Ev0lutionz

Does anyone use this to put hard to fit tyres by hand? Is it effortless as advertised? Planning to use this on my Marathons on the Brompton, which I spent almost an hour just to get it on, ugh.

bboy314

I wouldn’t call it effortless, but it can certainly save some effort. It will take a little practice to get the proper technique down but can be very helpful.

ezdoesit

Absolutely love these and won't be with out them .
Once you get used to using them they make putting your tires a simple task.
I always carry these with me on my bike in case of a flat.

HillRider

As noted, it certainly doesn't make the job effortless but it makes nearly any tire/rim combination possible. I've used mine to install very tight fitting tires that were much too hard to fit by hand and endangered standard tire levers. It works very well.

BTW, I've noticed that once you coerce a tire onto a rim the first time, removing and replacing it afterward is quite a bit easier. Tires that required the Kool Stop to install them the first time could be reinstalled with ordinary tire levers afterward so roadside repairs were not a hassle.

TakingMyTime

I have one but I'm not sure if it's a KoolStop model. I don't need to use it that often but when I do it comes in really handy. Usually it's used for a new tire on a first time install. It's not "necessary" but it can speed things up.

dsbrantjr

If you need a bead jack to mount your tires, you had better have it with you when you get a flat or you are going to be stuck.
Another way to ease mounting of tires is to use a thinner rim strip than the usual Velox; I use Continental Easy Strips and others have used Kapton tape or reinforced filament packing tape. The thinner tape gives you more room to get the bead down into the rim, which gives you more slack.

byscott

I use one of these regularly and wouldn’t be without it. As far as “If you need a bead jack to mount your tires, you had better have it with you when you get a flat” is concerned, that hasn’t been my experience. I’ve had several tires — usually Continentals — where I needed a tire jack to get the tire on the rim, but the bead stretched out after that.

Most recently it was a set of Continental Sport Contact tires in 700x32c. I had mounted them a month or so ago and they were very difficult, even with the jack. I needed to dismount and remount them recently (changing from Schrader to Presta tubes) and it was no big deal — I just used a couple of blue tire levers.

sweeks

I'm going to think about getting one of these. As I get older and my wrist arthritis progresses, I have trouble getting the Nokian studded tires on and off. I never have flats on these tires, and even if I did I'd just cart the bike home. Luckily, the tires I use on my commuter bike and my (non-winter) recreational bikes are relatively easy to get on and off.

2_i 

I regularly put Marathons on Brompton rims with bare hands only. I.e., when you run into difficulties it is due deficiencies in the technique rather than tool shortage. Start putting tires on without tube in, nor tools. Yes you can take them off with no tools too. Then add tubes but make sure that you get air out completely. Roll them up. Unscrew the valve core when needed. If tubes are completely drained of air, it should not matter whether they are in or not, and so on.

Otherwise, yes, Tire Bead Jack helps, when you are sloppy, did not get air completely, want to save 15sec. Otherwise work on your technique. It will help you on the road. I had 3 Bromptons w/Marathons to service this summer. Yes, I put studded Schwalbes with bare hands too. It is not magic, but just rational deterministic process.

3alarmer 

.
...this has come up before as a topic. More than once. I will never understand the resistance of some people to a tool that makes your life easier. But I don't really understand masochism, either.

himespau 

I buy saddle bags specifically based on whether they are long enough to include one of these along with 2 levers, 2 spare tubes, and my other tools.

oldbobcat

If it were effortless, you wouldn't need it. But for some rim-tire combinations, this tool (or others like it) is practically indispensable.

jccaclimber

Do you have an industrial steam press for any clothing that might need ironing? A heated towel rack for warm extra dry towels?

It isn’t that I don’t want other people to have tools they appreciate, it’s just that if I had one of these it would never get used, because easily changing tires simply isn’t a problem for me the one, maybe two times a year I do it.

For those who have a hard time and already understand the basics of getting the bead in the low spot on the rim, yes, the tool does work.

