How To Install Airless Tires for Bike Trailer 20in Wheels

May 14
2 min read

I use a bike trailer for transporting packages and gear when commuting to the shop or running errands by bike. The tires on the trailer often require inflating before use, which is not only a waste of time, but a deterrent to using the bike and trailer vs the car. I wanted to install airless tires so that I never have to worry about pumping up the tires before using the trailer.

WHERE TO BUY:

20x1-3/8 Honeycomb Tire Bicycle Tubeless Solid Tyre 20 Inch Non Inflatable Explosion Proof Shock Absorbing Tire

Make sure the rim width and diameter are within the tire's specs. The inner width of the rim has to be greater than 19.5mm. My rim had an inner width of ~20mm, and it was definitely a challenge to get these on.

Black perforated tire ring diagram with red measurement lines and labels 445mm, 390mm, 375mm, 32mm, 25.8mm

Tire specifications infographic showing wheel/tire diagrams, dimensions 25.8mm, ≥19.5mm, 420mm, and original size 20x13/8.

The tire quality looks great. The issue is mounting them. It's so hard that most people would probably give up. Warning them up in got water to make them more pliable and stretchy works, but it doesn't last long, and cools off before you can finish installing them. Then it's too big to put in the hot water to soften it again.

This solar oven method works great. Place the wheel in a plastic bag with a reflective material behind the wheel. Leave it in the sun until it is too hot to touch. Continue to work in the heat of the sun (you can sit in the shade as long as the wheel stays in the sun) to keep the tire warm as you get it on the rim.

Bicycle wheel with a perforated black tire, packed in a clear plastic bag on a wooden deck.

With the tire stretched over the rim, tuck 1 side of the tire bead under the rim edge.

On the other side, use a tire lever to push the tire bead under the lip of the rim. I used alcohol as a lubricant to help the tire rubber slide under the lip of the rim. The alcohol evaporated leaving no residue.

Use 2 clamps to keep the tire seated as you work around the rim. As one section (space between 2 spokes) is seated, move the clamp furthest away to the section you just seated, and clamp it in. Move onto pushing the next section in.

Hand uses red and blue tire levers and a Quick-Grip clamp to pry a bicycle tire on a wheel against a wall.

Continue to push the bead in like this one section at a time until you work around the whole tire. Don't give up! It will take a while.

Hand points at three tire levers on a bicycle wheel against a worn wall.

Hand uses red tire lever and clamps to remove a bicycle tire from a wheel against a plain wall.

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