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Why is changing a tire so hard?
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I am just venting, but am discouraged with how difficult changing a tire can be, especially for someone who is not great at fixing things. I was on an 80 mile ride last week, and out and back (Provincetown for the PMC), when I got a flat at the worst possible spot. I was on the side of a busy road with no shade, almost 40 miles from home. I have a Tarmac with regular clincher tires and tubes. I struggled badly and finally my riding buddy had to take over which was embarassing. I struggled with getting the tire back on the rim. It kept popping out in different sections, just when I would be close to getting it fully on the rim. Then I failed miserably with the CO2. For some reason it did not work even though air was coming out, the tube was not inflating. Then my friend had to use his hand pump and got it inflated. Then I realized that I should have turned the bike upside down when working on the tire, rather than letting the chain sit in a pile of sand and grass.

For those of you who can change a tire quickly and easily, how did you get to that point? I have watched youtube videos and they make it look too easy. The whole threat of a flat tire makes me avoid going on long rides by myself.
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [Pieman] [ In reply to ]
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Practice practice practice, including with the exact tools you carry on your ride. Also practice inflating using a CO2 cartridge at least once or twice, even though it means wasting a few cartridges.

As for getting the tire back on the rim, this is very easy once you have the right technique. You don't need a tire lever either. Find a youtube video, but the technique is basically to push the tire into the center channel of the rim as best you can, on both sides. Push more of the tire onto the rim. Then repeat the process of pushing the tire into the center channel and pushing more of the tire onto the rim. You will eventually be able to push the tire completely onto the rim using just your fingers, without a lot of strain.
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [Pieman] [ In reply to ]
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To echo the above, you need to practice everything at home. Make sure you're dialed because it's not intuitive to do.
Personally, I get a lot of practice because I change my tires often. Between Road, Mountain, CX bikes etc. something is always worn out or there's a different tread to try.

It's also important that you vet all the tools at home before you need to use them:Pump, Tire Levers, Plugs, multi-tool, etc.

Additionally, I've all but given up on CO2 cartridges. I strap a mini-pump, inside a plastic bag, to my saddle bag. This gives you multiple shots to get it right.

If you friend seems dialed, have them give you a quick lesson. While it's potentially embarrassing to ask, it's much less so than being stuck on the side of the road.

I talk a lot - Give it a listen: http://www.fasttalklabs.com/category/fast-talk
I also give Training Advice via http://www.ForeverEndurance.com

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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [Pieman] [ In reply to ]
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Are the rims tubeless capable also? Recently, I've replaced a couple tires on rims that were for tubeless also. It appeared to be way friggin harder than a standard rim. B.S!
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [Pieman] [ In reply to ]
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Practice a good bit to build your thumb strength to push those last couple of inches over the wheel. I also use the base of my palm a good
bit as well. Once you get the process down, you’ll be good to go.

Also, not all tires and wheels are the same. My race wheels and race tires are super easy to install. However, getting gatorskins on my training wheels can be a nightmare.
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [mdtrihard] [ In reply to ]
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mdtrihard wrote:
Are the rims tubeless capable also? Recently, I've replaced a couple tires on rims that were for tubeless also. It appeared to be way friggin harder than a standard rim. B.S!


If you put the tire beads in the middle of the channel in the rim, the tire should go on fairly easily.
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [Pieman] [ In reply to ]
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 Aside from practice at home:

1. Tubes are like 5x harder to change on the road than at home. Seriously. I can change a inner tube at home in well under 5mins, but on the road, I think I'm close to 20 minutes per change. And that's with no major mistakes! The CO2 canister is something that you will likely not practice but then pay for it as you stumble with it. It is worths sacrificiing 1-2 of the canisters to practice at home.

2. New tires (not tubes) can suck for changing because they are stiff. They get easier to change as they stretch.

3. Cool/cold conditions also make tires suck to change. They stiffen a lot.

4. Very old tires are super hard to change as well. The rubber hardens and they can become near impossible to change even with tools.

5. A good hand pump is super helpful - even if you use CO2, as the hand pump can really help prefill the tires to identify any catching spots and bulges. The pumps with the small hose that screw on to the valve work the best and are remarkably efficient.

6. The best tool for getting a tough tire back onto a tough rim is the Kool Stop Tire bead jack. It works great, but you def have to get the hang of it and it's not 'magic' in that it will make your life effortless (it's still hard.) But if you have new tires and it's thorn season, it's small enough to stuff in your back jersey pocket in case you do flat out, until at least your tires stretch out over a few weeks.

7. Key trick with CO2 canisters (no pump available): you can prefill the tube with small amount of air using your mouth by pushing down on the valve core with your tongue and blowing. This will make the CO2 go in a lot more smoothly and help mount the tube much more easily compared to when it's all floppy.

