Changing tires on Van Schothorst stainless steel rims

[SunBeam]

Hi everybody.
I'm having troubles changing tires on on Van Schothorst stainless steel rims (widely used on Raleigh, Batavus and other retro style bikes).

[broken_image]

It seem nearly impossible to take off the old or to put on a new ones. Rim is like "too big" for the tire...
Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

[1FJEF]

(09-07-2014, 03:53 AM)SunBeam Wrote:  Hi everybody.
I'm having troubles changing tires on on (widely used on Raleigh, Batavus and other retro style bikes).

It seem nearly impossible to take off the old or to put on a new ones. Rim is like "too big" for the tire...
Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

I'm lost. I thought Van Schothorst stainless steel rims weren't retro, they were actually older lipless or hookless style rims. You want a tight fit for them. The tire in the picture looks old, hard & brittle. It may refuse to stretch enough to cooperate with your tire iron. You can run your finger inside the rim and feel for a lip.
Cut the old one off. Confirm the sidewall info is correct on the new tire, use two or three tire irons in a warm enviroment.
The hookless system is no longer used for good reason. If you are lightweight you might be able to use a modern tire on it at lower pressures. Make sure the new tire is the correct size. Carefully check the sidewall.
The retro bikes I've seen use 26" (559mm) & 700c (622mm) wheels rather than 26 x 1 1/2 (584mm).
What does it say on the sidewall?

[SunBeam]

I tried several wheels with different kind of tiers - and they all refuse(s) to stretch
I alredy destroyed a few tire irons.
Is there any special tools for that kind of rims?
I don't really understand that you saying they not in use anymore - any Raleigh "Tourist de Luxe" I can se in a stores equiped with those rims and some 37x622 tires.
Btw I wrote "retro style bike", not "retro bikes".

[nfmisso]

See: http://sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html

The numbers are not very clear in the picture with my poor eyesight. It looks like it could be 22 x 635 and 28 x 1½

In which case it will be difficult to find tires that fit.

Here are a couple:
http://www.schwalbetires.com/product_search?field_etrto_value_many_to_one[]=635-40
http://sheldonbrown.com/harris/tires/635.html
http://www.amazon.com/TIRES-Sunlite-28X1-1-STREET-K14140-635/dp/B00167PXDA/
http://www.amazon.com/Continental-Tour-Urban-Bicycle-42-635/dp/B002XYTM2S/
http://www.amazon.com/Sunlite-Street-Tire-28-1-1/dp/B000AO9OYY/

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Rims are many different sizes; for example Sun offers the CR18 in varies bead seat diameters from 630mm down 406mm (maybe even smaller). Just because you see the "same" rim on a bike; it does not mean that it is the same diameter.

[SunBeam]

Thanks for answers.
I'll doublecheck rim and tire sizes and try again.

[cny-man]

In most all cases tire irons are for removal, not installation. A few hints:

Inflate the tube just enough to give it some shape.

Start installing the 2nd bead into the rim on the side opposite the valve stem and finish near the valve stem.

As you install the 2nd bead push it toward the center of the rim where the diameter is smaller.

If still stubborn go back to the beginning point and again push toward the center, and continuously push the tire around the rim with both hands.

[JanJ]

In 1992-ish I replaced the rims on my Peugeot 27 x 1 1/4" with Van Schothorst Stainless Steel rims (Date Code on them is 05/91)... and last spring I changed the (By then--Dry Rotted) tires... and in both instances I had no trouble with the old-removal or new install of tires...

I did remove the valve stem insert in the inner tube, though....

Are you certain that you have the correct tire size for those rims?

I was told that 27 x 1.250" tires will NOT fit on my 27 x 1 1/4" rim