How to take off bike tire from rim


Tire and Tube Removal and Installation

August 20, 2015 / Tire and Inner Tube Service

This article will discuss the removal and installation of tires and tubes.

1

Wheel Removal

What do I need to know how to do?

What Tools do I need?

  • Repair stand (optional, makes the work a lot easier)
  • Tire levers such as the TL-1.2, TL-4.2, TL-5, TL-6.2, or a multi-tool that incorporates a tire lever
  • Patch Kit such as the GP-2 or VP-1
  • Air pump: either a floor or hand pump. An air compressor with correct fittings (such as the INF-2) can also be used
  • Wrench for non-quick-release type wheels that use outer axle nuts

To remove a tire and tube, the wheel must be removed from the bike. See Wheel Removal and Installation for a review of this process.

2

Removing Tire and Tube from Rim

The common bicycle tire is called a “clincher” tire, and in made with bead on the inside edge of the tire. The bead fits snugly into the wheel rim. As the inner tube is inflated, the tire bead is pushed against the “bead seat” of the rim, the portion of the rim that is hooked to hold the bead. The sizing of the rim bead seat and the tire bead must match. There are currently many different bead diameter standards, and none are interchangeable.

Because tire beads can be a tight fit in the rim, it is commonly necessary to tire levers to pry tire bead up and over rim sidewall. Do not use a screwdriver, knife, or other sharp object, which might damage tire or tube. Fully threaded valve shafts may have a locking nut next to rim. Loosen and remove locking nut before deflating.

  1. Deflate tire completely. Even a small amount of air left in the tube can make it more difficult to get the tire off. For best results, press downward on wheel while depressing the valve.
To deflate a Presta valve, unthread the locknut at the tip of the valve stem and press

use a small tool such as a hex wrench to depress the plunger inside a Schrader valve

On a Dunlop valve, unthread the cap a few turns, then pull outward on the tip of the valve

  1. Push one bead of tire toward rim center. The tire bead will be pressed tight against rim. Pushing it inwards loosens the bead from the rim. Repeat on other bead.
  1. Engage one tire lever under bead of tire. Engage second lever 1-2″ (25-50mm) from first lever then pull both levers toward spokes to lift bead off rim. Disengage one lever. Move it two inches (5cm) along the rim and engage lever in the bead. Pull lever to lift next section of bead off rim.
  1. Repeat engaging the lever until the bead loosens. Then slide the lever along the rim under the bead.
  2. Starting opposite the valve, pull inner tube from tire. Lift valve from valve hole and remove tube from wheel.
  3. Remove second bead from rim, which removes tire completely from rim. To fully inspect the tube and tire, it is best to remove both completely.

3

Inner Tube Inspection

When servicing a flat tire, always inspect tire and tube carefully to locate the cause of failure. This will help prevent future flats from the same cause.

  1. If possible, inflate inner tube to twice its normal width.
Overinflation makes it easier to locate punctures
  1. Inspect for air leaks by holding tube close to the sensitive skin of lips or by holding tube near your ear to hear air escaping. Move the tube around its circumference. If these steps do not work, submerge tube in water and watch for bubbles at the hole.
  1. If you plan to repair the inner tube, use a marking pen to mark hole. Make four marks, one to each side of hole. Do not mark close to hole, as the mark may be sanded off.The type of cut or hole in the tube will help determine the cause of the flat.

Common causes of tire and tube failures:

  • A single puncture or small hole is commonly from a thorn, wire, or small nail. These may be repairable. Check tire as well for thorn, etc. and remove it.
  • Double slits are commonly the result of a rim pinch. The tube was pinched between the rim and an object in road/trail. Increase air pressure or use wider tires.

Small pinhole indicating a puncture

Symmetrical slits are indicative of a rim pinch

  • Blowout causing a large shredded hole. These are usually not repairable. Check tire and rim as well for damage.
  • A long cut or rip may also indicate a tire blow out. Typically this is not repairable. Use care when seating tire during installation.

Totally shredded, dude

A long slit-like blowout can indicate an improperly seated tire

  • Hole on inside edge of tube indicates a problem inside the rim, such as from rim strip failure, a protruding spoke or other sharp object inside the rim.
  • Cut at valve core, commonly from misalignment of tube in rim or riding with low pressure. Be sure tube is mounted straight in rim and check pressure before rides.
  • Leaky valve core. Tighten with a valve core tool such as the VC-1. More common with Schrader type valves, but also possible on some Presta valves.

