Is it any harder to change a tire with the H3 wheelset? I have never had racewheels before and when I change my tire I get my first tire iron under the tire and then hook it onto the spoke. I then use a second to free the tire from the rim. Since there are no spoke with the H3 I am wondering if it is any more challenging to change a flat?
In my experience no. My H3s have had very friendly rims that are easy to get tyres over. I just put a lever in, pull it down to the plane of the wheel then hold it in place with one hand while using the other to insert the second which I pull round the rim to free the bead. I haven’t actually used tyre levers with a spoke hook for years even on my training wheels.
I’ve had a set for a couple of years now and I’ve never had a problem with them. They’re no easier or harder than any other wheels I’ve had.
To dismount a tire, I just use one tire lever, get it under the bead and then pull it toward myself to pop the tire off.
Mounting a tire is the same as any other rim, depending on the tire, it can be a bit of a job getting the last bit of the bead over the rim.
i don’t even try and hook the lever on the spoke, just put both levers in at one time and pull a bit more tire off the first time, done.
and i’m running Bonty airwings and have no prob.
Dan…
The rim has nothing to do with it…it’s a 700c rim or it isn’t. The tire is everything and man alive the difference between makes/models is amazing. Practice taking them off and putting them back on…that will be the only way to know if you have a difficult make. To that end I carry 1 tire iron and don’t use one to hold on a spoke…thumbs only. Conti Duraskins…wicked longevity, nice ride and easy to work with.
Sorry but that is 100% untrue. I regularly swap the same tire between different wheels and there is an enormous difference between different rims.
Never noticed any difference on mine to any other tire/wheel. Used a tire lever to pop it off just fine, spokes were never needed.
In my experience no. My H3s have had very friendly rims that are easy to get tyres over. I just put a lever in, pull it down to the plane of the wheel then hold it in place with one hand while using the other to insert the second which I pull round the rim to free the bead. I haven’t actually used tyre levers with a spoke hook for years even on my training wheels.
Same here. Hate to admit this as it’s kind of dumb but when I first got into cycling again a couple of years ago, I had no idea what the hook end of the tire levers was for. I just assumed it performed some function as a tool. I felt like a dummy when I realized what it was actually used for.
The only issue I have with tire/tube changes was with the Bonty Aero Wing tires because they can be a bitch to get on. I ran those on my H3 front. Great tire but practice changing it.
X2 I just put on a new 19mm BAW. No tools. It took a couple minutes longer than the 23mm version.
Sorry but that is 100% untrue. I regularly swap the same tire between different wheels and there is an enormous difference between different rims.
ben i would take your troublesome rim to be examined by a good lbs. in 19 years building wheels i have never had an issue due to a rim, but cringe any time i have to put heavy duty bead/sidewall tires on for the first time and my thumbs are stronger than most peoples arms, ape digits. the more tires are used the easier it gets so you must have a deeper underlying rim issue. carbon or alum it doesn’t make a bit of difference. rim tolerances are pretty damn tight, but i have seen a couple of Reynolds carbon clinchers with chips in them, but you would see that pretty easily. personally i won’t use a tire iron on a carbon clincher.
My “problem” wheel is a Renn disc with no issues whatsoever in terms of damage or deformities - it’s just a hair tighter than my velomax training wheels which are in turn a hair tighter than my H3 (and when I used to have a rear H3 that was similarly easy).
All are alu clincher rims and I’m absolutely convinced that the difference in terms of the ease of getting on a tire is just differing designs. Hell I can get callipers out and the rims aren’t even close to the same interior or external width so it makes total sense that there’s be a similar variance in circumference. It’s really not a big deal and I’m surprised you consider this an unusual experience - on the few occasions I’ve discussed this with riding buddies everyone else has reported varied experiences too.
My “problem” wheel is a Renn disc with no issues whatsoever in terms of damage or deformities - it’s just a hair tighter than my velomax training wheels which are in turn a hair tighter than my H3 (and when I used to have a rear H3 that was similarly easy).
All are alu clincher rims and I’m absolutely convinced that the difference in terms of the ease of getting on a tire is just differing designs. Hell I can get callipers out and the rims aren’t even close to the same interior or external width so it makes total sense that there’s be a similar variance in circumference. It’s really not a big deal and I’m surprised you consider this an unusual experience - on the few occasions I’ve discussed this with riding buddies everyone else has reported varied experiences too.
oh i’m sorry mea culpa, i must have misunderstood your post. i believe you said ‘an enormous difference’ which led me to believe there was an enormous difference. to me the word enormous doesn’t mean ‘it’s not really a big deal’. i thought it was a huge problem which led me to believe you may have a rim issue. so there is or isn’t a big difference? i’m confused? i would agree if it’s not really a big deal then your rim is fine, but if you are having an ‘enormous’ difference i would get it checked out.
I understand your confusion. I was using standard ST terminology where a P4 is “enormously” more aerodynamic than a P3, $300 after market brakes are “enormously” more responsive than the no name ones most bikes come with and 165mm cranks are “enormously” more efficient than 167.5mm.
To clarify, all my wheels work very well and I can get tires on all of them unassisted. The “enormous difference” lies in the fact that I can change my rear tire on my training wheel in under 90 seconds (confirmed by Norris Macquirter) but if, heaven forbid, I ever get a race day flat on my disc it will take me 5-10 minutes of sweaty grunting and cost me 20 utterly meaningless places in a race no-one cares about.
So, no need to apologise 