folding bikes

[diane]

Last year I bought 2 used folding bikes. I repainted them and they look good  (to me, not my kids who think they are totally not cool). My problem is where do you find tires to fit. The rims are 20" so I bought 20" tires and I just can not get them on the rims. My local bike shop won't touch folding bikes and can offer no advise. Anyone have any ideas or should I just buy new bikes?  Thanks

[flyfisherman]

I know this is a dumb question (considering) ... are you sure it's a 20" rim?


Fly

[mountainrev]

Assuming you do have the right size tire for the rims, make sure you have a couple of bike tire irons to help with the job.  Mounting bike tires isn't the easiest job in the world if you haven't done it before.  

Also, there's no reason in the world a bike shop wouldn't mount those tires for you.  Even if they tell you they don't work on folding bikes, the wheels shouldn't be any different than any other bike.  If nothing else, take the wheels off the bike and take them down to the bike shop and ask them to mount the tires for you.  You don't have to tell them what kind of bike they came off

[chip]

I, too will assume that you have the proper size tire (Hint:  the size is embossed on the side of the old tires.   )  If all else fails, find a bike shop that will work on your bike and buy the tires from him.  By the time you add the labor for mounting the tires you carry in (if he will even do the job), you may be even.

I have excerpted the following from here.

Re-installing the Tire

Although you usually need tire levers or a similar tool to remove a tire from the rim, usually you should be able to re-install the tire with your bare hands.
If you try to pry the tire on using tools, you are very likely to wind up pinching the inner tube between the tool and the rim, puncturing it.

It is usually helpful to have a little bit of air in the tube just enough to make it sort of round rather than flat. With presta-valve tubes, I usually just blow air into the tube by mouth.

In the case of a brand new tube, it sometimes helps to stretch it out first. I do this by stepping into it and lifting away by hand.

Start by fitting the valve of the inner tube through the valve hole. Loosely secure the valve using a valve cap or retaining ring so it won't fall back through the hole. If your valve is threaded for a retaining ring, don't tighten it down very far yet, just thread it on far enough that the valve can't fall out of the rim.

With the tube dangling down along one side of the wheel, install one edge of the tire onto the rim, so that the tube is hanging out of the open side. This is usually pretty easy.

Next, tuck the tube into the tire. It is best to start at the valve, work your way one third of the way around the tire, then go back to the valve and work around in the opposite direction.

Once the tube is in place, you're ready to install the second edge of the tire. This is the hardest part of the whole process, and the hardest part of this is the very last segment.

You should start at the valve, so that the valve won't be a complicating factor when you are trying to lift the last bit of tire bead over the edge of the rim.

As you install the second edge of the tire, try to push it toward the middle of the rim channel, where the channel is deepest. This will give you more slack.

Make sure that the tire bead is not sitting on top of the base of the valve. If it is, push the valve almost back through the rim to raise the reinforced patch at the base of the valve, and push the tire down around it.

For the last few inches of tire bead, some considerable force may be needed to pop it over the edge of the rim. (Some rim/tire combinations are easier than others.) If it is giving you difficult, resist the urge to press the middle part over. Instead, work alternately from each end of the section you're trying to lift over. Going back and forth from side to side will usually get it.

Most folks do this by holding the wheel horizontally, with the open side up. Wrap your fingers around over the tire to press on the bottom of the rim, while you push the tire either with your thumbs or with the heels of your hands.

If you just can't get it by hand, here are some things to check:

Make sure the tire bead isn't sitting on top of the tube anywhere.

Make sure the tire bead you're working on is pushed as close to the middle of the rim channel as you can get it.

The thinner the rim tape, the easier it is to mount the tire. If you have thick rim tape, consider replacing it.

Some tire/rim combinations are just too tight a fit, and you may need to use a tool. The best tool for this is the "Kool Stop bead jack" because this tool lifts the edge of the tire without going inside of it, so it is less likely to damage the inner tube than a conventional tire lever is.

(End of excerpt.)

Hope that Helps.

[ClarkPeters]

Before you try to stretch the tires out tooooooo much.....

There are 2 sizes of 20 inch bicycle wheels. In the US the 406mm size is the same as used on BMX bikes and most kid's bikes.

There is another 20 inch wheel size, 451 mm, that is not as common here. It's very possible, even likely, that the folding bikes you have use that size. Tires that size are also used on many recumbent bicycles. One source for this size is Hostel Shoppe. http://www.hostelshoppe.com

Hope this helps.

Pete

[diane]

Thanks, I will check the site out.