TiHabanero

Nice looking tool, however for removal it assumes tire can be peeled back and lifted well enough to fit it under the bead. If I can do that, then standard tire levers work perfectly. What really needs to be addressed for removal is a tire that is so tight to the rim that fitting something UNDER the bead is next to impossible.
Mavic had tire levers that were designed for this scenario. The spoon end was super thin and broad. One can fit it under a bead that cannot be lifted up off the rim to fit a standard tool under it. I still have two of them in working order and use them on occasion. Have yet to find anything that works as well.
Conversely I do like the Tyreglider method for installing a stubborn tire.

fooferdoggie 

that makes sense. though it takes very little gap to get it under. once there its dirt way to use and no extra lever. my marathons I had to put both levers in at once as you could not get another one in after the first.

Kedosto

The fly in the ointment is the size. It’s too big to fit into my small saddle bag. My steel core levers and technique get the job done, but for folks that struggle, it’s a great option.

And $20 to get something delivered to my front door from halfway around the world seems like a pretty good deal. Especially if it was for something I really wanted.

70sSanO

The only tire removal issue I see, with a single lift point, is the bead edge might take quite a beating if it is under enough stress.

I try to get enough of the bead outside the rim before I move a lever around the rim. I have torn off some of the rubber at the bottom of the bead if I don’t make sure enough of the bead is released first.

John

rekmeyata

That's just another take on the Quik Stik that's been around forever, and the fastest tire change ever done was using a Quik Stik.

fooferdoggie 

it takes less force since the tool is thinner one reason it works so easily. I had to put a lot more force to get my tires off with a regular tool.

fooferdoggie 

thats going to take a lot more work and a lot stronger wrists the new tool let you use the heel of your hand.

rekmeyata

You can't use the heel of your hand with a Quik Stik? hmmm, I beg to differ. I just put the Stik under the bead and press down with my hand, not my wrist, but you think what you will.

fooferdoggie 

you have to grip it to keep it straight and push it keeping it straight like any tire lever.

dieselgoat

Timely thread considering I have just been defeated for the first time ever in my battle to mount a tire. The tire is a Continental 5000 and the wheel is a Bontrager Aeolus Pro 3. I have 5000s on the wheels now, but they are worn, so I'm putting on new ones, or so I thought. I recall the original ones were a pain to mount, but after about an hour, I got them mounted. No such luck with these. I've had everything in the house for the last couple of days warming up to room temperature. I've mounted dozens, if not hundreds of tires over the years, so I'm not a rookie. I used every tip I could find, including the Kool Stop Bead Jack, but I cannot get the damn thing mounted. I got it down to the last 8 inches or so right around the valve stem, but when I use the beak jack, all it does is pop it off somewhere else. I can't get any tire levers under the bead. I need four hands. Even got my wife to try to use the bead jack while I held the bead in place and she's not strong enough. Never seen anything like it. I have already punctured two tubes in the process.

Barry2 

dieselgoat
When you get to the last eight inches, you can’t pull the middle!
You have to bind one side of the 8” to the rim, then lever the other side on.
The binding stops it coming off as you lever.
I carry 3’ of parachute cord in my saddle pack for this purpose.
5000TL’s. ……. No problem.

Barry

For levers I like Pedro’s.
They are thinner than stick type levers.
Even then, sometimes I have to slide one in upside down to lift the bead from the rim, so I can sneak the other lever in right side up.

rekmeyata

yawnnnnnnn

fooferdoggie 

yawn on another tire lever that takes a lot of work. I doubt I could even get that under the bead of my tires.

Polaris OBark

Take it to a bike shop and have them mount the tires and set it up tubeless. Your time and pain/headache/divorce avoidance are worth the money. (I say this as someone who isn't really a tubeless fan.) My kid has the same wheels and tires and the same problems; he is now a tubeless fan.

BTW: I think you want the last part of the tire to mount to be about 180° opposite the valve stem, and push the beads into the center of the rim. But pay to make it someone else's problem.

fooferdoggie 

yawn on another tire lever that takes a lot of work. I doubt I could even get that under the bead of my tires.
here's why it works so great at putting tires on it hooks onto the rim and the angle means you're not forcing a bunt object against the tire. plus the tire does not come off on the far side like it can with regular levers. I could nearly get the tire on I tested with regular tools include a tire jack. I have does it three times in the last few minutes when removing a tire you just have better leverage since it stays flat on its own and wont twist.

rekmeyata

A tough to mount tire can be a headache however there are some things you can do. First off when you get to where the valve area of the tire push the valve stem up into the tread of the tire to keep the tube away from the rim if you're mounting a tube tire, that should give you a bit of clearance for the bead. Do what you would normally do to mount a tire, and as you get the tire on and you get to the toughest spot, take your hands and go around the tire several times squeezing the tire into the center channel, then try to get a bit more of the tire on and repeat that process.

You could also try the next size down in tube size.

Then if that stuff above doesn't work then give yourself the extra hands you need...find some zip ties and put them around the areas that keep popping off, you could use a couple of ties or you may need a dozen, use a pair of pliers to snug the ties tight so the tire is smashed against the rim. You can also tie rope around the tire and rim if you don't have any zip ties.

Still have problems after that? leave the zip ties or ropes in place, get a sponge with soapy water on it and get the tough area soapy and try again.

I've found the best tool for tough to go on tires is the VAR tire lever, for me it worked better than anything else on the market.

To get the zip ties off just take your pliers and grab the square box on the zip tie and twist, it will just snap off.

dieselgoat

Thanks for the suggestions.

dieselgoat

The wheels are tubeless ready. I've got a Crossrip and a Rumblefish FS set up tubeless now. I've got everything to set it up but the valve stems. That may be what I do. I typically don't like tubeless for the road.

Polaris OBark

I'm the same way. In fact, I am still holding out (but have new valve stems awaiting me in the mail box).

But with tubeless-compatible wheels and tires, things are designed to be as tight as possible, so we are swimming against the current.

kahn

Okay, what has changed in the last four or five years that has made replacing tires so damn hard? Is this like cereal manufacturers reducing the contents by mere fractions of an ounce that save them millions over all those packages? Have tire manufacturers subtly reduced the diameter of the tire and bead to shave off a bit of material over thousands of tires to eke out more profit? I had never heard of bead/tire jacks in millennia past to remount a tire. What gives, other than the thumbs! But I have run into the same resistance to remounting, even in the comfort of my home. Field remounting just adds to the "fun!!!"

fooferdoggie 

we are getting older.

kahn

And the patience as well as the hair is growing thinner! While MY spare tire grows larger!

70sSanO

Tubeless.

John

t351937

Thank you for sharing Tyre Glider info.
I like restoring old MTBs. Replacing stubborn old tires is the most daunting part of my hobby, often causing scratched fingers and busted ckuckles.
Anything that simpliies tire replacement and allows keeping my skins is worth exploring.
Considering time needed to heal those busted knuckles, a tool's cost is not my first concern.
The best tire lever I've tried is Park Tool TL-10. Too bad they don't produce it anymore. It seems insane to pay more than $100 for it on eBay, but I am not loosing my sking on stubborn tires ever since I got the right tool.

70sSanO

I have a few older mtb’s. I’ve used a VAR RP-42500 lever and a Tire Jack to get 2” wide tires on 14mm-17mm internal width rims.

So far so good, but I might try this lever.

John