Tyre levers

bompington

Had a Speed Lever, loved it. Until it broke.
Found the levers built into my multitool worked well. Until they broke.
Used an old (an well-blunted) screwdriver in desperation to take the Snow Studs off Bomp Jr's bike at the weekend. Worked fine for one tyre, luck didn't last and it punctured the tube on the other.

So what would people recommend for an unbreakable tyre lever? And might I be doing something hamfisted to be breaking so many in the first place?

sungod

get some olde worlde steel levers

things like speed lever are fine for folding tyres, but i wouldn't want to try them on a wide beaded tyre

on-yer-bike

campag tyre leavers are the best

ugo.santalucia

on-yer-bike wrote:

campag tyre leavers are the best

+1 for Campagnolo

Don't get the steel ones... those uncoated dent your rims, those coated with plastic crack (the plastic does)... they are utter garbage

jordan_217

The big yellow Pedros ones

whojanicanackerov

Park TL1 levers are Badass and would spring the pants from a golden virgin without even pinging the elastic.
Your thinking they cannot be that THAT good but hell yessiree they are.

froze

If you want a tyre lever that won't break then look into either the Park TL6 or the Soma Steel core levers. These levers are steel on the inside and smooth composite on the outside to prevent damage to the rim. Plastic levers can and will snap especially as the temps drop, the steel core ones are virtually indestructable.

zippypablo

jordan_217 wrote:

The big yellow Pedros ones

+1
After breaking a few Park ones with a very stubborn tyre I've found these to be great.
Recommended by my lbs and haven't let me down yet.

bompington

on-yer-bike wrote:

campag tyre leavers are the best

Yes but are they compatible with my Shimano rims? ;-)

...and I'm looking for reliable (going on indestructible) here, not beautifully designed and finished ;-)

jordan_217

bompington wrote:

on-yer-bike wrote:

campag tyre leavers are the best

Yes but are they compatible with my Shimano rims? ;-)

...and I'm looking for reliable (going on indestructible) here, not beautifully designed and finished ;-)

The Pedros ones then. They look like something from the Early Learning Centre but they will do what you need them to.

MichaelW

I think this calls for a Bikeradar shootout and destruction test.
Var levers are pretty good.

MattC59

Get the Topeak Shuttle tyre levers:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=28714

I've had two pairs for years, one in my tool box and one in my camelbak for MTBing. (I keep a small set of Lezynes in my roadie seat pack). They're fantastic. The black one is a fairly rigid composite, but has a steel core, to it won't bend or break and won't damage your rims. The only time I've had to replace a set was when I left them on the side of the trail at Afan

Seriously, these are possibly the best out there, and despite my ham fistedness, have so far proved completely indestructable.

Velonutter

MattC59 wrote:

Get the Topeak Shuttle tyre levers:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=28714

I've had two pairs for years, one in my tool box and one in my camelbak for MTBing. (I keep a small set of Lezynes in my roadie seat pack). They're fantastic. The black one is a fairly rigid composite, but has a steel core, to it won't bend or break and won't damage your rims. The only time I've had to replace a set was when I left them on the side of the trail at Afan

Seriously, these are possibly the best out there, and despite my ham fistedness, have so far proved completely indestructable.

Yep; I have a couple of pairs in my toolbox, too big to carry in my bag so I carry these: -

http://www.parker-international.co.uk/1 ... evers.html

sandyballs

Specialized Pry Babies. Never had a drama with them.

meanredspider

After a similar experience snapping levers on my son's IslaBike tyres, I bought Park on the recommendation of the LBS. seem tough but I don't find them great for sliding the bead off the rim - they don't seem to slide very easily for those first tight few inches.

andrew_s

ugo.santalucia wrote:

Don't get the steel ones... those uncoated dent your rims,

Have you ever dented a rim with them, or are you just quoting rumour?

I've been using steel levers any time this last 20 years, and have never damaged a rim.

P.S.
For workshop use, the Lezyne Sabre levers are best, but they are too big for taking out on the road.

bompington

Well I've ordered the Pedros as they're cheap and recommended, I'll let you know how they get on.

graham_g

Anything without a metal core will break eventually. VAR tyre levers are the absolute tits though - include a system to help put the tyre back on... invaluable in winter.