
I wish Vishnu was here to help...

gargiulo.mike

you can try blowing up your tube a little bit and putting it inside of the tire to hold the shape of the tire if you arent already doing this.

babychris

cut it up and tape it back together on the rim.

eddiebrannan

if you really can't stretch at least one bead all the way over the rim (and i'm sure you can) hang em from something overnight with a weight at the bottom so they lose their foldedness

LastPlace

I'm not sure I can picture your problem, but the act of getting a tire onto a rim can be made much easier by using a 'Tire Bead Jack'. If that would help, check out the link below.
The 'Tire Bead Jack' is at the bottom of the page...........

https://www.koolstop.com/Accessories/index.php

oktokrewl

get someone else to help you...have them hold the part you've already put in the rim and continue around with them holding as much as possible..it worked for me

roadfix

All foldable tires are sold folded flat. You just need a little bit of patience installing these.

AfterThisNap

are you puttin' on one bead at a time?

HighRollaMerola

Have you tried liquid soap on the bead and rim edge that you are slipping on last? I have occasionally had to do this and use a plastic lever between the rime and last bit of tire to slide on really stuborn tires, but usually just soap liberally and itll go right on.

slvoid

Take the tube out, practice w/ no tube.

Get one side on then squeeze the beads together to fold the tire into shape and get a part of the other bead on as you're doing this push down on the bead towards the axle to seat the beat onto the rim since the tire was flat it'll want to flatten out and pull the bead out hold it in by hand while you seat it and after 6-8 inches it'll stay in there.

I'veGotABikeSyd

I ended up finally getting it to work by using multiple pieces of electrical tape as my "extra hands". Every 3 or 4 inches I wrapped the tire/tube/rim to hold it in place and in-shape. I'm glad I figured this method out because I ended up putting both the front and rear tires on twice[!] each because on the front the valve was crooked and the back because I put the tire on backwards. LOL I'm such a noob...

doofo

try airless tires

WakeUpOnFire

work at a bike shop for a year

dustinlikewhat

smoke pcp.

nexus6

Use some KY lube!

I'veGotABikeSyd

what was that all about? did the comedy crew just walk through?

Landgolier

electrical tape shouldn't be necessary, in the future just human torture rack them a little to get the memory out of the bead and tread. Open it up, put a foot inside, and then pull.

lunacycle

I had the same problem trying to mount a set of Veloflex Pave tires to my Ellipse rims. Just getting the first bead onto the rim was hard. I pumped the tube up to about 10-15psi, pushed the bead back a bit, then rolled the tube onto the rim.

Oh yeah, I should mention that I first coated the inside of the tire with talc. I also coated the tube with talc -- A really slick way to do this is to put the deflated tube into a plastic bag with a handful of talc, then shake it up.

Getting the second bead on was damn near impossible. I managed to roll the bead on very slowly using my thumbs. The last 6-8 inches was extremely difficult. I just concentrated on rolling an inch of bead at a time onto the rim using both thumbs. I needed to put on gloves to get the last bit of bead onto the rim. I didn't use any tools at all.

The second tire went on easier than the first. But, yeah, I've never had this much difficulty installing a tire before.

Jerseysbest

Those cheap tire leavers usually have hooks on the other end that you can you to snap onto the rim to prevent the tire from coming off. Occasionally I'll need them and they work great.

hockeyteeth

I would advise not using those tires with your rim. If you get a flat while on a ride you're screwed unless you carry a toolbox with you at all times.

Shiznaz

I often punch myself in the face by mistake when I am mounting stubborn tires. It makes the whole process worth it when you have to check to see if you actually made your nose start bleeding because you whacked your face so hard with the back of your hand. Its a tearjerking experience to say the least.

mascher

Shiznaz, if you're joking about punches in the face, I've done that too many times trying to get a second lever under a bead.

I've found Michelin mountain tires to really really really want to go back into their folded position - favorite winter front tire is a Wildgripper S I think, and after it had been on a wheel for a year and a half without being removed, it folded in half and twisted the second it came off the rim. Maybe the same is true for all of their tires.

jol

*Off topic*
I punched myself in the throat trying to start a petrol strimmer without holding it in place with my other hand. Its one of those moments where you don't know who to blame/punch.

doofo

i would punch you in the throat just for saying petrol strimmer if i ever met you in person

dustinlikewhat

in the US we call them weed-eaters.

huh-huh weed...