How to Properly Seat a Stubborn Bicycle Tire

[@cshirle3]

I just watched a guy with way more subs ramble about this problem for eight minutes without teaching anything like his title promised. You delivered. Thank you!

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

Thanks for the positive feedback Chris.

[@Kloverkill]

It is so rewarding to hear the loud "pop" of a soapy tired finally seating into the clincher. Spent almost an hour trying to get winter tires to seat properly until someone told me about the soap and water trick.

[@Triplex5014]

You sir just saved me today! I mounted two new Continental tires (26x2.0) on my bike and the rear seated perfectly but the front one didn't want to seat properly on one short section and the ride was bumpy. I thought of soap but your video confirmed that it works. My cheap floor pump wasn't enough for the job and I went to my nearest gas station and gave it a blast of air to 5.5 bars (about 80psi) and it just snapped in place. Deflated it to normal pressure for my riding at 3.5 bars (50psi) and the ride is smooth as it should be.

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

It is a very frustrating problem which I struggled with for years. So glad to hear that my video is helpful to others with same issue.

[@CaptainScratchy]

Soap + temporarily over inflating worked wonders after hours trying to seat a (modern) Schwalbe tire. Thanks a lot for the trick!!!

[@Kloverkill]

Just did this a couple days ago with some unruly Schwalbe Ice Spiker Pros. Was so nice to hear them pop into place!

[@benNo1989]

With the introduction of tubeless rims/tires to the roadbike-market, this is again very relevant for modern bikes

[@ColtColin]

You just earned an instant sub. OMG!!! I was stressing out trying to get my tyres seated. Watched your video and bang. First time. Done. It's not 100% but for me it's more than good enough. Wow. I am genuinely shocked, impressed and so so thankful! Keep up the great work

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

You are very welcome my friend!

[@JMJC1]

Thanks, the neat soap and toothbrush worked after some major headaches, but a word of warning... do not put the locking nut on the valve until after the tyre is inflated. Otherwise it will cause the bead in that area to bulge out, causing the tyre to either not seat correctly on the opposite side or, in my case, explode the inner tube.

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

Hello JMJC and thanks for your post.

[@smsm3614]

very appreciated, saved me from a trip to the bike shop and kept me entertained for a while, thanks!!!

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

You are quite welcome SM and glad my Video was helpful!

[@nathanaellapointe4722]

You probably will not see this but thank you very much for your advice sir! The tire did not seat properly even after taking it to the shop. So thankfully I stumbled onto your video and used the combination of soap and over inflation and the tire popped straight in. Thanks for the knowledge!

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

You are welcome. Hope it is helpful.

[@edwardebel1847]

Thanks so much for this. I don't have a seating tool, but followed your advice with the liquid soap. I deflated the tire a few times and noticed that, when deflated, it was really easy to see if the bead was set or not. With the tire completely deflated, gently (!) push inward against the wall of the tire. If the bead is not seated, the wall will easily come away from the rim. If it is seated, it will stay on the rim. I wasn't sure of one of my tires, but when I deflated it, it stuck fast to the rim. The front tire was really a problem, but after about three times (and soap) re-inflating, it stuck fast to the rim. Cheers for that!

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

Hello Edward. Glad my video was helpful. I have struggled with this issue for a long time. This solution is not perfect but overall works quite well.

[@oliviasamuellinneman1956]

Thanks your comment is exactly what I needed to hear 🙂

[@edwardebel1847]

@@oliviasamuellinneman1956 Glad it helped... :-)

[@pippleyfisching9214]

Amazing, thank you so much. I have French made tires that are the devil for seating. I will be trying you technique. Didn't even know there where tire seating tools. Grabbing one of those as well!

[@jonobugs]

I've been dealing with this problem for some time now and couldn't figure it out. I finally looked at youTube and found a few videos that were not helpful, then I came across yours and it did the trick. I didn't need to go and buy a seating tool. Just used a bit of soap and pumped it up tight. I also let my tire bounce on the floor a few times to help loosen it up. Seemed to work!

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

Hello Jonathan. Thanks for your message and I am glad to hear my video is helpful. Be well.

[@chh9999]

Super!! your technique worked / i messed around for ages before i stumbled on your video - the toothbrush technique is fab - thanks a million :)

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

You are welcome Chh9999

[@beetole]

at least you*re able to get the tires on. my problem some tire/rim combination are impossible. some specialized turbo tires and michelin tires are truly impossible. the worst was trying to lift a turbo tire kevlar bead on an easton ea50 sl, and ripped 2 new inner tubes in the process.

[@chaimbar1171]

Try this method, maybe it will be helpful to your tires too kzbin.info/www/bejne/Y4m4d4mooZWIipY

[@beetole]

@@chaimbar1171 thanks appreciate the effort, but I have trouble even getting the first bead on. when I get to the second bead, the last bit sits almost 4 cm. below the edge of the rim! I preheat the tire and use plenty of baby powder to keep things slippery!

[@husnainanwar514]

Thanks you did a lot of help. It’s worked for the first time I tried

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

Hello Husnain. Glad to hear my videos are helpful to others and thanks for your message.

