I feel like I just hit the summit at Mount Everest or something. After 2 full hours, one broken tire lever, 2 popped tubes and 10 very sore fingers, I finally got the damn Pro3Race tires mounted on my bike. Holy crap, I never had a problem with the Pro2 650’s but now I understand what everyone was always talking about. Phew!
Just thought I’d share. The advice to heat them up in the oven to 200F was key…
Jodi
I just hope you didn’t put them on backwards.
Thanks for that mini-heart attack
The nice thing about these tires is that they are way easier to take on and off after that first seating. If that wasn’t the case, there’s no way I would use them. I don’t need to be cursing on the side of the road for an hour…
Jodi
Oops, forgot the pink font on my first post…
Knock on wood but I put about 3,000 miles on a set of the PR3s last year with no flats so with any luck the side of the road thing won’t even be an issue
The advice to heat them up in the oven to 200F was key…
pics of the tires cooking like pizzas in your oven? 
I know what you’re talking about. I think those tires may actually be like 695c instead of 700c
LOL. I have thought on a number of occasions that it might be worth the money and time to drive the 75 minutes one way to Bikesport to have Tom Demerly and crew put a tire on.
Bernie
Congrats. After blowing 4, yes 4 tubes trying to wrestle those things onto my Easton Vistas, I gave up and sold them on the classifieds. I’ve been riding bikes for like 20 years, and never hit a tire/rim combination as awful as the PR3’s and the Easton Vista. So you did well, nicely done!
It was a brutal morning! And this was, indeed a Easton EA70 wheelset. I think that’s the new equivalent of the Vista. Torture. My fingers may never ever be the same. I’m a little nervous to go bombing down the hills this afternoon for fear of a blowout…
Jodi
I really have no trouble putting tires on a rim. I have never used a tire lever to put a tire on in 6 years. I now use PR3’s, used to use Michelin carbons, and the toughest tires I have put on were continentals. Even then I still install the continetal indoor trainer tire on without a tire lever. I use Mavic and easton rims (EA70SL), and have no trouble what so-ever. The biggest trick is to pinch the tire into the middle of the rim. (quick note, make sure the tube is stuffed in tire already, and prefferably sitting in the rim) The rims are concave towards the hub. ONce you pinch the tire in the groove, and keep sliding your hands towards the other side, the tire easily rolls onto the rim where it is supposed to be, with no pinch flats. I install the tires with the wheel standing vertically up, pinch the tire towads the center and stretch/push the tire down towards the ground. As I stretch/pull it toward the ground the tire is “loose” enough to roll on.
PS I actually install the tire opposite as Mr. Michelin Man’s instructions, I start with the valve and work my way towards the other end, I think mostly out of habit, I haven’t even tried his recommendation.
Anyone try mounting these suckers on a Hed Jet 9? That will be my task in a few weeks.
Dave in VA
Just had PR3s mounted on my HED Jet 90s on Friday. After reading about all the problems on this forum, I decided to let the mechanic at my LBS do it. I could have bought the same tire for $30 at probikekit but paid the $48 at the LBS just so I wouldn’t feel like a schmuck asking them to install tires I purchased elsewhere. I had latex tubes installed which I also hadn’t used in the past.
The mechanic told me it would take about 25 minutes. It easily took him 60. He didn’t use a tire lever for fear of puncturing the tube. I watched the entire process. His fingers and thumbs took a beating. After watching the problems him struggle with the installation, my sensative hands and I are hoping I never flat during a race.
Good Luck!!
No worries, changing flats with these tires is much easier than the initial mount. Just make sure your spare tubes aren’t latex. You are going to want something a little more hardy if you’re changing a flat with those tires in a race.
Jodi
For the uninitiated: Are PR3’s a super awesome tire that makes this trouble worth it? What exactly makes them so difficult to mount?
For the uninitiated: Are PR3’s a super awesome tire that makes this trouble worth it? What exactly makes them so difficult to mount?
Yeah, they are a pretty awesome combo of low rolling resistance and high puncture resistance. I also find that they corner really well and have good road grip. For some reason they are just plain smaller than the average tire so stretching them to get them around the rim is an ordeal.
Jodi
…
Just thought I’d share. The advice to heat them up in the oven to 200F was key…
So did you preheat the oven? How long did you keep them in? I have some Campy wheels that really don’t like any tire on them and had to pay my LBS to mount them.