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Mounting Vittoria Open Corsa Evo CX - Help!

TokyoTurtle

Speeding Up
Jun 6, 2013
119
18
Hi all,

As you can guess I'm having issues with mounting Vittoria Open Corsas on new wheels from the build I'm progressing. The wheels are Pacenti SL23 (23mm wide) rims. Mounting the 1st bead was a b*tch enough, and the 2nd bead just...will...not...comply (still working on the 1st tire). Using a plastic tire iron helps roll the tight part over the rim edge, but as I roll every bit on, another bit a few cm down the tire (i.e. the other end of the part still hanging off the rim) just comes off. The result is that at this point I cannot make any progress in getting the tire on. Suggestions?

Also, silly of me but I seem to have mounted the tire the wrong way. I mean the tread is supposed to go a certain direction and there's an arrow pointing the way the tire is supposed to roll. Well, I got the tire backward. Realizing this at first I tried to remove the tire all together - that's not going to happen. Perhaps I could finish intalling the tire, air it up and let it sit and stretch for a few days before trying to remove the tire and fix this? Else, is having the tread backward actually not a big deal?

Thanks much
 
My plastic tyre mounting tools came in a set of three, which neatly clip onto spokes. So I can fix two of them in place, having my hands free to leverage the final bit onto the rim. Maybe you want to get yourself better tool. Also, when I start mounting the tyre, I always start at the valve so I finish opposite the valve.

As for the tread direction - it doesn't matter. Bicycles are not fast enough for the tread to matter for aquaplaning (unlike cars and motorcycles).
 
http://forums.roadbikereview.com/wh...ist-armed-tire-jack-new-mich-pro4-302234.html
has some ideas, warming things up will help and you might want to try putting the tires on another rim to loosen them up a bit.
Make sure you have pulled the bead that is on the rim as close as possible to the rim and bead that you are trying to roll on, this will give you a bit less stretch to achieve.
Putting it on backwards means nothing on the front, reverse the QR lever, on the back, be a bastard and take your next flat to the LBS and ask them to put a new tube in for you. Oh and a box of donuts for the mechanics for doing the job. Good luck.
 
Apply a liberal coating of Rule 5. It may take some time.

Fact is, there are some combinations of rim and tyre that are virtually impossible to mount without power tools, and other combinations that slip on so easily you worry that they might spontaneously fall apart.
 
Three levers and an assistant will see you right.
 
I've found that if you get a tight tire three quarters onto the rim you can use a pair of wire ties or some string to hold the tire in place and prevent it from popping off as you ease over the last part of the tire. Unconventional, but it was the only way I could get a pair of Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires on my commuter bike. These tires are notoriously hard to get onto the rim, so much so there is a very popular video on youTube showing you how to accomplish the task.

 
That appears to be a tubeless compatible rim. To get the tyres on it is essential that the beads are sitting down in the "well" in the centre of the rim when you fit the tyre.
Pacenti-24mm-aero-road-tubeless-rims.jpg

I'd also recommend lubricating the beads with dish soap bubbles. This helps the bead slide over the rim and allows the tyre to centre itself radially, giving you a bit more slack.

Also - use a thin rim tape or even the Stan's tubeless yellow tape (you can still use tubes) to keep the diameter of the rim as small as you can.
Good luck.
 
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Alan pretty much nailed it. Our rims also have this 'tubeless ready' profile and it can be a bear to get the kevlar beaded tires over the lip. I use hairspray for the tire prep - mainly as it lubes slightly when you are installing, then afterwards it grips the tire so you don't get tube 'shudder'. If you intend on running latex tubes you need to do this - the CX's are pretty slippery on the bead and under hard braking will actually rotate a bit. I use Cafe Latex Rim Tape - but the Stan's is the same idea. Veloplugs will work, too. Oh, yeah, and if you have an old VAR Lever - like this: http://www.tubby.co.nz/images/17762_1.jpg It makes the job oh so much easier. Watch out for pinches!
 
A couple of years ago I battled with Marathon Plus tires and tubeless compatible rims. I lost the battle, and buggered-up my thumbs so much it was months before I could bend them properly again....
 
Pretty basic tip, that many don't seem to know:
Use two tire levers at the same time and in parallel. Takes a bit of practice, but works to mount tires you can't with a single lever. It is essential, that you don't pull one all the way before the other, but apply even force all the way.
 
Stretch the tire...... Stand on on the bottom of the tire, grab top of tire - pull, rotate tire 45 degrees and do again until you reached your starting point.

Mount tire.

Don't worry you won't damage it and any stretch will dissipate over night - we do the same to tubular tires before mounting.
 
Lot of great suggestions here, thanks all for your ideas.

Use two tire levers at the same time and in parallel.

You mean one at one end of the last part hanging off the tire and the other at the other end? I thought of this, but it requires both hands at the part I'm pushing over the lip.

and an assistant will see you right

Which brings me to this. This I think is the key - another set of hands that can simply hold the tire in place whilst I hammer away with the tire levers bit by bit. I'll try the wire tie thing suggested by Byron Kidd (IF I can find a suitable wire) but else someone here willing to give me a bit of time this weekend in exchange for a beer or 2?

Thanks
 
You mean one at one end of the last part hanging off the tire and the other at the other end? I thought of this, but it requires both hands at the part I'm pushing over the lip.

I do this sitting down, with the wheel held in between my legs and the problem portion centered on 12o clock. Position of the two tire levers like you wrote, both left and right of the center, but not at the far ends. E.g. If the bead goes across the breaking surface at 10am and 2pm, you would stick in the levers at 11am and 1pm approximately (ideally creating three sections of equal length). Key is to apply even force and simultaneously lift the levers up. Might take a couple of tries, but 9 out of 10 the tire will slide fully over the lip when enough force is applied. I dislike metal levers and have broken weak plastic levers with this process. The best plastic levers I have used are the grey Panasonic ones.
 
That appears to be a tubeless compatible rim. To get the tyres on it is essential that the beads are sitting down in the "well" in the centre of the rim when you fit the tyre.
Pacenti-24mm-aero-road-tubeless-rims.jpg

I'd also recommend lubricating the beads with dish soap bubbles. This helps the bead slide over the rim and allows the tyre to centre itself radially, giving you a bit more slack.

Also - use a thin rim tape or even the Stan's tubeless yellow tape (you can still use tubes) to keep the diameter of the rim as small as you can.
Good luck.
Dish soap? No no no! Stays liquid. Use regular bar soap!
Tip from ex world motocross champ!
 
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