Kool Stop Tire Bead Jack, Black

I don't care how many youtube videos you have watched about putting tight tires on stubborn rims and and how good you think you are at doing this, if you try fitting Goodyear Eagle F1 Tubeless tires on a DT Swiss 1400 ERC rim, you will not be able to get them on without a lever. They are designed to work together, but they are not designed to be assembled without tools. But levers run the risk of pinching, and when you are out and about on your bike, you don't want that risk. Also, I broke a lever trying on a roadside tube replacement, which required me to call someone to come pick me up. If the tire breaks a lever, just imagine trying to get the tire on by hand!This handy tool takes a long, difficult and frustrating job and makes it easy. So much so, that I went ahead and installed my latex tubes, something I have planned to do but didn't want to risk pinching them.It works by pulling the outside of the bead over the rim, just like you would do if you had amazingly strong hands, without inserting anything between the bead and the rim. Better for the rims, better for the bead, better for your tube, and most of all, better for your fingers.Note on weight: This tool and a latex tube together have about the same weight as a butyl tube alone, so there is no increase in my total weight when taking this along in my seat bag.I have never purchased anything for my bicycle that gave me such satisfaction at such a low price.Also, MADE IN U.S.A. and the quality of manufacture shows.

I've installed/reinstalled a lot more tires than I care to remember, some in very difficult situations and at least one that involved a dollar bill to keep the inner tube in the tire while I pedaled 35 miles back to town. A few months ago I bought my first "folder" and replaced both tires on my main road bike. The thing I remember about that episode was that it took two months for my thumbs to stop hurting... and my wife's pleading while I was working for me to stop swearing as the neighbors obviously were listening. What I learned from that experience was that it took strong thumbs--and a fair amount of personal sacrifice--to get those two folders installed.I'd heard about "tire jacks" but snickered that "I don't need no stinkin' tire jack to install no bike tire... I'm a man!" Well, installing those two folders changed my thoughts on this subject and I went looking for a tire jack. There are stories about men not asking directions and driving in circles for hours to find a street address they could have walked to... if they'd asked directions. That's not me! I knew my thumbs would not endure another project like putting on those two folders. I bought the Kool Stop Tire Bead Jack for fifteen bucks. A couple of hours ago I installed two tires--folders--on my backup road bike.Summary: I was done in 45 minutes and I can type!So easy! Fast! Painless (literally and figuratively). Absolutely no risk to the tie. No pinched inner tube. Nice tool, sturdy. Simple instructions. You gotta get one of these! No more numb thumbs, sweating and swearing.Interestingly the packaging said "Made in Holland by Bandrep N.V." but molded into the handle of the tool are these happy words: "Made in USA." This tool is too large to carry on a bike ride but a perfect size to use and then keep in a tool box. I just hope I don't have to pull off a tire on an upcoming bike ride... It would so soooo frustrating thinking about that neat tool in my tool box at home.

Worth every penny. I could not install a set of Marathon Plus tires on my rims until I got this tool. I used the tool and one or two zip ties (to prevent the tire from slipping off one end while I installed the other end) and was able to install the tires in a matter of minutes.

I was at my wit’s end - trying to R&R a set of tubes and tires…on my friend’s old Trek 1200 with Matrix wheels, (the original wheels that had been on his bike - hangin’ in his garage for over 10 years).The Trek1200’s were fantastic bicycles - but they had 700x20mm Matrix wheels on the rear, and 700x23mm rims on the front.I needed to replace BOTH - F&R - tires & tubes.The shortened story is this: I went with 700x23 tires on both F&R rims - stuffing butyl 700x20/25 tubes inside.I First broke a set of average (“cheezy”) spoons. So I purchased 2 more sets that were far better - but found that I was still unable to complete the job.I had almost got finished, - but in the process I had unknowingly “pinched” a total of 2 new tubes in my efforts along the way - making the job that much more stressful (and still unsuccessful).Then I saw this tool here on Amazon. After reading the reviews, (and being a bit In desperation) I ordered it.At that point, I had the second new tube installed on the front wheel - and with the first side of the tire bead completely on - only the last 6” of the final bead needed to be seated.THIS TOOL quickly made it possible to pull the tire bead over the rim edge and seat it correctly without damaging (or pinching) the tube.I was so relieved- but also knew that the rear “Matrix” rim was to be more of a challenge - being only spec’d @20mm (vs the 23mm width of the front rim).I had used cable ties to secure the tire to the rim at numerous places around the circumference - to hold the tire bead in its proper prospective & position (folded tires are a PITA sometimes) while I fitted it.On average tire spoons work great - but when things are this tight….. they “alone” are just not going to work.You can’t apply enough “stretch” in the tire runber, at the exact location it’s needed by simply “prying outward”.But this tool allows the “point of stretch” to be limited to the precise place on the rim - such that ALL of the stretch is advantageous to the area/direction needed - AND IS JUST ENOUGH TO place the bead properly - achieving proficient placement within the rim circumference - and just where you need it!As another reviewer put it, “Using this tool does not make this task “easy” - just possible”. That is totally HONEST!Thiis tool has not failed me yet. Changing out wider wheels like MTBs, or hybrids - you might not need anything but standard spoon levers to do the job.But for certain road bikes - particularly those with super skinnys on the rims - this tool is absolutely the champ. And you will be glad you had it in your box when the need arises.