Fitting Krylions to Allez - Numpty Needs Help

El Fredster

Hello,

Apologies for the stupid question to follow, but i'm new to this business and still figuring this out.

Can the following tyres:
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/Miche ... 360023132/

Be put on the following bike:
http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec016020
(i actually have the double but it's all the same)

The reason I ask is because i thought this would work, but the tyres arrived this morning and now i'm concerned that they won't fit (as in, the tyres don't have any shape at the moment and i'm not sure that the Alex rims have the correct shape to hook the tyre)

Told you it was a stupid question. If there was a 'Road Buying Advice for Numpties' board i'd have posted this there. But there isn't.

Cheers

El Fredster

Garry H

Yes.

moonshine

if the tyres you remove have tubes, you'll be fine.

if they are tubulars (aka Tubs - one piece tauroidal rings) then no. The chance of this is exceptionally small, as Tubs are pretty niche, usually the preserve of racers.

i'm sure they are OK

skyd0g

Yes, no problems.
Be prepared for a not insubstantial amount of grunting, swearing, sore thumbs & general cussing if it's your first time.

It may be best to move small children and pets to a seperate room.

bendertherobot

Krylions can be a little stiff. Just keep at it. There is a knack to fitting tyres. Have a look round at some internet videos etc.

But once on the Krylions rarely need taking off again!

El Fredster

skyd0g wrote:

Yes, no problems.
Be prepared for a not insubstantial amount of grunting, swearing, sore thumbs & general cussing if it's your first time.

It may be best to move small children and pets to a seperate room.

Ha ha, yes i did read that someone else struggled to get them on. I've already snapped one of my tyre levers previously so perhaps i need to get some better ones for this job.


Another question then - may as well get them all done in one foul swoop.

If i wanted to subsequently replace the wheels (which I do - the general consensus seems to be that the wheels on an allez are pretty bad), as a minimum do i need new wheels, a cassette lock-ring tool and a chain whip? The bike's only a year old so i don't think the rear hub needs replacing - or do you have to change the rear hub when you change rear wheel? do people get LBS to do this or do it themselves?

Thanks again.

skyd0g

You don't have to get a new hub, but if you did you would then have two 'working sets' of wheels - one for winter/rain/spare and one set for 'best' - dry days/races.

El Fredster

skyd0g wrote:

You don't have to get a new hub, but if you did you would then have two 'working sets' of wheels - one for winter/rain/spare and one set for 'best' - dry days/races.

i see. thanks for your reply.

so i'd be removing the cassette and the hub and installing onto new wheel. is that easily enough done for a beginner? i've seen videos on removing the cassette...not sure about the hub though.

skyd0g

Sorry, I meant cassette - ie. you would end up with two complete sets of wheels.

macondo01

I have vivid memories of putting my Krylion tyres on. It took ages. My advice: good tyre levers like the ones from Edinburgh bikes (metal covered with plastic), a beer on a surface way out of knocking over range, a dvd in the background, old sheet to cover you/sofa/carpet/etc, sit on sofa and work away beneath sign 'Keep Calm. Carry On'. Its a character building experience.

pbt150

Not sure what the fuss is all about fitting krylions. I got mine on to Shimano RS20s without using levers...

What I found helped was fitting the tyre at one edge of the wheel, and 'feeding' the slack round towards the opposite side. It should give you just enough room to get the lip over the rim.

I'm also against using tyre levers to fit tyres because I have a habit of shredding inners doing it that way.

must-tri-harder

Macondo01 wrote:

I have vivid memories of putting my Krylion tyres on. It took ages. My advice: good tyre levers like the ones from Edinburgh bikes (metal covered with plastic), a beer on a surface way out of knocking over range, a dvd in the background, old sheet to cover you/sofa/carpet/etc, sit on sofa and work away beneath sign 'Keep Calm. Carry On'. Its a character building experience.

that sounds ever so familiar, the first time i changed tyres/tubes I made the mistake of dropping an old ruined tube on the cream carpet before fitting the new tube, nice big dirty black ring on the carpet, lovely .. .

sturmey

Krylions are easy to fit compared to Diamante Pro's.

DubaiNeil

One thing I found useful (on different tyres & wheel combination) was to "dry fit" the tyre to the wheel with no inner tube in place. This allows you to use tyre levers (if you absolutely have to) without the risk of damaging the tube. This will then (hopefully!) prove to you that the tyre will fit, and then psychologically you are in a happier place

Also this will stretch the tyre slightly, so allowing easier refitting with the tube in place.

Additionally I found that it helped if I inflated the tube slightly, then when stuck, deflate the tube slightly to slip the next section in (ooeeer matron) then re-inflate the tube and move on.

I recently had to do a road side repair of the same wheel & tyre combo and was amazed how easily I managed to refit the tyre the second (or third!) time around...

On the replacement wheel issue, as stated above you can just swap the cassette to the new wheel (as long as you buy wheels with the correct freewheel assembly). This will then render the "old" rear wheel unusable unless you swap the cassette back.

If you have the budget/need/desire to buy an additional cassette (which will make both wheelsets usable) pay attention to what gears you normally use, and what you currently have. My bike came with the "standard" 12 - 25 cassette, which has been relegated to a turbo trainer wheel and I have a 12-23 for normal use (I live somewhere very flat) and a 12 - 27 for planned outings to hillier terrain. I really like the 12-23 due to lack of gaps between cogs, but this only really works for me due to the lack of hills...

Yes, you will need a chain whip, lock ring tool and a large adjustable spanner (depending on the lock ring tool you buy). Replacing a cassette only takes a minute (once you have the tools!) but then I always get an unhealthy urge to clean the old cassette until it is spotless - which takes longer!


Neil

El Fredster

Just managed to fit these badboys, so thanks for all of the advice.

As per DubaiNeil's suggestion, i dryfitted them without the inner tube, then levered out one side and squeezed in the tyre.

Was fully prepared for tubes to burst upon pumping up, but miraculously they both worked first time. Happy days!


Thanks again.