I can't do it! *sob*

[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

[Mr. Bloom]

Have you tried the tires in the dryer trick?

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

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

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

[silver]

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



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

yeah, but first, where is the oven?


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

[singletrackmind]

yeah, but first, where is the oven?


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

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.

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!