Aksiums + tyre mounting = pain?

Lagavulin

I've just got a cheap set of these to hopefully see me through the winter but I had a sod of a job mounting tyres on them.

I'd bought a set of Krylion Carbons but I gave up on those at first.

Thought I'd try the GP4000 which went onto both my AT400 and RR1850 rims with relative ease. They were a pain too.

I also tried to stick an old Mondo pro on and that was a no no.

I've never required tyre levers to get the first side of a tyre on in the past (sometimes the second side) but in the end I was wearing dimpled gardening gloves to try and get some traction and heavily reliant on my steel-cored Soma tyre levers.

I've destroyed the skin on my thumbs and nearly ripped the nail of my right thumb which was pouring with blood at one point. :x

I did this in the comfort of my lounge over a period of about 2 hours. I don't fancy my chances out on the open road on a miserable day should that dreaded "p" word strike.

Any other Aksium owners experience such difficulties? :?:

maddog 2

the missus has a set and they are quite tight but I can still fit a tyre without levers. That's with Schwalbe tyres.

campagsarge

Quite a few threads on this I think. I have scars on my knuckles Lagavulin from my Gatorskin/Vento's experience.

Try some talcum powder on the rim or this device from crank brothers:

http://www.crankbrothers.com/speedlever.php

You can purchase from the usual internet outfits or better still your LBS.

Nice whisky BTW. Shot of that will soon sort out the pain in your thumb

Lagavulin

Thanks. I'll try a spot of talc the next time and see if that helps.

campagsarge wrote:

Nice whisky BTW.:

Isn't it gorgeous.

rdaviesb

Hands get stronger in the end. Otherwise, get hold of the Cranks Speedlever. They even make getting tyres off of Campag wheels relatively easy.