Poll: Are folding tyres easier to get on a wheel than beaded tyres?

[GuyBoden]

In your experience, are folding tyres easier to get on a wheel than beaded tyres?

 

[cyberknight]

yes

 

[Drago]

I've never had a problem with beaded tyres so I'd say " yes" but with reservations.

 

[fossyant]

Generally yes, unless it was the Lifeline Commuting tyres I fitted to my commuting MTB. The puncture protection was quite stiff and the tyre didn't want to shape into a U, just remained flat. They will be fine now 6 months later.

 

[ianrauk]

I'm a yes man

 

[avsd]

Yes.

 

[Fastpedaller]

I'd say no difference between the two types....... except the kevlar (or whatever) bead can't rust like a standard wire one, which has caused failure in the past, so i'm happy to pay extra for a folder.

 

[ColinJ]

Yes, but the biggest difference is the exact tyre/rim combination rather than the type of bead.

I have had some combinations that were trivially easy to do with bare hands. Others that I found only just doable without using tyre levers. Some tricky combinations that I needed to use tyre levers on which were then not too difficult. I had one absolute pig of a combination - Campagnolo Proton wheels with a type of tyre which I can no longer identify. I found myself sweltering at the side of the road in Spain desperately trying to fix a puncture. It took me well over half an hour and I very nearly gave up. If it had been in England, or I could speak Spanish I would probably have rung for a taxi to take me and the bike back to the hotel.

 

[FrankCrank]

Yes, but the biggest difference is the exact tyre/rim combination rather than the type of bead.

I have had some combinations that were trivially easy to do with bare hands. Others that I found only just doable without using tyre levers. Some tricky combinations that I needed to use tyre levers on which were then not too difficult. I had one absolute pig of a combination - Campagnolo Proton wheels with a type of tyre which I can no longer identify. I found myself sweltering at the side of the road in Spain desperately trying to fix a puncture. It took me well over half an hour and I very nearly gave up. If it had been in England, or I could speak Spanish I would probably have rung for a taxi to take me and the bike back to the hotel.

+1 for this. Tolerances make the job either a doddle or a pain. Yet to find a tyre that I couldn't initially install, but getting it to seat properly is where the hassle can start. Some tyre/rim combinations just don't want to play ball

 

[Dogtrousers]

I have never had much problem with regular tyres (probably because I've got lucky with my tyre/rim combos as @ColinJ notes).

I've got much less experience with folding tyres. I was expecting them to be super easy to fit, but when it came to it ... they were about the same. More or less.

Call me Mr Boring.

 

[Threevok]

For some stupid reason, I always go for the folding option first, as they are easier to store.

However, just this moment i've realised, I never store any of my tires folded

 

[matticus]

For some stupid reason, I always go for the folding option first, as they are easier to store.

However, just this moment i've realised, I never store any of my tires folded

If you buy mail-order, you're less likely to receive folding tyres with a kink put in them, compared to wired tyres!

 

[Threevok]

If you buy mail-order, you're less likely to receive folding tyres with a kink put in them, compared to wired tyres!

My Schwalbe Billy Bonkers turned up yesterday, like that. Although i've had kinks in folding ones too.

 

[Jenkins]

Yes - although I've not tried fitting a wired tyre in many years.

 

[silva]

If you buy mail-order, you're less likely to receive folding tyres with a kink put in them, compared to wired tyres!

Yea, once ordered 5 tyres and they were delivered in some 8 shapes to fit in a rectangular box and they tied these to stay like that, resulting in kinks. And indeed, the first of these that I used, showed a kinda deformation over a section, alike the carcas got stretched beyond its elastic region. If I had stored them like delivered, the kink probably brought failure, that is, ripped open by the air pressure.