Kimmo

Okay, so it struck me that given all the experience floating around here, we could probably make a halfway comprehensive list of tyres and rims to be avoided or at least to avoid combining.

When nominating a tyre for the list, you shouldn't base it on a single experience - if you've had other tyres on the same rim or tried the tyre on other rims, then you have a basis for comparison. And try to mention the size, too - that may have a bearing. To keep it simple, just rate it out of three - hard, damn hard, or nearly impossible (breaking tyre levers, getting a sore throat from swearing at it), although any comments you add will be helpful for folks reading the whole thread.

Any rims that keep getting mentioned will be added to the list, but factors like rim tape confound the data, so I'll allow for a bit of noise there.

Oh, and if you've ever seen someone come along and whip off a tyre in seconds that you've been struggling with, you should probably learn all the tricks before influencing anybody's purchasing decisions.

Kimmo

Come to think of it I won't bother trying to edit all the responses into a list; too much editorialising involved.

I'll let the posts speak for themselves; it'll be more work for anyone to check out, but the accompanying explanations are more relevant.

Kimmo

The Michelin PRO3s are a nice supple folding tyre, but the bead is hella tight, at least on my pair. 1/3.

I'm pretty sure larger Marathons aren't as tough to mount as a 28mm, but I was having a hell of time with a couple I had to mount not because the bead was too tight (just about the opposite) but because the tyres were so stiff they brutally resisted all but the most insistent attempts to seat the bastards. 2/3.

rowebr

Rims:

Campagnolo Omega - 3/3

These rims are narrow, with very shallow wells, and in my experience are extremely hard to work with. To change tires on these rims, I had to cut the wire beads of the old tires (Conti gatorskins 622-23) with bolt cutters. New folding bead Paselas (622-28) were impossible to mount by hand when there was cotton rim tape. I was able to install the Paselas by replacing the cotten rim tape with slick packing tape (recommended by somebody on the forums) and dusting liberally with talcum powder, but it was still a struggle.

contango 

Marathon Plus tyres seem to be difficult in just about any size. They are all but indestructible once mounted though, which is just as well as some people say when it does finally wear out it's easier to just buy a new wheel than to take the tyre off.

Ex Pres 

2 hardest combinations I've encountered:
1. Michelin PR3 on my paired spoke WH-7700 DA wheelset. That combo was a 2, maybe 3/3. I did break a [plastic] tire iron once. I didn't have as many issues with the PR3 on Open Pros - so some of the blame goes to the rim/wheelset.
2. Challenge Parigi-Roubaix (622/27) on Mavic MA2. Was a 3+/3. The Challenge PR beads are tight & a struggle on many rims, but they play much better with my Sun CR18 rims, now just a 1/3.

TheReal Houdini

The Matrix branded rims with stock rim tape that came on Trek road bikes in the early 90's. I've broken several leavers on those things, even one of the big yellow pedros leavers. The blue park ones are completely useless on those rims - useless entirely for me in fact since any tire and rim combination loose enough to be separated by those noodles I can change without leavers. 3/3

cycle_maven

I'm lovin' on Mavic rims- all the tires I've tried so far install and remove without tire levers on my Kysrium, Open-pro and A719 rims. Sun CR-18 are pretty good too. Just bend the bead over and presto! But I haven't tried michelin pro race or schwalbe marathon tires yet.

Kimmo

Thanks guys, that's a good start...

But it seemed like a bit of a mission to try and edit the responses into a succinct list, so I'll leave the info just in the replies.

Unless somebody else wants to take it on and compile something; if so I'll edit it into the OP.