How do I remove a road bike tyre??

Anonymous

Hi.

I've been trying for half an hour to remove this damnd road bike tyre and I just cant do it, causing me to be late for college, how on earth do they come off? Tried using a spoon, the tyre totally destroyed the spoon.

Any ideas?

redddraggon

Use proper tyre levers and it's easy.

For extra help, try a Crank Brothers Speed Lever.

Anonymous

redddraggon wrote:

Use proper tyre levers and it's easy.

For extra help, try a Crank Brothers Speed Lever.

I have a lever but its plastic, It just bends, I dont have any shops near me, I just need to repair it like now, only got 30 mines :shock:

redddraggon

willhub wrote:

redddraggon wrote:

Use proper tyre levers and it's easy.

For extra help, try a Crank Brothers Speed Lever.

I have a lever but its plastic, It just bends, I dont have any shops near me, I just need to repair it like now, only got 30 mines :shock:

You need two or three levers. Getting the tyres off is the easy bit, getting them back on is the harder bit.

Anonymous

I have two, how is it harder getting them on? I dont know how to use the levers, this is the hardest thing I've had to do, impossible compared to my mountain bike.

Also does the valve thing need screwing in when I pumped up the tyre?

gundersen

Can't see why it would be a problem - but one never can tell

I have 2 or 3 levers ready
Slip one under the tire
Slip nr. 2 under the tire about 10 cm from the first
vip both down at the same time.
If need be insert nr.3 about 10cm from nr.2 and vip down.
The tire should now be off the rim.

Getting them on can be a bugger.
Push the tire around on each side from where you started towards the last bit you have to mount. Makes it a little easier as it kind of stretches it a bit.

No the "valve thing" does is not needed. I throw them away.

aracer

Nobody's yet mentioned the really important bit - you need to get the bead of the tyre in the well of the rim to give yourself some slack. If you leave it seated in the normal position (as I suspect you are) you'll have exactly the problem you're having, since you can't stretch the bead - a good job too, as otherwise it would come of in use. Work your way round the tyre, pushing the bead of the tyre into the centre of the rim. Then use your tyre levers next to the valve - since you can't get that bit of the tyre into the well as the valve's in the way, you might as well start there - though the suggestion does seem to horrify some on here.

Anonymous

I got the tyre off and located the puncture, I have put a patch on but when I pump the tyre up, there is like a dent now, as the patch goes like around half the inner tube, looks sort of like were the valve is, like a dip.

Is that ok? I mean I think its fairly inflated bigger than the tyre is itself.

gundersen

thats normal

Anonymous

Thank god, hopefully it wont go down now


Thanks for the help guys.

gundersen

good luck

Anonymous

gundersen wrote:

good luck

Thanks.

Well I ended up getting a second puncture!!!!, was coming from town and tyre suddenly went down, had to walk 2 or 3 miles .

aarw

go and buy yourself some decent tyre levers and start to practice...

walking home isn't the answer.

Anonymous

aarw wrote:

go and buy yourself some decent tyre levers and start to practice...

walking home isn't the answer.

2 spoons did it in the end, and those spoons did not cause any damage, apart from taking abit of black paint off which you cant see anyway. I used the end of the spoons, seems fine tbh, people I kno like my dad and that when they had bikes always used spoons, even knifes and that never caused problems, I mean blunt knifes.

I've just noticed, that man on the bike in your pic is not even on the dropbars and he seems pretty low, when I am not on the dropbars I'm sat pretty streight up.

aarw

as long as your mum doesn't mind you using her spoons! i remeber i used them once (my mothers spoons, not yours ) after I broke my tyre levers on a real tight tyre. i didn't do it again....

that man is me. i'm also on the tip of the saddle and suffering a tad.... it didn't work out. c'est la vie...

heavymental

Thats cus he's leaning down and forward. Look at the angles of his elbows. Usually you'd be more upright but that guy is cranking quite hard I'd say.

You ought to get yourself some tyre levers though. Some that won't snap first time out. Then sit and practice indoors on some dark wet night when you've nothing better to do and aren't in a rush to get out on the bike. It'll make your rides more enjoyable as you won't be stressing about the possibility of getting a flat. Walking home is a very last resort and I presume you don't want to have to take your cutlery drawer out with you every ride either.

Anonymous

I need a good pump, and the one I have atm is rubbish, cant pump the damn thing up at al, have to go over to the neighbours and use the compressor.

aarw

recommend the Joe Blow Sport for home. genuine innovations make a few good pumps that fit to the frame.

mozwyn69

I went through 5 inner tubes the other day changing a tube on my training bike attached to a turbo..yes I got a bleeding puncture whilst on the turbo (the heat caused a patch to lift). I kept pinching the tubes with a tyre lever as it was impossible to get off or on without a titanic battle involving two levers and a very sore thumb.
On my main bike I use Continental attack/force tyres which can be removed and replaced easily by hand. It's well worth spending a few extra quid for decent tyres.

Rich Hcp

Decent levers are a must, you'll end up knackering your wheel with spoons.

Be careful when re-fitting, only use a lever if you really have to, helps avoid trapping the tube

A track pump will get the 110+ PSI you need, under inflated tyes p*ntc*re more easily

When you can afford it, get some more resistant tyres, I got http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.aspx?Cat=cycle&ProdID=5360013214&N=Vittoria%20Rubino%20Pro%20Folding%20Tyre%20Set from Wiggle and they're great!

Garybee

willhub wrote:

I have a lever but its plastic, It just bends, I dont have any shops near me, I just need to repair it like now, only got 30 mines :shock:

That's your problem then. Land mines are a very inefficient way of removing tyres, makes thm hard to fit back on after you've mended the tube. Try using smaller explosives, something like a good sized fire-cracker would be better.

Cunobelin

aarw wrote:

go and buy yourself some decent tyre levers and start to practice...

walking home isn't the answer.

Best advice.... sounds very sad indeed, but I have practiced most "roadside repairs. Far better to discover the problem with a hot cup of tea and a warm house to retreat to than on a wet, dark evening!

I am doing my first tour on the Rohloff geared tourer tomorrow and I already had the rear wheel off an also decoupled the S&S so I know how it is done.

Even sadder.....
Always line up the same letter of the "label" on the tyre with the valve!

This way when you find the puncture you can align the tyre and valve - identifying exactly where the problem is on the tyre.

Even if you are unsure which way the tube was - there are only two places to look.

Again much quicker than trying to inspect a whole tyre in the dark.

Steven Martin

Of course, there is always the tyre/wheel combination that is impossible. I made the error of buying a really cheap tyre once and ended up cutting it off.
Decent tyres are worth paying for.

heavymental

I don't think its the price of the tyre that effects it. There are plenty of reports on here of various tyre/rim combos being difficult.

Mettan

willhub wrote:

I need a good pump, and the one I have atm is rubbish, cant pump the damn thing up at al, have to go over to the neighbours and use the compressor.

I've recently got a Topeak Joe Blow Max II :

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/ProductDetail.a ... 0II%20Pump

Found it to be a good pump - the valve system seems a bit dodgy but has worked every time (after getting used to it). It requires whole body weight force to get from around 100 PSI to 120 PSI - does a good job though, and am generally pleased - would recommend.