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Should I attempt Tire change myself?

OK ... Holly mackerel, that took me a few hours!

But, I'm so glad that it's done.

Thanks for all the advice, I would have given up without it. Good thing I also looked at so many youtube how-to's because it wasn't simple or easy.

I struggled to break the beads on the street tires, but used the kickstand trick and that worked. It was a struggle to get the tires on / off the rims, after failing a few attempts I placed the tires in the sun (nice and hot this afternoon), and also needed lots of lubricant. And, at the end I struggled to get the new knobby tire to pop into the bead when I was inflating it ... I deflated it, added more lubricant, and the beads popped into place the second time.

Here are the before and after shots ... guess now I need ride it???

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BeforeandAfter1_small.jpg
 
Leave the new tire in the sun for an hour or two to let it heat up. It will be easier to work with

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk
 
Did the rear on the RX3 this morning. Never even adjusted the chain on that bike, either. No idea what was involved because it is Chinese and everything is engineered different. Took longer to find the marks for aligning the chain than anything. I have a HF changer, but it is still in the box. Did practice for road side repairs.

Put together a kit for under the seat:

Remove the valve core and use the stem retriever TM described. No pinched fingers so no cussing.

Beads popped easy just stepping on them, but core already out of stem so no cussing.

3 tire tools about 11 inches. One is bent 90* on one end and a slot ground to hook a spoke. There's your third hand so no cussing.

Used a knee to keep bead opposite working tool over spokes to take pressure off tools. Beads popped right out of rim, so no cussing.

Used a paper towel soaked in thinned dish soap to lube the part of the first new bead that would hit the rim. No mess so no cussing.

Keeping the installed bead over the ends of the spokes made levering on the last of the lube easy so no cussing.

Used the stem guide and the tube dropped right in place. Started the nut just tight enough to fit the air hose, gently aired and deflated the tube several times so it would not be folded when done. Very easy, so no cussing.

Used a soaked paper towel to lube the inside of the second bead, a knee to keep the bead over the ends of the spokes to take pressure off the bead while working around the wheel, and levered it on. Since I only put lube where it was needed there was no mess, so no cussing.

Aired and allowed the tire to deflate a few times so tube could find its happy place in the tire. Installed the valve stem, aired the tire, then started wondering what I forgot. All that wonderment, so no cussing.

Remounted the wheel, which was a lot easier getting on than getting off since no wondering what goes where, so no cussing.

Figured out how to adjust the chain, lubed it, and again too much wondering what I forgot to do any cussing.

Raised eyes to heaven and thanked the creator for allowing me to finally figure out how to change a tire. It only took 53 years.

Stowed everything in a heavy duty zip-loc under the seat, along with some CO2 stuff and a bike pump. Really considering an electric, but the last two Slime pumps I had both died. Is there a better brand?
 
Ha, ha ... on average, between us two, there was some mess, some struggling, and some cussing. I was on one side of the curve, you on the other.

This morning my back was stiff and I was groaning like an old man - but I did take a short off-road ride this afternoon and it made me feel better.
 
Keeping the installed bead over the ends of the spokes made levering on the last of the lube easy so no cussing.

:tab I really think this is the key step that gives so many people problems. Either they forget to use any lube (or not enough), they forget to keep the bead down in the center of the rim on the side opposite that last bit you are trying to get over the rim, or they do both of these.

:tab If you have already been out riding and you get a flat, it is actually easier because the tire will already be warm and flexible from the heat generated by riding on it. A very small bottle of dish soap works well for lubing the tire/rim. In a pinch, you can use WD40 if you are carrying one of those small cans. Even water will help if you have nothing else.

:tab The other common issue is pinching the tube when getting the last bit of tire bead over the rim. Some people like to reinstall the valve stem core and add a little air before attempting to get that last bit of the bead over the rim. It helps to keep the tube from getting caught between the rim and the tire tool. It is VERY annoying to get all the way done only to realize that you pinched the tube and have to start over again. Hopefully, you either have patches or another tube... :cool2:

Really considering an electric, but the last two Slime pumps I had both died. Is there a better brand?

