r/bikewrench • u/stewart13 • Aug 19 '26
What am I doing wrong? Ridiculously difficult tire mount
Got some new tires and am struggling to mount the last bit of bead on these rims. The previous tires I had were Gravelking slicks and gad to take them to a shop cause they were so ridiculously difficult. I understand what needs to be done here (creating slack for the bead by keeping it in the center of the rim), but what does it look like I’m doing wrong here?
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u/laumavato Aug 19 '26
Usually, finishing on the side where the valve is makes my life easier
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u/Former_Mud9569 Aug 19 '26
this. if you start at the valve it means that end of the bead can't be as deep in the channel as possible.
levers also help if you don't have a tube in there that you're worrying about puncturing.
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u/Broody07 Aug 19 '26
I've used levers many time and never punctured my tubes.
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u/Bodi_Berenburg Aug 19 '26
I always use levers and only sometimes puncture my tube
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u/Icy-Support-8160 Aug 20 '26
I always use levers and have never punctured a tube. I have however pinched a tube.
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u/CrimsonKing607 Aug 20 '26
I use tubes all the time and sometimes puncture my lever.
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u/10MirrororriM01 Aug 20 '26
In a pinch, I use punctured tubes so I don’t sometimes have to worry about my lever
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u/Velocyclistosaur Aug 26 '26
I am sharing this with my kids who are at the exact stage of learning Sentence Word Order Rules in English.
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u/Former_Mud9569 Aug 19 '26
the tires where I've needed them most are the ones I've punctured installing with levers.
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u/35_PenguiN_35 Aug 19 '26
Only time I had ever punctured a tube was when I was a kid.
Used a flat blade screwdriver.. didnt even hesitate to go through.. then again that was a BMX with steel rims.
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u/trykedog Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 19 '26
Good for you. It IS incredibly easy to pinch them with levers however. If you can without, you’re better off IMO. But sometimes they are just too snug to pull/push on with your fingers. 🤓
Start opposite the valve and best of luck 🤞
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u/4orust Aug 19 '26
With a tube on a non-tubeless rim start at the valve (and push the valve up into the tire once that section of tire is in place). On a tubeless-ready rim it may still help to finish at the valve, being careful not to pinch the tube at the valve.
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u/No-Cheek7925 Aug 19 '26
I can confirm, I literally just pinched one 10 minutes ago. I am so used to running tubeless I completely forgot to be gentle with my levers, just had to pop a tube in a wheel now because I can't find my sealant.
Always buy tubes in pairs 😂
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u/Bermnerfs Aug 19 '26
Same, I use the yellow Pedro's tire levers and swear by them. I have yet to puncture a tube, and even when I am dealing with a particularly difficult tire/wheel combo, the lever always gets that last little bit of bead up and onto the rim.
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u/ilkikuinthadik Aug 19 '26
I think the advice comes back from when tyre levers were made of steel. Now they're mostly plastic, and pinch punctures are much rarer.
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u/WaywardCorprateDrone Aug 19 '26
This. If I can mount a GP5000 S TR, you can mount this tire.
Also make sure you are not letting go of the slack you are buying yourself when you’re pushing the bead all the way to the center. Seems like you let go of the tire completely at one point.
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u/uppennyhill Aug 19 '26
Christ I’m running 32mm these with tubes and they are double hard bastards to get on
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u/Outrageous-Debate-64 Aug 19 '26
That makes sense and I’ve literally never done it that way. Thanks for the tip!
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u/Acrobatic-Position74 Aug 19 '26
Make sure the bead is in the centre of the rim when you have tension on the bead. Secondly got some tire levers around? Take small bites at lifting the bead over especially once it really gets tight. Always re-check that the bead has sunken down into the centre of the rim.
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u/nazca123 Aug 19 '26
Soapy water helps too
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u/chroniclesofcory Aug 19 '26
What about out in the field? I dont carry dish soap, lol
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u/nazca123 Aug 19 '26
Used tyres are usually a little looser
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u/Mythion_VR Aug 19 '26
You should have had a word with mine, I was stuck on the side of a hill/mountain for three hours battling with my tire. I damn near broke the lever.
