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I am sick of rubbish tyre levers.
Can anyone recommend me levers that will not snap and bend when trying to get a tight tyre on or off the rim?
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=28714
expensive but you won't go back to bendy levers again. there were some free ones in MBUK this/last month.
These:
End of thread.
[Best and last you will ever buy]
metal ones. Only answer.
I have some spare titanium ones as I ordered 2 sets of these by accident....
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Never used £10 delivered.
Pedros Tyre Levers have never let me down. Cheap, wide, strong and well shaped.
Definitely not metal ones unless you want to f*ck your rims. Any steel core ones will do the job nicely.
Definitely not metal ones if you are mechanically incompetent or you will f*ck your rims
FTFY
😀
I have these and there spot on, they don't flex like other crappy plastic ones
http://www.alpinebikes.com/shop/park-tools/tyre-levers-3pk/?utm_source=googlebase&utm_medium=organic
Soma steel core. That said, getting tyres on/off is all about technique. For removal, use the lever to get the tyre over the rim opposite the valve, then go back to the valve and pinch the tyre so that the beads drop into the valley of the rim. When you go back to the lever, you'll find that the tension is gone (or greatly decreased) and the lever (or your fingers) can be used to lift the tyre out of the rim. Whenever tension gets too much, go to opposite side of the wheel and release the tension there.
Same applies for getting a tyre in. Start at the valve and work your way around until the bead pulls tight across the rim. Instead of running for the biggest lever you can find, just go back to the valve and release the tension.
Pedros. Brill and come in pink (as an option!)
pedros ones are ace, prefer them to park ones as they have snapped on me pedros still going strong
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Pedro's ATM, my Soma were good but the plastic cracked off the metal core eventually
CHB
I didn't see the Park ones, they look like they will spread the load nicely. I was on about them round things up there.
It is evident most people on here are extremely mechanically incompetent
I like the crank brothers tyre lever
[url= http://www.winstanleysbmx.com/product/10259/Crank_Brothers_Speed_Tyre_Lever ]http://www.winstanleysbmx.com/product/10259/Crank_Brothers_Speed_Tyre_Lever[/url]
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Much better than a regular lever at taking tyres off and it puts them back on, too, without straining your thumbs.
Specialized Pry Babies, had mine forever, faultless
Much better than the Park ones
Has to be Pedros haven't used the park (normal blue) ones since I got them and the park ones bend out of shape on the first use.
That said, getting tyres on/off is all about technique. For removal, use the lever to get the tyre over the rim opposite the valve
That's the sort of advice which explains why people have so many problems with tyre levers. You should remove the first bit (and install the last bit) of tyre at the valve, not opposite it. That way you don't have the issue of having to do something special to get the bead into the centre well, given there's nothing in the way stopping it.
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I've got a super tight rear rim, it's a real struggle to get the rubber in there sometimes but these work a treat.
Start with the little one and ease your way with the hefty one. Once it's going, just get your hands in there.
Snapped a hooked Park lever on first installment with the DT 5.1D.
I really like the Lezyne Powerlevers, they're all-plastic but tough, have a really nice hook and it's narrow too. I've snapped one on a DH nevegal- right sods to shift, those- but equally used them to get a tight DH tyre off a mate's bike when his massive steel ones wouldn't shift it. Quite similiar to the Topeaks I think.
aracer + 1, yesterday a customer handed me a wheel with a tyre "so tight that i've snapped my tyre levers" Using the correct technique, it came off using nothing but my fingers, and took about 30 secs.
That's the sort of advice which explains why people have so many problems with tyre levers. You should remove the first bit (and install the last bit) of tyre at the valve, not opposite it. That way you don't have the issue of having to do something special to get the bead into the centre well, given there's nothing in the way stopping it.
It's much easier to get the first part of bead over the rim if there's no valve in the way. Once the rest of the bead is removed the presence of the valve is unnoticeable. For fitting, the same applies: it's easier to get the last bit of bead over the rim if there's no valve in the way. The tension that build up in the bead can be released either side of the valve - working around towards the point where the bead is still exposed.
With most tyres, the method I describe means that levers aren't even needed; so quite how "explains why people have so many problems with tyre levers" I don't know.
The bead at the valve should be the last bit on / first bit off.
another set of solid levers:
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http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=11989 £8.99
had a set for years, very useful for uber-tight (DH) mud tyres.
Valve is last off, first on for me
I made do with these for many years......
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The bead at the valve should be the last bit on / first bit off.
What do you mean "should"?
It's much easier to get the first part of bead over the rim if there's no valve in the way.
If the valve is in the way when you're trying to get the bead over the rim, you're doing something really funny! The valve does however get in the way of the bead dropping into the well in the centre of the rim
With most tyres, the method I describe means that levers aren't even needed; so quite how "explains why people have so many problems with tyre levers" I don't know
Well most people seem to do it your way, and have problems with tyre levers - problems which are often solved by doing it my way. http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/bonty-rim-rant#post-2503546
I don't use levers you should be able to get the tyre off/on without them. Get a grip. 😉
coolhand luke - I will take those, if still available.
I've got a super tight rear rim, it's a real struggle to get the rubber in there sometimes but these work a treat.
and to finish
Start with the little one and ease your way with the hefty one. Once it's going, just get your hands in there.
Runs of s****ing 😉
+1 for Three Fish's technique.
I only ever use 2 levers max (usually 1) doing it this way.