4

Tire Inspection

It is important to always inspect the tire as well as the inner tube. The cause of the flat, such as a nail or piece of glass, may still be embedded in the tire or tread. Inspect both the outside of the rubber tread and the inside of the casing.

  1. Inspect outside of tread for protruding nails, pieces of glass, thorns, or other objects. Squeeze any cut to look inside for objects such as slivers of glass.
  2. Visually inspect inside of tire casing for nails, glass or debris. Wipe inside of casing with a rag, and then carefully feel inside with fingers.
  1. Inspect sidewall for rips, holes, or damaged rubber and casing.
  2. Inspect wire or fabric tire bead for damage.
Example of damaged casing - this tire should be replaced

5

Rim Inspection

The wheel rim is made with holes between the rim sidewalls for spoke nipples. A rim strip covers the holes or nipples. The rim strip can be made out of different materials such as cloth, rubber, or polyurethane plastic. The strip protects the inner tube from sharp edges in the base of the rim and from spoke ends and nipples that might puncture the tube.

Inspect inside the rim cavity, looking at the rim strip and for any sharp corners or protruding spokes.

The rim strip should be wide enough to cover the bottom of the rim, but not so wide it interferes with the seating of the tire bead. Inspect the rim strip whenever changing a tire or inner tube. Look for tears and rips, and make sure rim strip is centered over the nipple holes. In the image below, the rim strip is damaged, which may cause a flat tire.

6

Valve Types

Valve stem types (L-R): Schrader, Presta, Woods ("Dunlop")

There are three common types of valve stems on bicycles: Schrader (“American” type), Presta (“French” type) and Woods (also known as “Dunlop”). The Schrader-type valve is common on American cars and motorcycles. It is also found on many bicycles. The valve stem is approximately 8mm (5/16″) in diameter and has an internal spring plunger to assist in shutting the valve. To deflate the schrader valve tube, it is necessary to stick a small hex wrench or other object into the valve in order to press on the stem and release the air. Upon release of the stem, the stem spring shuts. Schrader-compatible pump fittings press on the internal stem with a plunger, allowing the tube to be filled.

The Schrader valve core can be removed if necessary. This is rarely required, but a valve can become stuck and cause a slow leak. A loose core can also be the source of a slow leak. A special tool such as the Park Tool VC-1 will remove and or tighten the core.

Schrader valve core removed for cleaning and inspection with VC-1

The Presta valve is common on mid and higher priced road and mountain bikes. Presta stems are nominally 6mm (1/4″) diameter, thinner than Schrader valves. At the top of the stem is a small locknut, which must be unthreaded before air can enter the tube. To deflate the inner tube, unthread the locknut. Depress the valve stem to deflate. To inflate the tube, unthread the locknut and tap the valve to insure it is not stuck.

Presta valve tubes are available with different length valves. Longer valve stems are needed for deeper aerodynamic rims.

The rim valve hole should match the valve of the tube. It is possible to use the smaller Presta valve in a rim intended for the larger Schrader by using an adapter sleeve.

Presta valve with Schrader adapter sleeve

7

Inner Tube Repair

Simply replacing the punctured inner tube with a new tube is always the safest and most reliable procedure. However, it is possible in some cases to repair a small hole in an inner tube. If the hole is quite large, it may not be possible to repair. When in doubt, replace the tube.

For full instructions, see Inner Tube Repair.

8

Tire and Tube Installation

  1. Note directional arrows of tire manufacturer, if any. Directional arrows printed on the sidewalls indicate rotation of wheel. Not all tires have direction orientation.
  2. Inflate tube enough for tube to just hold its shape.
  3. Install tube inside tire. Install with tube valve adjacent to air pressure recommendations written on tire sidewall.
Aligning pressure recommendations with valve stem will ensure they are easy to find when inflating tire
  1. Lower tire and valve into rim valve hole and align valve so it is pointing straight toward hub. A crooked valve can lead to a flat tire later.
  1. Install one bead at a time. Work tire bead onto rim with hands. If tire bead will not seat using hand, use tire lever as a last resort. Use caution when using tire levers to avoid pinching inner tube. Engage tire lever using same orientation as removing bead.
  1. Work tube over rim sidewall and into rim cavity.
  2. Install second bead onto rim. Use care if using a tire lever.
  3. Inspect both sides of tire for bead seating and for any sign of the inner tube sticking out. Reinstall if necessary.
  4. Inflate to low pressure and inspect bead again on both sides. Look for small molding line above bead. This line should run consistently above rim. Adjust if necessary.
This bead seat line is bulging upward from improper tire seating. Deflate immediately and reseat tire.This bead seat line dips down in one spot. Some extra inflation can help, but use care not to blow the tire off the rim.
  1. If the tire bead is stuck below the rim, and extra air pressure doesn’t correct it, use a lubricant such as soapy water. Do not use grease or oil.
  1. Inflate to full pressure and check with pressure gauge. It may be necessary to press downward above the valve in order to engage the pump head. For fully threaded valve shafts, reinstall the locking nut, if any. Do not use wrench or pliers to tighten nut — tighten finger tight.

