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Questions and answers about sports

Ease of Continental road wire bead tire mounting and dismounting

5 min read

Asked by: Andy Gallas

What is the difference between a folding and wire bead?

Bike Tire Materials



Kevlar, that strong, flexible, versatile wonder material, is the key component of folded bead tires, the part that makes them “foldable.” Folding bead tires are sold folded up; whereas wire bead tires cannot be folded because they are made with steel wire. This material makes them very stiff.

How do you adjust bike tire beads?


Quote from video: Once the bead looks even all the way around on both sides add a little more air pressure check the bead to be sure it is still even work the tire into place if necessary.

Can wire bead tires be folded?

Yes, you can usually fold a wire bead… Depending on the severity of the bends to the wire you may be able to just bend them straight, or round, again.

How do you remove beaded tire wires?

Quote from video: So what i've done i'm gonna do is once i've got two levers in there try to push it out as much as i can get the wire cutters try get a grip of those beads try get hold of the bead.

Which tires are better wired or folding?

Folding tires are considered to be the superior racing option because of their ‘premium’ Kevlar construction. The Kevlar bead produces a lighter tire, which assist in reducing Rotational weight.

Are folding tyres easier to fit?

Folding tyres have some benefits over rigid tyres that riders may prefer. They are often lighter than rigid tyres, which can improve riding performance. Some riders find it easier to fit folding tyres, with the Kevlar bead proving more manoeuvrable than a metal bead.

How can you tell if a bead is seated?

To tell if a tire is seated properly (even old tires might not be fully seated), you look at the seat line that’s molded into every tire (photo). When a tire is properly seated, that line sits right on top of the rim, equidistant from the rim for 360 degrees around the wheel and on both sides.

How do you seat a stubborn tire bead?

Quote from video: And basically what i did is i set the bead on the front of the rim. By by jumping on it effectively by having a the used tire. Below it to give me a little bit of leverage like a trampoline.

How do you seat a bead tire?

Quote from video: You want to immediately let the tension off of the strap. And. So you pop your air chuck off and immediately the tire is going to deflate. But hopefully the bead will be seated on there okay.

Can wire bead tires be tubeless?

There are very few tubeless wire bead tires. If a tire is not marked as “Tubeless”, “UST”, or “Tubeless Ready” it is designed for use only with inner tubes.

What is the difference between folding and non folding tires?

With regular bicycle tires, the manufacturer constructs the bead using steel wire, which forms a stiff, durable bead. Folding tires instead use a synthetic fiber such as Kevlar, which is equally durable but more flexible.

What does folding bead tire mean?

A folding tire is a special version of the clincher tire. The wire bundle is replaced by a bundle of Kevlar strands. This enables the tire to be folded up and depending on the tire size, makes it approx. 50-90 g lighter.

What is a clincher tire?

Clinchers. Clincher tires are the most popular type and tend to be the default setup for most bikes. A clincher tire is constructed with a bead that hooks onto a wheel with a clincher type rim. Inside each tire is an inner tube that you fill with air.

What is the difference between clincher and tubeless?

Clincher tyres are the familiar, long-established variety that everyone knows; you have a tyre and an inner tube and off you go. Tubeless is, as its name suggests, a tyre that does not need an inner tube.

What does TPI mean in bike tires?

threads per inch

The quality of the cord casing is indicated by the TPI (threads per inch) or EPI (ends per inch). Generally, the higher the threads per inch (TPI) the higher the quality of the tire. In the Kenda line of tires, entry level tires have 22tpi and they rise to 30, 60, and 120tpi at the premium level.

What does folding bead tire mean?

A folding tire is a special version of the clincher tire. The wire bundle is replaced by a bundle of Kevlar strands. This enables the tire to be folded up and depending on the tire size, makes it approx. 50-90 g lighter.

What is the difference between folding and non folding tires?

With regular bicycle tires, the manufacturer constructs the bead using steel wire, which forms a stiff, durable bead. Folding tires instead use a synthetic fiber such as Kevlar, which is equally durable but more flexible.

What does foldable bike tire mean?

Folding bike tires can compress and fold up, hence their name. To achieve this, these tires are made from lighter, more flexible materials. They have a higher TPI, lower weight, and better traction than traditional road tires. They also offer great portability.

Can wire bead tires be tubeless?

There are very few tubeless wire bead tires. If a tire is not marked as “Tubeless”, “UST”, or “Tubeless Ready” it is designed for use only with inner tubes.

Can you use non tubeless Tyres as tubeless?

You cannot safely run a non-tubeless tire as tubeless. If the tire does not blow off the rim immediately, it could blow off while you are riding. If you compared weights between tubeless and non-tubeless versions of the same tire, you’d see that the non-tubeless tires are lighter.