Tight tires
 

What do you do with tires that are so tight that it's virtually impossible to mount them- other than give them to someone else. I bought a pair of Soma Supple Vitesses on the recommendation of a friend who's been riding them for a whiie and loves them, barely got them on (snapping a tire lever in the process), and can't imagine what would happen if I got a flat on the road.

Put them out in the sun to get warm. Or put them in a sock and tumble in your dryer for ten minutes. Anything to soften up the rubber and let them stretch.

The first install is always the worst - leaving them in the sun for a bit to warm them up often helps, some people also use soapy water to help that last bit of bead slide over the edge of the rim.

tire bead jack

SPP

Kool Stop Tire Bead Jack
 

https://youtu.be/4oD-mr3dAEw

https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...tire-bead-jack

Very hot soapy water soak and a couple of Pedros irons

No tire can beat the Bead Jack.

Did you try that thing where you use your hand to push the tire/tube deeper into the bead of the rim, working your way completely around then when you get to the final stubborn bit use a little soapy water to “lube” the rim and pop it over. Helps if you let tire warm up a bit in the sun or use a hair dryer. Hopefully my explanation of this made sense? :) I’ve been able to mount some tires that seemed impossible to fit using above.

Get tubeless tape. It's much thinner and will buy you valuable millimeters.

Tight tires
 

Start opposite the valve

Stand the wheel on end and Push it all into the center of the rim and hold it there as you work downwards towards the valve

Soapy water at the end followed by sudsy beverage

vittoria open corsa have been the tightest goddamn tires ive ever dealt with. ive punctured several tubes wrestling those sonsabisches on - so flippin frustrating

i just ram em on with tire bars tho.. aint much else for it. brute force. screaming, pain, swearing, concerned neighbors..

gotta go back to tubular

I push the mounted portion of the tire into the middle of the rim where it is deeper. This gives you more room to slip the rest of tire over the rim lip.

see the diagram of the rim section and you will see what I mean.

https://thecycleclinic.co.uk/blogs/n...-compatibility

I find the new ZIPP 30 impossible to mount unless I do this. An extra 0.5mm or less is all you need.

While all the old school suggestions are delightful - Skip the hassle and use the bead jack. I follow best practices as variously outlined above and some new (particularly tubeless) tire/rim combos are still close to impossible. Bead jack makes short work of it.

I just bought one. looks amazingly simple.

I had the hardest time mounting RH Switchback Hills to Pacenti Forza rims. Nothing I did worked. Had to pay a shop to do it. All the usual, thin tubeless tape, beads in the centrer channel, etc.

Someone suggested getting the thin blue Schwalbe tire levers. They have the ability to lock on the rim lip to prevent the tire from slipping off (for tire install), and they can lock on the spokes to prevent the tire from dropping back in the rim (for removal).

I carry all 3 with me when riding and I need to use all 3 frequently, though the tire has stretched a bit with use and is a little easier now.

But yeah, just get a tore jack for at home.

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