Yes, I have a new super power. Acquiring it was surprisingly easy. There was no shower of cosmic rays, no radioactive spider bites and no freak lab accident. The power was bestowed upon me by a more prosaic means: a YouTube video. Thanks to this video I can now remove and reinstall a bicycle tire with my bare hands, without any tools! GASP!
I had been unaware of how weak my tire changing technique was. A short time ago I broke a tire lever trying to install a particularly stubborn tire. Armed with my new power I was a able to remove and reinstall the same tire, on the same rim with my bare hands. Although I had previously read a description of this technique here but it didn’t really click with me until I saw this video. It is so surprisingly simple that you should immediately run to your bike and try it for yourself. GO NOW!
Posted this awhile back too. I figured it might be of use to me once any of my current tires need to get changed. And I thought Kojaks were hard to fit! Pluses apparently are even worse. 🙂
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Actually, I think it was on your blog that I originally saw this video. Thanks for posting it! I have Marathon originals on one bike and Marathon Duremes on another. The Duremes were particularly hard to install and I hope this technique will make things easier for me next time.
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Useful video. I have known about it too but it is good to see it in action. How does he get them off?
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I did it the same way he puts the tire on. Push the bead towards the trough in the middle of the rim and work your way around the rim. I did it with both hands, working the tire on each side of the wheel and was able to create enough slack to pop the bad over the edge. I will note that it was NOT as easy as putting the tire on.
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Thanks.
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Excellent. Post this to the Two Spokes forum. :0)
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Thanks! I should visit there more often. I just feel that I’m almost maxed out on the number of websites that I can interact with on a regular basis.
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Amazing – now I can’t wait for my next puncture 😉
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Thanks for posting this! I’ve started teaching this method in my basic maintenance classes and it’s gone over very well (though I included an analogy about how it’s like putting on tights that has also gone very well).
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I wish I had known about this technique some time ago. The tights analogy makes me laugh. I may have to try wearing some for the sake of comparison.
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