VAR Tire Lever vs. Kool Stop, Crank Bothers...

Art Harris said:

As reported here a few weeks ago, I built up a wheel using a Torelli
Master rim. Great rim EXCEPT it's a bear to get a tire on or off,

even

Quoted message said:

with metal levers. I've never had to use levers to get a tire on
before.

I understand the VAR lever is no more, but I see that Kool Stop and
Crank Bothers have something similar. I'm not really sure how these
work.

Any opinions / recommendations on these "super levers" would be
appreciated. Any I should avoid? I'd like to have something I could
carry with me on rides.

Thanks,
Art Harris

Check out the Soma Fabrications Steel Core Tire Levers recently
reviewed on cyclingnews.com
http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech/?id=2005/reviews/soma_fab_tyre_levers

Art Harris said:

I understand the VAR lever is no more, but I see that Kool Stop and
Crank Bothers have something similar. I'm not really sure how these
work.

Any opinions / recommendations on these "super levers" would be
appreciated. Any I should avoid? I'd like to have something I could
carry with me on rides.

Thanks,
Art Harris

Where did you find out the VAR lever is out of production? That has
been my favourite lever since I first discovered it in 1991. When I
tried to order some a couple weeks ago my distributor was out of them
but didn't mention they were discontinued.

The Kool Stop lever works in the same way for getting tight fitting
tyres on and is heavier duty than the VAR. I generally break a VAR
every 3-4 years. The Kool Stop is heavy to be carrying on the bike
though and can't be used for removing tyres.

I tried a Crank Brothers lever when it first came out and hated it.
Very flimsy and flexy. Fine for removing tyres that aren't too tight
but I found the flex made it useless for tight fitting tyres which is
when I want a "super lever".

Zach Kaplan

PS. I have the Crank Brothers speedlever. I bought it for my wife to
make it easier for her to change tires and flats. It's all plastic and
doesn't seem all that heavy duty. I was concerned that for any tire
difficult enough to mount/remove that I might need a tool, the plastic
would break.

Quoted message said:

I understand the VAR lever is no more, but I see that Kool Stop and
Crank Bothers have something similar. I'm not really sure how these
work.

Any opinions / recommendations on these "super levers" would be
appreciated. Any I should avoid? I'd like to have something I could
carry with me on rides.

Thanks,
Art Harris

Check out the Soma Fabrications Steel Core Tire Levers recently
reviewed on cyclingnews.com
http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech/?id=2005/reviews/soma_fab_tyre_levers[/QUOTE]

You can still get the Var lever at Rivendell:
rivendellbicycles.comtoolsOpen ↗

I have one but it's kind of flimsy. It is OK for someone with arthritis who needs help installing a normal fitting tire. I'm afraid it would break, especially in the cold, with a tight fitting one. But, the way it works is better than tire levers so if you can find a stronger model, go for it.

Steve Shapiro

"Eagle Jackson" <[email hidden]> wrote in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

PS. I have the Crank Brothers speedlever. I bought it for my wife to
make it easier for her to change tires and flats. It's all plastic and
doesn't seem all that heavy duty. I was concerned that for any tire
difficult enough to mount/remove that I might need a tool, the plastic
would break.

I use the Crank tool. It is lightweight, but I've never had problems with
reliability. Strength seems approximately the same as standard plastic tire
levers, so if you brake those a lot, then the Crank tool probably is not for
you.

Zach said:

Where did you find out the VAR lever is out of production? That has
been my favourite lever since I first discovered it in 1991. When I
tried to order some a couple weeks ago my distributor was out of them
but didn't mention they were discontinued.

Rivendell sells them and says, "These were formerly marketed under the VAR
name." Maybe someone else is making them now. Or maybe Rivendell has
cornered the market on what's left. At $15 for non Members, it's a little
pricey for my taste, unless it's really better than the alternatives. See:

http://www.rivbike.com/webalog/tools/19045.html

Quoted message said:

The Kool Stop lever works in the same way for getting tight fitting
tyres on and is heavier duty than the VAR. I generally break a VAR
every 3-4 years. The Kool Stop is heavy to be carrying on the bike
though and can't be used for removing tyres.

Well, I'm no weight weenie, but even with a good sized seat bag (large Jandd
expandable) I don't have much extra room.

Quoted message said:

I tried a Crank Brothers lever when it first came out and hated it.
Very flimsy and flexy. Fine for removing tyres that aren't too tight
but I found the flex made it useless for tight fitting tyres which is
when I want a "super lever".

