Are cheap tyres harder to fit?

[AdelaidePeter]

I bought a new rear tyre yesterday. It's for the hybrid I use for commuting, so does not need to be high end. Size 700x35 if that matters. I remember last time I paid about $50. The guy at the bike shop showed me a $29 tyre (Freedom Scorcher) and an $89 tyre (perhaps Vittoria). I am sure there were tyres in between but because they were high up, I needed a sales assistant, and the shop was very busy. So (probably foolishly) I quickly made a decision for the cheap one instead of trying to get a mid-range one like I originally intemded.

Well... when I went home and changed my tyre, it was a nightmare. I have probably taken tyres off hundreds of times over the decades, and while it's never real easy, I am sure if has never been this hard. The tyre seemed really "tight", like it would not stretch at all. I finally got it on but it took a couple of tries over well over an hour. I punctured one tube (which I don't remember doing before, though I probably have) and snapped a tyre lever (which I've certainly never done before). At night my fingers were still sore, though that probably is also to do with age

So here's my question: is it normal for cheap tyres to be super tight and hard to fit? And would you expect them to stay that way as they age? Because if the answer to both questions is "yes", then next time I get a puncture on that wheel, I'll bin the cheap tyre and go buy a softer tyre.

[elantra]

I don’t think that there is any clear relationship between budget tyres being hard to get on or off.

Years ago there was a wonderful annual retro event at Noosa in Qld - called Noosa Strada Bianche.
This involved lots of people bombing up and down steep gravel roads in the Noosa hinterland.
And lots of punctures resulted.
After a few yrs, a rumour spread like wildfire.
The rumour was that the 20 dollar Cheng Shin tyre from Big W was impervious to punctures.
Which it might have been but they were extremely difficult to mount on the rim.
A significant problem if you DO get a puncture and you STRUGGLE to get the tyre on or off, beside the road in less than perfect conditions.
I was a bit wary recently when some of my riding buddies started to heap praise on another budget tyre- the Specialized Roadsport.
It looks a bit like the Big W tyre - maybe it comes out of the same factory
But no, for me it was very user-friendly to install.

What I do know is that most tubeless- ready tyres are hard to get on or off.
And they are not usually in the budget price range

[CmdrBiggles]

All of the tyres I have put on and taken off over the years in touring and MTB have been hard to get off and a bit harder to get on, in one case jamming my finger which pleased me (and others within earshot) not at all. These were not cheap tyres either — MAXXIS Race King knobbies among the most common. I haven't had a puncture on these for more than 10 years now. Early touring bikes had Michelin 27x1 1/4" — plenty of pics of club members fuming to get these on and off in the middle of Woop-Woop to fix a flat!

More than thirteen years ago, with my first "road" bike, I had Vredestein tyres (not tubeless); they punctured woefully easily, wore the centre contact tread away very quickly (<600-700km), submarined/trenched in dirt and sand drifts and were...ah, how to we put this...bloody little mongrels to get on and off!

Tyres on today's flash-and-panache road bikes, like the highly desirable Pirelli P-Zero (a foldup, around $140 each) require grunt and muscle, but will seat and spin like a proverbial glove. I would not trust any cheap tyre on my MTB, certainly much less chance of putting an el cheapo on the roadie. I have two metal tyre levers for the MTB and a spare tube, while the roadie has two reinforced plastic/fibreglass PARK TOOL CO. tyre levers and a spare "throw it in and get on with it!" tube. Accompanying this kit is a tiny bag of talc to rub along the tube prior to inserting it and reassembling.

I have never ascertained if rim design plays a role in the difficulty of fitting and/or removing tyres of any sort.

[Mr Purple]

I have never ascertained if rim design plays a role in the difficulty of fitting and/or removing tyres of any sort.

Absolutely, 100%. I have 'tubeless ready' rims and really struggled running tubes with them - the tolerances were too tight to make it easy.

And despite everyone complaining about how hard tubeless tyres are to fit - I find it much easier with this wheelset than fitting tubes. You will however have something not quite make sense and some types of tyre and just harder to fit to some rims than others.

I think in general a cheaper tyre will probably be hard to fit. But not because of price - because the priorities in construction are different. Exactly the thing that makes a more expensive tyre better to ride - as you mentioned it being 'supple', makes it easier to fit in most situations.

The exception I found is Vittoria Corsa cotton. They're so supple they're hard to fit - they do its best to not remain tyre shaped while you're installing them. Apparently 'Schwalbe Marathon' are the other extreme.

[Duck!]

