Reynolds Strike and super tight tyre fitting help

jpower

Hi,

I've watched all the videos, get the tyre in the center channel, fairy liquid etc etc.

My strike rims came with Conti force and attack tyres, the tyres are amazing till the day I had to take off and put on, I struggled for 1.5 hours at home and finally caved and put on a set of gp2's I had, even that was a mad struggle but I could just about do it. I fear out on the road with cold hands it's probably not going g to happen.

Questions I had if the rim comes tubeless ready, does that mean my rim tape (blue) is thick and would taking this off and putting a thinner tape help?

Koolstop Tire Jack - kinda of a big tool but would fit in my jersey pocket, anyone know if the claims of it putting on stubbornly tight tyres is for real?

Or should I consider going tubeless and hope to limit chances of changing?

Vino'sGhost

jpower wrote:

Hi,

I've watched all the videos, get the tyre in the center channel, fairy liquid etc etc.

My strike rims came with Conti force and attack tyres, the tyres are amazing till the day I had to take off and put on, I struggled for 1.5 hours at home and finally caved and put on a set of gp2's I had, even that was a mad struggle but I could just about do it. I fear out on the road with cold hands it's probably not going g to happen.

Questions I had if the rim comes tubeless ready, does that mean my rim tape (blue) is thick and would taking this off and putting a thinner tape help?

Koolstop Tire Jack - kinda of a big tool but would fit in my jersey pocket, anyone know if the claims of it putting on stubbornly tight tyres is for real?

Or should I consider going tubeless and hope to limit chances of changing?

one things for sure, having tubeless does not remove the need to be able to remove and repair on the go. I know some people say take some worm things but they do nothing for sidewall slices and pressures that are higher than mountain bikes. I say this from waiting (on several occasions) for 20plus mins last winter whilst people struggled.

If thats the recent version of these wheels then they're tubeless ready and thats why its tough to get the tyres on and off. It seems some rim makers err on the side of caution add that too tight tyres and its a royal pain in the behind. Ive found the steelcored lezeyne tyre levers are cheap and make this job much easier. I take them with me now because they're no bigger or heavier than normal levers but they cut down the standing around time associated with my friends tubeless repairs.

meanredspider

I’ve found warming the tyres up helps with getting them on the first time. For me it was overnight in a very warm airing cupboard but leaving them in a bowl of very hot water might do the trick. I’ve found, once on, they “give” a little and aren’t as difficult next time. Don’t quote me on that though....

jpower

Yes its recent version, the latest ones came with new Aeroad, tubeless ready.

So I borrowed a friends VAR tyre lever which is suppose to help pull the tyre up and over, and tried again with the GP force and attacks, with no luck.

I went back to my standard tyre levers, once I get to the tough part what I noticed was that the tyre bead keeps getting pulled to the rim bead, so I kept pushing it back to the centre channel and law and behold I did it.

Was this luck, so I tried the same technique again, and its by no means easy but I was able to get both tyres on again in a matter of minutes. My garage is now an F1 tyre change rig, I plan to try this again today.

I do wonder though if getting rid of the tubeless tape and going to regular rim tape, might give me that tiny weeny bit more space to make it a tiny bit easier.

orlok

jpower wrote:

Yes its recent version, the latest ones came with new Aeroad, tubeless ready.

So I borrowed a friends VAR tyre lever which is suppose to help pull the tyre up and over, and tried again with the GP force and attacks, with no luck.

I went back to my standard tyre levers, once I get to the tough part what I noticed was that the tyre bead keeps getting pulled to the rim bead, so I kept pushing it back to the centre channel and law and behold I did it.

Was this luck, so I tried the same technique again, and its by no means easy but I was able to get both tyres on again in a matter of minutes. My garage is now an F1 tyre change rig, I plan to try this again today.

I do wonder though if getting rid of the tubeless tape and going to regular rim tape, might give me that tiny weeny bit more space to make it a tiny bit easier.

Try Schwalbe tubeless rim tape, it's very thin and you need only one layer.!

jpower

Todays pit change timing was just over 4 mins a tyre, that sounds pretty decent to me. Do you think thinner tape would help fractionally. Here to no punctures anytime soon :-)

Vino'sGhost

jpower wrote:

Todays pit change timing was just over 4 mins a tyre, that sounds pretty decent to me. Do you think thinner tape would help fractionally. Here to no punctures anytime soon :-)

4 mins a tyre??????? Doesn’t sound too good to me tbh. Sorry to be negative but I think there are time gains to be had there.

jpower

Vino'sGhost wrote:

jpower wrote:

Todays pit change timing was just over 4 mins a tyre, that sounds pretty decent to me. Do you think thinner tape would help fractionally. Here to no punctures anytime soon :-)

4 mins a tyre??????? Doesn’t sound too good to me tbh. Sorry to be negative but I think there are time gains to be had there.

I'm with you but considering what a bugger this particular tyre can be I'm pretty happy with that.

islwyn

Same issue same wheel... Nightmare!

jpower

Islwyn wrote:

Same issue same wheel... Nightmare!

Total bad luck to say this I know, but I have not had a flat on the road since having these rims so never been put to the test.

I know you will find it hard to believe, but don't bother wasting time looking for fancy tyre levers to help you, it really is just technique, yes they are an absolute bugger, however it can be done and in reasonable time too.

1 - After the first side is on, push the tyre into the well make sure its not sitting against the bead.
2 - Then just work the other side in with both hands, push a bit in, then roll to the next section.
3 - Keep checking that the inner tyre is in the well area
4 - Finally you reach the really tough part that you cannot do with your hands.
5 - Any decent quality tyre level and start pushing it in. Not from the centre of what you have left, do it bit by bit, so where its gone in already just a couple of cm further up push that in and keep working 2cm at a time.
6 - Make sure the inner is still in the well area

And then the glorious moment, WOW :shock:

shirley_basso

What if you accidentally rip the inner tube. That's the catastrophe so you have to start again - if running tubes, that is.

step83

Got an old rim you can chuck them on inflated overnight? I know my 66's are a pig to get new rubber on so I usually lob them on another wheel to pre stretch them.

cycleclinic

OP stop,
I dont think any one has mentioned chasing the slack around the rim. there is a knack to this and it requires practice.

If you are going to use a levber ther avoid all the example given so far, use the irc tyre levers or other levers with the same flat shape/ these arte best for tight fitting tyres.

if you gave your tyres to me i would have them on quickly. Its technique. even people who have been cycling a while can have difficulty with tyre I simply mount by hand. It not hand strength its what I do with them.

rnath

These two levers used together have helped me get tight tyres on (in extreme cases used with resealable cable ties to clamp the fitted part of the tyre onto the rim while shoe-horning on the rest)...

VAR TYRE LEVER: https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tools/var-tyre-levers/
CAMPAGNOLO LEVERS: https://www.wiggle.co.uk/campagnolo-tyre-lever/

Hope that helps.