tube change question

[hebe]

When you swap out an old tube for a new tube, is it ok to seat the tube inside the tyre, and then put the whole thing onto the rim, or do you have to push the tube into the rim and then try to keep it there whilst getting the tyre on? As you can tell, I'm having problems and I'm sure there must be a very good reason for not doing it the easier way. Thank you

[redrhodie]

Put one side of the tire on the rim, then put the tube valve in the hole, then feed the tube into the tire, then work the other side of the tire onto the rim. I hope that helps!

[Susan]

What Redrhodie said. Another tip: pump a little air into the tube before putting it on, just enough to inflate it a little. Put the tyre and the tube on like redrhodie pointed out and check if the valve sits right in its hole while you fully inflate the tyre (if it doesn't sit right you may have to deflate the tube again and wiggle it into place).

If you sit the tube inside the tire before putting the tyre on, there is a chance that you pinch the tube between tyre and rim.

[OakLeaf]

Also, coat the tube with cornstarch before you install it. That will help keep the tube from sticking to the tire over time, and it'll also help get the valve stem straight in the rim. I like to keep my spare tube in a ziploc bag with a tablespoon or so of cornstarch.

(PS - People change tubes both ways. Personally I prefer to take the tire all the way off. It might possibly depend on the tire and rim, which way is easier.)

[hebe]

Thank you, I'll try again tonight. It was so straightforward when I did it on the course I just seem to end up with rubber and fingers everywhere and no idea whether the tube is twisted inside the tyre. I knew I should have taken notes.

I did check all around both beads before inflating to make sure that there's no tube trapped between rim and tyre. I've just had to look up "cornstarch" - it's called "cornflour" on this side of the pond

[OakLeaf]

Heh. "Corn flour" in the USA means finely ground cornmeal. You wouldn't want to put that in your tires! I mean tyres!

[hebe]

Put one side of the tire on the rim, then put the tube valve in the hole, then feed the tube into the tire, then work the other side of the tire onto the rim. I hope that helps!

Got it! Thank you for all the help. I've been a bit overloaded the last few days and I just forgot the sequence that I was shown at the LBS. It all came back to me when I sat down with the redrhodie's instructions and put a little more air in the tube. No cornflour/starch, we have run out. I'm going to do the others over the next couple of days. Practice makes perfect, as they say.

[Owlie]

I wrestle the tube into the tire, then wrestle the tire onto the rim. (DBF does the same thing; he taught me.)