3alarmer 

...neither of those things would make my life easier. Both would require additional maintenance. So no. And I don't have any clothing that I iron, since I retired. I think I still have an iron, but would be hard pressed to find it.

I do, however, have three or four of those bead jacks stashed in various convenient spots, which cost about ten bucks each, work well, and seem to last forever. So I still don't get it ?

3alarmer 

...you speak of this like you are familiar with all rim designs, and all tire and rim combinations. I'm happy for you. I change a lot of tires. I used to change more of them.

jccaclimber

My point is that it isn’t necessarily people resisting a tool that makes their life easier, it might be people resisting a tool that *doesn’t* make their life easier, because their circumstances are different.

I don’t have an industrial iron either, but I do know someone with one and they can’t understand why everyone wouldn’t want one. Just different needs and capabilities.

I used to change a lot of tires, and at that point I did use one of these. Never enough to want one at home though, because it doesn’t come up there, or on rides.

Mtracer

I have one and sometimes it's the best tool, sometimes not. Worth having in the toolbox. I really like the Crankborthers Speedier Lever. They are my go-to tire levers.

3alarmer 

...I think I was pretty specific about what I said. If it doesn't make your life easier, you're not included in my sample demographic.

posse

Have used the Koolstop for several years, primarily for initial tire installation. I jersey pocket one on every ride - it's been handy for me and others on group rides.

veganbikes

I think it is handy I used them for Challenge Tires and it helped out quite a bit I didn't carry the tool with me beyond that as the tires stretched out a little and were much easier on and off after being seated and inflated and ridden for a bit. However a vulcanized tire yes you would carry the tool with you if you were having problems.

I use the tool at work with semi regularity but I am not regularly wrenching.

philbob57

True. MIne weighs almost 3 oz, so it's not a great burden - but I use a rack trunk to hold a lot of stuff that others - probably most of BF - don't carry on their rides.

I had one set of tires that the chief mechanic at a successful LBS mounted by hand only after 20 minutes of effort; the tool would have helped him. My thumbs are arthritic; the tool is essential for me.

One needs to develop some technique to use it effectively; the better the technique, the easier it is to mount a tire.

hokiefyd 

Like you, I carry one of these in my trunk bag when I ride. Riding with younger growing kids (now in 8th and 12th grade), I learned quickly to have first aid materials with me (bandages, creams, etc.). But I also like having plenty of stuff to help others who may not have their tools with them. I've been able to fix chains with a chain tool and set of quick links, patch inner tubes with a patch kit, and even tighten pedals with a 15mm pedal wrench.

70sSanO

30 years ago I bought a similar lever made by VAR. it was a smaller lever and more flexible, but it does help with certain tire/rim combinations.

Ot is not so much just mounting the tire as it is protecting the tube from pinches by lifting the bead up and over.

I have a couple of older mtb’s and one is running a typical early 90’s road rim. Stuffing a 2.1 tire on a 13mm box rim is not an easy task. The KoolStop Tire Jack helps a lot.

I’m also running 25/32 tubes in 25mm tires. A lot of tube to negotiate the bead around.

I take the VAR with me on my road bike and a cut down KoolStop on my mtb.

John

easyupbug 

Due to arthritis I always mount a new tire with one and have found generally as mentioned that is the only time needed unless the tire shows greater than typical difficulty from the initial mounting and then I put one with the handle slightly shortened to fit in a bag. On bad hand/wrist OA days when I can only ride a trike with the wonderful wrist supports I have one always in the my trikes bag.

squirtdad

Kool stop works great.

I don't carry on my bike, but my standard practice for hard to mount tires is a few days after mounting, do a simulated road flat repair to ensure no problems.

with tight tire good levers are essential and possibly a metal lever is needed. I like park for tl-4.2 for plastic https://www.parktool.com/en-us/produ...ver-set-tl-4-2 and TL 6.2 for metal https://www.parktool.com/en-us/produ...=Tube+%26+Tire