9

Wheel Installation

At this point, the wheel is ready to be reinstalled on the bicycle. See Wheel Removal and Installation for help with this process.


In this article

1Wheel Removal


2Removing Tire and Tube from Rim
3Inner Tube Inspection
4Tire Inspection
5Rim Inspection
6Valve Types
7Inner Tube Repair
8Tire and Tube Installation
9Wheel Installation

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Can't Get Bicycle Tire On or Off Rim? Try These Tips

By Jim Langley

Here at RBR, we often get emails from roadies and even mountain bikers who are frustrated over “tight” or “impossible to get tire on or off the rim” or “stubborn” tires almost never let up.  I want to give you a gift that’ll keep on giving. My present to you is the seemingly little-known secret that makes it much easier to put on and take off bicycle tires.

We enjoy answering email. But wouldn’t it be better not to have to ask, and instead to have the know-how and skill to laugh at those annoying too-tight tires and simply pop them on/off with ease? Yes? I thought as much.

I’m sharing the most important tough-bicycle tire installation and removal tip. That way, you should be able to more easily fix and replace your tires, and also show your riding buddies how to do it.

How to put on standard and tubeless clincher tires

This tip works for all clincher road wheels and tires (mountain, too) whether they include tubes or not. Those without tubes are called tubeless or tubeless-ready or tubeless-compatible.

You might hear that having tubeless tires is the reason you can’t get your tires on/off. While it’s true that tubeless are stiffer than standard clinchers (they need to be to remain airtight), the installation and removal tip here works the same on them.

To help you visualize my explanation, I asked my cycling illustrator friend Karl Edwards http://karledwards.com/ for a sketch, which he kindly provided gratis (thanks, Karl!).

Outsmart that stubborn tire

Before I discuss the secret, I need to give you a little pep talk. Fixing flats and even replacing tires can be high-stress situations. Frustration, even anger, is understandable. But to master those tough tires, you’ve got to keep it together – or as my head mechanic at The Bicycle Center in Santa Cruz, California, Jeff Jolin, used to say, “You’ve got to be smarter than that tire.”

Jeff was spot-on with that advice. Tight, stubborn tires require thinking about what you’re doing and solving the issue that’s causing the tires to be stuck and refusing to go on or come off. It won’t do any good to get into a wrestling match with the tire.

The secret to putting bicycle tires on the rim easily

If you adopt Jeff’s philosophy and always put your thinking cap on when installing and removing tires, you may never struggle again. All you need to keep in mind is two key factors to ensure that tires behave.

1. The center and deepest portion of the rim (called the rim “well”) has to have nothing in it besides the rim strip or tubeless tape/tubeless valve. Otherwise, whatever is in there will get in the way, preventing the second key factor below.

2. You must get the beads (see Karl’s illustration) down and into the rim well all the way around the rim, or as much as possible, and keep them there to ensure easy on/off.

If you can manage these two things, the beads will sit down inside the rim, in the area that is the rim’s smallest diameter. With the beads down inside the rim, you create slack between the tire and rim; it’s that slack that makes taking tires on and off easier. Actually, most tires and wheels work this way, motorized vehicles included.

If you have trouble getting bike tires on or off the rim

If you still struggle during your next tire change, remember what I said about outsmarting the tire. Carefully inspect around the whole tire and rim on both sides.

For tube-type tires, the most likely thing to get in the way is the tube. Take your time and make sure it’s fully up inside the tire and not in-between the tire bead(s) and rim.

For tubeless tires, the most likely thing is that the tire beads are not down in the rim well all the way around the tire. Inspect carefully and make sure they’re not sitting high on the rim’s bead shelves. Sometimes you have to push them off and down into the rim well a few times to get them to stay down there.

Tip: Since tubeless wheels have a tubeless valve taking up space in the rim well, mount the tire around the rest of the wheel first and pop the beads on last at the stem.

