Cannot fit new tyre onto rim!!!

Try a little soapy water on the rim.

sergen said:

Just bought a new orange indoor turbo Continental tyre for winter training. I'm trying to fit it to a clincher wheel.

Somewhat embarrasing to admit but I can't get the tyre to fit onto the wheel rim. It's never something I've done before as I've only ever had to change inner tubes.

I've tried fitting the sidewall of the tyre over the flange of the rim whilst doing so with both hands in opposite directions to eventually meet at the top by the valve stem. But I just cannot get the last bit of the tyre on. I've also tried using tyre levers but it's just impossible. My thumbs are quite blistered through trying!

The tyre I bought is definitely the right size (700x23C). Help!!

Aside from soapy water. Stretch the tire a by standing on one end and pulling up on the other. Move around the tire until you've given the whole thing a good pull. Then put half of the tire (sidewall) on the rim without any tube. Pull it off and then put the other half of the tire on the rim. So now, you know that it fits on the rim and is not defective. And, it has given it a bit more stretch.

Now put half of the tire on the rim, and inflate a tube so it just starts to take shape. seat the tube into valve hole and then along the top of the tire; then and work the other half of the tire carefully onto the rim. Watch for pinches as you do this. You might need two levers as your hands start to meet, and just work it on, centimeter by centimeter. Wide levers work best for that last pull over the flange. Then inflate the tire a little. Check to make sure there are no pinches and inflate the tire to proper pressure.

I like to seat the side opposite the valve-- as opposed to the valve side--last. In other words, seat the valve side and work away to the opposite. That way you are not working your levers hard around the valve on the last big push. I understand that others may feel differently.

I change dirt bike and motorcycle tires which are much harder. Ultimately, it is more of an art than a science, but stretching the tires well first seems to help a bit. Some tires are easier than others. I don't know why. It is like anything though. The more you do it, the easier it becomes. the key is patience and ensuring that you have not pinched the tube so that it flats out as soon as you bring it to pressure and then you are starting from scratch. Also, make sure that you are using decent levers and that you are using the right side of the lever to get them on. Look at your lever and see what side curves in. That side hooks onto the rim better.

kopride said:

Now put half of the tire on the rim, and inflate a tube so it just starts to take shape. seat the tube into valve hole and then along the top of the tire; then and work the other half of the tire carefully onto the rim. Watch for pinches as you do this. .

Kopride - did as you suggested regarding putting one side of the tyre on first, then removing and putting on the other. One side was definitely harder to put on than the other but I eventually managed to stretch it over.

Then came the weird bit. Inflated the tube a little as one would normally do when changing after a flat but the tube had excess length! In other words there was too much tube to go into the rim and under the tyre - the only way I could have put the remaining length of tube under the tyre would have been to shove it under and that would have certainly lead to a pinch flat because it would have been so creased and twisted.

Is this giving you any clues?

Thanks

sergen said:

Kopride - did as you suggested regarding putting one side of the tyre on first, then removing and putting on the other. One side was definitely harder to put on than the other but I eventually managed to stretch it over.

Then came the weird bit. Inflated the tube a little as one would normally do when changing after a flat but the tube had excess length! In other words there was too much tube to go into the rim and under the tyre - the only way I could have put the remaining length of tube under the tyre would have been to shove it under and that would have certainly lead to a pinch flat because it would have been so creased and twisted.

Is this giving you any clues?

Thanks

I believe that the "excess" tube you describe is because you have placed a little too much air in the tube. try a little less air and see how you go....

macaj said:

I believe that the "excess" tube you describe is because you have placed a little too much air in the tube. try a little less air and see how you go....

ditto. A little less air might do the trick. I usually just blow it up by mouth at this stage. When you are learning to put tires on, its always better to have a few tubes because you will pinch a few. Its better to learn the tricks in your garage, then on the road miles from home when you only have one tube. If you pinch a tire or two, then you can practice patching a pinch flat to use for spares, which is another invaluable skill.

For bicycle tires, I can usually get them on by hand now with very little lever work. Its not strenght or muscle, but it really is a finesse thing making sure that the tire is seated all the way before you keep moving along. For motorcycle tires, its another story, and its rare than I don't pinch a tube once or twice because I really am just muscling them on with irons and spoons. With 4 kids and 1000s of miles, I have changed or put on 100s of bike tires. For motorcycles, its less than 10 so I am still a novice.

This is something you just have to learn by trial and error. It is a pain in the a**, but nobody wants to give tire changing 101 lessons to someone on a long group ride, so I applaud you for trying to figure it out rather than just running to your LBS. You will have a lot more confidence. Also, a lot of LBS shop guys will spend a minute or two watching you and giving you pointers.

Good luck!!

sergen said:

Kopride - did as you suggested regarding putting one side of the tyre on first, then removing and putting on the other. One side was definitely harder to put on than the other but I eventually managed to stretch it over.

Then came the weird bit. Inflated the tube a little as one would normally do when changing after a flat but the tube had excess length! In other words there was too much tube to go into the rim and under the tyre - the only way I could have put the remaining length of tube under the tyre would have been to shove it under and that would have certainly lead to a pinch flat because it would have been so creased and twisted.

Is this giving you any clues?

Thanks

Put on one side of the tire and push the bead (the edge) all the way to the back edge of the rim so that the inside of the rim has plenty of room to accomodate the inner tube.

Inflate inner tube with just enough air to make it round - but not enough air to make it larger.

Insert first part of innertube under the tire, starting at the valve and poke the innertube valve through the hole in the rim. Let the rest of the innertube lay out the outside of the tire to make sure there's no twists then put the rest of the innertube inside the tire avoiding twisting/stretching the tube.

Starting from the opposite side of the wheel from the valve - start to put the other side of the tire on using your thumbs. With most folding tires the last 10 inches or so can be a pain to get on. Personally, I like to have the final bit of tire that goes on to be right where the valve is. Wedge a tire lever under the rim and pry on a small section of tire at a time. You may have to hold the tire further down the rim to stop it from coming off when you're doing this. When I get to the last little bit (at the valve) I like to push the valve up to avoid pinching the innertube where the valve stem fitting forces the tube out to the edges of the tire bead/rim wall just to ensure that things aren't going to get pinched.

It's also worth noting that although you'd think that a bike wheel would be a truely standard size, slight manufacturing variances can mean that there's an very slight difference in rim size and this is why some wheels are ever so slightly bigger than others - and why some wheels seem harder to get tires on than others.... Same goes for tires too. If you get the unholy union of a 'smallish' tire and a 'biggish' rim then you're in for some fun...