Tyre levers?

**george formby** · 1st January 2012, 11:11

Can anybody recommend some? For use at home & to carry on the bike in my tool roll. Oh, and where I can get them.

**buggsubique** · 1st January 2012, 11:17

a good sized spoon will help minimise damage to the bead edge and might be good to keep in the shed. I just use narrow trail levers all the time to practice at home. It munts the bead a bit but you learn pretty quick. Can get em from most trailbike biased shops.

[droid]

**george formby** · 1st January 2012, 11:34

Originally Posted by buggsubique

a good sized spoon will help minimise damage to the bead edge and might be good to keep in the shed. I just use narrow trail levers all the time to practice at home. It munts the bead a bit but you learn pretty quick. Can get em from most trailbike biased shops.

[droid]

I'm going to be chopping & changing tires on my trailies, knobblies & dual purpose tires. Tried the spoons a couple of days ago in an attempt to fix a slow puncture, I have inadequate cutlery or Yury Geller was under the stairs... Thought they would be a good addition when I go a wandering too. I've had a surf on t'interweb but still trying to find any levers, anywhere. Weird.

**buggsubique** · 1st January 2012, 11:44

hmmm, weird you cant find any. Kiwirider mag normally has a section of accessory suppliers. I also recommend heavy duty tubes. Theyre a bit more forgiving with levers causing pinch flats. Also a folded piece of coke bottle can help preserve the rim edge from the levers, depending on whether youre a fanatic for minimising bike wear...

[droid]

**pete376403** · 1st January 2012, 11:52

Good long levers make life a lot easier, but don't fit in the tool roll. Get around that by cable tying them to the frame downtubes.

Chances are that the better tools have less risk of damaging the rim, tyre bead or tube, if you're not fighting so hard.

eg:
http://motomail.co.nz/estore/style/bztl4969.aspx

**Mungatoke Mad** · 1st January 2012, 12:26

http://www.torpedo7.co.nz/products/T...ever---15-inch

**Taz** · 1st January 2012, 12:29

Originally Posted by Mungatoke Mad

http://www.torpedo7.co.nz/products/T...ever---15-inch

+1 for the curved ones like on torpedo7. Have never pinched a tube using these and they make it so easy.

**Beem02** · 1st January 2012, 13:08

I just bought a couple of the Motion Pro Spoons from this web site http://www.dirtbike.co.nz/product_info.php?products_id=161

They were delivered quickly, and look good - Will be trying them out during the next couple of weeks as I need to change front and rear tyres before the DB1000.

**sinfull** · 1st January 2012, 13:11

I grabbed a couple that had ring spanners (axle & nut) on the other end so to cut down on large tools in the bag ! A hand held solid plastic bead breaker with a chisel end works a treat too, yet to try it using a rock as a hammer (seeing i don't carry my mallet with me)

**Mungatoke Mad** · 1st January 2012, 13:38

I just kneel or stand on the tyre to break the bead the rest is pretty straight forward

**george formby** · 1st January 2012, 13:45

Originally Posted by Mungatoke Mad

I just kneel or stand on the tyre to break the bead the rest is pretty straight forward

It's getting the bugger back on that rips my nightie. My knuckles are close to healed...

**Mungatoke Mad** · 1st January 2012, 14:13

Originally Posted by george formby

It's getting the bugger back on that rips my nightie. My knuckles are close to healed...

Leave the tyre out in the sun 2 heat it up a bit makes it easer 2 work or even a hair dryer works

**stormtrooper** · 1st January 2012, 15:22

Hey i found mine in a second hand shop where they were selling old tools etc.
The ones i have are very old school steel, impossable to bend or brake, i picked up 3 in total 2 being old Dunlop tire levers and the other is unknown but longer and more heavy duty. I think i payed two dollors each for them.
They were more than likley used for the old cars of that time.

STORMTROOPER

**Waihou Thumper** · 1st January 2012, 15:40

Originally Posted by Mungatoke Mad

or even a hair dryer works

Awe, geez, now there is something else I have to pack? The 12V socket is for my GPS. Imagine standing on the side of the road blow drying my rear tyre...

On another note, seeing Chris Birch do a front tyre change on the 990 the other week was interesting....The breaking of the bead took a lot of pounding on the tyre stand, a little dish washing magic liquid helped but it was still not very easy.....