Folding tyres

gordod

I just bought Vittoria Zaffiro Pro II Folding Tyres (700 x 23) - Hmmmm, I removed my existing tyre (a rigid Vittoria of the same size), and then couldn't work out how to fit the folding tire. I ended up putting the old tyre back on as I wasn't even sure if it was possible to fit a folding tyre to my bike?

Can someone enlighten me please - how the heck do you fit a folding tyre?

MarvintheAndroid

I'm not sure I understand your problem - the process should be exactly the same !

Marv

Bronzie

Do you mean because the tyre seems to take on a life of it's own and it really really really wants to stay nice and flat, while you want it to form a nice round wheel shape?

They can be tricky - I have sometimes resorted to using duct tape to hold the little bugger in place at one point on the rim while getting the rest of the bead on the tyre. Once you've got one bead all the way over the rim, remove the tape, insert the tube (very lightly inflated) and work the other bead onto the rim - again you may have to resort to using tape to hold in place as otherwise, as quick as you put it on the rim, it unravels elsewhere.

The good news is that once you got the blighters in place and pumped them up nice and hard, they form a nice round wheel shape for evermore (unless you fold them flat again).

Stwutter

Have you unfolded it?

ricadus

This is my favourite forum.

Chirg

Gordod, just wanted to lend my support by saying I struggled with this as well. Took me over an hour to get the first blighter on. All the time I was thinking it can't be this difficult but it was. In the end I used both arms and feet to get it onto the rim and it must have looked something like I was having a game of twister. I have had no problems removing and putting back on since.

I was too embarased to ask what the proper method was!

MarvintheAndroid

Hmm - never had any problem fitting them. Maybe I've just been lucky.

Makes a change !

Marv

gavintc

This reminds me of the computer help line joke.

gordod

OK, well I feel slightly embarrassed now. Perhaps I just didn't try hard enough - I was convinced I had bought the wrong tyre or something. I guess I will have to give it another go :oops:

Bronzie

Gordod - don't be embarrassed!!

The truth is that because folding tyres have a kevlar bead, which will stretch a little more than a steel wire (non-folding) bead when the tyre is fully inflated, new folding tyres are a bitch to put on because the bead has not been stretched first. Once in place and fully inflated, the bead stretches just a little so that next time you take the tyre off and remount it, it is a doddle.

baudman

Eeeyup - first fitting is a pain.

After i struggled, I think, from memory, I also inflated my tube and put the tyre around it, before putting it on the rim. That seemed to let the tyre know what it was in for, and made me realise that it's all gonna work OK.