2019/03/31 - Tire Levers

Tire Levers

I’ve used these tools for a long time but I’m embarrassed to admit that I never knew what the hook end is used for. 

I thought it was used to break away the tire from the rim. I have to admit that I supected that I was using it wrong, because it would typically crack and break off. 

DOAH! I feel like such an idiot. 

Sometimes changing a tire and tube can go smoothly, but sometimes it’s a royal pain in the ass, especially during a ride. 

I got a flat last week 4 miles away from home. I tried filling it with compressed air, hoping it was just a slow leak, but it went flat again, right away. I chose to walk the bike home rather then go through the hassle of changing it outdoors. 

I’ve been changing tires for years, but like I said sometimes it doesn’t go smoothly, and I suspected that I was possibly doing something the hard way. So I went to YouTube and watched a short video. 

Then I saw what the hook was for. 

Jeff is probably laughing as he reads this, but just in case I’m not the only idiot out there:

Once you grab the tire away from the rim with the flat side of the tool, you use the hook to wrap around a spoke and free up your hand. 

I was always holding it down with one hand while working another tool, and sometimes running out of hands before getting the one side of the tire to totally break away from the rim. 

DOAH!