[@MultiVde]

Thank you, I got a second hand KTM which the front tyre didn't fit as good. The soap helped me place it correctly!

[@jdhannan]

lots of videos tell you to use soap (or soapy water) but this video actually explains how 👍

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

Thanks James for your comment.

[@didyoupaytaxyesono7012]

What name of the tools 🛠, and by ? Amazon?

[@p0rq]

Why do you call it a 'tar' seating tool in the chapter heading?

[@nick-kassebaum]

Great video! Great looking shop, too!

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

Hello Nick and thanks for your post.

[@billmacrae1924]

Use silicone grease. It does not cause rust. Try a short ride on the bike with soft tires, then inflate again. Make sure that the rim tape is not too wide or it will encroach on the bead seat. The tire seating tool is too expensive. Better take it to the bike shop. There is a tool to pull atubborn bead into the rim. That one is worth while.

[@garryhatchett775]

Where can I get a bead tool like that? I’m having difficulty seating my schwalbe mountain bike tires. Bike shop can’t do it either.

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

You can find it on Amazon. Here is a link. Park Tool PTS-1 Tire Seating Tool a.co/d/ckXpIYs

[@Racontact]

If you have the time letting your tires hang out in the sun for a little while before install helps also

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

Thanks for the tip

[@paulscrivner9303]

Thank you. I have much newer bike, 2015, and have the same issue. Thank you for the tips.

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

You are very welcome my friend!

[@wordreet]

That is very interesting! OMG! Some places have those seating grips at £127!!! Hmm, I have a pair of wide jaw vice grips that I should be able to convert to this use. I just need to find someone with a blow torch and a strong bench vice.

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

Hello wordreet. £127 for this simple tool is outrageous! Yikes.

[@wordreet]

@@ClassicCyclingCC Even £60/70/80 is a lot, unless it's for shop use.

[@tygabolu]

Thank you for your video- very helpful- this method worked like a charm for me:)

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

Hello tygabolu and you are very welcome.

[@chrispark5795]

Hi I have this problem on a carbon rim and tire combination. Soapy water and inflation didn’t work. Do you think that the seating pliers will work on carbon rims.?

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

Hi Chris. I would NOT use a tire seating tool on a carbon rim. You will most likely end up damaging the rim. Try massaging/rolling the tire in place at low pressure by hand in addition to soapy water and over inflation. It is a real pain in the rear end.

[@chrispark5795]

Hi will the seat tool work on a tire and carbon rim Combination? As soapy water hasn’t worked out.

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

Hi Chris. I would NOT USE a tire seating tool with a carbon rim. You will most likely end up damaging the rim. Try rolling/massaging the tire at low pressure by hand in addition to soap and over-inflating. It has worked for me in the past. It’s a real pain in the rear end. Cheers.

[@lucywalter7471]

Thank you!

[@bboyleftfoot]

Thanks

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

Quite welcome

[@chrisg4499]

Just tried the soap method, didn't work. Tried it again, didn't work. Deflated the tire fully and pushed the tire wall away from the rim all the way round, chucked more soap on it and inflated it to way beyond my normal pressure, and it worked! If it doesn't work straight away, don't give up and keep trying! Thanks for the video!

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

Hi Chris. Thanks for your message. Great point. Perseverance is the name of the game when dealing with a tire that won’t seat. Cheers.

[@austinpangcog8240]

what kind of tool did you use to pull the rim back? I have the same problem for my road bike tyre & its not setting on the bead but ill try this method

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

Hi Austin. I am not sure I quite understand your question but I will try. There is no way to pull back a “rim back”. You can only play with the tire. You need to “massage” the tire either by hand or by using a tire seating tool. Try doing it at different psi level. Sometime doing it by hand at really low psi (like 15 or 20) has worked for me. Other time I have managed to do it at high psi with the tire seating tool. Hope it is helpful.

[@austinpangcog8240]

@@ClassicCyclingCC ohh ok. How much was the rim seating tool?

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

About $50

[@WebNstyne]

How about on skyway mag wheels?

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

Should work the same way.

[@WebNstyne]

I must have done it wrong, didn't work

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

Sometimes you have to “massage” the tire with the tire seating tool. And remember if it is too tight on one side, it means it is too loose on the opposite side, so you can try also pushing in the side opposite to try to get it to seat properly. It is a real pain in the rear end to properly seat a tire. Keep at it.

[@20dpb]

Great video

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

Thanks Dave.

[@davefloyd9443]

and when you get a puncture out on a ride?

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

You just ride with an unbalanced tire until you get home.

[@hellborn7514]

Sometimes it automatically pops in place when riding

[@anthonyoliver2639]

Worked for me. Soap the rim & inflate till it pops & pings into place

[@ClassicCyclingCC]

Hello Anthony. I am glad it did. I am envious.

[@seasonedtoker]

Ppl instead of soap smear hand lotion on the tire bead and thank me later. Soapy water dries fast, detergent alone stays wet for longer, but eventually it all becomes sticky if you're not fast enough.