mounting on pacenti sl 23s

[cinema]

Just for the record I want everyone here to understand how absurd it is to mount tires on these rims. I've killed 4 tubes and am done for the night. Can't even imagine changing a flat on the road. finally got it mounted only to realize i killed the tube again with the lever. I've been changing flats since I was 13. No i'm not using cloth tape. yes the bead is in the center channel. yes i have mounted gp4000s to campy rims before. yes i will be letting the LBS handle this one (really hurts my pride).

It's 2015 and the mars rover just recharged its battery with power from the sun and sent a message back to earth-- HOW DOES THIS PROBLEM STILL EXIST??? Thank god these aren't my wheels I will be truly embarrassed for my friend when he flats. he'll be calling the team car for a ride home.

[Gabuyo]

Are these the first generation SL23s? I heard this problem was fixed with the updated SL23 v2.

[marciero]

Completely understand the frustration. My 650b sl23v1 are tough but not what you describe. Not to be annoying but there is that one other item/method that someone mentioned in recent thread of finishing at the valve stem. Did you try that?

[stephenmarklay]

I have had no problem mounting tires on mine. Maybe its the tire to blame.

[PaMtbRider]

I have had no problem mounting tires on mine. Maybe its the tire to blame.

So what tires are you using? A friend just built up a set of gen 1 SL23 rims for his new coupled travel bike. Major disappointment. He has tried Gravel Kings and Gatorskins so far and both are about impossible to mount.

[572cv]

I had no problem with 25mm Conti GP4000s tires on Michelin tubes.

[maxn]

I had no problem with 25mm Conti GP4000s tires on Michelin tubes.

I have the same combo (same width, even) and also did not have any problems. Maybe that is the magic pairing! Of course, I also run road tubeless on my other wheels, so everything else seems easy.

[guido]

I'm not seeing the issue on my 650B sl23 with Compass BabyshoePass or Soma Grand Randonneur green or on the new 700c sl23v2 with Compass StampedePass tires.
You gotta use Stans or Pacenti tape and make sure the beads are together and in the center of the well all the way around as you work the last section of the bead over the edge. On the first time you are mounting a tire, put it in the dryer on high heat for 5 minutes before you start to put it on...

Continental tires are notoriously tight, I rode GP 4 seasons for years, and I used to struggle with them on Mavic or DT rims.

[katematt]

Feel you pain. I won't ride GP4000's and hate when I have to fix someones flat with them. usually when it gets that hard I use the sweat from my brow to lube it up.

Vittoria Evo Corsa.....done.

[eddief]

http://www.retro-gression.com/product/var-compact-tire-bead-jack

Still tough, but quite doable.

[exapkib]

Just to add another anecdote to the discussion--

I've been on SL23 rims for more than a year now. Changed several tires. Have not experienced anything that I would term 'undue difficulty' in doing so.

I could just be lucky.

Tires changed, ranked in order of difficulty (easiest to hardest):

--Rock 'n Road 43mm
--Veloflex 25mm
--Schwalbe Marathon Supreme 50mm
--Conti GP4000s 25mm

Even the most difficult, the Conti's, did not pose a problem for roadside repair.

[makoti]

I have two sets. They can be difficult with new tires. Appparently, Conti's are the worst. I complained in a shop once about this. They rolled their eyes & asked if I was running Conti's. They swear everything else is easy. Are you using those?
Valve stem last
Make sure the bead on the rim is in the center channel.
I use on older set of these to gt them off AND on: http://www.parktool.com/product/tire-lever-set-tl-4-2 With a little care, you don't mess up the tubes. Least ways, I never have.
A worn tire on the road is very manageable.

[Kirk Pacenti]

Did you call the manufacturer? Maybe they could offer some assistance.

[MoonJW]

I had difficulty at first, Grad Bois Cypres 700c on version 1. Sounds like you're experienced, but I do think it's possible to change a flat on the road.

1) Seat the opposite bead of the tire into the center channel
2) End at the valve stem
3) 1/2-way through mounting the tire, use some water from your bottle and wet the remainder of the bead. Continue mounting.
4) Most important step: when the tire is about 80-85% seated and there is still just a little bit of slack, use saliva (yes — saliva) to generously moisten the rest of the bead. Then massage the rest of the tire on to the rim. I guess if I were at home I'd use some dish soap.

[logroll]

"Make sure the bead on the rim is in the center channel."