But honestly, I've changed probably at least 12 tubes on the road from flats in the past decade, and I don't think a single one of them I was like "dang - I'm good now!" It's always "How the F did that take 20 minutes....?!??"
Last edited by: lightheir: Aug 10, 20 13:00
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [Pieman] [ In reply to ]
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Ditto everyone... practice. I have just replaced a lot of tires and flats over the years. It probably takes a dozen or so cycles to get highly proficient.

One big contrast to the above... You will probably not be able to seat the final few inches of a tire bare-handed. If your hands are sweaty during a ride, it is all but impossible. So, just plan to use your tires levers to seat the tire.
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [exxxviii] [ In reply to ]
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My friend told me that he uses two tire levers, not one, to help with the last part of the tire that is opposite from the valve. Does that help you?

I bought the tool mentioned by Lightheir but it is big to carry on a ride. I will practice with that tool this week.

I think I have to just suck it up and practice doing it for an hour until I get it right. But it is a lot harder on the road compared to home and using a bike stand.

At least next time I know to turn the bike upside down to avoid the chain touching the ground. And I can see myself giving up on the CO2 and just using the mini pump. I am not racing anymore, and if I did it would be only sprint tris, so I don't really need CO2.
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [dktxracer] [ In reply to ]
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This x 100.

Until I figured this out, it was REALLY frustrating replacing tubes and tires even in my garage. This technique even works with tubeless tires. Try it and it'll be one of the best "Ah-ha!" moments of your life.
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [lightheir] [ In reply to ]
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lightheir wrote:
Aside from practice at home:

1. Tubes are like 5x harder to change on the road than at home. Seriously. I can change a inner tube at home in well under 5mins, but on the road, I think I'm close to 20 minutes per change. And that's with no major mistakes! The CO2 canister is something that you will likely not practice but then pay for it as you stumble with it. It is worths sacrificiing 1-2 of the canisters to practice at home.

2. New tires (not tubes) can suck for changing because they are stiff. They get easier to change as they stretch.

3. Cool/cold conditions also make tires suck to change. They stiffen a lot.

4. Very old tires are super hard to change as well. The rubber hardens and they can become near impossible to change even with tools.

5. A good hand pump is super helpful - even if you use CO2, as the hand pump can really help prefill the tires to identify any catching spots and bulges. The pumps with the small hose that screw on to the valve work the best and are remarkably efficient.

6. The best tool for getting a tough tire back onto a tough rim is the Kool Stop Tire bead jack. It works great, but you def have to get the hang of it and it's not 'magic' in that it will make your life effortless (it's still hard.) But if you have new tires and it's thorn season, it's small enough to stuff in your back jersey pocket in case you do flat out, until at least your tires stretch out over a few weeks.

7. Key trick with CO2 canisters (no pump available): you can prefill the tube with small amount of air using your mouth by pushing down on the valve core with your tongue and blowing. This will make the CO2 go in a lot more smoothly and help mount the tube much more easily compared to when it's all floppy.

But honestly, I've changed probably at least 12 tubes on the road from flats in the past decade, and I don't think a single one of them I was like "dang - I'm good now!" It's always "How the F did that take 20 minutes....?!??"

8. Some combinations of rims and tires are a P I T A. Other combinations combine effortless.
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [dktxracer] [ In reply to ]
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dktxracer wrote:
Practice practice practice, including with the exact tools you carry on your ride. Also practice inflating using a CO2 cartridge at least once or twice, even though it means wasting a few cartridges.

As for getting the tire back on the rim, this is very easy once you have the right technique. You don't need a tire lever either. Find a youtube video, but the technique is basically to push the tire into the center channel of the rim as best you can, on both sides. Push more of the tire onto the rim. Then repeat the process of pushing the tire into the center channel and pushing more of the tire onto the rim. You will eventually be able to push the tire completely onto the rim using just your fingers, without a lot of strain.

^^^This. I just did this method (based on a previous ST thread) last week when putting a new set of tires on and it was nice to not have to fight with it and swear my head off anymore. Just kept working it along to the center and onto the rim as I went along and both made it on stress-free.



"You can never win or lose if you don't run the race." - Richard Butler

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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [Pieman] [ In reply to ]
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buy these and never change a tube again!! no need to pump your bike up before a ride... just go!

https://tannusamerica.com/...tannus-airless-tires
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [Pieman] [ In reply to ]
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Pieman wrote:
My friend told me that he uses two tire levers, not one, to help with the last part of the tire that is opposite from the valve. Does that help you?
This exactly. I use 2 Pedro's Bicycle Tire Lever together to work the last ~4" of tire into the rim. I do not think these levers are special, they are just popular in my area. I find that levers that are not quite as wide as the Pedro's levers work a little easier for me.

Coincidentally, I got a flat this weekend that also tore the sidewall. I had to boot it with a candy wrapper along with doing the tube swap. I looked up my Garmin file, and it only took me 11 minutes total. That was probably my worst-case scenario for amount of time.
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [Pieman] [ In reply to ]
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Lots of practice replies, but in reality there are some people that can look at a mechanical system and know what is wrong and there are people who will never understand how basic things work, so if you are the latter don't feel bad - you have a lot of company out there. For the ones in between practice will help to a point.

