Not sure if this is a fair test to be honest, that loop of perished, hardened rubber ceased to be "a tyre" a long time ago. I mean, you wouldn't declare a socket wrench useless because it failed to budge a rusted bolt, you would except that the task had simply exceeded the tool's design scope and reach for a breaker bar or impact gun. This type of tool (and the better Tyre Glider) work really well in normal removal situations and make it much harder to damage the inner tube in the process, but where they really shine is putting new tight tyres on.
agree. i wait for pedro to action and see if it will work properly. Or maybe he can give example of another tire lever with same price as tyre monkeys to see how range of tire lever you can get with that price, that would nice to see.
The ease of removal and installation of tires comes down to technique and experience. I typically use basic plastic levers for removal and just use my hands and palms to mount. I have changed hundreds, if not over a thousand tires(I work as a bike mechanic) and have yet to be defeated. The tightest rims I have encountered are the vintage Campagnolo ones from the 80's.
it took me almost an hour to get the Maxxis Ardent tire off my WTB STi23 rim. Especially with these tubeless ready rims and tires the bead gets almost glued into the rim. I don't even ride tubeless I use innertubes and it was still an absolute nightmare getting that tire off. The hardest part was trying to get the bead unlocked even 1mm, once I finally was able to do that it actually came off very easily but I wasn't able to use a tire lever because it wasn't skinny enough to get in between the tire and the rim. Then after I switched the tire out a few months later I got a flat and had to do it again, but this time the only thing that worked was using a flathead screwdriver and a rubber mallet. It was able to get in between the rim and tire bead but I pounded to hard and actually tore through a few wires of the bead (it is a clincher tire) and I punched a hole in the inner wall of the rim. Thankfully the hole in the rim is only about 2mm wide and shouldn't mess up the integrity of the rim.
I bought the same design from Ridenow. It is the best lever I've ever tried. But first, you have to brake the bond between the bead and the rim, like with every lever. And you have to have the wheel on the ground and push the lever not pull it. Also, it is very easy to mount the last part of the tire.
@@Bull3tBikes WD-40 can be used as a lubricant. It contains lubricating ingredients that can help reduce friction and wear on moving parts. Works fine for putting on and taking off tires.
Soapy water makes good lube for this situation. Really tight tires you need the multiple tire irons places around the bead. For installing tight tires use Amor All before you try and rub it all over with your hands then mount.
I have one of these and thought it was good. It has a nice trick when putting the tyre back on that almost eliminates the chance of you trapping the tube with the lever and putting a hole in it which ive managed to do before with a park tool lever.
To be fair I can see this being useful for some people to put tyres on and if still cycling when I’m 80 then I’d probably get one just for that reason. However will stick to good fitting tyres, cheap levers and my thumbs for the time being.
I was given one of these as a gift about a year ago and was a bit dubious of it at the time. However having now used it numerous times I have to say it works perfectly and gets tyres on and off in seconds, even Continental Gatorskins which I have always had a struggle with when using normal tyre levers.
So glad you weren't outside in the dark/cold/wet. Var lever and/or Pedro's for me and always try a new tyre/rim combo at home first before using on the road. Finding yourself with a difficult removal is no joke. Ask me how I know!!
When I daw their commercial, i commented that when they installed a fresh Continental or Maxxis tire I would consider the levers. Even in the ad they put on a tire that had already been installed and used. Thanks for the review!
It is somewhat reassuring to see that I'm not the only rare one having to struggle to take down tight sitting tires. I've found a pair of tire removers each some 6 inches (or more) long, with good grips and with which I have to struggle much less.
Try spraying soapy water on the area you are going use the tool. I do that with Pedro’s on tight tires. I borrowed that trick from an installation video for tubeless tires.
The crank brothers tire tool is the best. It is made to fit your hand and is comfortable to use. Have used mine for many years and it has held up well.
I have been using a "Quick Stick" for years now. It glides around the rim easily, taking the tire off in seconds. It has never pinched a tube. Try one ,you will love it!!!
That tool, is best for getting the bead back rather than getting it out, I combine mine with a metal lever in opening a tight tire, it doesn’t really work by it self but paired with a metal core tool it works wonderfully, I don’t hurt myself when getting the bead back over the rim anymore. And it’s maybe best with tubeless system.
