Installing a 29er tube in the LiveWire 36" Wheel
Purpose of this article
To provide detailed instructions for the proper installation of a 700c tube into the LiveWire 36" Coker Wheel. This article is the result of the contributions of many riders (see Attribution below) .
Importance of this article
Many riders are finding that using a lighter tube for their Coker wheels provides a better, more responsive ride than the standard Coker tube, which is quite heavy and thick. Although the standard tube is quite reliable, oftentimes riders are willing to risk possibly lower reliability to achieve what is gradually appearing to be a significant performance advantage.
The Standard Coker 36" tube weighs approximately 18.5 oz (525.4 grams), while the Schwalbe 29er tube (AV 19) used weighs approximately 7.3 ounces (207.4 grams), a savings of 318 grams! Since this mass is way out at the rim of a 36" wheel, the rotational inertia of the wheel is lowered significantly.
Freshness of this information
This procedure is the best available as of 24 July 2005.
Safety
Please wear eye and hearing protection during this procedure.
Summary of Procedure
Installation
(1) Check the rim for sharp spots that would lacerate the tube during installation. If you find any, they can be easily removed with a little bit of emery cloth or steel wool.
(2) Lightly talc the inside of the tire.
(3) Install one side of the tire.
(4) Partially install the 29er tube right out of the box (no air in it at all), inserting the valve into the valve hole and adding the valve extender. There is no need to talc the tube itself. It may be helpful at this time to also install a stainless-steel washer (slightly bent to match the rim profile), and the tube's lock ring (lightly finger tighten only!).
(5) Enlist a riding buddy to help hold the tube in one spot, then stretch the tube on by working your way from the valve stem around to your buddy's anchor point.
(6) Resettle the tube so that it isn't folded or twisted, and is centered on the rim as much as possible (given that the first tire side wants to sit in the rim channel).
(7) Inflate the tube to about half the volume that the installed tire would
have. This pulls in the sides of the tube to help get it out of the way of the
tire.
(8) Work the other bead of the tire
on, using extreme care not to damage the tube. In
addition to the get-the-bead-in-the-channel necessity, use two plastic
Pedro's levers (nice and
wide) with rubber bands, and plastic wood clamps to pinch the tire in places
where the tube is in a nicely out-of-the-way position. Play with the amount of
air in the tube to get the tube to move around and get out of the way of the
tire levers.
(9) Inflate to about 50 psi, while ensuring that the tire bead seats properly on both sides.
(10) Enjoy your newly lighter wheel!
Detailed Procedure with photos
(coming someday)
Responsibility
Use this procedure at your own risk, and keep your wits about you while you do! LiveWire Unicycles does not assume any responsibility for your use of this procedure.
The impetus for this procedure was provided by riders contributing to Gilby's Unicyclist Community on this thread and other threads. Among the many riders are Ken Looi, who first suggested the 29er-tube-in-a-Coker-tire idea and has extensively tested and reported on a successful tubeless Coker conversion, Tony Melton, who was the first to report on a successful 29er tube conversion, and Dirtsurfer, who was the first to report on a successful tubeless Coker conversion. Thanks to you all for the atmosphere of creativity and innovation that resulted in this process!
Copyright © 2005 LiveWire Unicycles
Last modified:
08/09/2005