WTB ST i-23 -can't get tire off
 

My son's Pure Cycles gravel bike came with WTB "Tubeless Compatible" ST i-23 rims with Hutchinson Overide tires (38mm). He flatted at the end of a ride, so this morning I went to fix the flat so we could get a few miles in.

For the life of me, I can't get the tire off. I guess it's the newfangled TCS - I can't get a tire lever between the bead and the rim. I feel like I'm going to rip into the tire if I use pressure to get the lever in.

Is there some secret to getting a tubed tire off of a tubeless rim? New (razor-thin) tire levers? Really don't want to be the guy who has to take his wheels into the shop for a flat.

I set 3 tire levers about 3" from each other and pull them down simultaneously to get tight tires off ..

might need a Kool Stop tire jack to get it back on.

Break the bead off the rim with your hand. Squeeze the tire by the rim, pushing the beads together. One of the beads should break away from the rim. Then you can get a lever in.

It’s a tubeless ready time with a pair of raised ledges at the sidewalks, they help seat a tubeless tire.

You need to use all your fingers in the bead opposite the side you look at while holding the rim, pry the bead off the ledge all the way around the rim until the bead is in the center channel. You can then get a tire lever under the bead.

You are completely unseating both beads before trying to remove the tire, right?

On a regular tubed wheel, the rim has a lip on the inside to retain the tire.
The tube presses the bead of tire against this lip to keep the tire on the rim.

With a tubeless wheel the lip on the inside of the rim is far more pronounced.
It is actually a square shaped groove.
The Tubeless tire has a matching square on the bead.
The tire bead locks into the wheel groove retaining the tire and pressure.

Breaking the rims grip on the tires square bead can be tough to do.
Give it a really good squeeze with both thumbs forcing the sidewall of the tire towards the opposite sidewall.
Don't be chicken, both thumbs, side by side and push hard.

Just to state the obvious... you have to let the pressure out of the tire before attempting this

8-)

Barry

This site has a good pic of the tubeless and how it is locked in to the rim.

Boy, many thanks, folks. That was kind of an ordeal. I have old, not too strong hands, I guess, so it was a challenge to get it off. As it is, I then pushed off the rim tape in two places. I ended up using my thumbs. Guess I learned about tubeless compatible systems today. I'm not sure that's a selling point for me any longer.

Hah, no didn't know that was a thing until I encountered this tire! Or, maybe that was the point - I didn't realize how hard it would be to unseat the beads. Plus, I was trying to go old school and not take the whole tire off, since I knew where the puncture was.

set up the tires tubeless and the need to remove the tires will be extremely rare. it's superior in every way.

TCS rims form a tight fit so that it seals well without tubes. it's easy to remove if you have a little muscle and the technique, which takes all of 5 minutes to master. push the bead in toward the center of the rim with your thumbs in one spot until you feel the tire slip past the bead shelf and work your way around to unseat the whole thing. the hardest part is the first "pop" then it gets easier. if you have just a little strength, you can remove the whole tire without a tire lever. I have a lever in my tool kit and I keep it around in case I need to lend it to a hapless weakling who can't figure out how to use their arms.

you only need to remove one side of the tire most of the time. leave the other bead locked onto the rim. there's no point in unseating it if you can avoid it.

Cool, thanks, will keep this mind when I need to do this again. Or I start puncturing rims, and the Bike Gods deem it time for tubeless. :)

It's easier if you have a 32 gallon Brute trashcan. Put the wheel on top, grab a handful of tire at 3 and 9 and PUSH DOWN HARD.

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...dd25c25be3.jpg

Interesting. Ya learn something new every day!

I use mine for cassette removal. Great support and does not scratch anything.
Bonus - catches parts and tools you drop.

Barry