I can't do it! *sob*

[silver]

I like to think that I can do most all the basic things on my bike. But I just tried for an hour to put the continental GP 4000 tires on my wheels. And I COULDN'T do it!!! :o :( :mad:

I'm so put out!!! i tried all the tricks, including that squeeze the tire up and around thing on TE. Phooey! I'm just a wimpy girl! *pout* *pout*

I know that continentals are known to be tight but this is not the first time that they have been mounted on the wheels. If I can't get them on, then I can't change the tubes out on my own. So, what good are they???

:mad: :mad: :mad:

[crazycanuck]

Silver-you're not a wimpy girl!!!! Sheep kappoops no!!! You're the km queen.

I'm sure there's a way to get them on...:) :confused: :o

C

[silver]

thanks CC. the upside is that I'll just have to ride the new american classic wheels with the continental supersonic tires. i didn't intend to use them for training rides, but my choices are put the old bontrager tires back on, ride the american classics, or not ride at all.

I'll take them to Derek later in the week and see if he can show me how to do it.

Whoops! thought of another option....I could ride the old bike. See another reason to have more than one bike.

[velogirl]

Silver, you're not necessarily a wimpy girl (your term). Have you ever changed tires before? New tires need a little stretching. Just because you can't get them on now doesn't mean you won't be able to change them after they've been on the rims for a week or two.

And if you've never put tires on, don't despair. A good mechanic should be able to show you some little tricks that will help, even with a tight tire/rim match.

Lorri

ps -- I'm no mechanic, but I put new tires on my bf's bike last night while he made dinner for us -- now there's a role reversal for you!

[bacarver]

I tried to put tires on wheels in the past. I do not have the hand strength no matter how much cursing and manhandling I used. I just am not capable.
I've been lucky all these years (nearly 20) in that I rarely ever have flats. I've been able to catch a ride from a trusted neighbor the two times I've lost air due to a nail or piece of glass.
You're a better bikie than me if you can accomplish this.
Good luck!
Barb

[Dogmama]

I'm no mechanic, but I put new tires on my bf's bike last night while he made dinner for us -- now there's a role reversal for you!

That's my family too. I change the tires, he folds the clothes. I win!

Silver - new tires are always tight. After you get a few miles on them, you'll be able to change it. I ride Conti's and the first time I mount the tires is always a struggle.

[silver]

I haven't done a lot of tire changing but I have changed tubes on the side of the road by myself and I've put on new tires by myself before (OK, just once, when I put together my new American Classic wheels). I thought I had strong hands. These 4000's have been on the wheels before. I used them for about 2 weeks back in August.

This morning my hands are sore and scraped.

Thanks for the encouragement ladies.

I'm going to go talk to Derek about them. He's a new machanic that I've just found on the other side of town. He's great about explaining things.

[spokewench]

Yeah, I remember trying to put Contis on the for the first time years ago - I was soooo frustrated! Here is a tip, put them in the oven at 200 degrees to warm them up. This helps some. I know that does not help when you are thinking about changing a flat on the road, but like the rest of the te'ers say, they will get looser on the rim as you ride them. You may always need to use some help from your tire irons though! So be careful not to pinch the tube

spoke

[SouthernBelle]

Did you just use your hands, or did you try prying them over with the lever?

I remember I had a heck of a time putting my new Contis on last spring.

[indysteel]

Silver, I feel your pain. Have you tried the tires in the dryer trick? I tried this the last time I mounted new tires and it worked. The warmth makes them slightly more flexible.

Good luck!

[OakLeaf]

I've always had better luck using tire irons to mount tires as well as remove them. You just have to be a little extra careful not to pinch the tube.

[sarahkonamojo]

Know your struggle. Same tires it would take me FOREVER to get them on. They will stretch out. I like the oven idea!

Warning. I would also be so frustrated with getting the tires on the first time, that I'd end up with a pinch flat. And then I'd get to do it again. I'm going with gator skins now, which aren't as tight.

sarah

[Tuckervill]

I had to take my tire on and off three times the last time I changed a flat. When I finally got help, my hands were so spent that I couldn't do it the last time and so I asked the person who stopped to do it for me. :(

Karen

[Geonz]

Try using the tyre levers.

I was rully rully happy I didn't even have to resort to them when I put my hard case tire on last week. My rims are cooperative :)

[SnappyPix]

Had the same problem with Conti Gatorskins.
Beaded tyres are a nightmare to try to fit.
My top tip is to always buy folding tyres. A lot of tyres come in two versions - beaded and folding. The folding variety are a breeze to fit in comparison - and are every bit as strong as the beaded type - just less pain on the knuckles.

