Taking a tyre off without levers

[malcermie]

Theres a clip on here somewhere of a chap removing his road bike tyre without levers. So thought I'd have a go.....He must be a hell of a lot stronger than I am!!! The 700x23 on my Triban3 was far to tight to get off without levers, went on OK but no way was going to come off.

 

[snorri]

Different combinations of tyres and wheels make tyre removal easier or more difficult, not all are the same.

 

[sddg7tfl]

I can shake my maxxis super tacky high rollers off my current mountain bike rims.

 

[Chrisz]

It depends on the tyre/rim combination.

I find my Shwalbe Ultremos dead easy on both my sets of Mavic rims (Aksiums and Cosmic Carbones) but my Michelin Pro Race 3s need levers for the same rims!

 

[PaulSecteur]

You have to make sure all the air us out of the tube, make sure the bead isnt sticking on the rim AND most importantly try tolift the tyre before pushing it over the rim.

 

[biggs682]

use fork or spoon handles

 

[gavintc]

use fork or spoon handles

Read the title of the thread. The OP was discussing doing it without levers.

Personally, my choice of tyre and rim makes removing still a bit of a challenge, but I need one lever to get it off. I can get it back on without though.

 

[summerdays]

I also find it gets slightly easier with each time the tyres are removed (or they just age and sag).

 

[Sandra6]

I can get the tyres of my apollo metis without, and I managed one off a giant mtb at work, but the next tyre I tried stumped me - even with the levers!
you do need small fingers.

 

[Mo1959]

(or they just age and sag).

Sounds a bit like me

On a serious note though, I did a quick 13 miles at crack of dawn and it was minus 4 and couldn't feel my fingers. I doubt very much if I would have been able to remove a tyre or repair a puncture as my hands were so cold.

 

[sddg7tfl]

Sounds a bit like me

On a serious note though, I did a quick 13 miles at crack of dawn and it was minus 4 and couldn't feel my fingers. I doubt very much if I would have been able to remove a tyre or repair a puncture as my hands were so cold.

Same here. -3c x 21 miles starting at 4.50am.

The thing is, during poor weather when i know a puncture is undesirable and hard to deal with
i make a simple change: I leave my road bike at home and use my mountain bike.

Its on slick tyres which have enough contact "meat" to absorb a 3mm flint without puncturing, and
then if a puncture occurs the volume of air in the tyre is much greater than a typical roady tyre.

Plus ... mile for mile ... you get more "training" on a mountain bike sitting up in the wind than on a
road bike.

 

[Brommyboy]

Tyres stretch with use. Try squeezing into the well all round, then, opposite the valve, squeeze and pull tyre outward and over rim edge. It can work with the right combination of rim and tyre.

 

[Easytigers]

Just put a set of Schwalbe Luganos on my Shimano R500s and truly was a case of blood sweat and tears!!!

 

[Tribanite]

MTB's yes - but never on a 700 x 23c