Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Bicycle Mechanics
Reload this Page >

Please recommend a tire bead jack!

Notices
Bicycle Mechanics Broken bottom bracket? Tacoed wheel? If you're having problems with your bicycle, or just need help fixing a flat, drop in here for the latest on bicycle mechanics & bicycle maintenance.

Please recommend a tire bead jack!

Old 09-07-20, 03:20 PM
  #26  
fietsbob
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: NW,Oregon Coast
Posts: 43,598

Bikes: 8

Mentioned: 197 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7607 Post(s)
Liked 1,354 Times in 861 Posts
We on the other coast don't have as many stockbrokers & hedge fund managers as you, in greater New York area .. ..



you need a clairvoyant shop keeper to know what you need before you ask , so it is in stock ,
rather than asking them to order it for you.





Last edited by fietsbob; 09-07-20 at 03:26 PM.
fietsbob is offline  
Old 09-07-20, 05:36 PM
  #27  
JohnDThompson 
Old fart
 
JohnDThompson's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Appleton WI
Posts: 24,936

Bikes: Several, mostly not name brands.

Mentioned: 153 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3571 Post(s)
Liked 3,367 Times in 1,916 Posts
Originally Posted by 2_i
You might add Schwalbe tire levers to your arsenal for dealing with challenging tire-rim combinations. They add different functionality than the tools discussed so far. Namely, they provide clips to hold the tire bead inside the rim, so that the bead that you already put on stays on.
I use a couple zip-ties for that when I run into a particularly stubborn tire.

I may have to check out those Schwalbe tire levers, though.
JohnDThompson is online now  
Old 09-10-20, 05:54 PM
  #28  
Papa Tom
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,440
Mentioned: 23 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 863 Post(s)
Liked 234 Times in 136 Posts
Follow-up from OP: I just received the KoolStop Tire Bead Jack and immediately tried it out on my tight wheel. To be honest, it didn't do a whole lot. What am I missing?
Papa Tom is offline  
Old 09-10-20, 08:16 PM
  #29  
2_i 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Michigan
Posts: 3,694

Bikes: Trek 730 (quad), 720 & 830, Bike Friday NWT, Brompton M36R & M6R, Dahon HAT060 & HT060, ...

Mentioned: 10 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 834 Post(s)
Liked 332 Times in 247 Posts
Originally Posted by Papa Tom
Follow-up from OP: I just received the KoolStop Tire Bead Jack and immediately tried it out on my tight wheel. To be honest, it didn't do a whole lot. What am I missing?
Are you positioning the ends of the Jack correctly, one grabbing the rim and pushing against it and the other grabbing the edge/wire of the tire? To me such tools are gimmicks and the useful exercise is to mount the tire with bare hands only, setting the baseline. However, the gimmicks speed up the process when they are applied correctly. With two tires the savings become substantial.
2_i is offline  
Old 09-11-20, 05:27 PM
  #30  
GeezyRider 
Senior Member
 
GeezyRider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: Delaware Sea Shore
Posts: 521

Bikes: There is always room for one more.

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 179 Post(s)
Liked 366 Times in 215 Posts
Originally Posted by Papa Tom
Update from the OP: Hey, all. I have ordered the Kool Stop Tire Bead Jack, but for the second order in a row, Amazon has lost it in shipping. I don't know what's up with them, but I re-ordered it from Nashbar and should have it soon. I will let you all know how it worked out once I have it in my hands.
This might be what's happening to your Amazon orders: https://audio.nationalvanguard.com/swarm.mp4
__________________
Don
GeezyRider is offline  
Old 09-11-20, 06:10 PM
  #31  
Papa Tom
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,440
Mentioned: 23 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 863 Post(s)
Liked 234 Times in 136 Posts
Originally Posted by GeezyRider
This might be what's happening to your Amazon orders: https://audio.nationalvanguard.com/swarm.mp4
Hmmmm....

