Is the pink itself under the bead of the tire or are you only seeing pink when you lift the head up? If it's the former, don't even bother inflating. You can try gently proding the tube under the tire with rounded edge of a tire leaver. Other tips: use baby powder liberally on the tube and inside of the tire (acts as a lube helping the tube to "slide" into place) and fiddle with adding a touch of air (10psi, 15psi...) Seems like you're having a rough go of your first latex install. Be patient, you'll get it :)

If you are truly inflating to 20 psi, you shouldn't see pink, and your fingers should get a little extra bit of hurt from pushing in the tire all around the rim. Although it is tough to tell from the pics, you aren't trying to lift up the bead when you press, it is more of a push across the rim. Picture 1 looks fine, picture 2 looks no good. I have never used talc, and generally when I install I don't have super large sections of pink, it is usually just a little section. I will often flick the tire with my fingers or massage that little section.

Is there anyone you know that is local that has experience?

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This happens a lot to me though it depends on the wheel. It's really simple:

With the tube not inflated or minimal pressure, pinch the tire (both sides) with your point finger and thumbs. Do this with both hands and you don't need much pressure from your fingers . Move the tire laterally (back and forth) to work the tube underneath the tire. You can also try pulling the tire up (vertically) away from the wheel to let the tube slip under the tire. Usually takes 10-15 seconds or less to get the tube completely underneath the tire.

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Installed latex for the first time yesterday with simikar results. Just worked it until I didnt see it anymore. It took a while in a few spots and I don't know that I did anything special other than keep at it. Inflated and deflated to 20 psi several times in the process. Didn't go above that until didnt see pink though.

In the pics, the tires are deflated. But the tube seems definitely to be underneath the bead in a section about 4 inches long. The rest of the tire looks great. I was hoping that inflating to 20 psi (which I did try) would get that section behave, but it doesn't seem to work. Lifting the bead up, flicking it, massaging it, all have the same results. I'll keep working at it. My main question has been answered: the pink underneath the bead is indeed a problem.

And no, none of the folks I ride with use latex. I decided to give them a try since I was due for new tires anyway.

Thanks for the replies!

That did the trick! Thanks a lot.

Glad you got it.

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I use tire levers so my thumbs don't get sore.

I never use tyre levers and my thumbs don't get sore.
GP4000s have got to be one of the easiest tyres to mount.

I once did a support for a Grand Fondo and the start was wet city streets for 20km before it went into the hills.
We had 115 flats before getting out of the city.
My thumbs started to get sore then.

Out of all the flats, the breakdown went something like this.

Legitimate:
10 wire from truck tyres.
15 beer glass.
4 sliced by a large object that couldn't be avoided in a group and we fitted new tyres.

Stupidity and ineptitude:
20 worn out tyres that were going to flat on the first less than perfect road.
All the rest were blowouts from tubes trapped under beads.


Of the wire and glass flats, I would bet that had they been running latex they would not have flatted.

The rest of the mechanicals went something like this.

Couldn't get low gear because rear wheel had not been put in properly.
Slipped handlebars/stem.
Slipped seat down.
Slipped seat tilt.
Broken handlebar.
Broken seat.
Chain jammed in front-many.
Broken hanger.
Rattle in headset so got scared and pulled up.
Mysterious rattle up front so pulled up, skewer loose.
Brake rubbing.
Lost brake pad.
Crank arm fell off.
Cluster won't freewheel.
Front derailleur slipped and hitting chainring.
Magnet hitting speed sensor.
Creaking loud enough to think their bike is going to die.
Loose spokes.

All of these are simple lack of maintenance.

Had one guy where we stopped and offered to help him with a flat five different times before he finally let us fix it and he then went on to finish without problem.