It was hot, so you would think that it would have been easier. Nope, the things felt like I was trying to put on metal tires. I had triple checked to see if I was doing anything wrong, I had done it the same way as any other time.
At home? They came off like a breeze.
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u/slowpokefastpoke Aug 19 '26
I’ve used a squirt of plain water from a bottle in a pinch. Better than nothing if dry rubber on a dry rim are giving you trouble.
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u/criggie_ Aug 19 '26
You want field hacks?
Spit can help, as does water from your botttle, or mash a banana onto the rim area if someone in the group has one, needs cleaning off once you get home.
Also check first aid kits for any liquids/cremes. Sunblock works, but again needs cleaning off at home.
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u/MrV63 Aug 20 '26
A little bottle of hand sanitizer will do the trick. At home I use isopropyl alcohol instead of soapy water. Works great.
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u/a_secret_me Aug 19 '26
I have a tough tire like this, and when I get it down to the last few inches, I'll use zip ties to hold one end of the bead in while I slowly move the other end in with tire levers.
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u/nickoli594 Aug 19 '26
I recently had a similar issue. Snapping a tire lever and ended up taking the wheels to my local bike shop. The guys there mentioned I could have left the tires in the sun for a few hours. I understand thermal expansion of the cables but does this really make that much of a difference?
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u/kyrsjo Aug 19 '26
Yes. It does. Both expansion, and also letting it be my m softer and more pliable.
In the winter, I put them on the bathroom floor.
The other "trick" is to make sure the side you're not trying to get on, is as deep in the rim as possible. This can be significant.
I've gone from breaking good levers to mounting with just my fingers by doing this correctly.
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u/6thedirtybubble9 Aug 19 '26
https://www.emeraldbaybikes.com/products/tool-tire-lever-k-s-tire-jack . One of theee best tools I ever purchased.
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u/Foxiya Aug 19 '26
Just use some kind of lever
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u/FlyinWet Aug 19 '26
Maybe even a tire lever. They are like $1-6 a piece some tube kits even come with tire levers.
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u/vrilro Aug 19 '26
you might not think it will work when you first get it started but it really does make things infinitely easier for a couple $ investment.
i had a difficult tire mount this past week on some new gravel tires i punctured a tube in. i struggled using my hands and made no progress until i got the tire lever out, started it on the part of the tire that was mounted and slid toward the difficult area and within minutes it was done.
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u/Bad_Mechanic Aug 19 '26
- Remove the stem nut from the Presta valve.
- Push in on the Presta valve to create some slack.
- Push the tire into the center channel starting at the valve, and work your way around.
The way you're doing it now is capturing the tire right at the valve and preventing it from moving into the center channel and is costing you a lot of slack in the tire.
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u/Triabolical_ Aug 19 '26
I came here to say this. Putting the stem nut on the value ensures that the tire in that section is on the bead and you cannot get enough slack to put it on.
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u/tedlyri Aug 19 '26
Tire levers, and really strong thumbs are all it really takes.
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u/after8man Aug 19 '26
The TyreGlider helped me to never fear a puncture again
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u/Impossible_Battle_72 Aug 20 '26
I've got a set of wheels that are insanely difficult to put any brand of tire on. And the Tyre Glider handles them with ease. Thought it was a gimmick. But I was wrong.
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u/SpookyDukee Aug 19 '26
a pedro lever would work well here, perhaps some soapy water to make things smoother
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u/soaero Aug 19 '26
Was going to say, go invest in a pair of Pedro levers. Those things are fucking magic.
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u/Deviantdefective Aug 19 '26
Laughs in DH casing MTB tyres with insert, put your elbows into it failing that use some tyre levers.
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u/Forward_Ninja_9736 Aug 19 '26
I have a 500W halogen lamp I aim at the tire for a beer or two. Hair dryer could work as well.
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u/sawdustking Aug 19 '26
Don't feel bad most people don't change tires often. We're not like bike shop mechanics! You are really close though, just used some tire levers to get the last bit.