[silver]

I did try using tire levers. But I'd never heard of the oven and dryer tips. I think that I'd prefer the dryer, is there anything that I need to know?

[velogirl]

don't use fabric sheets -- they can have a negative interaction with the rubber compound!!!

[Mr. Bloom]

Have you tried the tires in the dryer trick?

Won't work, with two teenagers, it's rolling 24 hours/day:( :eek:


put them in the oven at 200 degrees to warm them up.

Hmmm, that might work, the oven never seems to get used:rolleyes: :D :D

[silver]

Won't work, with two teenagers, it's rolling 24 hours/day:( :eek:



Hmmm, that might work, the oven never seems to get used:rolleyes: :D :D

yeah, but first, where is the oven? ;)


Actually, I'm afraid with my track record that i'll burn them. :o

[singletrackmind]

yeah, but first, where is the oven? ;)


Actually, I'm afraid with my track record that i'll burn them. :o

http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/rofl.gif My Conti on Sun Lites on the mtb were nearly unpossible. I've had better luck with the road bike contis but can get them off only with the blue parks levers. Otherwise they just don't budge. If they didn't make such darned nice road tires I'd wash my hands of them. For me, they never did stretch. Thankfully with liners I nearly never get a flat.

[Dogmama]

yeah, but first, where is the oven? ;)


Actually, I'm afraid with my track record that i'll burn them. :o

That's the advantage of living in Arizona. We don't need no stinkin' oven - we've got PAVEMENT.

[RolliePollie]

You're not alone, Silver! I couldn't get my new tires on either. My poor hands are still recovering from the battle I had with my new front tire. I tried levers, heating the tire up with my blow dryer, wrestling the wheel and tire on my living room floor, etc. But no luck. They were just too tight. In hindsight, I should've given up sooner and spared my hands. There was no way I was going to get that last bit of tire over the rim, but I could not accept the fact that I needed help! I want to be able to do everything all by myself!

My mechanic father tells me that heating up the tires won't do any good because it's the wire or kevlar bead that's the tight part, not the rubber. I don't know if he's correct or not, but heating up my tires didn't do me any good.

Anyway, I gave up and took my bike to the shop. I hated to admit defeat, but my bloody knuckles just couldn't take any more punishment!

[indysteel]

One other suggestion I have is to swap rim tape--if that's what your wheels have--for Velo Plugs. Maybe it's just a marketing gimmick, but I've been told that the plugs make mounting tires a little easier. You might talk to your mechanic about it.

[silver]

One other suggestion I have is to swap rim tape--if that's what your wheels have--for Velo Plugs. Maybe it's just a marketing gimmick, but I've been told that the plugs make mounting tires a little easier. You might talk to your mechanic about it.

Hey! now this might be the trick! Cause I have veloplugs on the American Classics, but don't on the bontrager race wheels. It's the bontrager race wheels that I'm struggling with, I didn't have a problem with the AC's. This didn't even occur to me! Ah, ha! The Bontrager's have the old thick cotton tape.

Need to go order some veloplugs!

[indysteel]

Hey! now this might be the trick! Cause I have veloplugs on the American Classics, but don't on the bontrager race wheels. It's the bontrager race wheels that I'm struggling with, I didn't have a problem with the AC's. This didn't even occur to me! Ah, ha! The Bontrager's have the old thick cotton tape.

Need to go order some veloplugs!

Man, I'm smart. ;) I sure hope they do the trick!

[onimity]

I hear you. I put Contis on my MTB, figured it would be easy since my road tires are a breeze... it took me two hours and caused me a lot of pain. I honestly think that half of my problem was mental, I worked on the first for ages, got really frustrated, so I stepped back and had a glass of wine and approached it as calmly and logically as I could. One I got the first one on I *knew* I was strong enough, and the second was a cinch. Then I realized they were on backward. So I took them off and put them back on, not at all as difficult as the first time. They were really tricky to get on, I tried it with and without levers and in the end found it easier without levers.

Anne

[Geonz]

Hey! now this might be the trick! Cause I have veloplugs on the American Classics, but don't on the bontrager race wheels. It's the bontrager race wheels that I'm struggling with, I didn't have a problem with the AC's. This didn't even occur to me! Ah, ha! The Bontrager's have the old thick cotton tape.

Need to go order some veloplugs!

You better keep us posted!!!

[OakLeaf]

Then there's the ol' soapy water trick.

Not much use when you're fixing a flat on the road... but a little spray bottle of soapy water is easier to carry than an oven I suppose ;)

[silver]

Ongoing saga!

