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Can't mount my tire!!!

Old 07-10-19, 09:57 AM
  #1  
trek330
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Can't mount my tire!!!

First time I can't mount a tire on a rim.The rims are Bontrager selects and I'm tryong to mount an old Rubino Pro that' s been in my closet a few years.I understand these rims can be difficult but I have mounted Schwalbes on them.I try my hands ,tire iron and no luck.Any suggestions?
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Old 07-10-19, 10:15 AM
  #2  
rumrunn6
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are you squeezing the beads & getting them down in the channel? I often then use a strap or tape to keep that in place before working the other side



sometimes 2 straps like with Swalbe's winter marathons

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Old 07-10-19, 10:34 AM
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Trek's old in-house brand for rims, Matrix, was notorious for being super hard to mount tires. Seems like Bontrager has continued that tradition.

That being said, I have some Bontrager Race rims that I don't seem to have troubles with. So who knows. Some tire-rim combos just suck.
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Old 07-10-19, 10:34 AM
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If you have this much trouble at home, just imagine the trouble you would have with a flat 20 miles away. If you can't mount the
tire with simple tools, consider returning it and trying some other tire. My recumbent is a bear to put tires on, usually a 30 min
cussing match. I once broke two plastic tire tools trying to get a Bontrager tire off a Bontrager rim when I was a tour guide for
a tourer with a new bike. Lubing the tire edge with soap concentrate (eg one of those motel give aways that is small enough to
put in the bag) can help a lot. I have a Park tire mount tool that anchors to the hub (no longer sold) but rarely use it as I realize
if that is the only way to get the tire on I will be SOL with a flat out on a ride.

Rumrunns methods are sound but not what you want to carry on a ride...
My carry around tool of choice is the Pedro tire lever for overall strength. Park type are nice but over time the curved end that
hooks under the bead tends to straighten out and they are not as beefy as the Pedro variant. Park has a steel core/plastic surround
tool that might provide the leverage needed without buggering of the rim edges like all steel tools do.

The real problem with really tight tire/rim combos is getting that last bit of tire bead over the rim edge without pinch cutting the
tubes. Really annoying to finally get the tire mounted only to find the tube has a pinch cut.

Last edited by sch; 07-10-19 at 10:40 AM.
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Old 07-10-19, 10:49 AM
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Originally Posted by sch
My carry around tool of choice is the Pedro tire lever for overall strength.
+1. My Pedro levers have been able to mount some tires that led to all kinds of adult language with various other tire levers.
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Old 07-10-19, 11:39 AM
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https://www.amazon.com/Kool-Stop-Tir...gateway&sr=8-7
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Old 07-10-19, 11:49 AM
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I have all of the above mentioned and pictured devices in my shop. Out on the road I carry 2 Pedro's levers.
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Old 07-10-19, 11:59 AM
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Originally Posted by sch
If you have this much trouble at home, just imagine the trouble you would have with a flat 20 miles away. If you can't mount the
tire with simple tools, consider returning it and trying some other tire. My recumbent is a bear to put tires on, usually a 30 min
cussing match. I once broke two plastic tire tools trying to get a Bontrager tire off a Bontrager rim when I was a tour guide for
a tourer with a new bike. Lubing the tire edge with soap concentrate (eg one of those motel give aways that is small enough to
put in the bag) can help a lot. I have a Park tire mount tool that anchors to the hub (no longer sold) but rarely use it as I realize
if that is the only way to get the tire on I will be SOL with a flat out on a ride.
I am with you 110%. If it s tough job in the workshop, imagine doing it when you are tired after riding all day, when it is getting dark and starting to rain....
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Old 07-10-19, 12:04 PM
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rumrunn6
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am old toe strap takes up insignificant space in my rear rack trunk
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Old 07-10-19, 12:23 PM
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For new tires that just need to stretch a bit, it works to mount them without the tube - that way you can use your extra beefy levers and not worry about pinching the innertube. You can also go around and lift the bead at different places and park the tool on a spoke for a while so it can hold the bead in stretched position. This really helped with my Challenge Paris-Roubiax Pro... impossible to mount new... after stretching they went on pretty easy.
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Old 07-10-19, 02:33 PM
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trek330
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Ordered some pedro levers from Amazon.Thanks for the tips.
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Old 07-10-19, 04:48 PM
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When I'm putting my tires on, I start opposite the valve stem and work towards it in both directions. When I get to the part where it seems like the tire bead won't ever slip over the rim, I then go back to where I started and ensure that that side of the tires bead is down in the spoke channel. I only use my hands, and no straps or such. Ensure the tube is completely empty of air.

I know some claim to have to use a lever to mount their tires, but I've only used a lever to dismount them.
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Old 07-11-19, 01:41 PM
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Wonder if taking a hair dryer (or heat gun) to the tire's bead might help make it more pliable?
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Old 07-11-19, 02:20 PM
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Originally Posted by trek330
First time I can't mount a tire on a rim.The rims are Bontrager selects and I'm tryong to mount an old Rubino Pro that' s been in my closet a few years.I understand these rims can be difficult but I have mounted Schwalbes on them.I try my hands ,tire iron and no luck.Any suggestions?
Switch to 1 mil Kapton tape. 5/8" (16mm) wide for classic rims, 3/4" (19mm) for contemporary wide. Two wraps total .005" versus .020" for rim tape which makes a huge difference. It creates enough slack to allow hand mounting on rims where Veloplugs aren't enough.