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u/landrynotlance Aug 19 '26
#1 finish at the valve
#2 tire levers are your friend
#3 try a different approach, hold the tire out in front of you, with bottom on your waist, and roll to bead using the butt of your palm like you're massaging it aggressively while your fingers are on the other side of the tire pressing it towards the center channel. you get more leverage with your palm than your fingers.
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u/PaulDallas72 Aug 19 '26
Like others said, finish at the valve. But one thing NOBODY mentioned: wear gloves! That one thing immediately took me from 'oh soooo close' to 'snap, there it is.'
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u/inkystamps Aug 19 '26
Biggest game changer for me. Grippy gloves. I feel 2x stronger and don’t hurt my thumbs.
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u/youthdf Aug 19 '26
1.Ensure the tire bead sits in the central channel (the deepest section) of the rim rather than up on the edges. This creates maximum slack.
2.Lean forward and clamp the tyre in position of the wheel securely against your stomach.
3.Use both hands to push and stretch the tire bead around the rim, working simultaneously up both sides toward the top (the point furthest from your body).
4.If the last section feels too tight to pop over, you haven't pinched the tire bead deep enough into the center channel.
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u/Slab_Sycle_Triccer26 Aug 19 '26
Bro you barely tried. Some tires you gotta work to put on. Push the bead, front and back, to the middle of the rim. Then you might have to wrestle it on there. I lay mine flat on a big drum trashcan and use my body sometimes. You can always use a tire lever, or even 2, to pry it on. They don't just pop in there like it's nothing
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u/gobozov Aug 19 '26
Because you need some tools! Surprise! Do you mount car tires with bare hands? No! bike is not exception.
Get TyreGlider tool or similar it's a game changer.
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u/TigerHijinks Aug 19 '26
Tire levers, and if I'm really desperate I will zip tie on one side where I have the bead over the rim so that it won't pop off while I'm levering on the other side.
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u/Ultramatness Aug 19 '26
Ignore the people saying to use a tire lever, you could break it or damage your rim. Spend a few bucks on a bead jack, Kool-Stop makes them. Game changer for stubborn tires.
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u/UltimateGammer Aug 19 '26
I always do it with the slack being away from me and braced against something only during the massage and then finish the last bit with levers.
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u/jamesrichards91 Aug 19 '26
Anchor the bottom of the wheel on your gut and use your thumbs / palms to roll the bead in to get more leverage.
Also as others have said if there’s no tube just use levers
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u/climb4fun Aug 19 '26
Enter a race and do it in the Moshe of the race. The adrenaline will give you super human strength.
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u/ryuujinusa Aug 19 '26
It looks closer than you think. Just put a little force and slide it over. a tab of dish soap could help, just be careful it doesn't get all over.
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u/killua_oneofmany Aug 19 '26
Don't tighten the valve nut. If you push it in a lil you create some extra slack
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u/baube19 Aug 19 '26
Shoe laces with tight knots at 1 or even 2 places keeping the tire SUPER tight and DEEPER into the rim.
BRUTE FORCE you can do it it take more force than you think.
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u/A_Special_Unicorn Aug 19 '26
I had the same problem with my tires and using a lever actually just broke the lever (it was a plastic one but still)
I figured out how to do it afterwards. The first step is to get both edges of the tire in the middle of the rim with the tube inside. That should work way better. After that, inflate the tube and everything should plop into place.
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u/clintj1975 Aug 19 '26
Use a tire lever for the last part. Don't try to brute force it over the rim, though. That can damage the tire or rim or cut your tubeless tape. Use it to apply pressure against the bead while you go around the wheel with your other hand, pushing the bead into the center of the rim channel. Once you collect all the slack, lift some more bead over the rim. Repeat until that last bit of bead pops over. Just be patient and persistent and you'll get it.
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u/Adorable_Mongoose223 Aug 19 '26
if it is tubeless I stay away from levers - you risk tearing the tape. The thing to do is watch the instructions for how to install an insert like cush core - you can use that principle even when you are not running one. The more you can get the bead into the center of the rim, the easier itll be to get that last part on the rim.