Thanks for the info. I've got ancient steel levers that are indistructable,
but kind of thick where they go under the bead. I'm just barely able to get
tires on and off the Torelli rim at home, but wouldn't want to do it on the
road when tired or cold. Maybe I'll have to start doing thumb strengthening
exercises.

The Soma Fabrications Steel Core Tire Levers that Eagle Jackson mentioned
sound interesting, but I don't know who sells them in the US.

Art Harris

Art, Soma's based in San Francisco, you could give them a call. The
info's on their website. The levers are $2.00 each. (SOMA = South of
Market)

Art Harris said:

As reported here a few weeks ago, I built up a wheel using a Torelli
Master rim. Great rim EXCEPT it's a bear to get a tire on or off, even
with metal levers. I've never had to use levers to get a tire on
before.

I understand the VAR lever is no more, but I see that Kool Stop and
Crank Bothers have something similar. I'm not really sure how these
work.

Any opinions / recommendations on these "super levers" would be
appreciated. Any I should avoid? I'd like to have something I could
carry with me on rides.

Thanks,
Art Harris

Hi Art, I have a Kool Stop, I keep at home that is a good tool. If you
are running 700 x 23, then the Easy Hand would work for you. It might
work for larger sized tires, but not easily and not recommended. Here
take a look:
http://www.thebiketool.com/en/

I bought one, but I run 700 x 25 and 27 x 11/4, so I found the Kool
Stop to be the answer for me. Actually I have only needed the tool
when mounting new tires, for the very first time.

Life is Good!
Jeff

In article said:

Any opinions / recommendations on these "super levers" would be
appreciated.

I've used the Crank Brothers tool for several years. I broke it once, on a
brutally tight tire that, in fairness, also caused *several* other traditional
levers of different brands to snap before we managed to get that guy's tire
removed. I perceive this as a pathological situation, and the tool (and its
replacement) has performed well without incident otherwise. I generally whip
the contraption out as soon as someone in the club gets a flat, just because I
can have the tire off in a few seconds. The seeming flimsiness isn't a
real-world issue, as it has enough "meat" up at the hook end where it counts.

Art

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

As reported here a few weeks ago, I built up a wheel using a Torelli
Master rim. Great rim EXCEPT it's a bear to get a tire on or off, even
with metal levers. I've never had to use levers to get a tire on
before.
I understand the VAR lever is no more, but I see that Kool Stop and
Crank Bothers have something similar. I'm not really sure how these
work.
Any opinions / recommendations on these "super levers" would be
appreciated. Any I should avoid? I'd like to have something I could
carry with me on rides.

I have the VAR and the crank brothers. For tight fitting tires the VAR is
the lever to get. The crank brothers works well for tires that are not that
tight. On tight tires you need a second lever to get the tire off.
---------------
Alex

Art Harris said:

As reported here a few weeks ago, I built up a wheel using a Torelli
Master rim. Great rim EXCEPT it's a bear to get a tire on or off, even
with metal levers. I've never had to use levers to get a tire on
before.

I understand the VAR lever is no more, but I see that Kool Stop and
Crank Bothers have something similar. I'm not really sure how these
work.

Any opinions / recommendations on these "super levers" would be
appreciated. Any I should avoid? I'd like to have something I could
carry with me on rides.

I run Torelli Masters with Michelin Carbons. The tires were tough to
get on the first time, but after several hundred miles of use have
loosened up and are no problem to reinstall without levers. Your
problem can't just be isolated to the rims. The rim/tire combination
is the issue. Tires vary slightly in diameter just as the rims do. I
also have a bike with Torilli Triumph rims (made by Ambrosio as are
Torelli Masters) which are tired with Conti Gatorskins. They likewise
needed a lever to get on the first time, but loosened up for hand
mounting after a few hundred miles.

Tideslider said:

I run Torelli Masters with Michelin Carbons. The tires were tough to

get on the first > time, but after several hundred miles of use have
loosened up and are no problem to reinstall without levers.

That may be the case with kevlar bead tires. Most of my tires are wire
bead, and I've got quite a stash that I don't want to abandon.

Art Harris

search to - DIY tire removal - in tech archives

You are quite right about the Speed Lever breaking. My friend and I each broke one in the same week. Crank Bros have a lifetime guarantee and replaced without inspecting. Good for them. But as a product designer I know this item has an in-built weakness as the plastic is to thin at the top. Great idea but ...... I did offer to redesign for them but never had a reply so I am now designing my own lever which will be available in the next 6 months. Look out for it. It's called The Slug!