Trouble Fitting Tyres

[mick1836]

The other week I bought a pair of Schwalbe Marathon PLUS Smartcycle tyres from ebay. The seller in the item specifics states,
For Bike Type:
Universal, Cyclocross Bike, Electric Bike, Folding Bike, Hybrid Bike, Kids Bike, Mountain Bike, Road Racing Bike, Tandem Bike, Time Trial/Triathlon Bike, Touring Bike, Town Bike.

Now over the years I have fitted a few bike tyres without any problem but these tyres the tyres have a high visability refective white strip on the side walls, the problem that both myself and my two sons, one an ex cycle mechanic have is getting the tyre to run true on the wheel.
The tyres were delivered twisted into a figure of eight and my cycle mechanic son says its this that is causing the problem.

Eventually he got them relatively true saying that they may improve with riding.
Anyone else ever had a similar problem?

 

[User6179]

My MPlus came in a big box unfolded and only way to fit them was with using string to keep them seated as you went along so I would imagine having them delivered folded would add an extra hassle when fitting them .

 

[sittingbull]

I've returned tyres which arrived twisted and folded into a figure of eight. The side walls were stretched and distorted in several places. The seller gave a full refund plus postage probably fearing negative feedback would damage sales.

I bought from another seller who said they never folded (non-folding) tyres as they used to buy tyres themselves and they were often damaged. When inflated the distortion usually disappears but that area which doesn't return to it's original shape when deflated must be weaker.

I should think many tyres folded this way will behave as normal but given a choice I'd never buy any which had been folded.

 

[Peteaud]

Dont think you can fold them, i had some a few years ago from wiggle and they came in a big box, so unfolded.

 

[Cycleops]

I can imagine that folding a non folding tyre could cause problems.

 

[annedonnelly]

My first M+ were folded. Following advice on here to have them warm/room-temp when fitting I stuck them in the oven for a few minutes before fitting them. I fitted them indoors.

I had no particular problems fitting them - despite being fairly lightweight & feeble myself - and certainly haven't noticed any problems with them not running true.

 

[sittingbull]

It's common practice to fold tyres. I was told it's to save on postage. I always fold mine................just before throwing them in the bin.

 

[mick1836]

Don't know if this will help other who have bought and had problems fitting their Schwalbe Marathon PLUS Smartcycle tyres.
We are currently in Spain and I took both my new Schwalbe Marathon PLUS Smartcycle tyres and wheels to a local cycle shop owned by a Scottish chap called Gary, he immediatly sorted out my problem the cause being that I hadn't used new inner tubes when fitting the Schwalbe tyres.

Gary informed me regarding the 'folding' of these tyres that they sell these tyres which from boxes that I saw were much smaller than the figure of eight I received.

No longer does my ride feel as if I have egg shaped tyres fiited to my cycle.

 

[Justinslow]

So were your old inner tubes the wrong size then or what exactly was wrong with them?

 

[mick1836]

BOTH my old tyres and the new Schwalbe Marathon PLUS are 26" x 1.75" yet when I first fitted and inflated them they were definitely fatter, Garry said the old inner tubes would have somewhat taken on the shape of the old tyres, but whatever the cause he sorted them by fitting new innertubes. I suppose I should have asked him were the new tubes 'fatter' like the Schwalbes appear to be?

 

[User6179]

BOTH my old tyres and the new Schwalbe Marathon PLUS are 26" x 1.75" yet when I first fitted and inflated them they were definitely fatter, Garry said the old inner tubes would have somewhat taken on the shape of the old tyres, but whatever the cause he sorted them by fitting new innertubes. I suppose I should have asked him were the new tubes 'fatter' like the Schwalbes appear to be?

Garry sounds like a right Donkey

 

[John the Canuck]

good [?] sales pitch to sell you 2 new tubes methinks....................