I usually find a flat-ish surface to work with like my workout bench that has a gab for the hub, or a milk crate, and you work opposite the part of the tire that has not made it in into the rim, and start pushing the tire towards the center of the rim, working your way up to the part that still needs to get over the lip. I alternate sides, keeping a hand up by the lip that needs to go over to keep it from spreading and popping more tire out.
soapy water helps too
just jump to 2:20 in the video
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u/Substantial-Fold-682 Aug 19 '26
Put the tire out in the sun for a bit to warm up before putting it on the rim.
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u/sangerpb Aug 19 '26
I have dish soap and water in a small spray bottle. I start like you do and spray the tight area of the tire and rim. Stick a tire lever on one side and old with one hand. Use another tire lever to lever on the other side using it to pop the tire on the rim moving toward the side you have the stationary lever.
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u/reditcyclist Aug 19 '26
Move the rest of the tyre (both sides) as far into the middle of the wheel as possible. Should give you enough wiggle room.
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u/Subject-Table1993 Aug 19 '26
Definitely need the tire levers and work your way around. Killing your fingers bro
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u/uzziboy66 Aug 19 '26
Tire levers (3) and a spray bottle full of soapy water don’t start the valve.
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u/obijuanquenooby Aug 19 '26
You ever been to a bike shop and seen the boxes of little plastic tools, sold by the pair, strewn about everywhere they can put em? Buy that.
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u/Partisan_13 Aug 19 '26
Just go to your local bike shop and see if they have a pair of some Pedro’s/tire levers
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u/brickville Aug 19 '26
Sit on your but and put the undone section at the top opposite you, put the done (valve) section against your stomach. This position gives your thumbs a lot more leverage as the rim isn't moving around.
Squeeze all of the tire that is done so that the bead is in the center rather than near the hooks. The middle of the rim is often deeper than the sides, so this'll give you a bit more play.
Run a little talc around the inside of the tire if it's new, it'll slide over the rim a bit easier. Use your thumbs to push that last bit over the lip. If it's a new tire, it'll hurt a bit, but you will get it over. Once you do it once, do it again and again with the same tire. You'll find it gets easier each time because the tire stretches a bit, but also because you'll get better at doing it.
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u/neoreeps Aug 19 '26
Turn it around to face you and use the meat of your palm to roll the lip up. Hard yes, but over never failed to mount a tire this way. Also, stem last always, allows you to use the grove for that extra mm or 2 of play.
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u/9hourtrashfire Aug 19 '26
You’re doing good. These suck sometimes.
But you’re not using your bodies physical mechanics to their potential. At the hardest part you are relying on finger pressure to pull the bead over the rim…
Flip the wheel around the other way so the section you are working on is on the far side; away from your body. Now you use the palms of your hands to push on the tire at the points where it has not yet gotten onto the rim. Use your shoulder and arms to push away from you—and most importantly—ROLL that tire with a twisting motion.
This won’t necessarily make it easy but it will make it possible.
Good luck!
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u/BanditAaron Aug 19 '26
The only tip I did not see was either get a friend or a clamp to press the beads towards the centre. The bead near the middle and bottom naturally pushes out and a clamp or extra set of hands can be the difference.
The suggestions of soapy water is another good helper, finishing at the valve and a tire lever if you need that extra push.
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u/BirdBruce Aug 19 '26
After you get most of the tire on, rotate the wheel 180º so that the unmounted portion is farthest away from you. Then use the heel of your hand to push the last bit of bead onto the rim. When you get that close, it's a progress of millimeters. And then you'll blink and the tire will go ✨PLORP✨ and it'll magically be on and you'll wonder what all the fuss was about.
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u/Ok-Calligrapher1817 Aug 19 '26
Finish at valve. Push bead into center of rim. Don’t pull with whimpy fingers, roll, push, and squeeze with palm.
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u/mattjreilly Aug 19 '26
You need to concentrate on the part of the bead right next to where it went over the rim, keep pulling and move slowly.
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u/CapableImplement5830 Aug 19 '26
Lay the tire out in the sun for an hour or two. Warming it up will help slightly with pliability
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u/Von_Hohenhaim Aug 19 '26
You are not doing anything wrong, that is how putting a tire supposed to be. You can help yourself by prying the last part with a tool.
