Advice on 20" (406mm) tyres

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JJF
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Advice on 20" (406mm) tyres

Post by JJF »

I'm looking for info about 20" tyres. At present I use Schwalbe Marathon Plus 20x1.35.
However I find them virtually impossible to put on and take off the rim. I'm accustomed to being able to take a tyre off with 2 tyre levers and put it back again with bare hands, and if necessary, a small amount of washing up liquid.
I have found these Marathons extremely difficult to manage. I have bought a device like a large pair of scissors which enable me, with great difficulty, to replace a tyre.
Can any users of 20" wheels please tell me of tyres which are easy to put on and off.
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NUKe
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Re: Advice on 20" (406mm) tyres

Post by NUKe »

ones I have tried in 20 inch
SWalbe Shreddas easy to put on and off my summer Choice.
Continental top touring hard
SWalbe Marathon plus hard but do-able especially if you use good tyre lever and if necessary you can use straps
Swalbe marathon green Guard easy than the PLus but still moderately stiff (my winter choice)

not tried but a good compromise would be
Swalbe marathon race
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Brucey
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Re: Advice on 20" (406mm) tyres

Post by Brucey »

it depends somewhat on the rims you have, too.

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Vorpal
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Re: Advice on 20" (406mm) tyres

Post by Vorpal »

Schwalbe Big Apples or Continental Tour.
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Richard Fairhurst
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Re: Advice on 20" (406mm) tyres

Post by Richard Fairhurst »

I think the point about Marathon Plus tyres is that they're sufficiently bullet-proof you should never need to take them off once they're fitted!

Normal Marathon 20ins are certainly easier. I have Marathon Supremes (sadly discontinued in 20in) on my Bike Friday, which are easy and fast but a fair bit less puncture-proof.
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Tigerbiten
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Re: Advice on 20" (406mm) tyres

Post by Tigerbiten »

The only 20" tyres I've found very hard to get on where the M+'s.
All the other 20" tyres I've tried have been fairly easy to fit.

What type of tyres are you looking for ?? Puncture proof, Fast, Comfort, etc.
Whats the max size will be fit the frame ?? This may stop you using something like a 50-406 Big Apple.

Luck ........... :D
ambodach
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Re: Advice on 20" (406mm) tyres

Post by ambodach »

I put Schwalbe Greenguard on my Brompton. Took about 45 minutes with much swearing and sweating. Tried all the usual cable tie or toe strap tricks but that did not work.Eventually eased them on by sliding a steel lever carefully along the rim. I hope to put Marathons on the back wheel of my trike soon but have not plucked up the courage yet.
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Mick F
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Re: Advice on 20" (406mm) tyres

Post by Mick F »

I've had Continental GP and Continental SC on and off my 406 rims easily.
Also Schwalbe Durano. No problems at all.

Three different rims over the years and never an issue.
Mick F. Cornwall
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gazza_d
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Re: Advice on 20" (406mm) tyres

Post by gazza_d »

There is a knack to putting the tyres on.
Press the beads together and make sure they're in the deepest part of the rim
Use some straps or cable ties if necessary to keep them there.
The tyres should go on with little difficulty then.
I have M+ on 20" and can now get them on with just fingers using that technique.
There is a video here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-XUFVrl0UT4 which explains better
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Gattonero
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Re: Advice on 20" (406mm) tyres

Post by Gattonero »

gazza_d wrote:There is a knack to putting the tyres on.
Press the beads together and make sure they're in the deepest part of the rim...


^ this

Which tells you that shallow rims are usually more difficult to fit the tyres onto
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since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.
Thus you remember them as they actually are...
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Mick F
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Re: Advice on 20" (406mm) tyres

Post by Mick F »

........... and the height of the rim above the bead seat too.
Higher ones are more difficult to get the tyre bead over of course.
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Re: Advice on 20" (406mm) tyres

Post by Gearoidmuar »

There's an additional trick for getting tight tyres off. When you've done the usual pushing all the bead in centrally to loosen the bit your dealing with, and you got your two metal levers in AND you've levered them down....

Push them both under the rim rather than stopping parallel to the spokes. This will give you extra "off tyre" and the rest will be easy.
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Re: Advice on 20" (406mm) tyres

Post by Brucey »

Mick F wrote:I've had Continental GP and Continental SC on and off my 406 rims easily.
Also Schwalbe Durano. No problems at all.

Three different rims over the years and never an issue.


did you not have tight tyres on your Moulton at one stage? Contis on the OEM rims? IIRC there was an experiment with rim plugs instead of rim tape to try and make the tyres easier to fit, which may have been no improvement?

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Mick F
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Re: Advice on 20" (406mm) tyres

Post by Mick F »

Well remembered Brucey! :D
Yes, they were difficult, but only when new.

The bike came with Moulton MT20 rims and Schwalbe Durano 406/28 tyres. I swapped them for Conti GPs but the rear one wore out PDQ, so went to Conti SCs.

At this present moment, the Moulton has one of the original Duranos on the front and a brand new Conti SC on the rear. The rims are Sun CR18 with the Moulton MT20s sitting in wait ............ but I have no intention of them being used.

The rim plugs were a complete waste of time. Mainly perhaps that the rim was too narrow. They didn't help at all.

Recently ...... as people will remember maybe ......... I tried one of the original Moulton MT20 rims on the front. The tyre I used was an original Durano, and even though I used the original rim tape, I had no issues in getting the tyre on or off.

The rim plugs are languishing in a tin. Dunno what to do with them.
Mick F. Cornwall
mr_mark_sid
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Re: Advice on 20" (406mm) tyres

Post by mr_mark_sid »

I love Continental Double Fighters (1.75) - really light but a great tread.

They are narrow enough at the contact point to not give too much friction as you move the handlebar but the ridge on the edge of them gives really nice grippy contact as you lean into a turn. I have ridden thousands of miles on 20" schwable marathons (1.75) and big apples (2.15) but I much prefer Continental Double Fighters.
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