Tight-fitting tyres

Hello all,

Recently bought a pair of Vittoria Zaffiro 700c x 23mm tyres (non-fold)
for my training bike, but have found they're a pig to fit! Have got one
on the front wheel minus inner tube (as I don't want to damage the new
tubes I bought at the same time), the intention being to lever it
on/off a few times in the hope that it will start to give a little and
fit in the normal way. The other tyre is even trickier, and almost
ruined a lever in the process. I've had an unexpected crop of bike
repairs - with associated hefty outlay - to contend with of late, and
am none too flush at the best of times, so am *very* reluctant to part
with any further cash. Thus any solutions not involving shelling out
for Var-style levers would be most welcome. Or should I just stick with
the simple if time-consuming "on/off" method I'm already using [1]?

Thanks in advance,
David Belcher

[1] Had to do same for Michelin Carbon slicks on the race bike last
spring, and got the result I wanted in the end - said tyres now give no
bother at all!

David E. Belcher wrote:

Recently bought a pair of Vittoria Zaffiro 700c x 23mm tyres (non-fold)
for my training bike, but have found they're a pig to fit! Have got one
on the front wheel minus inner tube (as I don't want to damage the new
tubes I bought at the same time), the intention being to lever it
on/off a few times in the hope that it will start to give a little and
fit in the normal way. The other tyre is even trickier, and almost
ruined a lever in the process.

I bought one of these at a control on LEL last year when my Conti UGS
was clearly giving up the ghost. I arrived at the Ettrick control with
yet another flat tyre and was preparing to put the Vittoria on when one
of the controllers offered to do it for me while I got something to
eat. Twenty minutes later three controllers, all experienced cyclists,
had tried and failed to get the tyre onto the rim (Mavic MA3). I ended
up abandoning the brand new tyre.

--
Dave...

David E. Belcher wrote:

tubes I bought at the same time), the intention being to lever it
on/off a few times in the hope that it will start to give a little and
fit in the normal way. The other tyre is even trickier, and almost

a) Keep doing this
b) Buy other tyres next time

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune

Arthur Clune wrote:

David E. Belcher wrote:

tubes I bought at the same time), the intention being to lever it
on/off a few times in the hope that it will start to give a little and
fit in the normal way. The other tyre is even trickier, and almost

a) Keep doing this
b) Buy other tyres next time


Definitely in favour of option (b) ;:-)
If I turn up at Darley Mill on Sunday lunchtime and the Gipiemme
T-Quattros with Michelin Carbons off the Cougar are fitted to my winter
bike, you'll know why!

David Belcher

David E. Belcher wrote:
Hello all,

Recently bought a pair of Vittoria Zaffiro 700c x 23mm tyres (non-fold)
for my training bike, but have found they're a pig to fit! Have got one
on the front wheel minus inner tube (as I don't want to damage the new
tubes I bought at the same time), the intention being to lever it
on/off a few times in the hope that it will start to give a little and
fit in the normal way. The other tyre is even trickier, and almost
ruined a lever in the process. I've had an unexpected crop of bike
repairs - with associated hefty outlay - to contend with of late, and
am none too flush at the best of times, so am *very* reluctant to part
with any further cash. Thus any solutions not involving shelling out
for Var-style levers would be most welcome. Or should I just stick with
the simple if time-consuming "on/off" method I'm already using [1]?

Thanks in advance,
David Belcher

[1] Had to do same for Michelin Carbon slicks on the race bike last
spring, and got the result I wanted in the end - said tyres now give no
bother at all!


David,

tyr using a bit of washing-up liquid on the bead to help ease it over.
The VAR tyre tools are very good for tight fitting tyres. They may bend
into odd shapes when using it, but I have never broken one yet.

--
"You can't see paradise if you don't pedal" (Fowler, Chicken Run)

Pete Whelan wrote:


David,

tyr using a bit of washing-up liquid on the bead to help ease it over.
The VAR tyre tools are very good for tight fitting tyres. They may bend
into odd shapes when using it, but I have never broken one yet.


Cheers for the detergent tip, Pete - I'll remember that one for future
use. I can now actually get the tyres on the rims without tubes in, but
still daren't risk an inner tube. Don't even know if a Var lever would
help, as judging from the way they work, a pinch-puncture still seems
highly possible. May resort to the bike shop and see what they can do
for me.

David Belcher

David E. Belcher wrote:
Hello all,

Recently bought a pair of Vittoria Zaffiro 700c x 23mm tyres (non-fold)
for my training bike, but have found they're a pig to fit! Have got one
on the front wheel minus inner tube (as I don't want to damage the new
tubes I bought at the same time), the intention being to lever it
on/off a few times in the hope that it will start to give a little and
fit in the normal way.

Hi David,

Sometimes a thick or very inflexible rim tape can prevent the bead of
the tire dropping down right into the bottom well of the rim (depends
on the profile of the rim). This leaves insuficient "slack" at the
other side of the bead, making it harder to heave the rest of the tyre
over the sidewall

Doesn't matter too much with a loose tyre, but when it's a tighter
bead, it can be enough to make the difference.

You could try fitting the tyre with the rim tape removed and no tube.
If it goes on more easily, a change of rim tape might be in order...

Regards,

Barry

David E. Belcher wrote:
Pete Whelan wrote:


David,

tyr using a bit of washing-up liquid on the bead to help ease it over.
The VAR tyre tools are very good for tight fitting tyres. They may bend
into odd shapes when using it, but I have never broken one yet.



Cheers for the detergent tip, Pete - I'll remember that one for future
use. I can now actually get the tyres on the rims without tubes in, but
still daren't risk an inner tube. Don't even know if a Var lever would
help, as judging from the way they work, a pinch-puncture still seems
highly possible. May resort to the bike shop and see what they can do
for me.

David Belcher


VAR levers are very difficult to get a pinch puncture

Another tip, it that when the tube is in at most of the tyre, let the
tyre come off slightly and work the rest of the tube in carefully, then
come back to the last bit (which now has the tube nicely located .... if
you see what I mean.



--
"You can't see paradise if you don't pedal" (Fowler, Chicken Run)