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Snowflake bead breaker

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 5:37 am
by ME 109
What sort of bead breaker would be ideal to carry on the bike for puncture repairs with snowflakes?
I've tried breaking the bead here at home once or twice...........without success.
Any ideas appreciated.

Re: Snowflake bead breaker

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 6:01 am
by sabre2
The handbook issued with my 1980 R100 RT,suggested using the mainstand ! Not sure I'd like to lean the bike over THAT far when on the stand. I doubt it's even possible.

Re: Snowflake bead breaker

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 6:03 am
by sabre2
sabre2 wrote:The handbook issued with my 1980 R100 RT,suggested using the mainstand ! Not sure I'd like to lean the bike over THAT far when on the stand. I doubt it's even possible.
Or did they mean with the stand retracted ? I wasn't made clear.

Re: Snowflake bead breaker

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 6:04 am
by Sunbeem
Jeff, last time I bought a rear tyre, I had bother getting the beads seated.
I tightened a cargo ratchet strap around the circumference of the tyre, (I heard it on Boxerworks!), and that made the beads a lot looser and easier to seat as the tube inflated.
Perhaps it would work in reverse, and allow a lever to be used?

Sunbeem.

Re: Snowflake bead breaker

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 6:26 am
by ME 109
sabre2 wrote:The handbook issued with my 1980 R100 RT,suggested using the mainstand ! Not sure I'd like to lean the bike over THAT far when on the stand. I doubt it's even possible.
I tried that in an ideal situation on a concrete floor. Gotta lean that bike over REAL far.
Ideally a two person job, but it didn't work for me.

I'm thinking either a screw type device or something that will grab a spoke as an anchor on the opposite side of the wheel.

Re: Snowflake bead breaker

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 6:31 am
by ME 109
Sunbeem wrote:Jeff, last time I bought a rear tyre, I had bother getting the beads seated.
I tightened a cargo ratchet strap around the circumference of the tyre, (I heard it on Boxerworks!), and that made the beads a lot looser and easier to seat as the tube inflated.
Perhaps it would work in reverse, and allow a lever to be used?

Sunbeem.
Dunno Kerry, it may work. Absolutely no luck using my bike tyre levers.
I had a flat front tyre about a year ago, my first ever on a road bike.
But the tyre shop man fixed that one!

I'm looking for something to get me out of trouble on my outback trip in a weeks time.
I could mount a 6" vice on the back of the seat?

Any real men out there ?

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 6:44 am
by Sunbeem
The tyre shop man failed on my back tyre, much to his dismay, so I told him about the strap trick afterwards.

We need a test, but how many of us fit our own tyres ?

Sunbeem.

Re: Snowflake bead breaker

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 7:30 am
by barryh
This is how I do it at home. Jack up the car and carefully lower it using it's weight to break the bead.

On the road I suppose you could flag down a passing car.

Re: Snowflake bead breaker

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 7:59 am
by ME 109
I've looked on the net at a few home made ideas, but not so good for out on the road.
Maybe a modified 'c' or 'g' clamp...

Funny this, one thread we're talking how easily a tubeless tyre may come off the rim, and now I'm wondering how to get the bloody tyre off to fix a tube puncture. :roll:

Re: Snowflake bead breaker

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 8:07 am
by Slashsevenpig
ME 109 wrote:
I've looked on the net at a few home made ideas, but not so good for out on the road.
Maybe a modified 'c' or 'g' clamp...
I'm still running with tubes, but I remembered seeing this a while back:

http://www.jcwhitney.com/motorcycle-tir ... 04056.jcwx

It seems a little pricey at $47.99 each, but looks like it should be easily portable.