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fitting tight tyres
NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.
Trying to fit a new Schwalbe Nobby Nic Tubeless tyre onto a Bontrager Race Lite tubeless rim and I can get one sideof the tyre on but the bead on the other side is impossible to get over the rim. I tried soapy water and plastic tyre levers with no luck. Anyone have any suggestions?
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Have had the same problem with a slick on a DT Swiss rim on my "road" bike. Only thing that seems to work is extensive, constant manipulation of the tyre to ensure that both beads are seated as deeply in the rim as possible as far around the rim as possible. That and a bit of swearing, some almost tears, zen like patience and luck. Great fun changing a flat when out on a ride.
I severely bent some metal tyre levers and messed up the rim a bit getting it on the first time, but I'm getting better.
At the risk of telling you what your already trying. Make sure that the bead of the tyre is seated in the centre groove of the rim, this usually gives you just that little bit more slack to get over the rim. Hope that helps!
Also, standing with the rim in front of you upright on the ground and both hand at 12 o'clock on the tyre. Push down stretching the tyre and sliding you hands gradually. When your hands get close to 6 o'clock you should have stretched the tyre enough to pop it on or off. Adrian gave us a demo on an AMBC course I did. He was actually showing what to do if you need to change a tube and you don't have any levers.
This may help if you can picture what I mean
Another suggestion that might help:
For some reason, I've always found that one side of my tyre is much easier to get on/off the rim than the other. I've never really worked out the reason why, but whenever I'm struggling with a tight bead, if I try with the bead on the other side - it suddenly becomes much easier. Has anyone else ever noticed this?
It might just be a weird thing that only happens to me, but it wouldn't hurt to try if you haven't already.
A few things I've learnt fitting dual-purpose motorcycle tyres (which are sometimes a SHITLOAD harder to fit than even the tightest MTB tyres)
Make sure the tyres are warm. Sitting them in the sun can make a huge difference. Dunno if this would work for MTB tyres. And most importantly, make sure the bead opposite the side you're working on is all the way down in the centre of the rim. Some MTB rims are pretty flat across the inside, so there's not much room, but for the deeper varieties this makes a big difference. If you want to protect your rims cut some small pieces from shampoo bottles and use them between the levers and the rims. Lately I'm almost giving up with plastic levers and going back to the old steel ones.
Note: I have 4 pinch flats in two 700c tubes sitting in the garage at home: I'm having a bastard of a time trying to squeeze some 700x28c tyres onto 19 mm rims. I thought Ignitors were hard to fit...
If all else fails leave the tyre in the sun for a while. You'd be surprised how much it expands when heated.
Get the tyre almost on then just leave it overnight to stretch, @MarkkyMarkk noticed one side is always easier than the other & that's because it was the one you had to swear at the most during the initial fitting (good to remember when out on the trail
) though that won't help as it's a new-fit. All the descent car 'Mag' wheels have a side (usually the inside lip) that has a flatter edge to aid fitting. But forget the 'soapy water' use dish washing detergent or liquid sugar soap ~ and put it on the "lip of the inside of the tyre" that you're trying to force over the rim edge.