Okay, so I’ve been meaning to upgrade the tires on my road bike for a while now. I’d been riding on some pretty worn-out ones, and I finally decided to pull the trigger and get some Continental Grand Sport Race tires. I’d heard good things, and the price seemed right.
First, I took off my old tires. This is always a bit of a pain, especially if they’ve been on there a while. I used my tire levers, carefully prying the bead off the rim. Got one side off, then worked my way around to get the other side.
Then I made sure to pump out the old tubes.
Next, I grabbed the new Grand Sport Race tires. I checked the sidewall for the rotation direction – that’s super important, you don’t want to put them on backwards!
Getting the new tires on was the real challenge. I started by partially inflating the new tubes, just enough to give them some shape. This helps prevent pinch flats. I’d carefully align the tire to the rim.
- Then, I used my thumbs to push one side of the tire bead onto the rim. This part is usually pretty easy.
- The other side is where it gets tough. I worked my way around, little by little, pushing the bead over the rim. My thumbs were definitely getting sore!
- For the last little bit, I sometimes have to resort to using a tire lever, but I’m always super careful not to pinch the tube.
Once both beads were on, I checked all the way around the tire, on both sides, to make sure the bead was seated properly in the rim. You should see a little line on the tire that’s evenly spaced from the rim edge. If it’s not even, you need to deflate and adjust.
Finally, I inflated the tires to the recommended pressure (I usually go a little lower than the max, for a bit more comfort). Gave them a good spin to make sure everything was running smoothly.
And that’s it! Took the bike out for a quick spin around the block, and they felt great – definitely smoother and faster than my old tires. I’m looking forward to putting some serious miles on these!