Once you find and fix whatever is preventing the beads going down and sitting in the rim well, that tire will go on and/or come off. You can do it!

How to remove a tire from a bicycle rim?

Contents

  1. When should a tire be removed or replaced?
  2. How to remove a tire from a bicycle rim?
  3. Required tools
  4. Procedure
  5. Can a tire be replaced without tools?
  6. Bicycle Tire Maintenance Tips

You can remove the tire from your bike yourself. But in order to cope with this matter without problems, you need to know the sequence of actions for dismantling parts. It will also be useful to familiarize yourself with the list of necessary tools and understand in which cases the tire must be removed.

When should a tire be removed or replaced?

Under certain circumstances it is necessary to remove the tire from the bicycle rim. Sometimes this part needs to be replaced.

There are several reasons:

  1. Damage to the camera with a sharp object while driving. In this case, you need to remove the tire, then replace the camera. And reassemble the wheel.
  2. When abrading the tire surface. This happens when the life of the part is long or when driving is aggressive (especially on poor quality roads).
  3. The need for maintenance or repair of the wheel, requiring its disassembly.

How to remove a tire from a bicycle rim?

Removing a tire from a disc has its own algorithm of actions. It will require a few special tools. It is important to remember: it is undesirable to press too hard on the sidewall of the tire when removing. Also, the tool should be free of burrs and sharp edges.

Required tools

The dismantling steps must be followed strictly, accurately and carefully.

To do this, you will need the following tools:

  • Stripping. Reminds me of plates made of plastic. Equipped with hooks on the sides. Needed to hold the edges of the tire when it is just beginning to be dismantled. Helps to remove the part without much effort.
  • Similar items can be used: keys, coins. Some of them are dangerous.
  • Special wrench suitable for wheel removal (for models with bolted axle).
  • Pump. Required for wheel mounting.

Procedure

Once you have the necessary tools ready, you can start removing the tire from the rim.

Work steps:

  1. If equipped with a wheel brake, you will have to loosen it. Such an action is performed so that it does not interfere in the following steps. The cable must be carefully pulled out of the connector.
  2. Loosen the bolt (on some models, an eccentric).
  3. Take out the wheel.
  4. Bleed air. It is important to try to keep it as small as possible so as not to damage the camera.
  5. Pry off the edge using the rake. You can buy a special "shovel". She looks like a shoe.
  6. 15 cm from the previous position, repeat the action. It is necessary to move in a circle, gradually bending the tire from the disk with the blades. Continue until she is behind the rim.
  7. Repeat the removal, without changing direction, of the second side, which is easier to remove.

Can a tire be replaced without tools?

Anyone can pierce the camera while driving. And such an unpleasant situation, requiring the removal of a tire, usually takes you by surprise. Often a cyclist does not have the necessary tools with him. To replace a tire, you need to have at least a spare set.

Procedure:

  1. Vent the chamber. Be sure to drop it all. To do this, unscrew the nipple.
  2. Compress the tire on both sides so that the cord comes off the rim.
  3. Move the tire edges to the center of the groove. Continue the action towards the nipple, remembering to support the part to be removed near it.
  4. If done correctly, it remains to pry off the cord and remove it from the wheel in a circular motion.
  5. Carefully remove the chamber. If necessary, completely change the tire.

Bicycle Tire Maintenance Tips

Comfortable riding requires optimal tire inflation. In case of lack of air in the tires while riding, the cyclist has to exert more effort.

Tire life is reduced. If the amount of air exceeds the optimal threshold, grip becomes worse. And, as a result, a tough ride and an increase in the possibility of a camera puncture.

In order to avoid punctures, scuffs and other problems, experts advise you to follow the rules for using bicycle tires.

General recommendations:

