Clamp
the rim and insert the rod through the hub into the hole beneath, then
spray the bead generously with liquid soap or tire lube.Clamp
the rim and insert the rod through the hub into the hole beneath, then
spray the bead generously with liquid soap or tire lube.
Insert the flat end of the lever between the upper
bead
and the rim.
Lever
the tire bead off the rim and lay the bar flat across the wheel, slide
the bead off the rim by pivoting the lever on the rod.
Continue
around the rim until the top bead is off. Repeat with the bottom bead.
Some tires' lower bead will come off by hand after a little prying with the bar.
Remove the rod and the old tire.
Spray
both beads with liquid soap (diluted 1:4) or tire lube, then shove the
lower bead onto the rim. It will often go on with no tools, but a bit
of
prying may be necessary. Pay attention to the arrow on the tire. Line
the
painted dot on the tire sidewall up with the valve - this is the
lightest
spot on the tire, and the valve is presumably the heaviest spot on the
rim. But not always.
Start the top bead by hand, then apply a small clamp to keep it from slipping off the rim. Or you can use a tire iron with your third hand.
Hook the curved part of the knuckle end of the bar over the rim, pivot the bar on the center rod, and work the bead onto the rim.
When
the bead begins to be stubborn, stop and squeeze the tire, forcing both
the upper and lower beads into the well of the rim. This will give you
about a half inch more slack.
Continue
around the rim with the lever. When it gets stubborn at the last six
inches
or so, you can lift the end of the bar, forcing the bead down past the
rim edge with the flat tab you see sticking up in this picture.
Remove the wheel from the clamps before inflating the tire or it'll grab the clamps and you can't get the wheel off them.
Seat the bead of the new tire on the rim before installing the valve core - sometimes the core doesn't allow air into the tire fast enough to inflate an unseated tire.
Somewhere between 20 and 40 psi you'll hear two loud pops. That's the bead seating on the rim. This may not happen on tube-type rims, btw.
If you're using a tube, powder it (baby powder) before installation. Once the bead has seated, deflate the tire and reinflate at least two more times to let the tube wiggle around inside the tire until it's straight.
Most tires should be balanced before installation on the bike. I use an A frame balancing stand, but it can sometimes be done on the bike if the brakes are removed to allow easy rotation of the tire.
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