Marathon + Tyres

MJF01
MJF01 Posts: 9
edited October 2012 in Commuting chat
Any tips for getting my new Marathon + tyres onto my rims?

These are tough buggers! :)

Thanks very much in anticipation.

Comments

  • EKE_38BPM
    EKE_38BPM Posts: 5,821
    ...lube & patience people...
    but I think he was talking about something else. All of the talk of rims and buggers got me a bit confused.
    FCN 3: Raleigh Record Ace fixie-to be resurrected sometime in the future
    FCN 4: Planet X Schmaffenschmack 2- workhorse
    FCN 9: B Twin Vitamin - winter commuter/loan bike for trainees

    I'm hungry. I'm always hungry!
  • veronese68
    veronese68 Posts: 27,767
    Spa cycles have an instruction vid on their website.
  • mudcow007
    mudcow007 Posts: 3,861
    edited October 2012
    cable ties!!

    get a bit of the tyre on the rim

    then attach cable tie - so they bit you just put on doesn't pop off, then continue around the wheel putting a cable tie on every 6" or so

    on a brand spanking new tyre i use 3 "ties" normally

    once the tyre has been on for a while, they seem to loosen up a bit so when it comes to removing them they whip straight off
    Keeping it classy since '83
  • notsoblue
    notsoblue Posts: 5,756
    I put some 28mm Marathon Plus tyres on my Alexrim wheels and they went on pretty easily. I didn't even need to use levers... Much much easier than Gatorskins ime

    Sorry, thats not helpful at all!
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    If I've got a tyre that's difficult to put on I use a Crank Bros Speed Lever as a third hand. Makes a world of difference.
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
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    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
  • bunter
    bunter Posts: 327
    +1 all of the above. You may also want to try softening up the tyre by warming the bead with a hair dryer before fitting - makes it a bit more compliant and stretchy.
    The nice thing is, once they are on, you probably won't have to take them off again until they wear out.
    The not so nice thing is the weight, lack of grip and nasty ride feel.
  • davmaggs
    davmaggs Posts: 1,008
    They aren't hard to do once you've done one and learnt how.

    The thing that makes them hard is that the bead seems so thick/hard wired so it doesn't sit deep down into the rim and is barely in, which means that as you work your way around the tire you get to near the end and find it really really tight. There is no give in the bead.

    I found that if you keep going back around the part of tyre that you have already seated and re-push it down into the rim then you get enough slack for the final push at the end.

    A zip tie can help.
  • notsoblue
    notsoblue Posts: 5,756
    bunter wrote:
    +1 all of the above. You may also want to try softening up the tyre by warming the bead with a hair dryer before fitting - makes it a bit more compliant and stretchy.
    The nice thing is, once they are on, you probably won't have to take them off again until they wear out.
    The not so nice thing is the weight, lack of grip and nasty ride feel.
    Nasty? Its such a smoooooth ride. I wouldn't put them on my road bike though.
  • MJF01
    MJF01 Posts: 9
    Thanks for the advice. Excellent vid!
  • I've done 25mm/28mm/38mm and none where difficult to be honest as above just work it round and its done.
  • Fireblade96
    Fireblade96 Posts: 1,123
    I've put a rear M+ on the Pompino, and used toe straps in lieu of zip ties. It was still a fair struggle, but I'm hoping I won't be needing to re-do it for quite a while.

    If the worst happens on the way to/from work I'll probably just flag down a cab, I really don't fancy trying to get an M+ off & on again in the dark/rain/cold.
    Misguided Idealist