There is no correlation at all between tyre price and ease or otherwise of fitting. It all comes down to tyre & rim manufacturers' tolerances to the nominal rim diameter. Some of the most difficult tyres I've ever had to fit have been high-spec models. Where cheap tyres often get difficult is seating them on the beads properly, rather than getting them on in the first place. Poor manufacturing processes can cause distortion in the tyre casing, so it ends up twisted or ever so slightly egg-shaped so there's a section that just doesn't want to pop into place

[g-boaf]

So here's my question: is it normal for cheap tyres to be super tight and hard to fit? And would you expect them to stay that way as they age? Because if the answer to both questions is "yes", then next time I get a puncture on that wheel, I'll bin the cheap tyre and go buy a softer tyre.

Some expensive tyres are very tight to fit as well, it's just the way some of them are and you have to know the tricks to get them on.

On Fulcrum Racing Zero Competizione wheels I would really struggle with certain types of tyres, those were tubeless ready wheels.

Of all the tyres I've used I find modern Pirelli tyres to be easy to put on (in total contrast to the comment earlier) and they work really well. I've completely switched over to the Italian brand now. They grip nicely, seem to last a long time as well.

Compared with Specialized Turbo tyres, the Pirelli are easy to put on. You just have to make sure they are seated right in the middle of the wheel rim on both sides and that's the trick.

[caneye]

OP - Over time, the tyres will stretch and will be easier to mount.

Otherwise, try using soap or leaving the tyre in the sun to warm up

[AdelaidePeter]

OP - Over time, the tyres will stretch and will be easier to mount.

Otherwise, try using soap or leaving the tyre in the sun to warm up

Yeah I might try leaving it out in the sun next time.

Otherwise... thanks everyone. It looks like I just got unlucky with that tyre.

[antigee]

....You just have to make sure they are seated right in the middle of the wheel rim on both sides and that's the trick.

Absolutely - had a puncture last week and I stuck strictly to this and despite the tyre being a tight fit had no problems (even though I had to do twice because I reinserted the punctured tube )

Similar setting up tubeless with inserts - absolute octopus wrestling match fail first attempt and a bit unhappy and left for another day...stuck with getting as much of the insert and the tyre rims into the middle of the rim well and went ok

[open roader]

I've struggled equally with plenty of high end and budget tyres.

Three tyre fittings back I weakened and used a little soapy water = magic = makes all tyres slip over the rim with vastly less effort.

I wish I'd used soapy water before I snapped all those perfectly good tyre levers.

I think tight tyre/rim combos are harder to fit irrespective of tyre price but a little lube cuts down a lot of resistance on all fittings.

[uart]

You just have to make sure they are seated right in the middle of the wheel rim on both sides and that's the trick.

Yes, getting both beads pulled tightly into the center channel is always the key, as it frees up enough space to pull that last bit of bead over the edge of the rim. (and finish at the valve).

There are however a couple of things that can thwart you:

- One is overly thick (or double) rim tape that I sometimes see people struggle with. Anything that reduces the depth of the channel in the center of the rim can make tyre fitting harder.

- Another is really stiff walled touring tyres. Sometimes they're so stiff that it's really difficult to get both beads squeezed into the center of the rim (or at least getting them to stay there as you work your way all around the tyre). Of course I'll mostly avoid tyres like that anyway, because they're generally rubbish rollers, but that could be the cheap tyre connection.

[caneye]

quick question .. there seems to be 2 contrasting school of thoughts about this ..

- do you mount the tyre starting from the valve and finish diagonally opposite?
- or .. the other way round, finishing at the valve?

[elantra]

quick question .. there seems to be 2 contrasting school of thoughts about this ..

- do you mount the tyre starting from the valve and finish diagonally opposite?
- or .. the other way round, finishing at the valve?

I generally start at or near the valve (tyres with tubes), assisting the process with finger pressure on the valve stem to push it into the hollow of the tyre.

But with some tyres (the most easily fitted ones) perhaps it doesn’t really matter where you start the process
But I’m not a pro bike mechanic !

[Mr Purple]

quick question .. there seems to be 2 contrasting school of thoughts about this ..

- do you mount the tyre starting from the valve and finish diagonally opposite?
- or .. the other way round, finishing at the valve?

I always start at the valve, but looking at it every single guide seems to say the opposite!

Apparently the theory with starting opposite the valve is that you can confirm that the bead is in the centre of the rim and not being held off it by the valve stem. Personally I think that theory has to be balanced against the one that if the last and tightest bit you are installing is at the valve, then you're far more likely to damage your valve (or tube if applicable) if fitting that bit last.

As above I find fitting tubeless easier because the main way to stuff up a tyre install is to pinch a tube. Tubeless installation on a tubeless ready rim (no rim tape) means you can be as essentially as brutal as you like getting the thing on.

[foo on patrol]

I've always started at the valves because once you push the valve up, the tyre then seats itself into position easier at that point, instead of trying to push the valve up and wrestle with a tight tyre at the same time.

Foo

[AdelaidePeter]

You just have to make sure they are seated right in the middle of the wheel rim on both sides and that's the trick.

