Tyre levers

Jules Winnfield
Jules Winnfield Posts: 299
edited November 2013 in Workshop
Im just ordering a few bits and pieces for my seat caddy and ive come to a bit of a dead end regarding tyre levers. Im after a pair..... or three..... for alloy rims and just wanted to ask other peoples views on what they use?

Cheers folks.
Ribble Ultralite Racing 7005, Campagnolo Veloce groupset, Campagnolo Khamsin G3 wheel set

Comments

  • Any plastic ones will do mate, I use the ones that came with a puncture repair kit
    "It never gets easier, you just go faster"
  • gethinceri
    gethinceri Posts: 1,510
    Cheap Decathlon ones.
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    dnwhite88 wrote:
    Any plastic ones will do mate, I use the ones that came with a puncture repair kit

    Not necessarily - there are some duff ones out there. They can be too flexible if your tyres are a tight fit.

    I recently got the basic Park ones. Not particularly expensive (just as well as I wouldn't pay a premium for most Park products) and they seem to be pretty good. Actually made of some sort of resin as far as I can tell.

    There are also cunning clever ones that telescope out and clip to the axle so you can swivel the single lever round. Not tried those myself but if you find conventional ones tend to spin off into orbit then this sort might be worth a look.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • Don't skimp on them, nothing worse than getting a puncture in rain and your tyre levers snap! composite/resin ones are strong and don't muller your wheel
  • marcusjb
    marcusjb Posts: 2,412
    Rolf F wrote:

    I recently got the basic Park ones. Not particularly expensive (just as well as I wouldn't pay a premium for most Park products) and they seem to be pretty good. Actually made of some sort of resin as far as I can tell.

    Are they these ones?

    http://www.wiggle.co.uk/park-tools-tl1c-tyre-levers/

    I actually really don't like these - the end is a little too fat for tight tyre/rim combinations - I have struggled with them.

    I rate the Topeak Shuttle ones. Nice and thin for getting tight tyres off.
  • TommyEss
    TommyEss Posts: 1,855
    I've struggled with (i.e. bent the tip of) the Park ones before. I'm now on the Tacx ones, and they're working well. Googling around, the latest ones available look different to the ones I've got though, so can't exactly comment on those.
    Cannondale Synapse 105, Giant Defy 3, Giant Omnium, Giant Trance X2, EMC R1.0, Ridgeback Platinum, On One Il Pompino...
  • topdude
    topdude Posts: 1,557
    These are the boys, you can get a Marathon plus tyre on a tight rim with these :D
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/tacx-tyre-levers-3-pack/rp-prod75798
    He is not the messiah, he is a very naughty boy !!
  • Surely only hand-layered & milled italian carbo-titanium nanotube tyre levers can do the job. personally signed by Jaques Anquetil and ONLY sold individually to selected people. You get what you pay for you know. ;-)
  • desweller
    desweller Posts: 5,175
    Another vote for the Park Tool levers. Never had a problem with them.
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  • Learn to get a tyre on and off without them. It really is easy once you've mastered it. Theres isnt a tyre I can't remove and install without levers even Marathons.
  • unixnerd
    unixnerd Posts: 2,864
    I use the set the GPO gave my father in the 1960s! I've had plastic ones snap on me. Best advice is to get folding tyres without the wire, I can get them on and off unaided.
    http://www.strathspey.co.uk - Quality Binoculars at a Sensible Price.
    Specialized Roubaix SL3 Expert 2012, Cannondale CAAD5,
    Marin Mount Vision (1997), Edinburgh Country tourer, 3 cats!
  • rolf_f
    rolf_f Posts: 16,015
    Overlord2 wrote:
    Learn to get a tyre on and off without them. It really is easy once you've mastered it. Theres isnt a tyre I can't remove and install without levers even Marathons.

    OK then - Vittoria Open Corsas on Campagnolo Neutrons. The Corsas are in a completely different league to Marathons (which, TBH, aren't that hard to fit and remove). They are about 6mm shorter in circumference than normal tyres and the Neutron has a very shallow inside depth. I broke 2 good tyre levers trying to get them off. There's no way you'd get them off without levers.
    Faster than a tent.......
  • Another vote for the Park blue ones.

    But basically, anything than the old-fashioned metal ones, at least if you don't want to knacker your rims.
  • bobley
    bobley Posts: 60
    Pedros £2.50 Yellows from most LBS shop counters.

    Even work on Vittorias!

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/pedr ... -prod10042
  • Im liking the look and sound of them Pedro ones.
    Ribble Ultralite Racing 7005, Campagnolo Veloce groupset, Campagnolo Khamsin G3 wheel set
  • Lezyne do a nice set that packs away small, I've not had a problem with them
  • edten
    edten Posts: 228
    The innovation ones are good. Lezyne ones are good for most tyres but a little short if you have a tight tyre.
  • Overlord2 wrote:
    Learn to get a tyre on and off without them. It really is easy once you've mastered it. Theres isnt a tyre I can't remove and install without levers even Marathons.
    +1. I watched a video of someone doing it a few months back and gave it a go.

    It seems like magic but it works, it's quicker than with levers and it doesn't require much strength.

    I changed my original Giant tyres for GP Four Seasons lever-free a couple of months ago, and it was strangely very satisfying.
    Is the gorilla tired yet?
  • giant_man
    giant_man Posts: 6,878
    + pedros, do it for me, any tyre ..
  • Overlord2 wrote:
    Learn to get a tyre on and off without them. It really is easy once you've mastered it. Theres isnt a tyre I can't remove and install without levers even Marathons.
    +1. I watched a video of someone doing it a few months back and gave it a go.

    It seems like magic but it works, it's quicker than with levers and it doesn't require much strength.

    I changed my original Giant tyres for GP Four Seasons lever-free a couple of months ago, and it was strangely very satisfying.

    Good explanation here.
    http://youtu.be/uNhLPXfd8FM
  • Scwalbe - cheap and excellent in use!
  • jpf51
    jpf51 Posts: 35
    VAR - Been using them for about 3 years now with no issues.
    http://www.bikeplus.co.uk/p/34518/Var-Tyre-Lever
    nearly there.
  • topdude wrote:
    These are the boys, you can get a Marathon plus tyre on a tight rim with these :D
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/tacx-tyre-levers-3-pack/rp-prod75798

    Just ordered a set, lets see how they fare when i get a puncture. Thats my seat caddy gear now sorted.
    Ribble Ultralite Racing 7005, Campagnolo Veloce groupset, Campagnolo Khamsin G3 wheel set
  • andrew_s
    andrew_s Posts: 2,511
    Good old fashioned steel levers, that don't bend or break, and aren't so thick that they make fitting the tyre harder.

    No rim damage in 25 years
  • My favourite is the Crank Brothers speed lever. Unfortunately they don't seem to be made any more. I would love to buy a couple. Anyone know where?
  • I've got Marathon pluses off with Tacx levers, no trouble. And I reckon that the Tacx turbo trainer tyre is even harder to shift than a Marathon - I snapped two Aldi levers doing so at the weekend. But the Tacx levers have always coped just fine with that tyre. So they get my vote.
    They use their cars as shopping baskets; they use their cars as overcoats.
  • Pedro's here. I broke a couple of park ones, some tesco ones and my old go to ones. The Pedro's ones get my tire off in seconds.