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Changing Tire question
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I have an embaressing question...So I hosted this great bike clinic last feb. on how to change a tire in 5 minutes. Everyone did great but me. I have a horrible time getting my tire off and on. I went to my local shop where I bought my tires about 9 mos ago and he tells me that my tires called "Continental Force Grand Prix" are extremely difficult to get off and that my only choice was to wait until they wear out and get an easier set to change. I was bummed since I bought these there not long ago. The men I know can change my tire easily but I hate to say I don't have the hand strength to change these. I asked the shop if they had more heavy duty tire irons to help but he mentioned I could bend my rim that way....so now....every time I ride I have to have a back up in case I flat that someone will come help me- ridiculous and totally humiliating....does anyone have any suggestions besides pump a bunch more iron to get stronger. Has anyone heard of these tires? Thanks for any input

COtrimom


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Re: Changing Tire question [COTrimom] [ In reply to ]
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Pedros make outstanding tire levers. Start there. If you haven't got the strength to get your tires off by hand, then you won't bend any rims and Actually, no one should be able to bend rims when they use a tire lever.
What kind of wheels are you riding? After you get the tires off maybe you should try Vittoria Rubino Pro tires, the ladies I have sold those to have had no problems.
Last edited by: MLSimpson: Oct 8, 08 6:37
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Re: Changing Tire question [COTrimom] [ In reply to ]
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I have a tire tool called a zip stick that is like a long tire iron that telescopes and it gives you more leverage. You only need one and it makes it much easier to get a tire off!
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Re: Changing Tire question [COTrimom] [ In reply to ]
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A lot of it is technique.

Inflate the tube just a bit.
Mount one side of the bead onto the rim.
Go around and rock the tire with your hand so that the tube is in the tire and in the rim.
Then mount the other bead. Put the wheel against something and channel your body weight thru your arms to the heel of your hand to mount the tire.

A lot of people try and move the rim and tube at the same time, which is a big hassle. If you tuck the tube into the tire and rim you're more or less mounting *just* a tire.

Contis are well known for being a tight fight. I haven't run them in years and my Conti 4000S's mount just fine. Kevlar beads usually mount a lot easier.

I call BS on bending a rim. One, I've never done it (worked in shops most of my life), two the bead is going to move or stretch before you crush the rim unless it's carbon.

I second the Pedro's suggestion.
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Re: Changing Tire question [COTrimom] [ In reply to ]
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+1 on the Pedros levers. They seem to work much better for me than the skinny kind. I've run contis and they are hard to get off.
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Re: Changing Tire question [COTrimom] [ In reply to ]
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The Zip stick mentioned by ironmom is a great device. I think that they are about $8. and work every time!

Leanne Charnas
Co-Owner,
Tri-Tech Multisport
Columbus, Ohio
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Re: Changing Tire question [COTrimom] [ In reply to ]
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I use two tire levers to change tires. The first one is a flat, wide tire lever to pop the bead over the rim initially. The other one is the Pedro's lever (round, thick lever) to pull the rest of the bead over the rim. Once I have the new tube mounted, I've found that its easiest to then do the system in reverse. I don't have the hand strength either to get the bead back, but I just hook the tire lever over the rim and use it to "push" the bead back over. Clear as mud?

I use Kenda's and they don't seem to be too bad to change even when new.
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Re: Changing Tire question [Ironmom1] [ In reply to ]
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I have a zip stick too. So much easier. I love it!
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Re: Changing Tire question [COTrimom] [ In reply to ]
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The trick is where you set the bead in the rim when you remount the tire. Look closely at your rim. You will notice that is dips down in the middle (if you are looking at it from above). Now if you can imagine that the bead of the tire is finite (won't stretch) and you need to get it over the rim, how best could you acheive this? If you leave the bead along the edge of the rim it is on the "high side" of the rim, not in the valley in the middle. If you push that bead into the middle where the circumference is less than it is at the rim, you free up some of the bead to help make it easier to get it over the rim at the end of the mounting. Using this method I have only had to resort to a tire Iron once, on a friends bike that had the thickest rim tape I have ever seen and thus I couln't take advantage of the valley in the middle trick.

