Until cast aluminum wheels were put to practical use, the combination of spoked wheels and tubed tires was the norm for everything from mopeds to large vehicles. And when repairing a flat tire or changing a tire, the tube had to be attached or detached. If you have experienced repairing a flat tire or changing a tire on a bicycle when you were a child, you may not feel the difficulty, but you can avoid troublesome redoing just by keeping a few points in mind.
A rim band is essential to prevent tube breakage on both bicycles and motorcycles
If you're replacing a worn tyre, you'll want to replace the tube as well. Unless you're a rider who changes tyres twice a year, if you haven't changed a tyre in a few years, it's always better to have a complete set.
There are two types of rim bands, one with a different overall length to match the wheel diameter, and one with a different band width to match the tire width. This band is made by Dunlop, and the 22-17 symbol indicates that the size is for use with 17-inch diameter tires in the 2.50, 2.75, and 3.00 width classes.
The rim band covers the bottom part of the rim where the head of the nipple is located, avoiding contact between the tube and the nipple, while reducing excessive deformation of the tube. After a long period of use, the nipple may rust due to rainwater that has penetrated through the spokes, and the rust may have made its way into the rim band. In addition, the air valve area has a round hole and the band itself is thin, so if the flexibility is reduced, it is easy to break when changing tubes.
If you've ever fixed a flat tire or changed a tire on a bicycle, you can do the same thing to change a tube tire on a motorcycle. However, the bead of a bike tire is harder than that of a bicycle, and you need a tire lever to put it on and off the rim.
Riders who have been riding for a long time are experienced in making these mistakes, but sometimes it's easy to let experience get in the way and neglect the basics.
When the tube tire is removed, there is a ribbon of rubber wrapped around the bottom of the rim to cover the nipple. This rubber, called a rim band, prevents the tube and nipple from rubbing against each other, which can damage the tube. In some rim bands that have not been replaced for many years, the nipples have rusted due to rainwater seeping through the spokes and have become one with the rust. If you don't have a rim band, the nipple and tube will stick together and may tear as the tube expands and contracts.
Therefore, when replacing a tire or tube, the condition of the rim band should always be checked, and if it is out of alignment with the nipple, it should be corrected, and if it is hardened or cut at the air valve, it should be replaced with a new one. However, it is not uncommon to order tires and tubes, but forget to order the rim bands, only to find that the bands are broken when the tire is removed.
At this time, the original procedure is to stop the work and get a new rim band, but sometimes, in haste, duct tape or vinyl tape is used as a substitute. Even if there is no problem when replacing the rim band, it may stick to the rim or tube when the adhesive of the tape deteriorates, or the rainwater that enters from the nipple may puddle and corrode the rim.
When choosing a rim band, it is also important to select the right size for your tire and wheel diameter. If the wheel diameter and the band are mismatched, the tension can be too high and cause cutting, or the band can slacken and play between the rim and tube.
Although the rim band plays a supporting role to the main parts such as tires and tubes, it is a part that should be replaced unconditionally when tires are replaced.
- TIP 1: The rim band is an important part of the tube tire to avoid contact between the nipple and the tube.
- TIP 2: If you try to use gummed tape or vinyl tape as a substitute for the rim band, it may cause rusting, etc. Be sure to use the correct rim band.
The folded tube is inflated with air before assembly.
When a new tyre is mounted on a wheel, wax is applied to improve the slippage of the contact area between the bead and the rim. Be careful not to apply lubricating spray or silicone spray because you don't have it at hand, as depending on the ingredients, it may accelerate the deterioration of the tyre.
A good way to get rid of the tube breakage habit that comes with the package condition is to inflate it once. This is the only way to inflate the tire round.
When you buy a tube, it is almost always folded compactly. There's nothing wrong with that per se, but there is something to keep in mind when integrating it into your tire. That is to "pre-inflate" it.
If you unfold a folded tube and push it straight into the tire, the wrinkles will not stretch out and the tire will be inflated, potentially causing you to ride with the folded habit. Rubber tubes are flexible, so it's unlikely that anything will happen in the short term, but it's certainly preferable to maintain a round tube shape rather than use it twisted.
Therefore, we recommend that you inflate the tire once before putting it in the tire, and inflate it like a float. This will eliminate the tendency to break and allow it to set while following the shape of the tire. Some people incorporate the tire by putting the valve through the valve hole in the wheel, then inflating the tire with a little air, making sure it is inflated to a circular shape, and then letting the air out before fitting it to the rim.
Some people think it's better not to inflate the tube because it's easier to catch on the tire lever when the tube is on the tire side, but even in that case, it's useful to inflate the tube before putting it in the tire so that it fits in the tire without twisting.
The worst is when you push a tube into a tire without ever inflating it, and the tube gets wedged between the bead and the rim on the back side opposite the front side of the bead. It is fortunate if the tube is pulled out from between the bead and the rim during the inflation process, but if you continue to inflate the tire while it is trapped, the trapped tube can cause a puncture.
- TIP 1: Tubes with a folding habit at the time of sale are inflated with air before being incorporated into the tire.
The nut is only hooked to avoid pinching at the air valve part
Once the air valve is inserted into the valve hole in the rim, keep it upright so it doesn't tip. Once all the tubes are in the tire, some people lightly inflate the tire to get the kinks out. Once the light point of the tire (yellow circle) is aligned with the air valve, fit the tire in this position.
When inserting the bead, start from the air valve part. To prevent the base of the valve from interfering with the bead, set the bead while pushing the valve in with the nut loosened close to the tip.
If you have a 2.50 class tire width, you may be able to set it on the wheel without using a tire lever. When injecting air, make sure that the bead on the back side is not biting the tube before injecting air.
Once the tube is successfully inserted into the tire, fit the tire onto the rim, being careful not to pinch the tube with the bead. If you have a 2.25 or 2.50 size tire, which is common in the moped class, you may be able to set the tire without using a lever by pushing the bead part into the bottom of the rim.
When installing tires, especially on narrow rims, it is important to be careful of tube problems at the air valve. The narrower the rim, the narrower the width from the air valve to the edge of the rim, and the more likely it is that the base of the air valve will interfere with the bead, causing problems if the air valve gets caught between the rim and the bead.
To avoid interference between the air valve and the bead, loosen the valve nut and set the bead on the rim while pressing it into the rim. When using a tire lever to apply the bead, it is recommended to apply the valve first, as there is a risk of damaging the valve if the lever is used in the vicinity of the air valve.
Also, when the air valve is tilted due to the tube being pulled in either direction when fitting the tire, adjust the position of the valve so that it stands straight by pulling the tube through the gap between the bead and tire. If the nut is tightened, it will be forcibly corrected and stand upright, but this is because the tube is stressed when it is pulled hard.
For those who are familiar with these important points, they may be practiced in the flow of work without being conscious. However, if you work without being aware of them, they can be painful mistakes. There are times when you succeed in changing a tire and times when you fail, but you don't really know why. If that's the case, why don't you review the work procedure one by one?
- TIP 1: When fitting the bead of the air valve part, push it in once and then set it so that the base of the valve does not interfere with the bead.