>>>Are you positioning the ends of the Jack correctly, one grabbing the rim and pushing against it and the other grabbing the edge/wire of the tire? <<<<

It seems pretty simple, and I think I am doing exactly what I'm supposed to be doing with it. My biggest disappointment is that I have to force almost 9/10ths of the tire on the rim before I can even use the tool, which means I'll probably be tearing a whole bunch of snake bites in the tube before I get around to forcing that last 1/10th onto the rim.

I will play with it some more this weekend and see if I have better results.
Papa Tom is offline  
Old 09-11-20, 06:22 PM
  #32  
HillRider
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 33,656

Bikes: '96 Litespeed Catalyst, '05 Litespeed Firenze, '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '20 Surly Midnight Special, All are 3x10. It is hilly around here!

Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2026 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1,095 Times in 741 Posts
Originally Posted by Papa Tom
My biggest disappointment is that I have to force almost 9/10ths of the tire on the rim before I can even use the tool, which means I'll probably be tearing a whole bunch of snake bites in the tube before I get around to forcing that last 1/10th onto the r.
I don't think you realize how a tire jack is used. Bike tires are supposed to be seated by hand as far a possible before the jack is used to seat the last relatively small section. I've never dealt with a tire that couldn't be seated at least 80% of the way around before it got too tight and had to be seated with the jack. BTW, used correctly, the jack prevents tearing and puncturing of tubes during tire seating as can be a problem with tire levers.
HillRider is offline  
Old 09-11-20, 06:31 PM
  #33  
Papa Tom
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,440
Mentioned: 23 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 863 Post(s)
Liked 234 Times in 136 Posts
Originally Posted by HillRider
I don't think you realize how a tire jack is used. Bike tires are supposed to be seated by hand as far a possible before the jack is used to seat the last relatively small section. I've never dealt with a tire that couldn't be seated at least 80% of the way around before it got too tight and had to be seated with the jack. BTW, used correctly, the jack prevents tearing and puncturing of tubes during tire seating as can be a problem with tire levers.
Will play some more this weekend and report back with my results!
Papa Tom is offline  
Old 09-12-20, 01:11 AM
  #34  
SurferRosa
señor miembro
 
SurferRosa's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Pac NW
Posts: 8,284

Bikes: '70s - '80s Campagnolo

Mentioned: 92 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3846 Post(s)
Liked 6,437 Times in 3,183 Posts
Please recommend a tire bead jack!
One Pedro's lever?
SurferRosa is offline  
Old 09-12-20, 04:22 PM
  #35  
klasse
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Venezia, CA.
Posts: 81
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 30 Post(s)
Liked 30 Times in 13 Posts
Well I ordered some VAR levers for saddle bag. This is my first time hearing - seeing of a "tire jack." Cool. I do have a couple of the Park metal levers, just used them today to seat a tire.
klasse is offline  
Likes For klasse:
Old 09-12-20, 08:13 PM
  #36  
HillRider
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posts: 33,656

Bikes: '96 Litespeed Catalyst, '05 Litespeed Firenze, '06 Litespeed Tuscany, '20 Surly Midnight Special, All are 3x10. It is hilly around here!

Mentioned: 39 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2026 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1,095 Times in 741 Posts
Originally Posted by Papa Tom
Hmmmm.... My biggest disappointment is that I have to force almost 9/10ths of the tire on the rim before I can even use the tool, which means I'll probably be tearing a whole bunch of snake bites in the tube before I get around to forcing that last 1/10th onto the rim.

I will play with it some more this weekend and see if I have better results.
Again, I have no idea how you are having so much difficulty installing the majority of the tire on the rim by hand and why you do so much damage. I really think you need someone to demonstrate proper tire installation.
HillRider is offline  
Old 09-13-20, 06:18 AM
  #37  
Papa Tom
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,440
Mentioned: 23 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 863 Post(s)
Liked 234 Times in 136 Posts
Originally Posted by HillRider
Again, I have no idea how you are having so much difficulty installing the majority of the tire on the rim by hand and why you do so much damage. I really think you need someone to demonstrate proper tire installation.
Hillrider: I have been installing tires for more than fifty years, as difficult as that is for me to believe! This includes a seven year period in which I ran a bicycle recycling program and installed literally thousands of them.

