On your Bike

[Skull]

Cheers Jim I have bulk ordered some tubes and some more patches and some metal tyre levers as my plastic ones just wont do the job, it's like trying to get 26" tyre onto 28" wheels ... ohh hold on

[CitroJim]

it's like trying to get 26" tyre onto 28" wheels ... ohh hold on

Ohhh, I know the feeling Have you ever tried to mount a 700C tubeless one? I invested in a special tool for the job and it kinda works. Not perfect but it saves a lot of finger strain...

I've seen so many plastic levers shattered and a couple of times I've come to the rescue of a stranded cyclist with a puncture and a set of shattered levers. I have some good plastic ones that have stood some stern tests on the aforementioned tubeless tyres on carbon rims where metal levers really should not be used.

[Skull]

No Jim tubeless and carbon fibre frames and wheels are way out of my operational allowance and I wouldn’t dare change a tyre for fear of damaging them ….I now have 1.5 working bikes, no ‘virgin’ inner tubes (10 on order) a Xantia and a sAXo that are still on the road and a half tidy utility room but it’s been a challenge ….

[momag46]

I’ve got a set of 3 alloy levers somewhere, if I remember right they hook onto a spoke. Only remember using them twice but they did the job. I assume they would work with modern wheels?

[Skull]

Momag46 - I'm pretty sure an old metal set would be better than the modern plastic ones - I think it's the tyre wall stiffness, of the various tyre brands that effect the ability of the tyre levers to be suitable and also wether they have steel wire beads

[CitroJim]

No Jim tubeless and carbon fibre frames and wheels are way out of my operational allowance and I wouldn’t dare change a tyre for fear of damaging them ….

It is a big risk with carbon rims Skull and although I have one bike with them I've gone right off them for three main reasons: they are hard to fit, needing a workshop to fit and an airline to seat the beads (beads are kevlar). The sealant is horribly messy and will only seal a small subset of puncture-types. And most critically, if you puncture out in the middle of nowhere and the sealant won't do the job then you're doomed. Even if you carry a spare tube, CO2 and tyre levers, the tyres are so hard to get off and back on again, the chances of successfully re-mounting the tyre and not pinching the tube is so high as to be almost certain. And it's a bloody awful messy job. Being covered in sticky latex is not nice...

I once thought they were the best thing since sliced bread but over the years and in light of painful experience I've revised my opinion.

I've gone back to tubes. I can do one in 10 minutes with only minimal lever use and no mess...

I’ve got a set of 3 alloy levers somewhere, if I remember right they hook onto a spoke. Only remember using them twice but they did the job. I assume they would work with modern wheels?

They should Maurice Ones that hook onto the spokes is a big advantage when the going gets a bit tricky

Last evening I was out on my regular TT photography gig. I was going to race this one as it's one of my favourite local courses but a lovely lady wielding a scalpel put paid to that

Very few TT bikes run tubeless. Some though still run tubs (tubulars), where the inner tube is sewn into the tyre and the whole lot is then glued onto the wheel rim. Light and fast

Here's one from last evening...

[Skull]

…..And most critically, if you the chances of successfully re-mounting the tyre and not pinching the tube is so high as to be almost certain.

Done that twice yesterday to my last decent tube - gutted on normal rims

[CitroJim]

…..And most critically, if you the chances of successfully re-mounting the tyre and not pinching the tube is so high as to be almost certain.

Done that twice yesterday to my last decent tube - gutted on normal rims

Oh gosh I feel your pain

[momag46]

I remember tubs from the early 60’s. If I remember correctly they were just glued on and trying to get them on with the minimal tread in line was a real pain. I never gave it a try, at the time it seamed to much effort for a little gain.

[CitroJim]

I remember tubs from the early 60’s. If I remember correctly they were just glued on and trying to get them on with the minimal tread in line was a real pain. I never gave it a try, at the time it seamed to much effort for a little gain.

Indeed Maurice, they were a lot of pain for not much gain for those of us who are far from elite in the sport!

[Rob112]

Just got a 2nd hand road bike I'm rather pleased.

Slowly building up my ride distance

[Rp0thejester]

Is that a Citroen Carrera...?

[CitroJim]

That looks lovely Rob Love the colour scheme

[CitroJim]

Is that a Citroen Carrera...?

Citroen never made bikes Ryan but Peugeot did

[Gibbo2286]

Momag46 - I'm pretty sure an old metal set would be better than the modern plastic ones - I think it's the tyre wall stiffness, of the various tyre brands that effect the ability of the tyre levers to be suitable and also wether they have steel wire beads

When we were kids mom always grumbled about the bent pudding spoons.