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failed tire mount

3K views 16 replies 6 participants last post by  Conax 
#1 ·
I screwed up a tire install and mangled the bead on the tire via brute force. Tire bead has some rubber missing.
I got the tire to seat on the rim with some black rtv silicone gasket maker to fill in missing rubber, but it's leaking air badly.
Is the tire junk now?
 
#4 · (Edited)
I don't get the compulsion to mount your own tires. I drop it off at the shop, pay the man $30, it's all good, balanced, aired up and I go riding soon after.
I changed my own back in the previous century, but it always took a fair amount of grunting and sweating. I tore up the bead on the last one I ever did, too.
Got a little impatient with it, pried too hard and bada bing, broke the bead. In the tube tire days I pinched the tubes more than once.
That was before I had the $30.
 
#10 · (Edited)
OP here. DannoXYZ is right, that's exactly where I messed up. It was
my second time doing a tire change and the first time I got lucky.
Once I figured out this trick, I can do a tire change in about 30 min,
with minimal effort. (I've taken it on and off a few times to fiddle
with it).

As DannoXYZ says, to get the last stretch of tire mounted (the only
difficult part), you shove the antipode (opposite pole) bead into the
center of the rim. Kneeling on it does the trick for the part you are
kneeling on. To keep the underside in the center of the rim, some
people suggest wedging a piece of wood on the between rim and tire.

This tire was manufactured in 2011 and although "properly" stored by
me, I suspect was a little brittle. Still, it's all my fault for
using too much force. New tires are on the way.

As for Conax: you should read "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance".

Maybe it'll help you "get it". Many people take their bicycle to the
shop to have a tire change, even though it's a trivial task a 10 year
old can do with a kitchen spoon. Wrenching is not for everyone I
suppose.
 
#17 ·
I read that book a looong time ago.
I'm 64 and not spry like I used to be.
I can get tires put on "While U wait" for a reasonable fee, so that's what I do, especially since it is a once in a couple years chore.
As you are I once was, as I am you will someday be.
Ar ar ar.:smile2:
 
#13 · (Edited)
Ordered new tires front and rear from jpcycles.com (formerly
motorcyclesuperstore). I was shocked when the tires arrived 2 days
later, which was unusually fast. Took me 3 hours to mount them
properly (well almost properly ... I used soapy water).

Switching tires on rims was easily the easiest part of the process
(this time), now that I know the nuances. The difficult part was
getting the wheels on an off the bike. Which wasn't too bad really.
I probably could have cut that down to 1.5 hours if I had an assistant.
A bike lift would be nice too. All in due time I suppose.
 
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