Yes, getting both beads pulled tightly into the center channel is always the key, as it frees up enough space to pull that last bit of bead over the edge of the rim. (and finish at the valve).

...

- Another is really stiff walled touring tyres. Sometimes they're so stiff that it's really difficult to get both beads squeezed into the center of the rim (or at least getting them to stay there as you work your way all around the tyre). Of course I'll mostly avoid tyres like that anyway, because they're generally rubbish rollers, but that could be the cheap tyre connection.

Forgive my ignorance, but that doesn't sound physically possible! Even if I can squeeze the tyre a bit to get both beads into the middle of the rim, won't it try to expand and bounce out as soon as I let go? I can't hold it there, because both of my hands are busy trying to get the last bit of darned bead into the rim.

And what is the thinking behind finishing at the valve? Isn't that the hardest part, because you have to stretch the tyre considerably further?

[Duck!]

Start at the valve for tubed, finish at the valve for tubeless.

[WyvernRH]

I've always started at the valves because once you push the valve up, the tyre then seats itself into position easier at that point, instead of trying to push the valve up and wrestle with a tight tyre at the same time.
Foo

Yes, I've always started at the valve side for the reasons stated above. Never seen the point of doing it the other way around.

Re getting the last few inches over the rim with tight tyre/rim combinations, I just use a tyre jack tool to pop the last bit of bead over the rim. these are small and light enough to pop in your pocket if you only have a minimalist seat pack. I picked mine up in the Netherlands where they are (were?) widely used back in the late 1980's so they are not a new invention, even if you often get puzzled looks when suggesting their use in Oz.

Richard

[AdelaidePeter]

Re getting the last few inches over the rim with tight tyre/rim combinations, I just use a tyre jack tool to pop the last bit of bead over the rim. these are small and light enough to pop in your pocket if you only have a minimalist seat pack. I picked mine up in the Netherlands where they are (were?) widely used back in the late 1980's so they are not a new invention, even if you often get puzzled looks when suggesting their use in Oz.

Interesting. You mean something like this: https://www.cyclingdeal.com.au/buy/bike ... st/YC-3126 ?

[Mr Purple]

They are excellent - I had a koolstop one that unfortunately broke with a particularly stubborn tubeless install.

The other tool I've found useful is the Crank Brothers tyre levers, they're about $7 each.

https://www.crankbrothers.com/products/speedier-lever

Very useful for tight tubeless installs - mainly because you can wedge the 'install' end under the tyre and stop it popping off the other side while you're installing the last bit.

[caneye]

Start at the valve for tubed, finish at the valve for tubeless.

ok .. that's new to me

I've always started at valve. .. so I was very surprised some folks had contrary views. always keen to learn the benefit.

Interesting. You mean something like this: https://www.cyclingdeal.com.au/buy/bike ... st/YC-3126 ?

VAR also makes a similar tool. I have 2x of them. useful when mounting Schwalbe Marathon plus

https://www.sjscycles.co.uk/tools/var-t ... s/?geoc=AU

[uart]

Forgive my ignorance, but that doesn't sound physically possible! Even if I can squeeze the tyre a bit to get both beads into the middle of the rim, won't it try to expand and bounce out as soon as I let go? I can't hold it there, because both of my hands are busy trying to get the last bit of darned bead into the rim.

Yeah that's what stiff sidewall tyres are often like. With road bike tyres that are aimed more for low rolling resistance the casing is usually very subtle and pliable, which makes them much easier to squeeze into the center channel of the rim. You push both sides into the middle while at the same time pulling the tyre around towards the finish point (the valve in my case). It's the pulling on the tyre as you go that hopefully makes the tyre stay sucked in to that center channel, but it's definitely more difficult in a very stiff tyre. As you say, it keeps wanting to push itself back out towards the bead.

If you've never used fast lightweight tyres before then pick one up and take a look next time you're in a bike shop. You'll be amazed at how soft and pliable they are compared to the commuting tyres that you're probably using.

[blizzard]

Last time I had to fit a Gp5000TL I got the last couple inches on by stepping on the tyre and using the wheel itself as lever to pull the tyre on. It was by the easiest GP5000 install I've done, although I don't have any special tyre jacks.

Previously I have used the green tyre levers you get at 99Bikes (Birzman??) and combination of soap, making sure the beads in the centre and a bit of force.

[ldrcycles]

Specific to

$29 tyre (Freedom Scorcher)

I bought 4 Freedom branded tyres a couple of months ago for my kids' bikes (16 inch) and they all fitted very easily.

The rumour was that the 20 dollar Cheng Shin tyre from Big W was impervious to punctures.
Which it might have been but they were extremely difficult to mount on the rim.

I can't speak for the 700C versions, but Cheng Shin in 27 inch really are near enough to impossible to puncture. Fitting them is a pain in the neck (or more accurately the hands) but once they're on they will only ever need to come off again once, when the tread is all gone