Don777

I had a Michelin tire in reserve that I was not able to get on the rim by normal means. I got a KoolStop tire jack thing and was able to easily get it on and did not pinch the tube. The question is, if I make it for several rides without having a flat, will the tire have stretched enough that I would be able to get the tire back on the rim without the KoolStop gizmo? I do not have any room in my below-the-seat bag to carry it. Kindly - Don

KerryIrons

No way to know the answer. The tire will get easier to remove/install, but whether it will be easy enough for you to do without the tool, no one can tell you.

cyclezen

Try doing it at home, with a tool/levers that you do carry - only way you (or anyone) would know.
Ride On
Yuri

datlas 

Probably, but I agree try it at home so you know for sure.

Iride01 

A definite maybe.

Still depends on how good you are at keeping the rest of the tire bead of the side you are try to get on or off pushed to the middle of the rim so it'll give you the least trouble.

But it does seem that as mileage on the tire goes up, that they do get easier to get on and off. Or maybe I just get on better terms with the individuality that tire wants to express! <grin>

cxwrench

How could any of us know that? Try and see for yourself.

noimagination

My experience is that wire beaded tires tend to loosen with use, so used tires can be easier to get on the rim. However, when I was running Michelin ProRace3 tires on Campy rims, it was always a b!tch and a half to get the tires on the rims, no matter how old they were. Sorry, it was quite some time ago, I'm not sure if the tire had wire or kevlar beads, I've heard that kevlar bead tires do not stretch. Eventually I gave up on that tire/rim combo, I switched to Vittoria Rubino Pro Slicks. It was not that hard to get those tires back on the rim on the side of the road.

If it was me, I wouldn't ride without the tool unless I knew from experience that I could get the tire back on the rim without it. Speculation (especially speculation from people on the internet) wouldn't be good enough for me to risk leaving the tool at home. If you can't fit it in your saddle bag, can you put it in a jersey pocket? Handlebar bag? Frame bag?

Mtracer

I was runnign a wheel and tire set a while back that was super hard to get the tires on and off. Sometimes took over a day because I would tire my hands so much I had to stop. Note: I used all manner of tools. The combination was almost impossible. The worst when new, but only marginally better if worn.

I was runnign tubeless, but still took a spare tube and such. But I questioned the reasoning as there was zero chance I could have got the tire on and off on the side of the road. Of course it was unlikely I would need to. I carried tire plugs and used them a few times. And I even carried a boot if I slashed the tire. But realistically, I would have had to phone a friend.

If replacing a tube is likely, I would carry the tools you know will work. Like other suggested, try at home with the tools you currently carry and see how it goes.

ofajen

You can’t assume it will stretch. I ran a set of Compass (now Rene Herse) 26ers and they were horrible to take on and off through their full lifetime of many thousands of miles. Still a pain when I took them off to replace them (with different tires that are easier to work with).

Otto

skidder

Different brands/models of tires work differently with different brands/models of rims. When I buy a new tire I check it at home and if its not easy to get on/off the rim its going to be worse on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. I'll take the tire (and usually the wheel, too) back to the LBS and get another brand/model and try that out.

Russ Roth

In my experience, most lower level tires don't really stretch, higher end tires that use softer rubber compounds with higher thread count cotton casings will stretch over time and use. Had to use a tire jack to get my daughter's Challenge cross tires installed the first time last week and it was still an effort. We did over an hour in the woods on them and a couple days later another 20 miles on the local trail and yesterday I was able to easily swap out the tubes for latex tubes using one thin tire lever to make sure the tube wouldn't pinch. Some combinations will always just be awful and nothing will fix the problem other than a different tire.

urbanknight

As mentioned above, the only way to find out is to try it. One trick I learned years ago that still seems to impress riding buddies: Put the wheel on the ground with the last bit of unseated bead on the ground. Grasp the tire with both hands (one on each side) near the top and push down HARD as if trying to pull the tire down. Repeat that again with the hands a few inches down, then again a few inches down, etc. until you reach the bottom of the tire. Then try to finish seating the bead. Most of the time, that makes it easy enough for me to do with my bare hands... except for a few kinds of tubeless tires.

CliffordK

What type of rim do you have? Size? What type of rim tape?

I'm not as excited about the new generation of "tubeless-ready" rims. They have a little middle dip. And, you have to really get the tire worked down into that center recess.

The old cloth tape can be problematic with some tires. I'd encourage finding some kind of plastic tape that you like.

Veloplugs are a unique option.
https://www.velocityusa.com/product/...ries/veloplugs

They don't fit all rim types, but can minimize the thickness of the rim tape. Although, I've put a thin layer of electrical tape on top of them.

JohnDThompson 

Get a VAR bead jack to carry on rides. It's more portable than the Kool Stop and includes tire levers for removing the tire from the rim.

wildstar

Never saw that one before, I may have to give that a try. Every since I severed a bunch of tendons and nerves in my hand installing tires has become less fun than ever.

terrymorse 

There is also this TyreKey.

JohnDThompson 

Also the "Speedier Tire Lever" from Crank Brothers, although I haven't yet tried it:


https://www.crankbrothers.com/products/speedier-lever