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Tyre levers

bompingtonbompington Posts: 7,674
edited March 2012 in Road buying advice
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?

Posts

  • sungodsungod Posts: 16,064
    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
    my bike - faster than god's and twice as shiny
  • on-yer-bikeon-yer-bike Posts: 2,974
    campag tyre leavers are the best
    Pegoretti
    Colnago
    Cervelo
    Campagnolo
  • ugo.santaluciaugo.santalucia Posts: 28,025
    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
    left the forum March 2023
  • jordan_217jordan_217 Posts: 2,580
    The big yellow Pedros ones
    “Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.”
  • whojanicanackerovwhojanicanackerov Posts: 383
    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.
  • frozefroze Posts: 193
    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.
  • zippypablozippypablo Posts: 398
    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.
    If suffer we must, let's suffer on the heights. (Victor Hugo).
  • bompingtonbompington Posts: 7,674
    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_217jordan_217 Posts: 2,580
    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.
    “Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.”
  • MichaelWMichaelW Posts: 2,164
    I think this calls for a Bikeradar shootout and destruction test.
    Var levers are pretty good.
  • MattC59MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    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.
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved
  • VelonutterVelonutter Posts: 2,437 Lives Here
    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
  • sandyballssandyballs Posts: 577
    Specialized Pry Babies. Never had a drama with them.
  • meanredspidermeanredspider Posts: 12,337
    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.
    ROAD < Scott Foil HMX Di2, Volagi Liscio Di2, Jamis Renegade Elite Di2, Cube Reaction Race > ROUGH
  • andrew_sandrew_s Posts: 2,511
    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.
  • bompingtonbompington Posts: 7,674
    Well I've ordered the Pedros as they're cheap and recommended, I'll let you know how they get on.
  • graham_ggraham_g Posts: 652
    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.
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