:tab This is NOT cheap, but it IS popular. I've used one that belonged to a friend. It appears to be very well made and durable.

https://bestrestproducts.com/shop/tire-repair-accy/cyclepump-expedition-tire-inflator-combo-w-gauge/

:tab I've yet to buy one because my little Slime pump is still going strong despite years of bouncing around in my luggage. What I like about the one above is the air chucks. They slip over the valve stems and are spring loaded so they clip to the threads and you don't have to hold them in place. Also, the gauge has a valve stem upstream of the gauge. This lets you put the gauge on the tire and inflate with the gauge in place so you can monitor pressure as you go. Then it has the pressure release button so you can fine tune the pressure after going slightly over.
 
Changing dirt tires, do that myself with some swearing. For street tires I like a neat job. Friend has a nice setup with a nomar changer bolted to the floor and a Mark Parnes balancer. He does them for donations, plus I help and learn watching. It is an art form. Plus a good excuse to share beers after :mrgreen:
 
So I got in some unplanned practice this weekend...

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Just picked up a tiny little nail that was barely long enough to penetrate a knob and poke the tube. I rode a few hundred yards from the point where it first started feeling wiggly to reach a good changing spot. Look at that tube... There was no patching that!!

I also found out that my Slime air pump is apparently dead :doh: It worked the last time I needed it, but that was a long time ago and it would seem that all the bouncing around in my bags finally caught up with it. I was fortunate that where I stopped was a local biker bar/hangout and the owner offered to let me use his compressor. They also gave me an ice cold Gatorade when I was done! :thumb: I did have some help as well. TWT member Ouroboros happened to be there and came over to lend a hand. I carry TWO spare rear tubes and a front when riding my KTM. So I was able to just stick a new one in and go. Looks like I might now have the excuse I need to get that Cycle Pump I linked to above... :ponder:
 
Well, TM, yet another rider stranded by a failed Slime pump. They are junk. The pump to which you linked is too expensive. I'll stick with CO2 and a bicycle backup since I already have a few dozen CO2 bottles. But, you ride a lot more than I do these days, you are no stranger to away places, and you have business and family responsibilities, so it is quite easy to justify the investment for you. I ordered some books through your Amazon link so and encourage everyone else to assist in this new pump endeavor.
 
I am surprised, I have 3 different slime pumps on 3 different bikes, they are all more than 6 years old and have never let me down, I really like them. I used one of them a few weeks ago when on a north Texas TWT ride with Chris and it worked perfectly as always. They have been bounced along on the TAT, CDR and thousands of off-road trails and still function every time, maybe I got lucky? Or maybe you are doing something that is harming the pump?

Gary
 
My Slime pump is probably around 10 years old. It has spent a LOT of time get bounced around. This is the first time it did not work. I did have a bunch of CO2 canisters for backup though. So had the bar owner not offered the compressor, I would have been okay.

I carry the pump in its box. It is usually in a small zippered bag that has other stuff in it, all packed in pretty tight so they don't move around. That then goes into either the top case on my GS or the side bags on my KTM. In either case, there is more stuff in the back that helps cushion the small bag and also keep it from flopping all over the place.

I have not spent any time trying to figure out why it did not work. It might not even have been the pump. The pig tail I used to hook it to the bike has a fuse in it. I didn't even look to see if that fuse is there at all or burnt if it is. The pump may actually be fine. Since the compressor was offered, I just didn't worry about it at the moment and have not had the time to get out in the garage to play around with it to see if it is really broken or something else is going on.
 
at times i envy you people with enduros or single sided swing arms in how easy it is for you to pull the rear tire.

Hard bags and crashbars on the KZ1000p make it a difficult job.

but then again, if the KZ (I really need to think up a name) falls over, eh..
 
at times i envy you people with enduros or single sided swing arms in how easy it is for you to pull the rear tire.

Hard bags and crashbars on the KZ1000p make it a difficult job.

but then again, if the KZ (I really need to think up a name) falls over, eh..

Do your tires have tubes? If not, no need to pull the tire. Just plug it and go. You'll need the ability to air it up (carry electric pump in one of your bags or CO2).
 
Do your tires have tubes? If not, no need to pull the tire. Just plug it and go. You'll need the ability to air it up (carry electric pump in one of your bags or CO2).

I mean when its time to get new tires... like now. I just dont really feel like muscling that "female dog" around for the rear tire.
 
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