Start the second bead 180 degrees opposite of the stem so its entirely in the depression at the rim centerline. Don't handicap yourself starting the other way where the stem keeps it out.

If you didn't maintain tension on the bead, go back to where you started, push the bead into the depression, and milk the slack around.

Flip the remainder over the rim. I use my thumbs, but have heard of people using their foot with the rim as a lever.

Last edited by Drew Eckhardt; 07-11-19 at 03:53 PM.
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Old 07-11-19, 04:27 PM
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Originally Posted by Iride01
When I'm putting my tires on, I start opposite the valve stem and work towards it in both directions.
This is backwards from every direction I've ever seen, or used. The valve is the part that is most likely to cause a problem, so you get it in there first and do the hard bead forcing on the opposite side.
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Old 07-11-19, 05:49 PM
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Some soapy water can help.
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Old 07-11-19, 08:29 PM
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I bought the Sunlite copy of the VAR combination tire levers and bead jack. I haven't had the opportunity to use it yet but it is small enough to fit in my seat pack. I'm hoping its the answer for the tight Continentals I use if they flat on the road.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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Old 07-11-19, 08:30 PM
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Originally Posted by Gresp15C
Some soapy water can help.
Sure does. I have a squeeze bottle full of isopropyl alcohol, which works well for this and also for installing grips.
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Old 07-11-19, 08:31 PM
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Originally Posted by DiabloScott
This is backwards from every direction I've ever seen, or used. The valve is the part that is most likely to cause a problem, so you get it in there first and do the hard bead forcing on the opposite side.
Yeah, it’s backward from most old-school advice, but you get a little more slack to get the last part of the bead on this way. Makers of tubeless-compatible rims often recommend finishing at the valve now.
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Old 07-12-19, 09:11 AM
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Originally Posted by DiabloScott
This is backwards from every direction I've ever seen, or used. The valve is the part that is most likely to cause a problem, so you get it in there first and do the hard bead forcing on the opposite side.
It's what I've done since a kid some 50 or so years ago. It just seems to me that the stem side of the tube being bulkier is going to make it harder to get the bead of the side you are trying to get over the rim down in the spoke channel or at least below the bead seat.

Having the bead of the tire down in the channel is what allows you the extra little bit of length at the opposite side where you are trying to get it over the rim. The extra rubber around the stem gets in the way and keeps pushing the bead back up on the seat where it should not be at this stage of the install. At least that is my experience on narrow rims with 14 mm internal width. For the wide rims of mtn bikes and such, I don't really think it matters. Or... maybe that is when something comes into play that makes starting at the stem a more reasonable thing.

Still it's not always easy and I have sometimes actually grabbed a lever and tried prying. However after either breaking the lever or realizing I'd break it, then I go back what have been my basics-- making certain the tire bead is off the bead seat of the rim.

While I used go back to my starting point and pinch both sides of the tire bead together to try and get them in the spoke channel, I realized only the side you are working on needs to be in it. I found that with the wheel laid flat, I could just run my thumbs from where I started to where I'm stuck one or two times gets that last little bit I need to push the bead over the rim.

Off subject slightly, but everything I've ever read says how professional it is to put the tire brand or name by the valve stem. However when I was dealing with my kids and neighbors kids bikes, I always put the inflation numbers next to the stem.

I can always find the name and make of tire no matter where it's oriented on the rim, what I have trouble finding is the tiny print they put the inflation limits. So this seems more natural to put by the stem.

Last edited by Iride01; 07-12-19 at 09:19 AM.
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Old 07-12-19, 06:12 PM
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Originally Posted by mitchmellow62
I'm hoping its the answer for the tight Continentals I use if they flat on the road.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Contrary to what they say on TV, this is something that you should try at home before you try it on the road.
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Old 07-12-19, 09:42 PM
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Originally Posted by dsbrantjr
I am with you 110%. If it s tough job in the workshop, imagine doing it when you are tired after riding all day, when it is getting dark and starting to rain....
This was my point in criticizing my Bontrager Paradigm Elite rims and R3 tires in tubeless mode: with years of experience (many working in the bike shop) I can't get their darned tires into the rims. I can't imagine using tubeless (or Bontrager tires for that matter) if any attempt to fix a puncture in the field would be impossible.

And IIRC, you're not supposed to use a tire iron or tire lever with tubeless. So they're completely non field serviceable.
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Old 07-12-19, 10:21 PM
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The worst I've ever mounted are Panaracer Paselas on Mavic MA40 rims. I have two examples of this combination, and finally tried the Koolstop Tire Bead Jack. It actually works. All the other suggestions are worthy, and I've tried most of them, but I love my bead jack. Life is too short to fight with mounting stubborn tires. I need to find a way to carry it along on rides. It almost fits under a Brooks saddle, but how to secure it?
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Old 07-13-19, 03:17 AM
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I carry a bead jack in my rear trunk even tho it’s not wide enough for 2.1” studded 29er tires
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Old 07-13-19, 04:52 AM
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OK, ordered one.Thanks.
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