Ok, its not really a bodgers job, but something where a bit of advice would be appreciated.

I have done a good 10 tyre changes now using some rather poor tyre levers bought off Ebay, but at least now I can change the tyre pretty easily without breaking anything or making a total mess of the alloy wheels.

I am running on tube and tyre, but the one thing that causes me no end of grief is getting the valve down the hole. I am doing it solo and usually give up and get help from the nearest and dearest who slots it in whlist I peel the tyre back.

I might not have any help out in the real world and I just can't find an easy way to open up the tyre to get my hand in and also seat the wheel so I can get the valve in.

There must be some wizzend person who might know a better method? Any tips?

These things work a treat, 7.50 Quid! Yeah I know, cant believe you didn't think of it
Enduro Trail Tube Valve Puller Ideal FOR Bumbag OR Pocket | eBay

now it all seems so easy!!!

yep, didn't know they existed, but I will see if i can make one first. £7.50 could be spent elsewhere!!!!

Thanks!

Is there not some way that you can use a bit of garden twine, with a slip knot. Push in with one hand, then slip knot over valve. Pull and hold. Should have both hand's free to do job. But that sound's too easy.
John933

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To buy petrol in Europe. Pull up at station. Wait. Get out a 20 Euro note, then ask someone to fill up the bike. Give person money. Ride away. Simple.

Yeah, I have tried, because the valve needs to go 90 degrees and the twine adds to the width of the valve it just won't go through. It will get it close though, so can be part useful.

What would happen if you put the dust cap on, then slotted it under the dust cap? The twin that is?
John933

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To buy petrol in Europe. Pull up at station. Wait. Get out a 20 Euro note, then ask someone to fill up the bike. Give person money. Ride away. Simple.

Dave's got it right!
This tool is THE WAY TO GO! You can try to make one but for the price the "real thing" makes it easy peasy once you've used it a couple times.

There are many tricks guys have to getting the valve stem in ... but this tool eliminates all the fuss.

Since you're practicing changing tires ... what are you using to break the bead? To me, breaking the bead on certain tires/wheel combos on certain stubborn rims is the really tough part of tire changing. Spooning tire Off/On is easy by comparison.

The DR650 wheel really "grabs and holds" the tire bead, not letting the bead slip into wheel well (break). You can ride a flat for 50 miles on some tires ... bead will not break.

I carry a BIG C Clamp ... I hear the Motion Pro bead breaker does a great job ... have not tried it yet. C Clamp is a PITA to pack/carry ... but it DOES break the bead on my DR650.

Do yourself a favor ... buy the Value pully thingy. Well worth it!

I've seen that valve stem puller thing on sale and wondered how effective it is. If it worked it would make life a little easier but there are so many snake oil gadgets around in the bike world that cynicism is usually my first response these days. It does work then - does it?

I usually end up using the Churchillian method of tyre changing - " nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat", and when I've failed to get the valve stem in place after about twenty attempts there's usually plenty of all of that all over the tyre as well as soap, WD40 and just about any other liquid I have to hand. I mean, how hard can it be? It's usually at this point I start fantasising about alternatives like split rims or .... paying someone else to do it. A little window flap on the side of the tyre that you could open and get the valve stem in place that way would be nice but I'm sure there's a downside to it somewhere along the line.

Pride however means I end up determined to see it through irrespective of the state of my fingers afterwards. I know many of you here are seven feet tall with fingers of steel and able to rip a tyre from its rim with your bare hands
so none of this poses a problem but my lily white girly fingers have a hard time with many enduro type tyres. Some of these things have sidewalls made of concrete and you just cannot get any space under them to reach the valve stem. My record (fortunately some years back now) is a day and a half to change a rear Michelin Desert on my CCM Excel rim. And that was in my garage. It would have been a long and lonely session at the side of the road.

I feel your pain !!! I loath tire changes/flat repair. In Mexico I've ridden many miles (out of my way) to get to a Llantero shop to avoid having to break down the bead. I don't mind front tires ... but rear tires are a bloody and bruised affair.

The little valve gizmo does work ... if you know how it works and at what stage you should pull the valve through.

No tools required:

From 5:20 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X_A9VeM-XLc

The bead on my bike is not too hard to break, a little bit of jumping up and down on it and a tyre lever will get it off with just a small amount of effort. I guess I am lucky in that sense!