How to remove a tire
- DEFLATE TIRE: Remove the wheel from bike and deflate tire completely.
- PUSH BEAD TO CENTER: Work your way completely around 1st side of the tire and push the bead towards the center of the rim. Most rims have a smaller diameter in the center of the rim.
- INSERT TIRE LEVER UNDER BEAD: Using one tire lever, insert the tip of the lever under the bead of the tire at a point approximately 180 degrees from the valve stem.
- PRY BEAD: Pry the bead of the tire over the edge of the rim by rotating the lever towards the center of the wheel.
- SLIDE LEVER: With lever still prying bead over the edge of the rim, attempt to slide the lever along the rim to pull bead of tire over edge of rim. If unable to slide lever, move to step 6. If step 5 is completed, move to step 7.
- TWO TIRE LEVER METHOD: If sliding lever is unsuccessful, try the following:
- Remove tire lever and run fingers around bead again to ensure bead is at low point in rim.
- Using 2 tire levers, insert first lever under bead opposite the valve stem. Leaving the first lever under the bead, insert the second lever under the bead about six inches away from the first lever.
- Using both levers at the same time, pry the bead over the edge of the rim as done with single lever. This technique spreads the force out over both levers and also pulls a large section of bead off the rim better allowing removal.
- Use step 5 above to remove remaining bead.
- REMOVE SECOND TIRE BEAD: Flip wheel to other side and attempt to remove 2nd bead using you hands only. The partially removed tire may allow easy removal of 2nd bead. If unable to remove 2nd bead using hands, repeat steps 2-6 as needed to remove 2nd bead.