Continental Tyre Nightmare.

[nmfeb70]

Let us know how you get on @nmfeb70 - when I first found mine a little problematical, I must admit I did initially think of selling my Conti's on - but when after a few more efforts I realised they were truly mind and thumb bogglingly difficult I decided that that would be unfair-dishonest - suppose if I had done they would eventually have worked their way to @Cycleops

Not sure I'll try them again. I was spitting feathers for hours afterwards.

 

[nmfeb70]

No, nothing wrong with you at all.
My system is a variant of this:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XUFVrl0UT4


I use two boot laces which I always carry with me.

Push the tyre down into the well, keeping it there with the boot lace - spiral it round the tyre - moving forward. No need to tie the bootlace, it will hold in place if you just loop it under itself at the beginning and end of the operation. I then leave a bit of a gap, still forcing/keeping the tyre forced into the well, using the second bootlace if needed.

Works every time for me.

And I still won't be buying anything more from Conti - as I said I need to check if, after several day's attempts I can reproduce my feat with the Conti, even with a "too-small" tube.

I use standard cheap park tyre levers - the best in my view - some I know see them as too stubby/not clever enough, but I like them - tough - never had one bend let alone break - no need for clever tyre levers - just folk that can make proper tyres - and boot laces.

Very useful video👍🚴

 

[iluvmybike]

Contis on all of our road bikes here - never had a problem

 

[Grant Fondo]

Never really had a problem with Contis to be honest.

Some Schwalbe tubeless however but I accept the old adage "The harder to fit the easier to seat"

Same here, but to varying degrees as have them on all three bikes. In my experience:
26" Racekings on MTB - easy fit
28c GP5000 on road bike - fairly tight fit but ok
32c Gatorskins on gravel bike - the most difficult of the three needing a bit of brute force and chalk dust.

 

[vickster]

In contrast to the Conti, the Bontager X2 tyre almost slid into the rim & needed very little persuasion. Just feel a little deflated having wasted £50. On the plus side though they've now joined my old tyres as a safety barrier/cushion between the rear end of my car & my garage wall!

Just flog the unwanted tyres on eBay. £1 fees this weekend (if you qualify). Let someone else have the pleasure

 

[nmfeb70]

Just flog the unwanted tyres on eBay. £1 fees this weekend (if you qualify). Let someone else have the pleasure

I had thought of that🤔

 

[cyberknight]

It is for this reason I always go for a folding tyre with a Kevlar bead, so much easier to get on and off.

what he said

 

[chris-suffolk]

Try one of these - amazingly easy to fit almost any tyre - VAR Tyre lever. Small enough to carry on the bike too.

 

[Gunk]

28c GP5000 on road bike - fairly tight fit but ok

I just fitted a set on my Easton EA90 rims and had no problems.

 

[Grant Fondo]

I just fitted a set on my Easton EA90 rims and had no problems.

Eastons rule!

 

[nmfeb70]

Thanks for the replies & suggestions guys. Your input & advice is, as always, invaluable.
I'll certainly be trying the toe strap trick as suggested in the video posted by @Blue Hills and I've ordered the VAR tyre lever recommended by @vickster & @chris-suffolk.
I somehow think I'll be swapping 'like for like' in the future! 👍🚴

 

[Blue Hills]

glad

Thanks for the replies & suggestions guys. Your input & advice is, as always, invaluable.
I'll certainly be trying the toe strap trick as suggested in the video posted by @Blue Hills and I've ordered the VAR tyre lever recommended by @vickster & @chris-suffolk.
I somehow think I'll be swapping 'like for like' in the future! 👍🚴

glad to hear it - if the toe-straps don't manage it, I'd try the laces though - you can cover/compress a larger circumference of the tyre.

 

[simongt]

All my bikes are shod with Marathon Plus; GT Outpost, Brompton M3, Dawes Fox. Agree that Marathons are a sod to fit initially, although oddly, the 16" for the Brompton were easiest. However, once they're bedded in after some miles, refitting after say, the rare occurrence of a puncture, no problem. Not by any means a fast tyre, but they give more peace of mind when rural commuting at silly o'clock - !

 

[Dwn]

I’ve got Continental GP5000 28c tyres on one bike (mavic aksium wheels) and they go on and off pretty easily.
I then tried to add the 32c version to another bike and it was impossible to get them on. This bike has Fulcrum Racing 6 wheels. In my limited experience, tubeless ready rims are the work of the devil when it comes to putting on Continental tyres.

 

[nmfeb70]

glad

glad to hear it - if the toe-straps don't manage it, I'd try the laces though - you can cover/compress a larger circumference of the tyre.

And I'm more likely to have shoe laces laying around the house👍