I'm glad that you tried the Tire Monkey. I was curious but unwilling to buy it. My Pedros tire levers get the tires off just fine. I have one side of a front tire that the rim death grips the tire even when totally deflated. It's difficult to get the tire off even with my Pedros. Clearly the Tire Monkey will just monkey around and not do the job!
I don't think this was necessarily a fair test though, I have the Pedro's, and my rear tire is not nearly as tight fitting as this one, and it took me several hours to get it off the rim using the Pedro's, and that was lubricated with soapy water. so I don't think they would have been much better here, plus it doesn't look like he lubricated this bead at all before attempting to remove it. also there's this thing about technique, and this guy is not trying to finesse this at all, just applying pure force... he's bending the lever all the way over which is actually applying additional friction that prevents the tire from sliding over the rim... you have to finesse the lever to find the exact optimal angle where the bead is not too tight to go over the rim, but he's not doing that at all. a better test would have been to compare it to a shop model tire lever, because that should be the best tool for the job, so if you have trouble with that one, then you know you're going to have trouble with any other one, and that sets the bar for difficulty.
That tire's so dead/dried out/cracking/beyond any hope at all of ever being used again, I would've thought about just cutting it off! Dremel or whatever. P.S., I've had tire/rim combos so tight I've had to use 3 Pedro's as well. They're the ones that are so tight that once you've got 'em on, you're not sure if you'll ever be able to get 'em off, later. Anyway, yeah, the trick about sliding that side of the tire all the way around the rim to the middle/center of the rim width does make a significant difference also, without a doubt! And the water/dish soap trick isn't a bad idea either, I might have to try that some time..., 👍
I have wanted to try these for a while because with my technique of getting a tire off it's exactly the same as the position of this lever. I'd try standing the wheel up on the floor(if it's really tight I sit on the wheel) and push down at a ~90 degree angle to the floor. It makes it so the force is entirely going into the bead, rather than you having to counteract the force against the bead with your hand. Worth a shot with this model of tire lever at least.
I own this tool and it works well for certain tight tire bead removals and installations. I am not certain the dry rotted sidewall on the tire you attempted to remove is a reasonable test case for this tool.
I have used this tool in the past but to be upfront I now use the Tyre Glider tool its much easier to use. Anyhow a few tips I learned with the Tyre Monkey. -Loosen as much of the tire bead as you can, I know on some tire-wheel combinations that is easier said than done, but it helps if you can, also I found if you get one small spot of tire away from the rim then move 180 degrees to another spot help then try it again, sometimes a bit of water from a water bottle helps. Use gloves, standing the wheel up, inserting the tool and then pushing away from you helps too. The sad part by the time you read this comment I can have a tire off my rim with the Tyre Glider The tool is not entirely useless the cut out for valve stems works and the post under the handle to deflate tires works too. I still have tire levers of a sort in my tool bag my chain pliers tool the end can be used as tire levers but I find the all metal hard on my palms If I don't wear gloves. LOL I have seen the videos too, the one on Amazon gives me a laugh its looks like the tire has already been taken off before hand. just my opinion it seems to work on big low pressure tires like those on MTB's and E bikes.
To borrow a line from Street Cents, an old Canadian TV show that investigated dubious products or offers: It's fit for the pit! (Tosses lever into fiery cauldron)
It looks like the lever would work better than the standard design - sitting flush against the rim wall allowing you to slide along the bead with a reduced risk of the lever slipping out and skinning your knuckles on the spokes.
Would love to see the video of you removing it with regular tire levers, just to show that it was accomplished and how hard it was without a fancy tool.
This is similar to to the tyre glider which I use and find it very good on tight tyres. The key is to put the tyre glider at about 2-3pm and have the wheel vertical. Then use your body wieght on it and it should slide easier?
Thank you so very much! I love the tyre leavers SCHWLABE offers. The german Brand SKS is also very good in my opinion! Just buy loads - you loose them anyway :)
I don't think it was ment for tires that were new when Fred Flintstone was a baby that has now fused to the rim. Try it on something a little newer please.
I use Chinese copy of this tool, Ridenow tyre lever from Aliexpress and that thing takes on and off 32mm Grand Prix 5000 and Ultrasport3 without any problems even when temperatures are low. It is especially useful when using TPU tubes because with little effort you can get under tyre bead without scratching TPU tube. With classic tyre levers, even plastic ones, there is always a danger you will make micro scratches on the tube which will cause the tube to slowly leak and lose air in a day or 2.
