What's the quickest/best tire change tool?

Triathlon Forum
1

Flatted yesterday in my first race this year and it took me 15 minutes to change the effing flat :frowning: Was trying to get the tire (Michelin Pro Race) off the wheel (Hed Disc) for what seemed like forever with two standard tire levers. Anyway I know I need some practice, but what is the best tool out there for getting a clincher tire off a disc wheel?

Thanks,
Keith

2

http://www.supergo.com/profile.cfm?LPROD_ID=9054&srccode=1915

http://www.supergo.com/product_images/medium/40-0146.jpg
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3

Make sure you break the bead off completely on the one side . That will get you slack to insert the tire irons / levers , looser tires one lever will do , others can be a bear.

4

Few quick pointers

Rubber can create a sticky bond to the tube & rim so the
1st thing is to push the valve stem into the tire/rim a bit to break that bond. Next, go around the wheel starting @ the valve stem and push sideways on the tire with your palm (like you’re trying to roll off the tire) - not hard, just enough to break any bond between the rim and tire. This should take a few seconds to get opposite the valve stem. This should* create some slack in the tire and leave you lots of room to pop in a lever and get the bead ofer the edge.

Typically 1 lever is all that is required (jamming 2 or 3 levers in there takes up too much slack in the tire and work against you)

Starting opposite the valve stem, use the one lever to get the bead over the rim on about 1/4 of the wheel, then return to where you started and get it over another 1/4 of the rim (so that you have the tire removed on the 1/2 opposite the valve stem). The tire should literally fall off the rim.

Critical points are starting with breaking the tire loose from the rim, pushing the valve into the tire a bit, starting opposite the valve stem and only using one lever. When it’s a read wheel, I prefer to work on the non-drive side (this keeps your shins and cassette from a brief and painful introduction).

  • note - some tire/rim combos just aren’t compatible. When you are first installing a tire on the rim and find yourself needing to use a tire lever (to install, simply reverse this process, starting @ valve stem) or cursing at all, you may want to reconsider the tire for that rim.

Hope this helps.

GB

PS - if you are having trouble with this, I suggest spending some time learning to mount/remove your tire in your living room (with some good TV on. Swampboat racing maybe?) rather than at the side of the road in the rain.

5

Practice and CO2 cartridges.

The larger cartridges ( I think they’re 16 grams) have enough air to fill you up to 120+ psi. Just be careful you don’t over inflate. The smaller ones will only get you up to about 90 psi.

Those little hand pumps suck and are pretty hard on the valve stems if your not careful.

6

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7

The only tool I’ve ever used are Quick Sticks – Round plastic with a rubber grip, and formed at one end. I use two, though they say you can do with one… Push one under the bead, follow with the other just a short distance away, pull over the rim, and then take one lever and just peel it around. Have never taken more than 15 seconds to take any tire off any rim this way.