This particular tire I am using now fits my rim a lot tighter than any other I have used in the 24 years I have owned my GT Outpost. It's the first time in a very long time that I have had to worry about snake bites, which is why I purchased the tool. I understand that, to you, I am just another dude on a forum who, perhaps, has little or no experience with bicycle repair and maintenance, but before you insist for a third time that I don't know how to install a tire, let me assure you that I do. I just have not had any experience with this tool.

As noted earlier, I will play with the jack some more as soon as I have a minute and let you all know if I can achieve better results.
Papa Tom is offline  
Old 09-13-20, 07:44 AM
  #38  
Sy Reene
Advocatus Diaboli
 
Sy Reene's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Wherever I am
Posts: 8,613

Bikes: Merlin Cyrene, Nashbar steel CX

Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4717 Post(s)
Liked 1,526 Times in 997 Posts
Originally Posted by klasse
Well I ordered some VAR levers for saddle bag. This is my first time hearing - seeing of a "tire jack." Cool. I do have a couple of the Park metal levers, just used them today to seat a tire.
Curious where you ordered from.. very limited return hits with google shopping?
And somewhat surprised there aren't a ton of knockoffs of this to be found on ebay/Amazon etc
Sy Reene is offline  
Old 09-13-20, 08:29 AM
  #39  
klasse
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Venezia, CA.
Posts: 81
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 30 Post(s)
Liked 30 Times in 13 Posts
Originally Posted by Sy Reene
Curious where you ordered from.. very limited return hits with google shopping?
And somewhat surprised there aren't a ton of knockoffs of this to be found on ebay/Amazon etc
ebay. The listing comes up when I google "var tire levers fiberglass." Hopefully they are legit! thanks
klasse is offline  
Old 09-13-20, 09:24 AM
  #40  
Sy Reene
Advocatus Diaboli
 
Sy Reene's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Wherever I am
Posts: 8,613

Bikes: Merlin Cyrene, Nashbar steel CX

Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4717 Post(s)
Liked 1,526 Times in 997 Posts
Originally Posted by klasse
ebay. The listing comes up when I google "var tire levers fiberglass." Hopefully they are legit! thanks
Couldn't find the tire jack VAR on ebay, just the 3-packs of VAR's regular old tire levers. Except for these linked below.. which hopefully you didn't spend this much . BikeInn seems to be the only real 'store' that sells these, but crazy they need to be ordered from Europe.
https://www.ebay.com/i/174340882121?...evt=1&mkcid=28
Sy Reene is offline  
Old 09-13-20, 12:48 PM
  #41  
fietsbob
Banned
 
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: NW,Oregon Coast
Posts: 43,598

Bikes: 8

Mentioned: 197 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7607 Post(s)
Liked 1,354 Times in 861 Posts
Mel Pinto Imports in VA has been importing VAR tools for decades , they Wholesale to Bike shops ,

So ... have your LBS Call (set up an account?) & order thru them.. Or VAR is a French company.

.. order thru one of the Exporting Retailers in France..





