A friend crashed his bike. It has pilot road two tires in great shape, but the rear had oil on the center and it's been there a couple of weeks. Do you think it had made the tire unrideable? I need a new rear and I could get this one just for the cost of swapping them out.
You should be fine if it was oil. It's used in the manufacturing process - hence why it's so slippery when it's brand new (how long has that tire been sitting on shelves in warehouses and the retailer before it was sold with those oils on it?) ... gasoline and brake fluid are another story. Spray a little mild dilution of Simple Green on it and wipe it off. Wash it down really good with soap (dish detergent like Dawn) and warm water, then treat it like a new tire ... I like to ride mine on some gravel for a few miles when I get them new to get the oils off the tire from the manufacturing process.
Thanks. I wish I knew someone nearme with the tools to change it. Save me some money! Anyone have the tools in SoCal?
Darn! That sucks. The removal part is easy even with spoons. All you need for a bead breaker is a block of wood and longer bit of 2x4 as a lever ... wedge it under the edge of a car and place the block along the bead ... press down on the 2x4 and bam! bead is broken. Go all the way around on both sides ... the it's a simple matter of using the spoons and work your way around the tire. A little soapy water helps slide it off easier.
I have done this by hand before and I can tell you it ain't easy task I rather go to Ootv and have it done and drink some IPA :wink:
Haha. It's not that bad, especially if you have an elevated surface to work on ... a ratchet strap can come in handy as well. If you have spoons and a couple of soft wedges, it's not so bad. Just did my front tire this way last summer.
The first time is kinda a pain, but once you have done it one time, it's not bad at all. There are just a couple tricks. And, by all means watch out for your fingers! http://vfrworld.com/forums/showthread.php/3950-How-to-change-and-balance-rear-tire
Doing a "manual" tyre change seperates the "men from the boys" no-one mentioned the plastic rim protectors used in conjunction with your tyre irons or tyre spoons depending on your sexual orientation - Oh, and you need a nice big soft faced hammer to "wack wack at the very end of the process" ound: I don't know what the hell I am saying btw. Cheers I am sure there are some sodomites that will twist this into something its not. :loco: ; )
I just use a few layers of duct tape or some old rubber hose if I have some laying about to protect the rims.
