habitus

um, because it probably wasn't "card," or "card" would be censored in your post, too!

ostro

maybe he wrote crap

or maybe not

or maybe he wrote ****

yeahup that was is it, i took a shift on the 8 four times.

junioroverlord

It's not too tough, all you have to do is grab the tire and pull on it and work out all the slack pulling the tire to one side of the rim until you pull it away from the rim then stick you finger in and poof. I know I didnt explain this well, but hopefully you get the picture.

ryan_c

Man, you sure do love pie (not that I can blame ya though).
I was amazed you nor anyone else mentioned that monday was pi day (3/14). I would have said something on monday, but... I'm not nearly as into the pie as most people.

Anyone who can get one of my tires on my rim (mine specifically, I'm not saying its impossible) without tire levers, well I would buy them a sixer just to see that. Anyone who can get it off without levers gets a lifetime supply of Maker's Mark. Because, well, its just not going to happen.

ostro

If someone is thristy enough, and i am sure there are many, they will sacrifice a finger

toman

A lot of people won't do business with PayPal because PayPal chooses to not do business with customers dealing in products the PayPal people have moral issues with. For example, PayPal objectsto (prohibits) firearms, knives, body jewelry and piercing supplies, surgical supplies, tattoo equipment, pornography and adult toys, all of which are being obtained in perfecly legitimate, legal ways. If you want people like this running the corporations that make America work, then by all means give them your business in exchange for the convenience. If you want to live in a free country where you have the right to live by the morals imposed by the government, take your business somewhere else and let people know why. Yeah, maybe it will take an extra ten minutes to ride to 7-11 for a money order, but most of us enjoy riding, so what the hell...

RhinoRiot

plastic park tire levers *#@$%$ suck. we use the pedros levers every day at our shop, they're great. and if you break 'em, send them back and they'll send you a replacement for free.

pitboss

What difference does it make if you call in your credit card number or use it via paypal? And if you are using your bank account to pay via paypal, you can call in your debit card number the same as a credit card.
Unless you have neither type of card. Or no phone.
I guess I don't understand the problem here.

shants

man, i had such a ****ing debacle with rim tape the other day when i was helping my roommate convert a bike. we'd purchased some wheels from iro and, well, they didn't come with rim tape. so, we went to the ole LBS and the guy there had those rubber types that snap on like rubber bands or whatnot. ****ing blew three tubes before we were able to realize that the rubber things would ride up when the tires went on, exposing the holes (the bands were somewhat thin, but were supposed to be good for 700c). the first one kept its pressure until well after we had the front wheel installed, but, immediately after the rear exploded (right after inflating), it did too. ugg. we should have realized what was going on by then, but, well, the third one made it pretty obvious.

i had purchased the velox (or whatever) cloth tape for my tire... no problems. once we put that on his wheels, no problems. the spoke holes were especially sharp -- the rubber **** most certainly did not hold up. electrical tape seems to do the job "on the cheap."

bostontrevor

I usually see rim strips on cheap wheels (be they cheapo bikes or cheapo wheels from the LBS) and I think they're hokey as all get out. Maybe if you glue them down, but then what's the point?

If you're going to the effort of smearing glue on those things and then trying to get them on straight (which by the way they don't always like to do), you might as well spend the extra $2 and use some Velox and save yourself a headache.

I'd use electrical tape hands down any day of the week over crappy rim strips.

shot

I use the big Park Shop Tire Tool at home. It's really the best option.
Basically a bigger, heavy-duty version of the Crank Bros Speedlever.

emperorbush

I concocted a home made lever, got the tires off, put 2 layers of brown packing tape inside the rims, and put the tires back on.

Heres hoping the tubes dont go kaboom.

emperorbush

BensCycle is sending me the rim tape

ryan_c

Does anyone use anything like talcum powder to make sure there is no friction between the tube and tire or tube and rim/tape (especially when using something like packing tape)? Or do the surfaces of most tubes already prevent friction?

Hm, that's probably a really strange question.

baxtefer

not a strange question at all
people do it. I can't be bothered though.

bostontrevor

Talcum or not was a hotly debated topic in the mechanics forum a little while back. Personally I don't and I generally buy the arguments against it. Besides, carrying around a tube in a bag of talc? Getting that crap all over when I install the tube?

No on both counts, thanks.

baxtefer

it also makes patching a tube damn near impossible if you don't have a means to clean it off.

weed eater

*bump*

regarding levers that help you install tires (as opposed to remove them), you want the Kool Stop bead jack:

https://tinyurl.com/9tfju

Now I can install my Continentals on my Sun Rhynos without punching a wall!

It amazes me that no bike store person ever told me about these when I asked (at several different places over many years) if there was some reason that my tires were unusually hard to install, and/or if there was something I could do about it. Chalk up another one to Sheldon.

endform

Whatever you do, don't get those park tool piles of crap. Those are the worst, most difficult tire levers you can possibly buy. They have too high of a profile. Soma tire levers really are the only way to go, because unless your the incredible hulk you ain't breaking them.

The cost of doing it right is a small price to pay for not getting flats from the inside. I want a nail to give me a flat, not my laziness.

baxtefer

The VAR tool is even better.

Smaller, lighter, packable and can be used as regular tire levers as well.
Too bad it's really hard to find.

https://www.rivendellbicycles.com/web...ols/19045.html

weed eater

now THAT is cool. it's hard to tell whether the item is available or not.

edit: Rivendell does have them in stock. The item name appears to be "Discontinued Tire Lever." I just ordered one. Thanks baxtefer!

baxtefer

VAR hasn't made them in over 10 years. Loosescrews used to have a few, but it looks like they're out too.
I've been trying to get my hands on one for a while. My LBS mech has one, but he guards it with his life.

brokenrobot

I disagree - when those levers shatter, they REALLY shatter - like, you probably should be wearing safety goggles.

hyperRevue

Next time I'm in Ben's I'll be sure to mention to Vince about all your paypal gripes. I think it's a pretty legit annoyance and if it's hurting his business, as it seems to be, than I'm sure he'd look into it.

skelly

I got no rim tape from ben's bikes either. but my lbs hooked me up with a couple rolls. when I first got the wheels i put the tubes/tires on anyway because I was anxious to ride and the bike store was closed. the front tube lasted a few hours, the back tube lasted until the next day.