  1. Choose your camera wisely. Stretching it too much can cause damage. The rule also applies to insufficient stretching, leading to the appearance of wrinkles.
  2. In case of carcass delamination, as well as the appearance of broken cords, patching is mandatory.
  3. Chamber needs nut to be tight before inflating.
  4. Choosing the right inflation pressure will increase tire life. Smooth asphalt pavement requires tight pumping, and off-road requires pressure reduction to a suitable indicator. It is impossible to reduce the atmosphere to the point of deformation of the coating.
  5. When traveling, it is advised to choose a road where the appearance of sharp objects is minimized.
  6. It will be useful to inspect the treads more often to detect and remove stuck stones and other small objects.
  7. Tires need to be lubricated with glycerin during winter storage. A thin layer is sufficient. Such care prevents aging. You can use a paste for rubber parts. It can be purchased at an auto shop.
  8. The rear tire wears faster than the front. Uniform wear will help to achieve a periodic change in places.
  9. If a sharp object penetrates the tire, it must be immediately removed and replaced with a whole one. And broken - repair. Cracks need more minor repairs. It is important to remember: for long-distance journeys, it is better not to use refurbished tires because of their unreliability.
  10. Removal and installation of the tire should be carried out carefully, slowly, to avoid damage.
  11. Fitting and using a front brake reduces tire wear.
  12. Maintaining optimal pressure is important during the operation of tires. You should pay attention not only to the quality of the road surface, but also the weather conditions. In cool weather, it is better to pump up the camera in time, and in the heat - let the air out a little.
  13. To check the pressure indicator, use a monometer, the data of which is compared with the numbers on the chamber.

Removing a tire without the help of specialists is easy. Many cyclists succeed right away. Accuracy, attention and the availability of suitable tools are all necessary conditions for a positive result. And so that the process of dismantling or replacing tires occurs less frequently, it is advisable to follow the rules for their operation.

How to change tires and tubes on a bicycle

Throughout the life of your bike, you will need to clean, lubricate and possibly repair various parts. If you ride often and like to diversify the route, then eventually one or both of your tires will wear out, and the chamber will be blown out more than once due to a puncture. Therefore, it is important to be able to repair the cut, as well as replace the tire and tube.

It won't take you long to learn. The main thing is to carefully and consistently follow the steps below. Trust me, changing tires or tubes is easy.

1. Turn bike upside down with wheels .

You can mount the bike in a dedicated repair stand, or hang it with the frame securely fixed. The wheels should turn freely without any resistance.


2. Remove
the wheel you are going to work on .

It can be secured with nuts on an axle that needs to be loosened (usually a cheaper version of the bike).

Depending on the brand of your bike, the wheel can also be secured with a quick release lever (eccentric) that needs to be released. Also, there are mounting options directly on the axle, when the axle parts (hex bolts) are directly tightened and thus fix the wheel in the feathers. As a rule, such axles are quite wide, hollow inside and are installed on more expensive models of bicycles (most often mountain bikes).

If you have V-brakes (rim brakes), open the mechanism by releasing the springs. You can also loosen the cable, but you need to remember to fix it after reinstalling the wheel. This is done so that you can remove the wheel, since (when the brakes are working) the pads will hold the tire.

If you have disc brakes, you can remove the wheel without any additional steps.


3. Remove the
tire from the wheel rim.

Locate the nipple and choose a location on the opposite side of the wheel. Using the bead (a tire removal tool that looks like a spoon, spatula), separate the tire from the wheel rim and fix the bead on the spoke. Repeat the procedure with the second bead at a distance of about 2.5 cm from the first. Continue doing this around the wheel until you can completely remove the tire.

Please note that if you need to seal or replace the inner tube, it is not necessary to completely remove the tire. It is enough to disassemble one side to get the camera. This will make the next process easier.

4. Check and clean the inside of the tire for debris.

Look for anything that could cause cuts or punctures. Specifically, spikes, glass shards, and metal shards. After all, often what cut the tire and / or pierced the chamber remains in the tire and can ruin it again.


5. Find
holes or cuts in the tire and tube .

To find punctures, you can inflate and submerge the tube in water, watching carefully for air bubbles. You can also do this without water, but only if the puncture is large enough. Otherwise, you simply will not hear where the air is leaking from.

If you notice a hole or wide cut on these parts, you will most likely need to purchase a new tire and inner tube. It will be possible to glue only with slight damage to the material. During a puncture, the tire does not need to be sealed at all, since it itself tends to shrink and not expand the hole.

6. For , glue the holes with repair kit .

Take a piece of sandpaper and sand around the puncture. It is also desirable to degrease it for better adhesion to the patch. Take a patch and, using glue, patch the puncture. Firmly press the patch and its edges, smooth with your fingers (the back of the screwdriver will work too).

7. Wait a few minutes for the adhesive to set .

Insert the inner tube into the wheel and inflate to the maximum possible pressure (value indicated on the tire). Thus, the tire will press the patch to the chamber, and the patch itself will finally stick to the stretched surface of the chamber, which is what we need. If this is not done, then the patch will dry to the tightened surface of the chamber and may peel off when inflated. When installing the camera, do not forget that it should “lie down” without kinks and twists.

8.


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