I've been told once, that sliding can damage the tires (the underside of the walls), so I'm always using multiple (at least three) tools, and when it got loose enough, then I slide it
You are supposed to put the channel on the lever on the edge of the rim. I have one but it doesn’t work that well. So spray some soapy water on the tire and the rim and watch it work 😮
Some of those skinny tires can be a real bear, I got some Soma steel core tire levers from my LBS and they did not hold up well at all they just bent, got some El Cheapo "Pro bike tool" brand levers off amazon , they are nice and large for better grip/leverage or for people like myself with large hands and theyve worked great for me, they are surprisingly strong too being all plastic construction.
Maybe I'm missing something, but wouldn't a smaller traditional tire lever be easier to slide the bead off...less surface area to overcome? The wide lever would be more grippy on the tire due to extra surface area. I think the company got it backwards.
that dry rotted bead is going to have more friction than normal. plus you don't want the lever/bead at such an extreme angle to the rim, because you're actually tightening the bead against the rim with the lever which makes the bead even harder to slide over the rim. as others point out you want the opposite side of the bead down in the well of the rim to give the side you are working on more room to get around the rim edge. however when there's tiny chunks missing out of the bead, those tiny notches are going to get caught on the edge until you get past the point where the bead meets the rim at a sharp angle. wetting it with water can help the bead slide over the rim when it's only a little tight. but you probably need a more effective lubricant when the tire is that tight and in that bad of a condition, and that would probably be true no matter what tire lever you use, so I don't think this is a fair test of this lever. I have those Pedro levers that you have on the floor there, and for whatever reason my rear tire is *just* a little bit tighter than my front, so changing to my winter tires, the front took about 15 minutes, but the rear took me about 2 hours, and that was using soapy water to lubricate it. my rear tire was not nearly on as tight as the tire you're working on. in general I think tire levers need to be two different designs in a set, one lever to create the gap under the bead, the other designed to be a ramp-over for the bead when the lever is in the 90° sliding position. also the hand grip on them is terrible and the more difficult the tire is to remove, the more difficult it is to put adequate force on the lever with your hand. I know a lot of that is due to trying to keep it small and portable, but there's a point where the portability curve and the usefulness curve cross each other beyond which you may as well not bother bringing the portable version and just bring the shop version instead
Nice one RJ! I'm sure in the video ad for the tool, they would have used a looser fitting tyre, probably also with some lube, that you could have removed with your bare hands. I just use various stiff, thin basic plastic ones if they need some mechanical help. Take it back & just use your basic ones which I'm sure you have a few of.
this comment has no relevance... he's not cutting anything, and there is no power tool for this job... further, this is not a job where force is your friend, this is a job where finesse is your friend
Always press the tire to the lowest point of the rim and it will come off easily. Installation is also easier with this technique. It can often be done without tools.
is that the wheel from the Specialized? tire looks perished so maybe that’s a factor, but also prefer classic levers in case I need to (99% come off without using levers)
I have terrible luck with plastic tire tools. You name the brand and I have broken them. I have reverted to the no no of metal tire tools. I cheat a bit and wrap a couple of layers of tape around the metal tool to try to protect the rim. Once the tire is over the rim, I use a plastic tool to remove the tire. But to pry it over the rim, I use metal tire tools. I have had people coach me, show me using my tools and when I use them, snap. Park tools, Pedro’s, cheap ones same results.
The tires can literally like glue to the rim! Especially a old road bike tire! Almost impossible to move with the tire lever! And if the rims are narrow,and the tire barely fits there, it's...🥺 Trust me... Greetings from Croatia from Kris!
Probably this would work better with newer tubeless ready rims. Push the bead into the center channel and the bead goes slack. The gummy perished rubber also appears to glue things together. Tubeless ready with or without a tube makes an intimidating loud pop during inflation on the road though!
I feel your pain. Maybe the Monkey is useful for getting the tyre over the rim followed by a second normal lever but that orange plastic won't be on my Christmas list for 2025.
