Tire tight on rim?

[dasilvarsa]

I'm running Maxxis Ardent Race 2.35 (front and rear) and I'm also struggling to get them on and off the rims.

My previous set used to come off without tyre levers. I think the manufacturers have made the tyres tighter for some reason.

[scubes]

UPDATE:

thanks to the tips for getting the bead in the middle of the rim...

 

i managed to insert a tire lever (a crowbar one) under the bead after folding the top of the tire and pulling it to the centre of the rim and a bit of soapy water helped. 

 

so yeah i did have too much tape on the rim.. i had 2 layers of gorilla tape which i removed and replaced with 1 layer of rim tape. gorilla leaves a white sticky residue that is a pain to get off, another reason not to use it if you ever want to put new rim tape on.

 

i managed to get the tire back on without any tools just a bit of soapy water, i guess the bead stretches with use on the trail. i then pulled the bead out towards the edges of the rim and it pumped right up with a normal pump and sealed with a pop. 

 

then i let the air out and added Joe's sealant through the valve core and it pumped up fine again. this was last night and it is holding air fine this morning. 

 

the middle of the rim tip REALLY helped, as did not using multiples layers of thick tape on the rim. if i want i can now carry a spare tube on the trail as with some effort i should be able to get the tire off, insert the tube if i have a bad side cut and the tire should be relatively easy to get back on.

[scubes]

rear wheel UPDATE :

SO i did the rear wheel which has a Foamo inside. I got the tire off with a tire lever and cleaned up then put new rim tape and... the Foamo actually makes it hard to get the tire back on.. it keeps the beads apart thats how its designed.. was a battle including using a heater fan to warm up the sidewall and then it went on.

 

It pumped up and began to seat.. then air and sealant decided to exit via the valve stem and spokes... 1 layer of rim tape aint the same as 2 layers of gorilla tape anymore.. I didnt feel like battling the sidewall again so I had a gym workout of furiously pumping and adding more sealant until eventually it began to seal and seat.

 

the LBS is definitely easier.. but there is satisfaction in getting it done right yourself

[dasilvarsa]

Sealant escaping through the spokes is not good.

[scubes]

i may need to redo the rim tape......

 

Sealant escaping through the spokes is not good.

[Grease_Monkey]

GRID tyres have been known to be a bit tight, but they're not on my impossible-to-get-on-with-my-thumbs list.

 

Try getting a WTB onto a Stans Flow. Then you'll have a good basis for comparison.

 

No experience with that, but I do know that WTB and Spank make for an unholy combination of swearing, broken tyres levers, and battered fingers.

[David Marshall]

Some tyre and rim combinations are difficult.  That said I seldom have to use levers to get a tyre on and I am past having much arm strength.  There is a technique to it.  Letting the tyre warm up in the sun is a big help.  Position the rim in the middle of the tyre with a bead on either side and then fit one bead into the rim.  This is usually no problem.  As mentioned earlier make sure that the bead is in the middle of the rim and start fitting the second bead keeping that as close to the centre as possible.  When it becomes hard to get any more on position the wheel with the fitted part of the tire into your stomach and the unfitted portion away from you. This unfitted part will be roughly from the 10 to 2 o'clock position.  Grab the tyre with each hand where the bead passes over the rim wall and with a wrist action pull the tyre towards you and then rock it away from you and over the bead.  Don't try to do too much at a time.  Soapy water helps but it also makes your hands slip so just brush a little onto the bead with a small paint brush if you really need to.  Using leavers to get a tyre on is more likely to damage the tape than taking one off.

[scubes]

thanks Dave...good tips..I tried this today with new rim tape and your tire tip helped tho' I still needed one tire lever for a final push- I then managed to inspect the rim tape at that point and the lever had made a tiny hole in the tape but not in the middle so I put a short piece of fresh tape over that. 

 

It then wouldn't seat with a floor pump so I used 1 bomb and it seated. I then let the CO2 out and put sealant in, pumped up and all perfect.

 

It is amazing what a difference the rim tape installation makes and how careful you need to be. 

 

 

Some tyre and rim combinations are difficult.  That said I seldom have to use levers to get a tyre on and I am past having much arm strength.  There is a technique to it.  Letting the tyre warm up in the sun is a big help.  Position the rim in the middle of the tyre with a bead on either side and then fit one bead into the rim.  This is usually no problem.  As mentioned earlier make sure that the bead is in the middle of the rim and start fitting the second bead keeping that as close to the centre as possible.  When it becomes hard to get any more on position the wheel with the fitted part of the tire into your stomach and the unfitted portion away from you. This unfitted part will be roughly from the 10 to 2 o'clock position.  Grab the tyre with each hand where the bead passes over the rim wall and with a wrist action pull the tyre towards you and then rock it away from you and over the bead.  Don't try to do too much at a time.  Soapy water helps but it also makes your hands slip so just brush a little onto the bead with a small paint brush if you really need to.  Using leavers to get a tyre on is more likely to damage the tape than taking one off.