Are gatorskins hard to fit!?!?

[magnatom]

I just put marathon pluses on my commuter and they have a reputation for being tough. I (mostly) followed the instructions at Spa cycles

http://www.spacycles.co.uk/index.php


Perhaps this method will work with Gators too?

Last night I had to put two new tyres on my good bike and another one on my ribble. All gatorskins. I used the advice in this video. I have to say this is the first time I've ever managed to put tyres on just with my fingers. I've been doing it wrong all this time. Brilliant. 3 in one night.

 

[fossyant]

Talc..............

 

[magnatom]

Talc..............

I've used talc before, and tried using it on a tyre last night (this one which is an old tyre, just wouldn't sit in the rim right even with Talc, so got scrapped). It certainly helps, especially when nicely scented....

 

[Howard]

So what is the best way of getting these new tyre on without giving myself a hernia!!?

No idea if this is the "best way" but it worked for me:

Once you have two thirds of the tyre on the rim, hold the rim so that the lose portion of the tyre is at the top.
Use two hands to roll as much of the remaining tyre on to the rim as possible. You'll get to a point where you can't roll the remaining tyre over the top of the rim but if you let go the tyre will roll off. The portion of the tyre that is not on the rim at this point will be very tight. Now try to clamp the tyre in place using a single hand, and with the other free hand take a cable tie and use it to clamp the tyre in position just below where it is comming off the rim. You'll need to do the cable tie very tight. With the tyre clamped in position use a pair of tyre leavers to roll the remaining tyre over the top of the rim. Remove cable tie before fully inflating.

Nearly drove me nuts but this is how I defeated them...

 

[magnatom]

Howard, look at the video below. This is how I did it. No tyre levers either!

[media]
]View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XUFVrl0UT4&feature=player_embedded[/media]

 

[Howard]

Howard, look at the video below. This is how I did it. No tyre levers either!

Yes, just watched it! Feel kind vindicated on the use of cable ties - and will try and do it without leavers next time...

(which will be this weekend- arrghh!)

 

[HJ]

Last night I had to put two new tyres on my good bike and another one on my ribble. All gatorskins. I used the advice in this video. I have to say this is the first time I've ever managed to put tyres on just with my fingers. I've been doing it wrong all this time. Brilliant. 3 in one night.

Give the man a black belt in tyre fitting...

 

[Fiona N]

The last pair of knobbly mtb tyres I fitted - I had to use tyre levers to get the first bead on (without tube in place in the tyre) the rim.

This suggested that getting the second bead on would be pretty well impossible so I did a Jimbo - rims in the -5C of the garage, tyres in the 20C living room, then brought them together to work in the porch, say 10C and hey presto, a much easier job

 

[NormanD]

"Top secret Tip : "looks left ... looks right (no ones listening) ... "Use a Hair dryer to warm the tyres up before fitting" ... looks left ... looks right" (no ones watching) ... taps the side of the nose with a finger and nods and winks

Keep it a secret, we don't want anyone else to know   

 

[stavros]

Wire- beaded Gators I've found hard to get on (and off for that matter). I also broke tyre levers - either get really mad, or try smearing some washing-up liquid on the rim before popping them on. Oh, perhaps 'popping' was the wrong word as they twang rather than pop!

 

[Fiona N]

"Top secret Tip : "looks left ... looks right (no ones listening) ... "Use a Hair dryer to warm the tyres up before fitting" ... looks left ... looks right" (no ones watching) ... taps the side of the nose with a finger and nods and winks

Keep it a secret, we don't want anyone else to know

I don't have a hairdryer

 

[threebikesmcginty]

I find bike fettling, including putting on Gators or M+, much easier if you swear a lot!

 

[gbs]

YES but try a little talc and a VAR lever for the infuriating last few inches.

 

[Fletch456]

That's a good video!

I'm glad no-one was around to see me last night. I was in the garage cursing and swearing (low pitch this time!), with sweat coming off me trying to get the tyre on!

I'll try his technique later, but I've also bought one of these as a back up!

I can recommend the Crank Brothers levers. Easier to use than the usual 3 levers for getting off and putting on (I am not yet a bare hands man for the latter). And less to carry in your pocket when on the road.

 

[Andrew_Culture]

Well I had to walk away and take deep breaths after a frustrating hour or two trying to fit brand new gatorskins on brand new wheels yesterday. What was maddening is that three times in a row the inner tube failed when I was test inflating it. Annoyingly I KNEW each inner tube had a flaw before fitting it but I'm stupidly optimistic.

So I am DONE with cheap inner tubes. I had been using tubes that cost a tenner for five. I went out and spent some cash on tubes that cost six quid each.

I'm just about to step out and do battle again, wish me luck.