...
fietsbob is offline  
Old 09-13-20, 04:03 PM
  #42  
klasse
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Venezia, CA.
Posts: 81
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 30 Post(s)
Liked 30 Times in 13 Posts
Originally Posted by Sy Reene
Couldn't find the tire jack VAR on ebay, just the 3-packs of VAR's regular old tire levers. Except for these linked below.. which hopefully you didn't spend this much . BikeInn seems to be the only real 'store' that sells these, but crazy they need to be ordered from Europe.
https://www.ebay.com/i/174340882121?...evt=1&mkcid=28
I bought the levers. I used to use Pedros Milk Levers, not sure if they still make those. I recently broke a few levers, so hopefully these are sturdy!! The tire jack - will eventually buy!
klasse is offline  
Old 09-14-20, 06:53 AM
  #43  
bikebikebike
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: TX
Posts: 518

Bikes: Downtube IX NS&FS, Dahon Speed8Pro/Matrix/Curve, Brom S2L,Montague Para, ICE-XL w/Rollie/Schlumpf, Trident Spike, ebikes, BFSatRDay

Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 172 Post(s)
Liked 94 Times in 80 Posts
I saw this tool when I was cooling down after a particularly vexatious encounter
that kept snagging the tube on top of being tight.
It seemed popular with ebike repairmen who wrestle with that nasty rear hub on top of it all.
and I thought it might be for changing without dismounting the wheel.
For the life of me I cant figure how it is used.
Any RTFMD or instructions out there?
Cyclus Tire Installation Pliers / Rear Fork Spreader Product Model:321685
Unior Bike Tools Spreader Pliers - 1678/2BI
There are several variations on this by VAR and others.
They may just be for tucking in the tube , though that seems excessive.
or just getting the wheel out a tight frame

Also , easy mounts are easy, hard ones are hard, and
there is a special place for the video where some (*&*)()&% mounts easy tires barehanded and looks out disapprovingly
in moments where The Fates and me don't appear to be playing on the same team.

Last edited by bikebikebike; 09-14-20 at 07:13 AM.
bikebikebike is offline  
Old 09-14-20, 11:29 AM
  #44  
noglider 
aka Tom Reingold
 
noglider's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Posts: 40,691

Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem

Mentioned: 510 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7287 Post(s)
Liked 2,365 Times in 1,382 Posts
Originally Posted by Papa Tom
Follow-up from OP: I just received the KoolStop Tire Bead Jack and immediately tried it out on my tight wheel. To be honest, it didn't do a whole lot. What am I missing?
You need some skill which you can acquire with practice. I bet I could get any properly sized tire to fit with the Tire Bead Jack.
__________________
Tom Reingold, tom@noglider.com
New York City and High Falls, NY
Blogs: The Experienced Cyclist; noglider's ride blog

“When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments.” — Elizabeth West, US author

Please email me rather than PM'ing me. Thanks.
noglider is offline  
Likes For noglider:
Old 09-14-20, 06:01 PM
  #45  
Papa Tom
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,440
Mentioned: 23 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 863 Post(s)
Liked 234 Times in 136 Posts
Originally Posted by noglider
You need some skill which you can acquire with practice. I bet I could get any properly sized tire to fit with the Tire Bead Jack.
Yup, I guess that's the answer. I just haven't had the time to spend playing around with it. As the weather starts to hint at the end of my riding season, I'd rather be cycling as much as possible. I'm sure there's a chilly, rainy or snowy Sunday coming up that will be perfect for repeatedly squeezing a tire on and off my rim.
Papa Tom is offline  
Old 09-22-20, 05:32 PM
  #46  
Papa Tom
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,440
Mentioned: 23 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 863 Post(s)
Liked 234 Times in 136 Posts
Follow-Up: So I spent a little time with the Kool Stop Tire Bead Jack yesterday, working with both narrow tires and balloon tires that happen to be tight-fitting on various rims.

I know I'm going to get slammed for saying this, but if it didn't cost as little as it did, I would probably be shipping it back right now. On the narrow tire, it kept slipping off, and I couldn't even get it around the wider (2.35") tire. For the latter, I kept looking for an adjustment that would make the tool "longer" and it just doesn't exist.

I trust that everyone who has praised this tool is being sincere; however, I find it useless. Its one benefit is that it made me angry enough to pull my tires even harder and finally get them around the rims!

