Here I am, once again during cyclocross season attempting to mount a set of Vittoria CX tires to my Stans Iron Cross rims and, once again, it has turned into an hour long cursing session because I can’t get the fuckin thing on the rim. I find that I have less than a 50% success rate when mounting new tires and, most of the time, it’s because it’s too hard to get it on the rim. I get it within a few inches of fulling seating, then i lose a little grip and the other end of the tire slowly unseats before my eyes. It’s infuriating and, even if I do succeed, it always ends with sore fingers and wrists. Is there some trick to do this? Is there a machine I can purchase to help? I don’t care what it costs.
Make sure both beads are in the deepest part of the rim channel when attempting that final peel-over. Also, soapy water along the bead/rim will help get that last part over the rim.
Yep easy. I had same problem, needed 2 levers and a lot of swearing. Until I was guided to just make sure the bead goes into the central channel of the rim then the tyre will go on easily. Since then I have remounted many tyres super easily and never needed a single lever.
I have a couple of older tubed rims where the tires fit more loosely than a tubeless rim. I mount those stupidly tight tires on one of those with an inner tube and let them stretch for a day or two.
Ha me too, Got the rear one on with my large one chamber pump, but just put a tube in the front rim. Its so much easier…until I get a flat.
Kool-Stop Tire Bead Jack
https://www.youtube.com/...b_channel=LarryGrimm
if you need that, you made a bad purchase decision either with wheel or tire. everything manufactured post-ETRTO standards of last year should be easy peasy.
Here I am, once again during cyclocross season attempting to mount a set of Vittoria CX tires to my Stans Iron Cross rims and, once again, it has turned into an hour long cursing session because I can’t get the fuckin thing on the rim. I find that I have less than a 50% success rate when mounting new tires and, most of the time, it’s because it’s too hard to get it on the rim. I get it within a few inches of fulling seating, then i lose a little grip and the other end of the tire slowly unseats before my eyes. It’s infuriating and, even if I do succeed, it always ends with sore fingers and wrists. Is there some trick to do this? Is there a machine I can purchase to help? I don’t care what it costs.
Dude, I feel your pain especially for road tubeless… and anything below 40mm tbh. As the tires get bigger they get easier for me to mount. 2.3" and 2.6" mtb tires? I can mount those pretty easily pretty consistently. Road tubeless is a complete crap shoot (except for Mavic UST) and the same for gravel. I know all the tricks: bead in the center channel, put the tire in the dryer, etc. The best “trick” I’ve found so far for tight tires was mentioned early in this thread: mount the tire to a “loose” non-tubeless rim with a tube for a few days to stretch it a bit. Still, such a pain.
My best guess is the rims. I seem to remember reading somewhere stans rims are slightly oversized.
Kool-Stop Tire Bead Jack
https://www.youtube.com/...b_channel=LarryGrimm
if you need that, you made a bad purchase decision either with wheel or tire. everything manufactured post-ETRTO standards of last year should be easy peasy.
I’d agree. I can do all of my tubelesss tires and wheels without levers at all of I’m careful to get the tire down into the bell/channel properly. Of you can’t get the tire on, some part of the bead is still sitting up on the bead seat partially.
That said, if I’m changing the whole family of tires (with four of us racing), that bead Jack makes my life super quick and easy. I love it.
I’d agree.
I agree, except jhammond’s Iron Cross (older design of wheel) is absolutely the hardest wheel I’ve come across to mount tubeless tires to. And the bead jack - though a useful tool - I don’t find particularly helpful in this one instance. For the exact issue the OP mentions in having the opposite end of the bead slip when you try to brute-force one end over. And with the bead jack, I find it hard to mind both ends simultaneously. Maybe some are good at one-handed jacking. I’m not so good at it.
I just the center-channel method and carefully work it around until you’re down to that last 3-5 inches where it gets really hard. Then I keep one end locked in place with a thumb and start gently “persuading” the other end carefully with a good tire lever. Don’t get too greedy and try to brute force that whole section at once. Just work at the ends.
I’d agree.
I agree, except jhammond’s Iron Cross (older design of wheel) is absolutely the hardest wheel I’ve come across to mount tubeless tires to.
I didn’t know this. Maybe it’s time for a new set of hoops
Kool-Stop Tire Bead Jack
https://www.youtube.com/...b_channel=LarryGrimm
Thanks for the suggestion. I’ve never seen this before but I just ordered one and will give it a go!
I stopped to help a lady with a flat tyre, on a tubeless wheel, last week. She was not able to get the tyre off to put a tube in. I broke my plastic tyre lever trying and failing to get the tyre off. She had to call a friend to come and pick her up.
I had a Pro One last week that I tried to get off for two hours…took to LBS…they had to cut it off. I have 100% switched to tubeless, but I definitely struggle getting tires on and off.
if you need that, you made a bad purchase decision either with wheel or tire. everything manufactured post-ETRTO standards of last year should be easy peasy.
Does ETRTO say anything about the depth of the center channel? The channel is far deeper on my Enve wheels than Knight wheels. Even with the same wheel diameter and same tires, the depth will make mounting one wheel easier than another
i’ll second that, older Iron Cross incredibly difficult in some cases.
Kool-Stop Tire Bead Jack
https://www.youtube.com/...b_channel=LarryGrimm
if you need that, you made a bad purchase decision either with wheel or tire. everything manufactured post-ETRTO standards of last year should be easy peasy.
Post last year’s standard would mean you need wheels from this year (that has been made to the standard)?
Anyway, try mounting a new Schwalbe Pro One TT 25mm on a Roval 321. Hours of fun! I would consider both tyre and wheel pretty new/modern - would be crazy for people to switch either out based on them being “old”. Can you even get a disc wheel made to latest ETRTO standards?
Fastest and lightest tyre is now a non-tubeless clincher tyre anyway 
Do these “new” standards really make it easier? Not trying to stir things up, but I really like looser tire and rim combinations. As a person with really only one good hand I can put tubes and tires on my aluminum RL and RXL rims easily. I can even put tires on my aluminum rims on my Synapse. Try to put tires on my carbon rims are a chore I can only complete at home with lots of time and the bead jack. I know if I flat with those, its a phone call, no way of getting the tire off.
That is the main reason I will stick with a rim brake bike and aluminum rims for as long as possible. Easy to take off the wheel and reposition it. I find with my discs on my Synapse I have try to reinstall the wheels at least twice to not get the brake to rub. I know I live in a different situation, but no way I am going tubeless until I can get tires on a rim with one hand.
Do these “new” standards really make it easier? Not trying to stir things up, but I really like looser tire and rim combinations. As a person with really only one good hand I can put tubes and tires on my aluminum RL and RXL rims easily. I can even put tires on my aluminum rims on my Synapse. Try to put tires on my carbon rims are a chore I can only complete at home with lots of time and the bead jack. I know if I flat with those, its a phone call, no way of getting the tire off.
That is the main reason I will stick with a rim brake bike and aluminum rims for as long as possible. Easy to take off the wheel and reposition it. I find with my discs on my Synapse I have try to reinstall the wheels at least twice to not get the brake to rub. I know I live in a different situation, but no way I am going tubeless until I can get tires on a rim with one hand.
the value in the new standards is that the tires fit on the rims much more easily. i have one of those walnut cracker tools, and it’s just absurd. the new rim standards (ETRTO only makes rim standards) now allows tire companies to make the tires with confidence, rather than erring on the side of a millimeter or so too small.