So I ordered the veloplugs. They came in today. And they don't fit the Bontrager Race wheels. The spoke holes are too big for the plugs. I tried splaying the prongs but that didn't work.

And I don't have any rim tape.

I tried slipping the tire on and off the rim with nothing on it. It's VERY difficult to get one edge over the rim, but doable.

so now, it's back to the bike shop for rim tape.

So, what do I do? I actually haven't taken them to the bike shop yet. I wanted to do it myself. I thought that maybe I could with the veloplugs.

I suppose that really I'm going to have to have them do it and then ride on them for a couple of weeks, but what if I flat right away. Will I be able to change the tube?

Should I give up on these tires? Is there another brand that will be easier than these? I know someone suggested folding tires. (I kinda thought these folding tires)

[MyLitespeed]

Have you tried doing the "roll" with the heel of your palm when you need to finish putting on the tire. The very last piece of tire that refused to go on the rim I actually have to roll on with some pressure but it works. I'm sure a mechanic can show you how it's done.;)

[silver]

Ok, still haven't done it yet. I still don't have the kind of rim tape that I want. It wanted that thin slick kind (?) but all the bike shop had was the cloth tape.

But they did tell me something that I was not doing and no one mentioned here (I don't think)

That I should start pushing the tire over the rim at the opposite side as the valve and then leave that area for last. For some reason, I was doing this opposite. So I'm thinking that this might be the ticket.

Can anyone recommend thin slick rim tape?

This is what I'm thinking about ordering, but I thought I had seen some thin plastic like tape on someone else's wheel.

http://www.bicycletires.com/pcoetp/Continental_High_Pressure_Rim_Strip/product.htm

[DebW]

But they did tell me something that I was not doing and no one mentioned here (I don't think)

That I should start pushing the tire over the rim at the opposite side as the valve and then leave that area for last. For some reason, I was doing this opposite. So I'm thinking that this might be the ticket.

I always leave the bit away from the valve for last. But it could be that by doing the valve area last, you are able to squeeze all the rest of the tire into the center of the rim and get a little bit more slack. Try it both ways, but I doubt it will make very much difference. I don't know what kind of body mechanics you are using Silver, and some tires are certainly very very tight, but I'll add this in case it help. Let as much air out of the tube as you can when you get to the last bit. Body position will help to get the best leverage. I like to squat and lay the wheel flat on my thighs with the last bit up and away. That way you are using straight arms and using your shoulder and back muscles, not just your hands. Push the tire bead with the meaty part of your thumbs, working with both thumbs close together on the same bit of bead, and then move along to the next piece.

If you really can't get the tire on by hand, consider using something like this (http://www.biketoolsetc.com/index.cgi?id=408113781433&d=single&c=Tools&sc=Tire-and-Tube&tc=Tire-Levers&item_id=KS-TJ) for the initial installation. It lifts the bead onto the rim rather than prying it, and is about 9" long for good leverage. After you get the tire on, inflate it, and let it sit in your house for a couple weeks. It should then be stretched enough that you can change flats on the road by hand.

[Christopher]

hi Silver
I sometimes use that tape. It is tricky to fit - harder that the tires in fact, but will never move once you get it on the rim and it's very tough. You have to use tire levers to get it out of the rimwell though.

I put a rat-tale file (a long, thin cylindrical file - a pencil or pen might work too but aren't usually strong or thin enough) through the valve hole in the rim and thread the corresponding hole in the strip onto the file. Then I work the strip onto the rim from the valve hole (like you describe for the tire). Even then it usually takes 2-3 attempts to get it right, but it's worth it in the long-term.

Good luck!

[Jo-n-NY]

Oh Silver, I feel for you. I am so sorry I cannot help you, but I am sure learning through you and all the others with their advice. I have yet to change a flat, however it is my New Years Resolution for 2008 at least one of them :)

JoAnn

[silver]

I finally got my tires mounted! yeah!

Here's what worked:

The veloplugs didn't fit the Bontrager Race wheels. So I ordered this:

rox ultralight rim tape

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=426&subcategory_ID=5412

I chose that because it was thin and slick.

then I ordered this tool:

The crank brothers speed lever tire tool

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=2058&subcategory_ID=4221

That was the trick. This tool is small enough to carry with me. And it made things so much easier.

I also started from the opposite side of the wheels from the valve. It was still difficult but do-able. I highly recommend this tire tool! It was only $5.99!

yeah! I'm so relieved.

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I looked at the tool that Deb recommended but was trying to make an order from Performance when I noticed the crank brothers tool. It was a very good order, the rim tape, the tool and the vest, plus a few tubes thrown in for fun.