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I'm asking this question (see the title) because I wasted so much time/energy (after having a punctured tube) trying to remove the tire and to put it again, while the guys I see on Youtube don't seem to face the same difficulty when replacing a tube. And at the end, when the tire & the new tube were in place on the rim, the tube started leaking air again.

The tire in question is clearly worn from the outside even though from the inside there is no visible hole. Do you think if I replace the tire, I wouldn't have a hard time again to stretch the tire on the rim when I have to replace the tube?

P.S: The wheel is a 700x32C (Continental City Ride).

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    Its quite often technique too - make sure you let as much air out as possible. Then squeeze the beads together so they drop into the well in the middle of the rim. Work your hands around both sides of the rim to the opposite side, dragging the tyre bead into the well. And then you'll have all the slack together at one point with the most chance of slipping it over the rim.
    – Criggie ♦
    Commented Jul 19, 2017 at 0:03
  • Depends much on the temperature too: fiddling with tires is much easier in summer.
    – anatolyg
    Commented Jul 19, 2017 at 15:34

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Certainly, old tires get stiffer as the rubber dries out, and this makes them harder to remove and install.

But what you've probably experienced is the difference between brands and styles. Some tires are a hair oversize and slip onto the rim quite easily, while others are a hair undersize and are much more difficult to deal with. It's hard to predict which you will encounter unless you are familiar with the brands involved.

(The leak you experienced after replacing the tube was probably due to damaging the tube while installing it. Unless you really have to, DO NOT use screwdrivers to lever the tire off/on, but use plastic "tire irons", or, better, a "Quick Stick" tire lever. Using screwdrivers frequently causes tube damage.)

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  • Importantly, its the tire and the rim, not just the tire.
    – Batman
    Commented Jul 19, 2017 at 0:18
  • It's probably just coincidence or small sample size but I've found continentals to come up tighter than other brands (schwalbe, kenda)
    – Chris H
    Commented Jul 19, 2017 at 5:52
  • I forgot to mention that the tube inside is this model Schwalbe SV16. I've used a metallic fork (the flat side), which has probably damaged the tube.
    – Hakim
    Commented Jul 19, 2017 at 8:54
  • If you have strong thumbs you can usually remove and put a tyre on without tools which is the better option. And a good skill to acquire for road-side repairs.
    – Carel
    Commented Jul 20, 2017 at 15:52

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