Ive been very interested in this tool for some time. But like many others it seems too good to be true and is expensive and like many others i have a suite of different levers in various conditions. I would classify myself as a hobby bike mechanic. I do the odd job for a small group of ppl but nothing more. RJ, would u consider using this lever in a couplenof different situations. Maybe use it a bunch of times in merge the clips together w a summary of what it does best. Maybe on skinny road tires, wider 2.4+ mtb tires, light and heavy cassings, kevlar and wire bead, install and removal? One thing im interested in is if it helps to preserve tubeless rim tape any better. Anyways just a thought/idea. Keep up the good work. Love the videos.
Die sehen richtig stabil Aus, ich habe welche von Shimano, muss aber An 3 stellen ansetzen um dann wie ein Messer das ab zu machen 😁 an nur einer Stelle funktioniert das nicht, probiere das doch auch mal aus.
Thanks RJ. I was sent a Tire Monkey at the beginning of last year and found the same problem as you demonstrated in your video. Thanks for bringing to the attention of your views. Hope all is well and looking forward to more of your videos. Regards, tony10speed (Tony M., M.D.)
Suggest making sure the tire bead is not adhered to the rim, but might still have been too tight. I have used VAR tire levers, and they almost always work (but have broken a few in 20+ years). I would never say something ALWAYS works -- have been burned on that before. Appreciate your content!
RJ as you just said Aww yeah😡 No thank you 🤔 I'll just use my trusty battle tested Pedro's or steel core tire levers 😊 That thing is Fit for the pit😊😊🤣
I have this tool and it was advertised for stubborn tires. It makes no sense to buy a specialized tool for the easy scenarios. I am very competent when it comes to tire removal/installation and this tool failed in the same exact way. It’s truly a gimmick
It seems to me a ‘revolutionary’ tyre (tire) removal/installation tool appears every couple of years. They probably work ok on most tyre/rim combinations but where they fall down is their claim to work on even the tightest fits. I doubt I’m alone in trying and failing with one and then going back to the usual Park/Pedros/Conti etc.
I think opposite the valve is wrong to begin with, as to make things easier you need to push the beads in 180' away from the spot you are applying force too. This maximizes the width of the bead and away from the rim. Especially older single wall rims had real deep rim by the spokes. Valve hinders this, so I would go 30-40' away from valve and grab the bead, push at 180' across, then try to break it free.
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I spray the the tyre with water and hand soap, it lowers the friction. Sometimes the tire gets sticky and you have to use brutal force.
There's an old saying that most lures are designed to catch fishermen, not fish. The same can be said for mechanics and tools. Glad to see you back!
LOL I had a similar experience with this tool. I forget that I have one. My go to tool is Pedro tire levers and my thumbs. Thanks for the video!
Push both sides of the tire into the well of the rim first...
That would seem to be something obvious, but it wasn't to me. Thanks for saying it ! :)
You're right but the thing is they don't tell you that in the instructions.
So happy you're BACK and healthy brotha!!!
Not sure if this is a fair test to be honest, that loop of perished, hardened rubber ceased to be "a tyre" a long time ago. I mean, you wouldn't declare a socket wrench useless because it failed to budge a rusted bolt, you would except that the task had simply exceeded the tool's design scope and reach for a breaker bar or impact gun.
This type of tool (and the better Tyre Glider) work really well in normal removal situations and make it much harder to damage the inner tube in the process, but where they really shine is putting new tight tyres on.
agree. i wait for pedro to action and see if it will work properly.
Or maybe he can give example of another tire lever with same price as tyre monkeys to see how range of tire lever you can get with that price, that would nice to see.
Agree. I like my Tyre Glider
Bingo. was looking for this comment to save me time typing. Mercifully it was at the top of the section!
The ease of removal and installation of tires comes down to technique and experience. I typically use basic plastic levers for removal and just use my hands and palms to mount. I have changed hundreds, if not over a thousand tires(I work as a bike mechanic) and have yet to be defeated. The tightest rims I have encountered are the vintage Campagnolo ones from the 80's.
it took me almost an hour to get the Maxxis Ardent tire off my WTB STi23 rim. Especially with these tubeless ready rims and tires the bead gets almost glued into the rim. I don't even ride tubeless I use innertubes and it was still an absolute nightmare getting that tire off. The hardest part was trying to get the bead unlocked even 1mm, once I finally was able to do that it actually came off very easily but I wasn't able to use a tire lever because it wasn't skinny enough to get in between the tire and the rim. Then after I switched the tire out a few months later I got a flat and had to do it again, but this time the only thing that worked was using a flathead screwdriver and a rubber mallet. It was able to get in between the rim and tire bead but I pounded to hard and actually tore through a few wires of the bead (it is a clincher tire) and I punched a hole in the inner wall of the rim. Thankfully the hole in the rim is only about 2mm wide and shouldn't mess up the integrity of the rim.
