If all goes well, a road cyclist only needs his tyre levers once every tyre life, and that is after 3,000 to 5,000 kilometres. Because this takes a while, tyre levers usually spend their lives unnoticed in the saddlebag. However, when the puncture devil strikes and you need to change the inner tube quickly on the road, there are many a negative surprise. The plastic levers (metal is completely unsuitable) are available in many different versions and in some very interesting and not necessarily useful shapes.
Changing tyres is part of TOUR's daily testing routine, and it quickly becomes clear what the levers are capable of. Overall, thick levers or those that get thicker just behind the tip of the lever are less suitable - they are difficult to apply when the tyre is tight on the rim. This category includes, for example, the models from Pedros (green, pink and orange in the picture) and Conti's narrow lever with hook-on device. Narrow levers, such as the one from Topeak, only move the tyre a short distance over the rim flange and are therefore not ideal. Simple, thin but slightly wider levers such as those from Conti, Michelin (yellow) and Schwalbe (blue) are particularly good for handling. The Conti levers are generally quite soft and sometimes do not manage to lift the tyre over the horn. We therefore recommend: the blue ones from Schwalbe and the yellow ones from Michelin.
PLUSSchwalbe, Michelin
MINUSConti lifter too soft
Reference/Info: Specialised trade
PricesConti, Michelin, Pedros, Schwalbe (3 euros each); Topeak "Shuttle Lever 1.2" (9.95 euros)
Photo: Kraus