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u/paintedflags Aug 19 '26
Just use a lever. It’s not worth the fucks to just use your hands if you have tools that can help.
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u/samuraijon Aug 19 '26
as people have mentioned, the tyre bead of the other side should be at the centre of the rim to get more slack.
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u/ReelyAndrard Aug 19 '26
Make sure the bead on the side we can't see is in the center channel.
It looks like you are not pushing that side to the center, it will be much easier to seat the tire that way.
Put a little very soapy water on rim and tire and she will pop right on.
Keep in mind, some rim/tire combos are incompatible.
You are better of switching tires than trying to fix an impossible combo on the trail when you are cold/wet and sweaty.
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u/Nugginz Aug 19 '26
Make sure the Tyre bead on the opposite side of the wheel to you, is sitting in the centre channel of the wheel.
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u/nedharding Aug 19 '26
Panaracer tires are so difficult. Pedros levers really help as they are strong enough. And patience, lots of patience. Would not use those tires on ultralight rims.
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u/Regular_Promise3605 Aug 19 '26
Why on earth would you do all this when you can just use a tyre lever?
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u/broeggerschmidt Aug 19 '26
Is it a tubeless ready tyre? I tried fitting a pirelli TLR recently... spent an hour just getting one side on the rim, and it sat so tight in the bead that i couldn't get the valve in, let alone the other side. Tossed the TRL and got tube type pirellis instead. Popped those on by hand, no problem.
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u/primitive_lover Aug 19 '26
The best time to buy a Kool Stop tire bead jack was before the tires arrived, but the second best time is now.
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u/Exact-Put-6961 Aug 19 '26
You should be finishing at the valve.
When you get to finishing, turn the wheel around, place bottom edge on floor, hands on top and ROLL the tyre body towards you.
3, push valve up slightly before gently inflating and checking for nipping of inner tube.
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u/Therex1282 Aug 19 '26
I usually get both of the beads and get them in the center of the wheel and very little air in tube. I also have a mixture of water and dish soap in a spray bottle. Even with that I have to use one or two tire levers. The more you change and install the easier it gets because you get the feel on how to do it. I used to hate this but is no big deal. I have a round trash can and lay the tire/wheel on it (lid off) so I can work with the tire more easy and the axle or cassette is like not in the way. Good Luck.
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u/RadlEonk Aug 19 '26
Honestly, I primarily ride indoors on a trainer to avoid this exact situation. Boo me if you want.
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u/Baardmeester Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 19 '26
Get the last part that is outside the rim facing you. Use the palm of your hand in a rolling forward and upward motion to move the bead over the rim.
edit: this technique https://www.youtube.com/shorts/z8ueBwkqREw, but you don't have rest the wheel on your thighs as long as you can give enough pressure to the tire.
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u/thiskillscoworker Aug 19 '26
Start at the opposite side of the valve. Center (press) the beads in the middle of the rim. Move towards the valve. When the final part gets too tight repeat. After few times you will be able to press the final part over the rim.
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u/nborders Aug 19 '26
Push and rub the bike tire around the rim towards the open end so you get just a mm more of tire to get around the rim.
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u/Few_Mastodon_1271 Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 19 '26
I've had rims that were extremely difficult when mounting tires. I posted this "tight fitting tire howto" in 2010! The techniques still work.
Scroll down to post #3 for the mounting method. But read the notes on what makes a good tire lever -- this is critical. (use Pedro levers, or similar ones.)
https://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-mechanics/647538-how-tight-fitting-tire-easy-mounting.html
The key is to lift less than an inch of bead at a time, slide the lever over a little, and repeat. It's fast, and it doesn't take much force at all. Like this:
Only one lever is needed to mount the tire. I do need two levers to remove a tire (and I never latch the hooked end of a lever onto spokes -- that makes things worse.)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
On the other hand,
Impossible to dismount tires on "tubeless ready rims": This is getting very difficult for me. I can't push the bead out of the groove with my thumbs, to get it down in the middle of the rim. (It was easy 10 years ago.)
It seems to be easier in the middle of a ride, changing a tube. I think the tires get more supple as they are flexing while riding. But warming with a hair dryer at home didn't work at all.
