Mounting Kevlar Bead Folding Tyres
Many people have never learned how to mount a tyre properly. We found this great set of comprehensive instructions for mounting folding tyres on madegood.org
Acknowledgements and thanks to madegood.org
Step 1
Inflate The Tube
pump a small amount of air into the tube so it holds a circular shape and is roughly the same size as the folding bike tyre
Step 2
Place The Label on the folding bike tyre
It’s good practice to mark any coloured label or script at the valve. This may make it easier to trace a small elusive puncture hole. If the folding tyre doesn’t have a label use the pressure information or some other identifiable marking.
Step 3
Fit The Tube
Feed the tube into the folding tyre with the valve adjacent to the label.
Step 4
Mount One Bead
Push the valve into the valve whole and fit one bead onto the rim. Start by pushing the valve into the hole in the rim then get a section into the well of the rim – the bottom of the rim nearest the centre of the wheel – to generate enough slack to get the rest over the rim wall. The folding tyre is half on.
Step 5
Get In Position
Put the wheel on the floor with the valve at the bottom and the open side of the folding tyre away from your legs. Place your hands together on top of the tyre with your thumbs on the side away from your legs. Point your thumbs away from each other.
Step 6
Fit The Third Quarter
Push the first section of bead over the rim. Lock one hand in position and work the other away rolling the folding tyre bead over the rim wall. Once your hand is halfway down lock it and work the other in the opposite direction until it’s also halfway to the floor.
Step 7
Deflate
Once you’ve reached the point where the folding tyre will stay in position on the rim deflate the tube. Hold the valve open(link) while you force the wheel against the ground to force as much air as possible out. The air holds everything together so it also makes the next step more difficult.
Step 8
Control The Bead
Go back to the start position with thumbs pointing away from each other. Squeeze the beads together and force them down into the well of the rim. Slide your hands apart keeping the tyre in tension so the length of tyre above your hands follows the shortest path available. You don’t need to stretch the tyre just hold it in exactly the right position.
Step 9
Roll the bead on
Pro Tips
If the last section is difficult, get the bead to the point where it sticks in place by friction and go back to the top and start again working the slack down to the decisive area. A very tight combination of tyre and rim may take a few repetitions to get on.
Its never a good idea to use levers to mount a folding tyre as the lever can trap the tube and puncture it. Finishing at the valve means that if you really get stuck you can use the valve to hold the tube away from the bead and very carefully flick the last section over with a lever, if your technique is good this emergency measure will never be necessary.
Step 10
Check The Valve Seat Is Inside The Folding Tyre
Press the valve up into the tyre to check the valve seat is inside the beads. If not the beads will lift off the rim when you press the valve. If the valve seat is trapped wiggle the valve to force the valve-seat though the tyre beads. If you don’t do this the air going in to the tube will force the tyre off the rim, instead of locking the tyre on to the rim.
Step 11
Check The Tube Isn’t Trapped
Inflate the tube to about 25psi or 1.5BAR work round both sides of the tyre, in turn, forcing the bead away from the rim to check the tube isn’t visible. If you can see the tube it’s trapped under the bead.
Pro Tip
If the tube is trapped wiggle the tyre to work the tube out from under the bead and into the tyre.
Step 12
Partially inflate the tyre and check the tyre is mounted evenly around the whole circumference before fully inflating the tyre. There is usually a line moulded into the wall of the tyre where the rim edge should be.
Step 13
Inflate the tyre to the pressure indicated on the side wall.