Tight tires

[verticaldoug]

I think this thread really typifies is how weak our hands are from office work.

[Joeeboh]

My order of action:

Bare hands > Plastic tire levers > Metal Levers > LBS

[djg21]

Originally Posted by Dead Man

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 had the same experience with a Vittoria Terreno CX/Gravel tire. I broke a Park shop tire tool (https://www.parktool.com/product/shop-tire-tool-tl-10) trying to put it on. This prompted my purchase of a bead jack; the Park tool is no longer available unfortunately. But I then had to remove the tire and couldn’t. I ended up having to cut it off. Even taking a hot air gun to it wouldn’t loosen the bead.

[bostonbiker]

Originally Posted by Dead Man

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

The difference between how small they feel when putting them on versus how large they get when inflated is incredible. My 25c corsa g2s blow up to 28mm on a 20mm internal width rim, and were a pain to put on to boot!

[Escarabajo]

Originally Posted by Smitty2k1

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.
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I have these pacenti rims set us tubeless and while i love them once on the road, i also (after multiple broken levers) had to just take em to the shop to get set up.

Will try the Bead Jack next time!

[saf-t]

I've made sure that the tire's in the middle of the rim, will see what some heat does. Sigh. Thanks all.

[J.Higgins]

Originally Posted by Nomadmax

No tire can beat the Bead Jack.

Very true. I had a set of Panaracer Paselas that I just could not get on a new set of wheels, and in a moment of desperation, I ordered the bead jack. It worked so slick, I almost fell over.

[LouDeeter]

I've found that the majority of my tight tire problems are because of the rim tape I'm using, sometimes finding that I have 2-3 strips, sometimes just a really thick one. Try a thinner rim tape, single layer and see if that helps.

[Jeff Weir]

Windex!!!

[p nut]

I have the tire Jack and maybe I’m not doing it right. But never had much luck.

If Park or Pedro’s levers with soapy water doesn’t work, my go to is a hot bucket of water. Dunk the tire in for few minutes and it goes on without issues.

[RoosterCogset]

Originally Posted by Dead Man

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

It's the darn industry move to everything being 'tubeless-compatible'. I couldn't get my Corsa on such a rim, so mounted it on a supposedly antiquated non-tubeless compatible rim (no problem). inflated it to about 90psi, and let it sit for a couple days. Removed, and managed more easily to get on the new rim.

[WindyCityCy]

for those using the bead jack. Do you have carbon rims? Any worries using the bead jack and a carbon edge as leverage?

[Toddykins]

I was worried about this but can discern no damage. If anything, the force on the rim feels like less to me than when you are really cranking a stout tire lever like a pedros. I suppose it would also be possible to scratch the rim if one was a bit clumsy.

[Hilltopperny]

I have used a lot of the methods mentioned above, but have also worked the stubborn side around the rim as far as I can manually and let it sit for a minute or two to stretch. Then I remove that side and start install from the opposite direction of the rim and it typically goes on no problem. Did this just the other day and went from not being able to push on with my hands to easy installation with my hands(just installed new tubeless tape).


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[deechee]

Funny I have that tire jack... somewhere. Figures I haven't needed since I got it.

Besides all the suggestions here, I think zip ties worked for me with a really stubborn tubular. Zip tie the tire to the rim where it's already mounted - I guess it helps keep it seated in the inner most part (ie. the smallest diameter) when you're wrestling the tire on.

I suppose you could check your rim tape too - maybe you can get away with less layers/a thinner tape.

And yeah, I find that tires are rarely a problem when you're riding. Maybe its the adrenaline and the fact that the tire is warmed up and has been inflated for a while. I wouldn't worry about it.
I've broken many a lever, but have never snapped the Pedros. I love them. My LBS swears by the Campy lever, but the Pedros are always easier to find since I have them in bright colors.