Believe it or not, AAA offers the same services for a bike that they offer for a car, and I actually used it once when I had a sheet metal screw go through my tire and the rim and everyone I knew either weren't answering the phone or were at work. The tow truck driver was a little confused when he pulled up, but he put my bike on the truck and took me home, free of charge.

"...the street finds its own uses for things"
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [Pathlete] [ In reply to ]
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I re-read the advice and still can't visualize it. Are you saying to use both hands to push the last part of the tire onto the rim at the same time, starting at 9:00 and 3:00 and then working up toward 10:00 and 2:00, then 11:00 and 1:00? Because I have tried that with my thumbs and can't do it.

I just asked my friend again and he does that but with two tire levers.
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [ In reply to ]
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Sometime it depends on rim and tire combination. I had hard time mounting Specialized tire but after I switched to Conti 5000, I was able to just push the tire with my palms and it was on. At a LBS, I saw some mechanics step on the tire and do deadlift to stretch the tire out a little. Anyway, carry this one and it will come in handy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4oD-mr3dAEw
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [longtrousers] [ In reply to ]
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longtrousers wrote:
8. Some combinations of rims and tires are a P I T A. Other combinations combine effortless.
^^^^This.
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [Pieman] [ In reply to ]
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Meanwhile... I just purchased a brand new set of tubulars.... if I flat on these, I'm toast!

Clubs/Affiliations: The Rippers / Charles River Wheelers / Cambridge Sports Union
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [Pieman] [ In reply to ]
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Youtube is your friend..GCN has a bunch of different videos on the subject..I haven't carried a CO2 cannister for over 15years and can't count the number of times I have helped stranded people pump up their tire because they used their CO2 bulbs and didn't have a pump with them.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2HMwOHyfsc
.or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLO_HO0kEjs
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [ThailandUltras] [ In reply to ]
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ThailandUltras wrote:
Youtube is your friend..GCN has a bunch of different videos on the subject..I haven't carried a CO2 cannister for over 15years and can't count the number of times I have helped stranded people pump up their tire because they used their CO2 bulbs and didn't have a pump with them.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2HMwOHyfsc
.or
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLO_HO0kEjs


Those are good videos, but I LOLL'd at how easy and effortless it was for him to mount the tube on a Zipp rim in the 1st video. Like trivial, no biggie, won't even mention anything about the details of it or tricks for if it gets hard - which it seems to always do for me on the road!
Last edited by: lightheir: Aug 10, 20 14:10
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [longtrousers] [ In reply to ]
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8. Some combinations of rims and tires are a P I T A. Other combinations combine effortless.


This.

My regular go-to wheels that I ride the most on are now almost ancient, but with Conti 4000's and now 5000's they go on easy with very little effort - so I'm reluctant to give them up simply for that fact.

Some wheel/tire combos are absolutely brutal. Others require a bit more finesse and knowledge - as an example, the HED, extra wide rim bed on the Ardennes and other HED wheels, if you don't know what you are doing will seem like one of those impossible combos. Here - you need to get the rim beads from both sides of the tire down in that little trough in the middle of the rim on the section. This reduces the circumference of the wheel, by a few mm, and enough to take the putting on of the tire, from impossible, to will go with a bit of effort!

I ride a moderate amount - and typically average 1 - 3 on-the-road punctures and tube changes each year. For me on the side of the road, it's at most if I am really pushing it a 2 - 3 minute process, and I'm on my way.

Familiarity with the CO2 Inflater is key. Some of them are tricky to operate - others more straightforward. As others have mentioned, get a few extra CO2 cartridges and practice at home to become comfortable and confident.


Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog
Last edited by: Fleck: Aug 10, 20 14:59
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [Pieman] [ In reply to ]
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You don't use a bike stand to fix a flat.
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [adoucett] [ In reply to ]
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adoucett wrote:
Meanwhile... I just purchased a brand new set of tubulars.... if I flat on these, I'm toast!


Tubular tires are the fastest to replace. It should only take about 2.5 minutes.
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Re: Why is changing a tire so hard? [dktxracer] [ In reply to ]
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dktxracer wrote:
Practice practice practice, including with the exact tools you carry on your ride. Also practice inflating using a CO2 cartridge at least once or twice, even though it means wasting a few cartridges.

As for getting the tire back on the rim, this is very easy once you have the right technique. You don't need a tire lever either. Find a youtube video, but the technique is basically to push the tire into the center channel of the rim as best you can, on both sides. Push more of the tire onto the rim. Then repeat the process of pushing the tire into the center channel and pushing more of the tire onto the rim. You will eventually be able to push the tire completely onto the rim using just your fingers, without a lot of strain.

Depends on the rim too. I have a pair of campy wheels that are just barely concave. Impossible to get tires on without levers.

Same tire on my Bontragers is effortless.

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