Tyre Fitting

[oldbikeman]

Being a bit strapped for cash I have to fit my own tyres which is no problem if one of my kids hadn't took my compressor and most of my tools when he moved out .(It was worth it)Any how I used his press bench and a shovel to break the beads and a nitrogen cylinder to blow the new tyres on .Well impressed with cheap shaving foam for tyre lube,it dries to nothing.

[Jazzscot]

Cool tip about the shaving foam I must remember that. I built my own bead breaker in the summer based on the Abba bead breaker. It works really well and only cost me a fiver in box section from the local metal man.

[oldbikeman]

I am a big fan of 'Much Cheapness'. Local bike shop wanted £62.89 to fully do the job after buying the tyres off them.Even if I was rolling in it I just couldn't do it.While I was in the shop one bloke had them pick his bike up from 42 miles away for a service.Imagine the tools he could have bought for that lot.

[AMCQ46]

I dont do the tyres on the storm [dont know why!, pehaps because I want them balanced], but I do on the other 3 bikes [2 off road and an old Kh125], and I use 2 lengths of 4x2, a ratchet strap and the blade off a broken shovel as my bead breaker.
I like the tip on shaving foam, might use that........key is to make sure what ever you use drys off to a non slippy and non corrosive residue, so dont use washing up liquid

[oldbikeman]

Washing up liquid contains salt but not soaps that are applied to skin.Look for balance marks on some tyres at the heaviest point.Some tyres have none.Put this opposite the heaviest point on the wheel after removing any weights (Often where the valve is). If your wheel bearings are OK then you can balance them well enough with a length of rod and some stands.A rod thinner than the axle exaggerates the imbalance .
To find the heaviest part of a tyre without the marks use some kitchen scales and place some thing like books to the same height as the scales so you can balance the tyre across the books and scales and rotate until you find the heaviest reading and mark it.

[sirch345]

I dont do the tyres on the storm [dont know why!,

I don't fit the tyres on the Storm either, my reason is that tubeless tyres are so much harder to fit than tubed tyres. The tubed tyres (side walls) have a lot more give in them which makes them easier to fit.

I remember fitting a tubeless tyres to the rear wheel of my old GSThou many years ago when you could no longer get tubed tyres in that size (I still had to use a inner tube due to the alloy wheel design). The difference between the two when it came to fitting has stuck in my mind ever since Good on you Oldbikeman for doing your own

Chris.

[gissmo50]

I fit my own and I agree the key to it is keeping everything lubricated my lube of choice is tyre soap makes the job a thousand times easier

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[oldbikeman]

Tyre fitting is more about technique than brute strength,I only need the levers to remove the first half of the tyre the rest is done by bare hands and I'm no muscle man.Practice first on mountain bike tyres to the point of where they just slide on and off without levers and you get the feel of what is happening .Once you have cracked it all tyres from a push bike to a lorry tyre is possible.I won't say all are easy but what you have learned will get you through.Remember if you are straining then you are doing something wrong and take a break and rethink.Changing nice new motorcycle tyres can be quite enjoyable.

[lloydie]

sod that my local bike shop will change a tyre for £10 and balance it .
ride in ride out