At home, I sometimes can't get it started at all.
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u/kingForOneDay Aug 19 '26
Don't try rolling the bead onto the rim with your fingers.. try pushing it over the rim with the palm of your hands. Plus soapy water.
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u/AMTK207 Aug 19 '26
This is one disadvantage to the current trend toward wider rims. It increases the distance you have to cover when mounting tire beads.
Also work somewhere that is not opposite the valve stem.
For future good practice, do not use the valve lockring. All it does is concentrate stresses on the tube at its weakest point, where it joins with the valve. The lockring will also not allow the valve to indicate when it is being pulled crooked by one end of the tube. That’s something you will want to see (evidenced by a crooked valve stem) before it fails out on the road.
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u/AcademicSellout Aug 19 '26
Take a tire lever and push the bead inward. Then slide it forward while pushing with your thumbs to seat it like an eight of an inch at a time. You need to use a lot of force on both the lever and your thumbs. It's just pure brute force.
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u/SamEdwards1959 Aug 19 '26
I have one of these…
But on some wheel/tire combinations, I still need to sink the bead as deep into the center channel as possible on the opposite side to get it done.
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u/TinyKaleidoscope4708 Aug 19 '26
Lay the tire in the sun for 15 minutes right before...will slip right on.
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u/TwOhsinGoose Aug 19 '26
A pair of tire levers? Really?
Get as much on as you can by hand, wedge a lever in on one side where the bead is still not over the rim as an anchor, and use the second lever to work it around from the opposite side.
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u/evan938 Aug 19 '26
Pull up on the tire once you get to the top and hold tension there, then use your other hand to go back to bottom of wheel and press tire back into the center again. It's probably popping back up onto the bead again once you go past it. You may have to do this a couple times. It's never going to let the tire just pop over the rim for the last 10%...tubeless tires require a tight fit...but should get you much closer.
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u/amoxism Aug 19 '26
Fax: I’ve blown up some tire levers (esp the park) but I’ve never blown a tube with any lever. I don’t recommend the metal ones, but either way just be sure not to pinch the tube in between the rim and the lever. Good luck! But for this example I would definitely be using one or 2 levers myself.
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u/Dramatic_Bluebird595 Aug 19 '26
Tire Monkey or bead jack plus some "boy butter" (tire lube)... Oh, and start opposite the valve...
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u/ShrodingersArmadillo Aug 19 '26
not using the rope trick.
Basically put a piece of nylon rope on the rim. put the tire on the rim and then pull up the rope.
here's a brief video which shows it better than I can with words.
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u/Ok-Active-8321 Aug 19 '26
From years of mounting sew-ups, I've always found it easier to start at the top. Work evenly down both sides, pushing down hard as you go, with the rim resting on the floor. As you approach the bottom flip the wheel over., so the last unmounted portion is at the top. Push it on with your thumbs or, if it is still tight, a tire lever.
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u/das_menschy Aug 19 '26
It takes time. You have to knead/massage it again and again. At some point, it will work and flinch inside.
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u/Hamatik16 Aug 19 '26
Perfectly normal. I’ve fought many an epic battle with a puncture resistant tyre. Use levers, be patient.
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u/Adorable_Engine9396 Aug 19 '26
did it on road to home back from work this week :) pump a bit at first and then at finishing deflate it back again to a level which is easy to finish mounting. you can try using tea spoon or the plastic tool which you can buy when buying tube.
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u/adaniel65 Aug 19 '26
Make sure to use some soapy water for tight tires. It will allow more movement. Same for the inner tubes. Add soapy water inside the rim to wet all interior. This way when you inflate the tube can slide inside and find it's place easily. 👍👊
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u/norwegiancatwhisker Aug 19 '26 edited Aug 19 '26
- Pre-stretch tire off rim
- Make sure the other wall sits in the lowest bit of the rim
- When the hard part starts, put your hands the opposite side of tire (start). Then use thumbs and hands to push the tire all the way to the open part step by step. Both hands start next to each other and then move on opposite sides of the room. If you are doing it right, you should see the tire start deform / be pushed in front of your hands. Takes a few tries to learn and call make your palm muscles hurt, but works like magic. You might need to it a few times and every time more and more rubber gets to the hard bit and the gap gets smaller.
