help with tyres
mac72
Posts: 5
Hi,
first time poster here. I've signed up to do a charity cycle from London to Paris in July and was in the process of converting my beloved specialized mountain bike to use on the road (rather than forking out hundreds for a road bike). I'm swapping the handlebars, got clipless pedals and most importantly, changing the knobbly tyres for some slicks. Here lies the problem. I bought 2 continental sport contact tyres (26 x 1.3) to put on it for road use. I tried to fit them today though and whilst my bikes wheels and current tyres are definitely 26 inch, they just won't go on. I bought the right inner tubes to fit and inflated these just a little before trying to get the tyres on but I can only get about 80% of them onto the rim. I fear that even if I get them fitted, any puncture on my trip will result in hours lost trying to refit them. I'm wondering if I've been daft buying 1.3 tryes and if these won't fit my rims (current knobbly tyres are 26 x 2.0). So I wonder if I need to get 26 x 1.75 or something?
If I do have the right size (or if the size is ok in theory) are there any tips for getting these on? Like I say, 80% of the tyre fits but that last 5-6 inches just won't pop onto the rim.
any advice greatly appreciated
Cheers
first time poster here. I've signed up to do a charity cycle from London to Paris in July and was in the process of converting my beloved specialized mountain bike to use on the road (rather than forking out hundreds for a road bike). I'm swapping the handlebars, got clipless pedals and most importantly, changing the knobbly tyres for some slicks. Here lies the problem. I bought 2 continental sport contact tyres (26 x 1.3) to put on it for road use. I tried to fit them today though and whilst my bikes wheels and current tyres are definitely 26 inch, they just won't go on. I bought the right inner tubes to fit and inflated these just a little before trying to get the tyres on but I can only get about 80% of them onto the rim. I fear that even if I get them fitted, any puncture on my trip will result in hours lost trying to refit them. I'm wondering if I've been daft buying 1.3 tryes and if these won't fit my rims (current knobbly tyres are 26 x 2.0). So I wonder if I need to get 26 x 1.75 or something?
If I do have the right size (or if the size is ok in theory) are there any tips for getting these on? Like I say, 80% of the tyre fits but that last 5-6 inches just won't pop onto the rim.
any advice greatly appreciated
Cheers
0
Posts
Planet-X (now winter-bike)
Put the innertube on the rim, with the valve through the rim and the innertube lightly inflated. (this makes the innertube easier to seat & avoids pinching it).
Tuck the lightly inflated innertube into the tyre.
Now on the opposite side of the wheel to the valve, start to work the second half of the tyre onto the wheel rim.
Work the tyre on evenly either side upwards towards the valve.
Before trying to complete the final third of the tyre, make sure that the part of the tyre that you have already got onto the rim is gathered in the centre of the rim (not the edge, where it normally sits). This gives you an extra few mm to work with.
Now work up the remainder of the tyre evenly either side with the tyre levers a few inches at a time.
Job done. 8)
I have a pair and they take a lot of effort to get on any of my 3 wheelsets, and they are an absolute pig to get off when wet. I originally bought them to put on my wifes bike to use for work but she can't even get one tyre lever in, bad enough for me and and I'm a 'burly' 14st!!
My advice would be to get a different pair, probably some Swalbe 1.5 slicks instead.
Oh BTW, the Conti's are really good though once they're fitted! no help I know.
Again - thanks for all the comments - it's good to know it wasn't just my lack of talent that was why I was struggling with them!!
Cheers
Make sure the pesky section is directly opposite the stem.
Ensure that the stem is correctly positions, pointing to the hub.
Grab a handful of tyres each side of the stet position and run around each direction towards said pesky section.
After 2 or 3 goes you will have enough slack to ease the pesky bit in with a tyre lever, taking care not to damage the inner tube.
Rims and tyre beads have some manufacturing tolerance. If you have a large rim and a small bead then its going to be a tight fit.