This looks like the "before" in an infomercial :)
Any RJ video is a cause for celebration. Happy New Year.
I bought the same design from Ridenow. It is the best lever I've ever tried. But first, you have to brake the bond between the bead and the rim, like with every lever. And you have to have the wheel on the ground and push the lever not pull it. Also, it is very easy to mount the last part of the tire.
So glad you tried this. I've a small graveyard of tire tools. None were any good. Specialized tire levers still my goto
Am I the only person that uses WD-40 to grease the wheel so to speak?
@@aegisgfx No because it is not a lubricant
@@Bull3tBikes WD-40 can be used as a lubricant. It contains lubricating ingredients that can help reduce friction and wear on moving parts. Works fine for putting on and taking off tires.
You don't use petroleum based products on rubber.
@@jasonbusch3624 always worked fine for me. Lube gets it done
Soapy water makes good lube for this situation. Really tight tires you need the multiple tire irons places around the bead.
For installing tight tires use Amor All before you try and rub it all over with your hands then mount.
I have one of these and thought it was good. It has a nice trick when putting the tyre back on that almost eliminates the chance of you trapping the tube with the lever and putting a hole in it which ive managed to do before with a park tool lever.
To be fair I can see this being useful for some people to put tyres on and if still cycling when I’m 80 then I’d probably get one just for that reason. However will stick to good fitting tyres, cheap levers and my thumbs for the time being.
I have one and used it on a 700c 42mm wide Gravel tire and it worked fine.
Could you try those Pedros on those same tires and make an another video on it?
When the tire and rim combination are as tight as this there is no miracle tool, it comes down to blood sweat and tears and brute force. 👍
...and a bit of Dawn
More than one tool does help, but the most important are curse words. Lots of them!
I tried Tire Monkey a month ago , same results as you.😆😆
Oooh, they make it look so easy in the advert. What a come-on.
When we were kids we used a pair of old spoons - thanks for the review, always great as ever.
My mum used to go nuts at me when she would see forks and spoons in the draw with curved handles 😁
@@mrmurder75 yep:-)
I was given one of these as a gift about a year ago and was a bit dubious of it at the time. However having now used it numerous times I have to say it works perfectly and gets tyres on and off in seconds, even Continental Gatorskins which I have always had a struggle with when using normal tyre levers.
So glad you weren't outside in the dark/cold/wet. Var lever and/or Pedro's for me and always try a new tyre/rim combo at home first before using on the road. Finding yourself with a difficult removal is no joke. Ask me how I know!!
When I daw their commercial, i commented that when they installed a fresh Continental or Maxxis tire I would consider the levers. Even in the ad they put on a tire that had already been installed and used. Thanks for the review!
It is somewhat reassuring to see that I'm not the only rare one having to struggle to take down tight sitting tires. I've found a pair of tire removers each some 6 inches (or more) long, with good grips and with which I have to struggle much less.
RJ... its nice to see you again..
I'll keep my Pedro's tire levers, I have a pair in each of my bikes saddles, I even bought the pink version for my daughter.
Try spraying soapy water on the area you are going use the tool. I do that with Pedro’s on tight tires. I borrowed that trick from an installation video for tubeless tires.
The crank brothers tire tool is the best. It is made to fit your hand and is comfortable to use. Have used mine for many years and it has held up well.
I have been using a "Quick Stick" for years now. It glides around the rim easily, taking the tire off in seconds. It has never pinched a tube. Try one ,you will love it!!!
Pedros tire levers have yet to fail me
That tool, is best for getting the bead back rather than getting it out, I combine mine with a metal lever in opening a tight tire, it doesn’t really work by it self but paired with a metal core tool it works wonderfully, I don’t hurt myself when getting the bead back over the rim anymore. And it’s maybe best with tubeless system.
In fairness, that's a very extreme worst-case test. I'd expect to need three regular plastic ones.
I'm glad that you tried the Tire Monkey. I was curious but unwilling to buy it. My Pedros tire levers get the tires off just fine. I have one side of a front tire that the rim death grips the tire even when totally deflated. It's difficult to get the tire off even with my Pedros. Clearly the Tire Monkey will just monkey around and not do the job!