This is what made it possible for me.

[soulspinner]

Did you call the manufacturer? Maybe they could offer some assistance.

:p

[jmoore]

Did you call the manufacturer? Maybe they could offer some assistance.

this.

[cinema]

So I've tried all the tricks of the trade here except for the dryer but I did try a blow dryer. Water and dawn didn't work either. Like I said I finally did get it to mount with a latex tube but by the time the tire was mounted I had flatted the tube. Now it's off and can't get it back on with butyl tube.

Tried both a schwalbe Marathon and conti gp the latter is notorious but I have mounted it by hand eventuall every time. The marathon I gave up on after the first two flats. Perhaps I will buy a tire jack if that's how the lbs eventually is able to seat it

[cinema]

didn't see that pacenti was actually here. sorry for the negative shout out. The rims are really excellently made and beautiful and light, i'm sure i'm just weak and puny. I'm going to let the last bit of unseated tire sit and inflate the tub to around 30 or 40 psi today to hope it stretches. will also but it by the window so it's getting some uv/heat then mount again tonight.

[572cv]

didn't see that pacenti was actually here. sorry for the negative shout out. The rims are really excellently made and beautiful and light, i'm sure i'm just weak and puny. I'm going to let the last bit of unseated tire sit and inflate the tub to around 30 or 40 psi today to hope it stretches. will also but it by the window so it's getting some uv/heat then mount again tonight.

Call him up. He offered. He put his phone # up. He wants to make it work, He stands behind his product. Getting this figured out is worthwhile, I think, because the ride on these rims is really quite good.

[makoti]

Did you call the manufacturer? Maybe they could offer some assistance.

Where on earth would he find them? ;-)
He is very helpful, btw...

[guido]

Kirk is a stand up guy. He'll definitely help you out.

Seriously try the dryer trick. It really does help...

[Johnny P]

Just for the record I want everyone here to understand how absurd it is to mount tires on these rims. I've killed 4 tubes and am done for the night. Can't even imagine changing a flat on the road. finally got it mounted only to realize i killed the tube again with the lever. I've been changing flats since I was 13. No i'm not using cloth tape. yes the bead is in the center channel. yes i have mounted gp4000s to campy rims before. yes i will be letting the LBS handle this one (really hurts my pride).

It's 2015 and the mars rover just recharged its battery with power from the sun and sent a message back to earth-- HOW DOES THIS PROBLEM STILL EXIST??? Thank god these aren't my wheels I will be truly embarrassed for my friend when he flats. he'll be calling the team car for a ride home.

I also have a pair of the first generation wheels. I also cannot mount tires on them without ruining a tube. I don't plan to ride on these wheels because I could never fix a flat on the side of the road. May use the hubs over the winter to build new wheels.

[russ46]

Sounds like Conti's may be part of the problem, but I like the 4 Seasons & don't want to give them up. I also don't run tubeless but switched to race tubes, which helped some. I carry a Kool Jack in an old pump bracket on the bike to save time & aggravation on the road - although I haven't had a flat in the 1-1/2 years I've had the wheels. Great wheels - worth the somewhat minor mounting hassle.

[Bostic]

I got a rear flat on them a few months ago at mile 115 of a 120 mile ride. 700x25 GP 4000 II with about 600 miles on it. A fair amount of cursing on the side of the road. I always carry two tire levers, would not have been able to change the tube without both of them. I'm at a cross roads. I'm never ever going to run tubeless and need to decide do I want to have rims that add a + 20 irk factor when changing a flat. I don't see myself switching to a different tire from either GP 4000/4 Seasons and Gatorskins in the fall.

[Likes2ridefar]

I've first gen and have mounted a few different tires on them and have had no problem with any of them. just hands...no lever.

continetal 4000s 25mm, vittoria corsa evo cx 25mm, hutchinson tubeless 28mm, schwalbe marathon plus 28mm wire bead.

[stephenmarklay]

So what tires are you using? A friend just built up a set of gen 1 SL23 rims for his new coupled travel bike. Major disappointment. He has tried Gravel Kings and Gatorskins so far and both are about impossible to mount.

I have used veloflex master 25’s, Vittoria Pave 27’s and Rubino pro 28’s. I mounted all of them without a tire lever.

[sjbraun]

Continentals are very difficult to mount on my 1st generation SL23s, but I can get Michelins on with my bare hands.

Try a different tire.