{"id":2440,"date":"2021-08-18T22:14:00","date_gmt":"2021-08-18T22:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bikecommuterhero.com\/?p=2440"},"modified":"2023-09-19T13:04:04","modified_gmt":"2023-09-19T13:04:04","slug":"tire-lever-alternatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bikecommuterhero.com\/tire-lever-alternatives\/","title":{"rendered":"What Can You Use Instead Of Tire Levers?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You\u2019re riding along, and suddenly, your bike starts to feel weird. It\u2019s not handling very well and you can feel every bump in the road. You look down and see that dreaded flat tire. You open your bag and you realize that you left your tire levers at home. You wonder what other tool you can use instead of tire levers?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you have no tire levers to remove your tires or <\/strong>put them back on the rim, try using your hands first. If that doesn\u2019t work you can get creative and find a hard object with a flat, rounded end such as your pump, or your quick-release levers. You should stay away from using sharp objects, such as knives or screwdrivers, as they can damage both your rim and the inner tube.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before reading on, if you’ve lost or never had tire levers in the first place, make sure to buy some. In general, you should always use the right tool for the job. Any bike shop will stock tire levers, or at least have a pair that they might let you use. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

My all-time favorite tire levers are Pedro\u2019s Tire Levers (available on Amazon). They are very wide and durable, clip together for easy storage, and brightly colored to make them difficult to lose on the road. \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They have a handy spoke hook that holds them in place while you fit another lever under the tire and an excellent shape for prying tires off the rim. They are also plastic (not metal) meaning you are very unlikely to damage any rims or tires using them, and they are very affordable while still being long-lasting.\u00a0I keep a pair in my bike toolbox and in my saddle<\/a> bag at all times, and many bike shops stock them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some multi-tools, such as the Park Tool IB-3 (also available on Amazon), even have a tire lever attached to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s see what you can use instead of tire levers and how.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tire lever alternatives<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Your hands<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most tires can be removed by hand with a bit of elbow grease. Make sure that the tube is fully deflated, and push the bead of the tire into the center trough of the rim all the way around on both sides of the wheel. Then, you can try to push and pull the tire off the rim. Depending on your tire and rim combination, this may be easy, difficult, or even nearly impossible.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When putting the tire back on, place one of the tire beads in the center of the rim and work your way around on both sides, making sure that the parts of the tire where both sides of the bead are on the rim sit snug in the center. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Look at this man putting on the Schwalbe Marathon, a notoriously difficult-to-mount tire.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

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