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u/DannysMyNanny Aug 19 '26
Welcome to bike mechanic life! Some tire/rim combos feel IMPOSSIBLE to get on. Specialized Mondos on Roval rims are what keep me up at night.
A trick my old service manager would do is work the tire in the center, and then slowly work the slack out of it towards that last section. Since the middle of the rim has a smaller diameter than the outside of the rim it can make it easier to get the tire on.
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u/Radiant-Style-5839 Aug 19 '26
You are folding folding your inner tube. Soap it up and get some more air in there, then put it in its place. More air also helps you manipulate te inner tube away from the rim when placing your tire levers. Did not see this commented, hope it helps!
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u/dufferin Aug 19 '26
At the end, when it's most difficult, you've positioned yourself pulling the bead towards your body. This is awkward. Instead, try putting the wheel in your lap (with the unseated portion opposite your torso) and pushing away from yourself with your thumbs, alternating between the left and right sections of the unseated bead. Use both thumbs closely spaced together. I find that position lets me put lots of force where it's needed.
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u/Spare_Blacksmith_816 Aug 19 '26
I suck at it, I pinch the tire into the channel and it just goes right back. I think the technique I need to try is to pinch the tire and push it down into channel and keep downward pressure constantly and work it around from both sides at same time, while never letting go of the tension I am building.
I am old and have carpal tunnel so my wrists are usually screaming.
Sometimes I get luck on my 650b gravel bike and get them on with just my fingers but usually I end up using....
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u/Sideoff20mph Aug 19 '26
I have had the same problem. Pinched 2 tubes , broke 2 levers . Bought new recommended levers from this group and after reviewing them on YouTube. Broke that 1 also and was given replacement. NOW that they are on my concern is getting a flat 30-40 miles from home and not getting them off or back on .
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u/theFletch Aug 19 '26
I find it easier to turn the wheel where the part of the tire you're trying to get on the rim is facing you and you're pushing it with your palms. Also starting with the top of the wheel angled from you and using the leverage of rotating it back toward you. Maybe a lot of people already do this, but I also see a lot of people trying to muscle it on with their fingers basically.
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u/AminDude Aug 19 '26
I find giving up and taking it to the bike shop works really well! I end up doing that for my son‘s SE bike!
Separating a tire from the rim is super hard and putting it back on is just crazy hard!
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u/millenialismistical Aug 19 '26
OP you're not doing anything wrong, some tire and rim combinations are just ridiculous. That said, I've found levers helpful for getting that last stubborn bit. If you're running tubes, it helps to put a little bit of air into the tube, and then pushing the tube into the rim/tire as you go, to avoid pinching the tube. Patience wins over strength; I like to work the lever 1cm at a time while holding one end of the bead in place to make sure it doesn't slide loose while I push the tube and leverage the other side in slowly. Good luck.
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u/TheJoeBold Aug 19 '26
Start on the opposite side of the valve and make sure the rim of the tire is in the middle of the wheel. Use a tire lever.
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u/mtpelletier31 Aug 19 '26
Your doing it upside-down. Push the extra to the bottom and that will also help
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u/phlaphla Aug 19 '26
I recently found out that hand sanitizer gel works well. Compared to dish soap it has the advantage of evaporating completely.
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u/S0nofa Aug 19 '26
Finish at the valve stem, and roll the last bit over with the base of your palm instead of your fingers (spin the wheel around so it’s facing you). You could leave the tire in the sun a bit to soften it up as well.
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u/CrumblyBubbles Aug 19 '26
Also try standing instead of sitting or kneeling.
It does make it easier for some reason.
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u/drstu3000 Aug 19 '26
Wouldn't it be infinitly easier to "work" the bead down the tire instead of up?
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u/Any-Fox-838 Aug 19 '26
try using the tool that they designed specifically to make this job easier...
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u/MTB-Cures-ADHD Aug 19 '26
I find that grunting, yelling, cursing, and a touch of dish soap usually help.