I don't think this was necessarily a fair test though, I have the Pedro's, and my rear tire is not nearly as tight fitting as this one, and it took me several hours to get it off the rim using the Pedro's, and that was lubricated with soapy water. so I don't think they would have been much better here, plus it doesn't look like he lubricated this bead at all before attempting to remove it. also there's this thing about technique, and this guy is not trying to finesse this at all, just applying pure force... he's bending the lever all the way over which is actually applying additional friction that prevents the tire from sliding over the rim... you have to finesse the lever to find the exact optimal angle where the bead is not too tight to go over the rim, but he's not doing that at all.
a better test would have been to compare it to a shop model tire lever, because that should be the best tool for the job, so if you have trouble with that one, then you know you're going to have trouble with any other one, and that sets the bar for difficulty.
Yeah, hopeless lol. I bought one and did exactly this test, never touched it since... Stick with Pedros...
That tire's so dead/dried out/cracking/beyond any hope at all of ever being used again, I would've thought about just cutting it off! Dremel or whatever. P.S., I've had tire/rim combos so tight I've had to use 3 Pedro's as well. They're the ones that are so tight that once you've got 'em on, you're not sure if you'll ever be able to get 'em off, later. Anyway, yeah, the trick about sliding that side of the tire all the way around the rim to the middle/center of the rim width does make a significant difference also, without a doubt! And the water/dish soap trick isn't a bad idea either, I might have to try that some time..., 👍
I have wanted to try these for a while because with my technique of getting a tire off it's exactly the same as the position of this lever. I'd try standing the wheel up on the floor(if it's really tight I sit on the wheel) and push down at a ~90 degree angle to the floor. It makes it so the force is entirely going into the bead, rather than you having to counteract the force against the bead with your hand. Worth a shot with this model of tire lever at least.
I own this tool and it works well for certain tight tire bead removals and installations. I am not certain the dry rotted sidewall on the tire you attempted to remove is a reasonable test case for this tool.
"It's easier on the commercial". Of course. It's a commercial :)
Thank you very much for your video. It shows the reality.
I have used this tool in the past but to be upfront I now use the Tyre Glider tool its much easier to use.
Anyhow a few tips I learned with the Tyre Monkey.
-Loosen as much of the tire bead as you can, I know on some tire-wheel combinations that is easier said than done, but it helps if you can, also I found if you get one small spot of tire away from the rim then move 180 degrees to another spot help then try it again, sometimes a bit of water from a water bottle helps.
Use gloves, standing the wheel up, inserting the tool and then pushing away from you helps too.
The sad part by the time you read this comment I can have a tire off my rim with the Tyre Glider
The tool is not entirely useless the cut out for valve stems works and the post under the handle to deflate tires works too.
I still have tire levers of a sort in my tool bag my chain pliers tool the end can be used as tire levers but I find the all metal hard on my palms If I don't wear gloves.
LOL I have seen the videos too, the one on Amazon gives me a laugh its looks like the tire has already been taken off before hand.
just my opinion it seems to work on big low pressure tires like those on MTB's and E bikes.
To borrow a line from Street Cents, an old Canadian TV show that investigated dubious products or offers: It's fit for the pit! (Tosses lever into fiery cauldron)
Love it😂😂😂😂
A case of “ don’t know until you try it “ 😅 Thanks for the heads up!
It looks like the lever would work better than the standard design - sitting flush against the rim wall allowing you to slide along the bead with a reduced risk of the lever slipping out and skinning your knuckles on the spokes.
Just imagine a cold wet day, and you get a puncture far from home, and your hands are freezing.
Would love to see the video of you removing it with regular tire levers, just to show that it was accomplished and how hard it was without a fancy tool.
That's why I stick with Tried & Proven old tools & methods
This is similar to to the tyre glider which I use and find it very good on tight tyres. The key is to put the tyre glider at about 2-3pm and have the wheel vertical. Then use your body wieght on it and it should slide easier?
I just use the Park plastic levers. 3 in a pack and you normally only need 2 for on or off. 6 bucks.
Thank you so very much! I love the tyre leavers SCHWLABE offers. The german Brand SKS is also very good in my opinion! Just buy loads - you loose them anyway :)
Thanks man.
