Touring tyres that fit?

tripwire
tripwire Posts: 505
edited August 2009 in Tour & expedition
Yes, it's yet another tyre question...

From the Conti Gatorskin or Top Contact? topic:
zenzinnia wrote:
There also seems to be some problem using gatorskins on Sputnik rims. The rims are a little to big and the Gators are usually a tight fi and the two don't go together well.
Can anyone reccommend a touring tyre that isn't a nightmare to fit? I just tried to fit a set of 28mm panaracer paselas on Exal LX17 rims (which I believe are the same design as Alesa Endeavour) and they really don't get on at all well...

Comments

  • turnerjohn
    turnerjohn Posts: 1,069
    fraid not !
    The more protection the harder it is to fit ! ....one of my mates took several days to get a Conti 4 season on...and his not a weakling lol!.

    Some rims seem harder to fit to...my mates Shimano good example....my SRAM S40's are a bugger as well :-(.

    Just have to keep at it.......mind you after a time they break-in and are far far easier to get off/on...handy if you ever get a puncture !
  • GyatsoLa
    GyatsoLa Posts: 667
    If you are having problems with putting tyres on the VAR lever is great:

    http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/product-VAR- ... er-903.htm
  • tripwire
    tripwire Posts: 505
    Thanks. After much swearing and severe thumb damage I managed to get the rear tyre on. In the end it wasn't that tricky, I just needed to give the kevlar bead a bit of a stretch first, and make sure I'd worked the whole bead down into the middle of the rim well before trying to get the last bit on. I managed to do it without resorting to levers :)

    I can't do the front tyre yet as I cut the plastic rim tape off to see whether it was causing problems. It looks like there was a tiny bit of space underneath it, in the areas between the eyelets. I'm going to try using velox tape instead which might help a little.

    I might get a VAR lever too, just in case I find I'm struggling to refit the tyre when I'm out on a ride and my hands are freezing. I've seen them mentioned before but never quite understood how you were supposed to use them. I didn't actually realise that the bit in the middle was a second lever for when you're taking the tye off :oops:

    Anyway, I found a page which shows one being used, and now it all makes sense: Making life easier - VAR tyre lever

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