Why have I broken every tire changing tool I had???

[marshalolson]

My guess is you have trek Matrix rims!

bwaaaa!

a buddy of mine worked for trek at that time, and his job, literally all summer, (as the college student working in warranty) was to smash returned rims. 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, all summer long.

[curtisbb]

I have never had to use a metal tire lever as you shouldn't as long as you pay attention to where the bead of the tire is. Yes pedros are good, but I prefer these.

[Bunion 2020]

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Been using these for 20+ years and never have broken one.

You can cut them down to make them shorter and they still work great. All you need is one!

[Steven S. Dallas]

I've had the same Soma metal-cored levers for, like, ever.

[iscariot]

I just use my hands. No levers. Works every time with no breakage.

[Crampedon]

bwaaaa!

a buddy of mine worked for trek at that time, and his job, literally all summer, (as the college student working in warranty) was to smash returned rims. 8 hours a day, 5 days a week, all summer long.

Then they melted them all down and made Rolf's out of them!

[RShea]

What about the milk levers- wider than most with one end thinner. Get their name from being made from recycled milk bottles. I have not used them much though, but see them.

[Roxtar]

I just use my hands. No levers. Works every time with no breakage.

Thank you.

As I'm reading this thread I kept thinking, "People still use levers?"

I haven't used a tire lever in years. No one I ride with does, either.
Whether it's big azz DH tires on my 729s or Maxxis Minotaurs on my old Bonty Racelites they all work the same. Just push both beads into the center of the rim (the deep part), flip it 180*, and peel the tire over the rim.
Never not worked.

[trainnvain]

Thank you.
As I'm reading this thread I kept thinking, "People still use levers?"
I haven't used a tire lever in years.
Whether it's big azz DH tires on my 729s or Maxxis Minotaurs on my old Bonty Racelites they all work the same. Just push both beads into the center of the rim (the deep part), flip it 180*, and peel the tire over the rim.
Never not worked.

On 729s, yes. On a set of MTXs, no.

[Roxtar]

On 729s, yes. On a set of MTXs, no.

Like I said, I've used this technique on more styles of rims than I can count, from the lightest XC rims (Bontis, Mavs, Stans) to the old mag-style(Spins) to beefy DH(729s, 321s).
UST, standard, wire or kevlar bead; some are easier than others but it's never not worked.

No, I haven't worked on MTXs but how much different can they be?
If they have a deep middle rim section, and I assume no one would design a rim without one, it should work.
The key is to get the bead into that groove, That should give enough slack to stretch the opposing bead over the lip.

At the very least, it will give enough slack to keep the flimsiest levers intact.

[muted]

I've maybe broken one or two levers in hundreds of changes until I met one fatal tire/rim combo. It was some common DH tire and an extra wide/burly DH rim. I broke 5 levers on this fucker. If anyone told me I could just peel it back, I might have gone postal on them. I had to change two tires in two days on that poorly designed rim. My hands were shredded.

Nobody could peel back the tire on that wheel, it wouldn't even come close.

[Particle]

Believe it or not my favorite levers are the free promo levers that came attached to my Oakley bike shorts.

I have metal levers from Intense as well but almost never use them.

[kidwoo]

I've maybe broken one or two levers in hundreds of changes until I met one fatal tire/rim combo. It was some common DH tire and an extra wide/burly DH rim. I broke 5 levers on this fucker. If anyone told me I could just peel it back, I might have gone postal on them. I had to change two tires in two days on that poorly designed rim. My hands were shredded.

Nobody could peel back the tire on that wheel, it wouldn't even come close.

Yeah there are definitely some tire/rim combos that there's no way in hell you could ever get off without levers.

Just because some exist, doesn't mean it's a viable system for every combo.

[Roxtar]

Well, guess I've been lucky.













Or you're just puzzies