Hey RJ , there's a similar tool in the UK called a Tyre Glider. It doesn't work either
The Tyre Glider is brilliant for getting a tyre on to the rim. I have one and never failed, however I agree it's not good at tyre removal.
The best levers I ever tried is Schawlbe. Slim, large, can be lock to the rim.
Mavic MA2 with Hutchinson 700x20. Are brutal.
I don't think it was ment for tires that were new when Fred Flintstone was a baby that has now fused to the rim. Try it on something a little newer please.
I use Chinese copy of this tool, Ridenow tyre lever from Aliexpress and that thing takes on and off 32mm Grand Prix 5000 and Ultrasport3 without any problems even when temperatures are low. It is especially useful when using TPU tubes because with little effort you can get under tyre bead without scratching TPU tube. With classic tyre levers, even plastic ones, there is always a danger you will make micro scratches on the tube which will cause the tube to slowly leak and lose air in a day or 2.
pedros no 1!
try the tire(tyre)glider. it actually works well. even on schwalbe marathon plus.
Tire shops use soapy water to lube the bead. Happy New Year.
RJ..I had the same experience with the lever, it's buried in a drawer,never to se
the light of day again
I've been told once, that sliding can damage the tires (the underside of the walls), so I'm always using multiple (at least three) tools, and when it got loose enough, then I slide it
I used park tool tore tool it's amazing
The tire they used was newer probably not an old one stuck to the rim.
In a pinch, I feild changed a flat using the flat head driver on a park tool multitool.. Schwalbe hurricanes.. Very forgiving bead
Thanks for saving us the grief!
You are supposed to put the channel on the lever on the edge of the rim. I have one but it doesn’t work that well. So spray some soapy water on the tire and the rim and watch it work 😮
Some of those skinny tires can be a real bear, I got some Soma steel core tire levers from my LBS and they did not hold up well at all they just bent, got some El Cheapo "Pro bike tool" brand levers off amazon , they are nice and large for better grip/leverage or for people like myself with large hands and theyve worked great for me, they are surprisingly strong too being all plastic construction.
Is the other feature to reinstall the tire at least useful? With tight tires this sometimes be a bit of a nightmare.
Maybe I'm missing something, but wouldn't a smaller traditional tire lever be easier to slide the bead off...less surface area to overcome? The wide lever would be more grippy on the tire due to extra surface area. I think the company got it backwards.
Try soapy water to lube the slide action.
that dry rotted bead is going to have more friction than normal. plus you don't want the lever/bead at such an extreme angle to the rim, because you're actually tightening the bead against the rim with the lever which makes the bead even harder to slide over the rim. as others point out you want the opposite side of the bead down in the well of the rim to give the side you are working on more room to get around the rim edge. however when there's tiny chunks missing out of the bead, those tiny notches are going to get caught on the edge until you get past the point where the bead meets the rim at a sharp angle. wetting it with water can help the bead slide over the rim when it's only a little tight. but you probably need a more effective lubricant when the tire is that tight and in that bad of a condition, and that would probably be true no matter what tire lever you use, so I don't think this is a fair test of this lever. I have those Pedro levers that you have on the floor there, and for whatever reason my rear tire is *just* a little bit tighter than my front, so changing to my winter tires, the front took about 15 minutes, but the rear took me about 2 hours, and that was using soapy water to lubricate it. my rear tire was not nearly on as tight as the tire you're working on.
in general I think tire levers need to be two different designs in a set, one lever to create the gap under the bead, the other designed to be a ramp-over for the bead when the lever is in the 90° sliding position. also the hand grip on them is terrible and the more difficult the tire is to remove, the more difficult it is to put adequate force on the lever with your hand. I know a lot of that is due to trying to keep it small and portable, but there's a point where the portability curve and the usefulness curve cross each other beyond which you may as well not bother bringing the portable version and just bring the shop version instead
Nice one RJ! I'm sure in the video ad for the tool, they would have used a looser fitting tyre, probably also with some lube, that you could have removed with your bare hands. I just use various stiff, thin basic plastic ones if they need some mechanical help. Take it back & just use your basic ones which I'm sure you have a few of.
Bring back metal tools America ⚡
''Always cut away from yourself!''. Said by a Korean war veteran nurse.