Make sense? Or did I just cause you to return to drinking after 5 years of sobriety.

Cheers,

Dave


Dave Stark
dreamcatcher@astound.net
USAC & USAT level 2 certified coach
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Re: Changing Tire question [COTrimom] [ In reply to ]
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It's all in the way that you hold your mouth :p

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Re: Changing Tire question [ In reply to ]
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Reviving an 11 year old thread!

Because I can't find this "zip stick" unless it has been renamed the Quik Stick but even that doesn't look practical. Issue is my wife has 650c tires and even with Pedro's awesome levers, it is an absolute pain to change a tire on, I've nearly broke fingers trying, cut myself two times. On top of that, my wife has RA so along with the fact that changing a tire can cause her inflammation, if she already has mild inflammation, she will have no hope of changing it out.

So I revive this to ask if there is any new tech that I can't somehow find on the google machine to help with changing tires? Or if this quik stick is what was talked about and if so, what then to put the tire back on?

Thank you in advance

808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo
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Re: Changing Tire question [hadukla] [ In reply to ]
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I stopped changing tires in the field at least a decade ago. Just not worth my time/hands.

Here in the desert, most flats are small stickers/thorns (puncture). So I remove the offending thorn, and inflate with compressed air/slime thingy (like Hutchinson Fast Air). Takes 1 minute tops.

Yes, it's $13/flat tire, but the time savings are worth it. May times this is enough to actually fix the flat permanently, negating any further tire removal.

Two wheels good. Four wheels bad.
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Re: Changing Tire question [hadukla] [ In reply to ]
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I didn’t understand what was discussed either, so you’re not alone. A link to the quickie-zippy-stickie-thingie would have been helpful.

Now that I have entered the 60-64 AG, also using 650 wheels, my answer is to change race tires annually and use super-slow but super-tough Gator skins to train on.

Vitoria Pit Stop also goes with me on all long rides velcroed to my top tube. Hope this helps!
https://www.vittoria.com/us/1315pr0175555bx.html

DFL > DNF > DNS
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Re: Changing Tire question [SallyShortyPnts] [ In reply to ]
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SallyShortyPnts wrote:
I didn’t understand what was discussed either, so you’re not alone. A link to the quickie-zippy-stickie-thingie would have been helpful.

Now that I have entered the 60-64 AG, also using 650 wheels, my answer is to change race tires annually and use super-slow but super-tough Gator skins to train on.

Vitoria Pit Stop also goes with me on all long rides velcroed to my top tube. Hope this helps!
https://www.vittoria.com/us/1315pr0175555bx.html

Thanks! We actually did put gators on her bike because of winter riding but keeping it on for training year-round is a good point along with that foam stuff, will buy!

I think we may go tubeless for her road bike, would love to for the 650c tri bike but I don't think there is a quality set of wheels out there that's compatible unless I'm missing something

808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo
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Re: Changing Tire question [COTrimom] [ In reply to ]
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I’ve had similar problems with certain tires. When I actually did get a flat, the fear of being stranded 15 miles from my car helped overcome the hand strength issue and everything went smoothly. Very different from practicing at home.
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Re: Changing Tire question [hadukla] [ In reply to ]
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This thing has saved the wife and I many times. It's about the size of a pocket pump and 100% worth carrying on a ride (and owning for use at home) if you struggle to get the last bit of tire back onto your rim
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Re: Changing Tire question [COTrimom] [ In reply to ]
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I run continentals, and they can be challenging depending on the rim of the wheel and tire size. I have a set of narrow rims that came with my Tri bike, and they are a pain to change. I normally use one lever if I can, but if I need to I will use two about two spokes apart. When putting them back on, I recommend inflating the tube slightly and starting opposite the valve when you begin to put the second side of the tire on. When it gets difficult, deflate the tube some, and pinch both sides of the tire to the center of the rim (where it will be stretched the least), and then use your hands and thumbs to slide it on from the outside of what is not on yet in. I wish I had a video to explain this, but I don't. I work in a shop and used to be awful at changing tires, and now I use one lever most of the time unless the rim is tight, so practice helps a lot too.

http://alexandrabikes.com
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