Last edited by Papa Tom; 09-22-20 at 06:46 PM.
Papa Tom is offline  
Old 09-22-20, 06:04 PM
  #47  
Sy Reene
Advocatus Diaboli
 
Sy Reene's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Wherever I am
Posts: 8,613

Bikes: Merlin Cyrene, Nashbar steel CX

Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4717 Post(s)
Liked 1,526 Times in 997 Posts
Originally Posted by Papa Tom
Follow-Up: So I spent a little time with the Topeak Tire Bead Jack yesterday, working with both narrow tires and balloon tires that happen to be tight-fitting on various rims.

I know I'm going to get slammed for saying this, but if it didn't cost as little as it did, I would probably be shipping it back right now. On the narrow tire, it kept slipping off, and I couldn't even get it around the wider (2.35") tire. For the latter, I kept looking for an adjustment that would make the tool "longer" and it just doesn't exist.

I trust that everyone who has praised this tool is being sincere; however, I find it useless. Its one benefit is that it made me angry enough to pull my tires even harder and finally get them around the rims!
Topeak tire bead jack? I must have missed that recommendation
Sy Reene is offline  
Old 09-22-20, 06:46 PM
  #48  
Papa Tom
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,440
Mentioned: 23 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 863 Post(s)
Liked 234 Times in 136 Posts
Originally Posted by Sy Reene
Topeak tire bead jack? I must have missed that recommendation
Sorry, I meant Kool Stop!
Papa Tom is offline  
Old 09-23-20, 01:44 AM
  #49  
JoeTBM 
Droid on a mission
 
JoeTBM's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Palm Coast, FL
Posts: 1,002

Bikes: Diamondback Wildwood Classic

Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 315 Post(s)
Liked 276 Times in 191 Posts
Originally Posted by Papa Tom
Follow-Up: So I spent a little time with the Kool Stop Tire Bead Jack yesterday, working with both narrow tires and balloon tires that happen to be tight-fitting on various rims.

I know I'm going to get slammed for saying this, but if it didn't cost as little as it did, I would probably be shipping it back right now. On the narrow tire, it kept slipping off, and I couldn't even get it around the wider (2.35") tire. For the latter, I kept looking for an adjustment that would make the tool "longer" and it just doesn't exist.

I trust that everyone who has praised this tool is being sincere; however, I find it useless. Its one benefit is that it made me angry enough to pull my tires even harder and finally get them around the rims!
Tom, sorry to hear you didn't like it. If I still lived on LI I would drive over and take it off your hands as my charity shop could use a 2nd one (lots of guys here with old fingers). If you want to donate it to us I'll send you my mailing address. Or depending where you are I could have my daughter or son come by as they still live on LI.
__________________
JoeTBM (The Bike Man) - I'm a black & white type of guy, the only gray in my life is the hair on my head
www.TheBikeMenOfFlaglerCounty.com





Last edited by JoeTBM; 09-23-20 at 01:52 AM.
JoeTBM is offline  
Old 09-23-20, 07:35 PM
  #50  
Papa Tom
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2008
Posts: 4,440
Mentioned: 23 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 863 Post(s)
Liked 234 Times in 136 Posts
Originally Posted by JoeTBM
Tom, sorry to hear you didn't like it. If I still lived on LI I would drive over and take it off your hands as my charity shop could use a 2nd one (lots of guys here with old fingers). If you want to donate it to us I'll send you my mailing address. Or depending where you are I could have my daughter or son come by as they still live on LI.
Joe: I'd have gladly donated it to your group had I read this earlier. Unfortunately, I have already passed it on to my neighbor, another wannabee bike mechanic, to see if it can be useful to him.

Now that I won't be shuttling my bike in the car and struggling with a narrow cantilever opening to get the front wheel off for a while, I've put my Big Apple fat tires back on the rims -- and THEY fit GREAT! No need for a jack until at least springtime 2021.
Papa Tom is offline  
Likes For Papa Tom:

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.