Next best suggestion ''Power Tools''.
this comment has no relevance... he's not cutting anything, and there is no power tool for this job... further, this is not a job where force is your friend, this is a job where finesse is your friend
Merci! 🙏
Always press the tire to the lowest point of the rim and it will come off easily. Installation is also easier with this technique. It can often be done without tools.
is that the wheel from the Specialized? tire looks perished so maybe that’s a factor, but also prefer classic levers in case I need to (99% come off without using levers)
Are those continental tires?
I have terrible luck with plastic tire tools. You name the brand and I have broken them. I have reverted to the no no of metal tire tools. I cheat a bit and wrap a couple of layers of tape around the metal tool to try to protect the rim. Once the tire is over the rim, I use a plastic tool to remove the tire. But to pry it over the rim, I use metal tire tools. I have had people coach me, show me using my tools and when I use them, snap. Park tools, Pedro’s, cheap ones same results.
The tires can literally like glue to the rim!
Especially a old road bike tire!
Almost impossible to move with the tire lever! And if the rims are narrow,and the tire barely fits there, it's...🥺
Trust me...
Greetings from Croatia from Kris!
Probably this would work better with newer tubeless ready rims. Push the bead into the center channel and the bead goes slack. The gummy perished rubber also appears to glue things together. Tubeless ready with or without a tube makes an intimidating loud pop during inflation on the road though!
I feel your pain. Maybe the Monkey is useful for getting the tyre over the rim followed by a second normal lever but that orange plastic won't be on my Christmas list for 2025.
Ive been very interested in this tool for some time. But like many others it seems too good to be true and is expensive and like many others i have a suite of different levers in various conditions. I would classify myself as a hobby bike mechanic. I do the odd job for a small group of ppl but nothing more.
RJ, would u consider using this lever in a couplenof different situations. Maybe use it a bunch of times in merge the clips together w a summary of what it does best. Maybe on skinny road tires, wider 2.4+ mtb tires, light and heavy cassings, kevlar and wire bead, install and removal? One thing im interested in is if it helps to preserve tubeless rim tape any better. Anyways just a thought/idea. Keep up the good work. Love the videos.
I have that level and it works great the only problem that I see is your tire is very old and stubborn
I was wondering about these...
Die sehen richtig stabil Aus, ich habe welche von Shimano, muss aber An 3 stellen ansetzen um dann wie ein Messer das ab zu machen 😁 an nur einer Stelle funktioniert das nicht, probiere das doch auch mal aus.
Thanks RJ. I was sent a Tire Monkey at the beginning of last year and found the same problem as you demonstrated in your video. Thanks for bringing to the attention of your views. Hope all is well and looking forward to more of your videos. Regards, tony10speed (Tony M., M.D.)
Suggest making sure the tire bead is not adhered to the rim, but might still have been too tight. I have used VAR tire levers, and they almost always work (but have broken a few in 20+ years). I would never say something ALWAYS works -- have been burned on that before. Appreciate your content!
Can. Do a re
You really need two or more tire levers. Better versions like the Park Tool.
RJ as you just said Aww yeah😡 No thank you 🤔 I'll just use my trusty battle tested Pedro's or steel core tire levers 😊
That thing is Fit for the pit😊😊🤣
lol This is the best review I have seen lolol
These look like what happens when a non bike person tries to reinvent a tire lever 😂
I have this tool and it was advertised for stubborn tires. It makes no sense to buy a specialized tool for the easy scenarios. I am very competent when it comes to tire removal/installation and this tool failed in the same exact way. It’s truly a gimmick
Pedros, done.
Schwalbe marathon plus has left the chat.
It seems to me a ‘revolutionary’ tyre (tire) removal/installation tool appears every couple of years. They probably work ok on most tyre/rim combinations but where they fall down is their claim to work on even the tightest fits. I doubt I’m alone in trying and failing with one and then going back to the usual Park/Pedros/Conti etc.
How about some soapy water?
I think opposite the valve is wrong to begin with, as to make things easier you need to push the beads in 180' away from the spot you are applying force too. This maximizes the width of the bead and away from the rim. Especially older single wall rims had real deep rim by the spokes. Valve hinders this, so I would go 30-40' away from valve and grab the bead, push at 180' across, then try to break it free.
You just need to lube the braking surface.
Great exposure of the marketing shisters.😂
Baby powder on the inside and outside of the tire bead before mounting
You could send that wheel to the tool's manufacturer haha :D