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Do some tire/rim combo just not work?

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JayDial

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Wow. Ive never been soo pissed off when trying to mount a tire. DT Swiss. FR600 + Rubber Queen 2.4 = :madman:

So before i get rid of the best tires ive ever used i thought i would ask. What the hell do you do? There was like 6 inches of non compliant bead still exposed and the tire lever was tearing my rim stickers to shreds so i gave up.

J
 
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#2 ·
One of the worst experiences mounting a tire I had was with a Continental mountain bike tire (years ago, forget the model). Does happen, some rims can be harder to mount, sometimes the tires can run small, sometimes just the right combo of the two. You might just have gotten a bum set of tires (okay two at the same time might be hard to accept) or did these work fine on a different wheelset?
 
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Discussion starter · #3 ·
Yeah, they mounted just fine on a set of Atomlabs i have. Maybe the width difference? Now the rear mounted easily on the FR600. Also the tire i took off the front FR600 was a real PITA also. It was a 2.4. WTB Velociraptor. It required 3 tire levers. I snapped 2 tire levers just trying to install the front tire. Ive removed both tires and plan on putting some 2.3 Eskars on. Hopefully something will give. I cant imagine having to deal with this out on the trail.
 
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#5 ·
Geax tires are notorious for fitting a bit small on some rims. I love the Saguaro's they make....but installing them at first involves lots of cussing. The upside is that in a ghetto tubeless application....I don't have to worry about them coming off on me.
 
#6 ·
Don't use the tire lever to get the last bit of bead over the rim. Just tightly grab the top of the tire where the bead is still off with both hands and roll the tire bead over the rim. It takes some elbow grease but that seems to be the way it works best for me.
I had that issue with my Dt Swiss EX500 rims and Conti MKs.
 
Discussion starter · #8 ·
dr13zehn said:
Don't use the tire lever to get the last bit of bead over the rim. Just tightly grab the top of the tire where the bead is still off with both hands and roll the tire bead over the rim. It takes some elbow grease but that seems to be the way it works best for me.
I had that issue with my Dt Swiss EX500 rims and Conti MKs.
Click to expand...
I wish it was that easy! The bead is so rigid at this point its hard enough to get a tire lever under the bead let alone man handle that shizz in there.
 
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#10 ·
Make sure the bead is pushed down into the valley of the rim on the other end of the wheel (180 degrees from where you're working). Doing so makes enough slack that you should be able to get that last section on. Use the method above of pulling the bead on from the top of the tire, or use your thumbs to slowly slide the bead over the edge (starting from where it's already there). Don't use tire levers, they're just getting in the way and taking up valuable space.
 
Discussion starter · #11 ·
Thanks! I will try yalls suggestions before i give up. Ill report back once i wrestle these monsters on.

J
 
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#12 ·
I love the Conti tires, but man they are beeyatch to get on.

A lil dish soap for lube helps, then pull till your thumbs bleed. Pull more, then a little more. I found putting my hands firmly on hips, stomping around the garage while dropping F bombs was a critical step in getting the Conti's on my DT Swiss rims. YMMV.
 
Discussion starter · #13 ·
ebeer said:
I love the Conti tires, but man they are beeyatch to get on.

A lil dish soap for lube helps, then pull till your thumbs bleed. Pull more, then a little more. I found putting my hands firmly on hips, stomping around the garage while dropping F bombs was a critical step in getting the Conti's on my DT Swiss rims. YMMV.
Click to expand...
Are you running tubeless? I dont want to deal with a bish tire on the trail if i gotta change a tube. First i should see if the 2.4s are going to clear on my new Spec Pitch. If they do then maybe i should give tubeless a shot.
 
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#14 ·
Yeah, my EX 5.1d's are converted tubeless with Stans strips. Works great.

I think once you have the tire on the rim, and it sits at pressure the beads will loosen slightly. Should be fine to throw a tube in there if you have to on the trail.
 
#15 ·
bvibert said:
Make sure the bead is pushed down into the valley of the rim on the other end of the wheel (180 degrees from where you're working). Doing so makes enough slack that you should be able to get that last section on. Use the method above of pulling the bead on from the top of the tire, or use your thumbs to slowly slide the bead over the edge (starting from where it's already there). Don't use tire levers, they're just getting in the way and taking up valuable space.
Click to expand...
This guy's on the right track. You can kind of twist the tire so the beads fall into the center "channel" of the rim, which allows the tire to pull further on the other side. I would keep twisting the tires all the way around until you can work the bead on. The shop owner I worked at was excellent at this and never needed tire levers.
 
Discussion starter · #16 ·
Thanks Everyone

Well i didnt do the rubber queens. I dont think they would fit on my pitch. So i went with the 2.3 eskars that came on the stock rims. I even had trouble with those, but with using the techniques yall recommended i succeeded. I think the most important was making sure the bead on the opposite side was in the valley. I felt like it helped to work the whole tire starting with the farthest point and to build as much slack as possible for the unseated bead area.

Thanks again.

J
 
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#17 ·
Some rims have a bit taller sidewall or other parts of the profile will make it a tighter fit, and yeah tires vary a little bit. I've had a few combos that were a total bear to mount. Suggestion on tire levers: Pedro's or Maxxis...hands down the best plastic levers you can get. They have thin, wide tips and if you break those then you need to get a steel lever. As you found, working the first bead into the rim channel makes it easier but damn, some combos are a royal pita even doing everything the right way! Gotta be extra careful not to pinch the tube, but hold the bead tight with one hand (or a knee) and work the other side an inch at a time if need be, starting right where it contacts the rim. Glad you got it sorted out. (also, if you're ever in a bind on the trail and snap a lever, some quick-release skewers have levers that will work in a pinch)
 
#20 ·
bvibert said:
Make sure the bead is pushed down into the valley of the rim on the other end of the wheel (180 degrees from where you're working). Doing so makes enough slack that you should be able to get that last section on. Use the method above of pulling the bead on from the top of the tire, or use your thumbs to slowly slide the bead over the edge (starting from where it's already there). Don't use tire levers, they're just getting in the way and taking up valuable space.
Click to expand...
Someone needs to make this a sticky.

Works, every time. :thumbsup:
 
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JayDial
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