A friend just got some new tires, and asked me to help get them set up. This is a pretty easy job, that you should be able to do at home. However, there are a few tricks. Let's get started!
The first thing you want to do is to get everything ready and set out. If you are using a used rim, you'll have to get the old tire off. That can be a major pain, and will likely be the topic of another post. For now, I'm going to assume that you have a bare set of rims, a new tire, and a new tube.
Start off by stuffing the tube into the tire. Nothing fancy here, just get it all the way into the tire.
Next, partially fill the tube with some air. You want to inflate it just enough, so that it conforms to the shape of the inside of the tire. The goal here, is to have the tube clear the inner diameter of the tire, so that it does not get pinched when you put the two rim halves on the tire.
Next, put some tire lube on the inside bead of the tire. What? You don't have tire lube? You can use some slightly-diluted dish soap in a pinch.
Ok, so now you want to fit the first rim half. Fit the deep side of the rim first. You want to mount it so that the tube valve stem crosses over the rim at the notch as pictured above.
Now, you begin to mount the other side. Once you get it set on the tire loosly, you want to make sure that the two notches for the valve stem line up. Then move your hand around the inside of the tire, and press the tube into the tire, and away from the two wheel rims. The idea here is to limit the possibility that the two rim halves will pinch the tube. When you have done that, push the rims together, and very loosely attach the wheel nuts. When all the wheel nuts are just barely attached, add some air to the tube. You want to inflate the tube just enough to push the bead of the tire onto the rim, and seat the tire. Don't put too much air in there, or you'll pop off the wheel nuts. You did just barely attach them, didn't you?
Now, with the tire bead seated, and the tube fully into the tire, it is time to finish off. Let most of the air back out of the tube.
With the air out of the tube, you can safely tighten down the nuts on the wheel rim.
And there you have it, a brand spankin' new tube and tire. Neat-O!