I can't do it! *sob*

[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!

[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)