Kinky tyres

jehannum5

This post may make me seem a bit of an idiot, but... I had a puncture on my 29er tyre a week ago, fixed it got home and thought hey my wheel is buckled. Had the wheel trued, replaced the tyre and thought hey my wheel is buckled.. Turned out the tyre is buckled...isn't circular any more. No worries I bought two new tyres replaced them this morning and both tyres are not round.... I fact they snake around the rim like, well, snakes. makes for an interesting riding experience. On closer examination the tyres aren't seated properly, is this a rim problem or a fitting problem? I have been riding for 18 years and only encountered this once on my road bike, and never on my 26er. Now I have a 29er (giant xtc with giant rims) and this is suddenly a big issue.. Any tips on getting these $&@()/ tyres on my rims straight? I've tried forcing the valve stem down by tightening the valve nut when inflating the tyre to no avail.... I really don't want to have to take it to the bike shop to say...'ahem I can't change a tube'...

cooldad

Inflate them really hard and the bead should pop into place. Then deflate as required.
As a matter of interest who ripped you off by truing the wheels when they didn't need it. I'd find a new LBS.

jehannum5

Tried that ... and it was some c**t in Tasmania... I checked the rim just then...it'appears buckled in the internal diameter and true in the external diameter..that only seems possible if there's a flat spot... Anyway it's the other wheel that's giving me grief at the moment.. Tyre is seated more on one side than the other in general but there's a massive 'twist' in one spot, tyre is ok, rim is ok... I've tried shoving the tyre around.... Tried putting in tyre leavers when inflating, tried sacrificing one of my children ( wife wouldn't let me)...it's a good new schwalbe folding tyre... I'm thinking of getting a ticket to Germany and strangling their CEO with it....

jehannum5

I'm giving up... Tried everything short of voodoo.. Going to bike shop. If it happens again I'm selling the goddamn bike and sticking with my roadie... Who thought fixing a flat could be so unbearable?

bikaholic

Remove the inner tube and inflate it to check for defects. It should look like a perfect ring doughnut with a uniform seam line all the way around.

When you re-insert the inner tube back into the tyre, make sure that it goes in partially inflated as that will prevent twisting and snagging of the tube when you try to mount the remaining side of the tyre bead.

Before pumping up, push the valve stem into the tyre slightly to check that the tube segment beneath the valve stem is not trapped under the "lips" of the tyre beads - air pressure will push the valve stem outwards again so don't worry.

Now pump the tyre up. If the beads do not seat after pumping the tyre up quite hard then release some air and pour some dilute fairy liquid into the groove between the rim and the tyre, swill it around and pump it up again.

jehannum5

I tried all the tricks, took it to my lbs. they struggled with it for30 mins and determined the tyre was the issue. Maybe schwalbe had a bad batch, now here's hoping wiggle will replace them for me. I'm gratified that it wasn't my poor tyre fitting skills...

Bike-Rich

Whilst on topic, is truing a wheel best left for the LBS or do most of you do it yourselves?
I notice I have a tool on my mulitkey that turns the bolts on the rims but what about the actual measuring 'prongs'?

cooldad

What's a measuring prong?

gtd.

I'm guessing the bits that are used to measure rim deflection?


I used the rear triangle of my Dr Jekyll to true a 24" rear wheel I was building, using the 26" drop outs I could fit the wheel so the rim was sat between the chain stay welds thigh were close enough to the rim to see any deflection.

Ouija

Had tons of lumpy tires after refitting an innertube. Secret, as mentioned above is to pump the tire very, very, very hard (some pumps just can't do it, so it depends what type you have). In some cases, i've actually blown the valve off the innertube before the tyre snapped out all the way. The trick (to make life simpler) is to rub grease around the rim of the tyre before doint it. Makes em pop up onto the rim a lot easier. You can deflate the tyre a little afterwards, to get it down to correct pressure.

jehannum5

Addition to my sorry tale... I retried this morning fitting my old tyres. I added lots of soapy water and both tyres popped into the rims without being 'kinky'. This tells me that the original lbs knew s$)t about MTb tyres. I then deflated my tyres and put on both sets of my new racing Ralph's .. Same technique buth both still kinky... Overinflated again blew a tube and replaced my old tyres with no issues. Conclusion: I think I have two sets of ra ra's that just don't suit my rims (they are 2.4 so maybe I just got some that are too big), I'm now dubious about my secaond lbs' claim that the tyres are 'stretched andfaulty'; I now know at least one but maybe two lbs's that really dont know MTb tyres that well; I now know lots about replacing MTb tyres.... Anyone want some ra ra's going cheap.....

Btw thanks to all contributors.

gtd.

If its a folder check the kevlar bead for lumps/breaks.

I've got a Racing Ralph folder that goes on wonky, had a blow out due to an over inflated tyre on a hot day. Last time I use a compressor with presta adapters.

Unfortunately it crimped the bead in two places when it went.

The tyre is functional but due to it being the version with white edge stripes it looks like my wheel is buckled to f...

I use it on the back now in summer.

The Rookie

If they were stretched they'd go on the bead easier!

Soapy water and lots of pressure, if I have issues I use a cheap (thick) tube to get it seated once then swap out the tube and use my lighter one afterwards.

Simon