bobbybob Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 No-Mar has introduced a discounted tire changing setup called "Cycle Hill". I just got one and the build quality is excellent. A little less "ergo" than the No-Mar "Classic" model but for $365 I think its a real bargain! Haven't used it yet, waiting on the glue to dry on my two 4x4 sheets of 1/2" plywood (so I don't have to drill holes in my garage floor!) I'll report back after I use it. http://www.cyclehilltirechanger.com/ (Nomar parts/tips are interchangeable. Mount-demount bar is exactly the same. Made in USA.) Link to comment
10ovr Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Get a good tie down strap and put it around one of the spokes on the wheel and around the bar below it,,The strap well stop the wheel from turning in the clamps when you are installing the tire,,Also you wont have to tighten the clamp to tight,,The rim clamps well bend,,,,Been there,, Link to comment
Angel Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Thanks for sharing... Please post a review of your experience with the cycle hill. I was actually considering a harbor freight... but looks like this is a better deal all around... provided its not too much of a PITA to use. Link to comment
bobbybob Posted February 20, 2009 Author Share Posted February 20, 2009 Get a good tie down strap and put it around one of the spokes on the wheel and around the bar below it,,The strap well stop the wheel from turning in the clamps when you are installing the tire,,Also you wont have to tighten the clamp to tight,,The rim clamps well bend,,,,Been there,, Are you referring to the No-Mar clamps bending? Link to comment
flars Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Come on - man up! You ride a BMW for crying out loud. For the price of a 12K tuneup and a new front tire, you could buy the $700 model and have tire changing parties. Just think how popular you will be. Especially if you supply the beer. Link to comment
10ovr Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 Get a good tie down strap and put it around one of the spokes on the wheel and around the bar below it,,The strap well stop the wheel from turning in the clamps when you are installing the tire,,Also you wont have to tighten the clamp to tight,,The rim clamps well bend,,,,Been there,, Are you referring to the No-Mar clamps bending? Yes,,The little studs that the rim fits into well bend,,Also it looks like you well have to build a 2x4 box to put your rim on so the bead breaker wont bend you rotors, Link to comment
RoadJunkie Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 I realize the build quality is better, but what benefit does this stand have over the HF unit? The mounting bar is excellent and I bought one to use with my HF stand, but what else? Link to comment
smiller Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 I realize the build quality is better, but what benefit does this stand have over the HF unit? The mounting bar is excellent and I bought one to use with my HF stand, but what else? The No-Mar appears to have nylon inserts in the tire gripping fingers and the Harbor Freight unit just has bare (well, painted) metal which will scratch rims. However... this defect can be remedied with a set of Mitch's Mojoblocks, and after that retrofit it would seem that the Harbor Freight unit would be pretty similar in functionality. The price for a HF unit (stand and motorcycle adapter) with Mojoblacks and Mojolever would be about $200 (if the HF stuff is bought during one of the very frequent sales) and the equivalent No-Mar Cycle Hill stand/bar package is $365, so the price gap is narrowing. It would be interesting to see a 'shootout' review of them both. Link to comment
keithb Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 I just bought the H.F. unit (both attachments) on sale for $108 OTD, mojoblocks/mojolever($130), and floor mounting hardware for $8. Total cost was $246. So far I have used the H.F. unit twice at a buddies house and it worked fine. I cannot see much difference in the H.F. or Cycle Hill so I guess I will keep the extra $119 in my pocket for weights or some other farkle. Link to comment
CoarsegoldKid Posted February 20, 2009 Share Posted February 20, 2009 I replaced my HF with a NoMar. I had Mojo blocks and lever. I like the NM much better. A tire can be removed and reinstalled with a HF system(throw away the bar). Use the NM grease and it gets better. Rear 12RT tires were always a hassle for me. Once I got the NM system my problems went away. Looking at the pictures of the CH I'd still get the NM. Yes, it was far more expensive but worth it IMHO. Link to comment
RoadJunkie Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I will keep the extra $119 in my pocket for weights or some other farkle. Like a good start towards a balancer? I bought the nylon grips for mine, but since I dipped the "claws" in plastic dip I have not even installed them. Link to comment
Whip Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 I replaced my HF with a NoMar. I had Mojo blocks and lever. I like the NM much better. A tire can be removed and reinstalled with a HF system(throw away the bar). Use the NM grease and it gets better. Rear 12RT tires were always a hassle for me. Once I got the NM system my problems went away. Looking at the pictures of the CH I'd still get the NM. Yes, it was far more expensive but worth it IMHO. What he said.... Link to comment
RickB Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Love the Lever ... Just replaced the front tire on my '04 1150RT, and the Mojolever is a nice piece of gear. I would have used my new HF stand, except for the fact that the motorcycle attachment is on backorder until April ... So... I had to improvise, adapt, and overcome. I used the "old 15" car rim with split hose around the edge, and a threaded rod thru the center trick" to hold the wheel and provide leverage for the Mojolever. Temps here in Southern Maryland are in the low 30's, so there was no "setting the tire in the sun trick", but whatever... The Mojolever worked like a champ. Getting the old tire off was a joke, and getting the new tire on was not much tougher. Thanks to Mitch for a great tool. Two enthusiastic thumbs up. Link to comment
keithb Posted February 21, 2009 Share Posted February 21, 2009 Like a good start towards a balancer? How did you know that is EXACTLY what I need. I guess I should run down the street to Marc's house and pick one up. Link to comment
bobbybob Posted March 6, 2009 Author Share Posted March 6, 2009 Well, I finally got around to trying out my Cycle Hill changer on the wife's 07 RT front tire, a Pilot Road 120/70 ZR17. I mounted the changer on a 4'x4' surface of plywood (2 sheets of 1/2" glued together) and this arrangement worked fine. The bead breaker worked very good--the edge design made it dig into the tire without skipping towards the wheel so no mods needed there. The "2nd hand" gizmos are nice--only 1 came with the changer so I'll be ordering 2 more. They hold the tire away from the rim when mounting the rim on the changer spools and make that task much easier. The changer held the wheel securely but I did use a nylon strap to secure the wheel so it wouldn't rotate when demounting & mounting. The mount/demount bar works as advertised (it is same as Nomar), the tricks being to use lots of lube and keep the opposite side of the tire pushed into the "drop-center' of the wheel, which was easy to do. Once I was past the learning curve, I actually enjoyed it! New tires for the F650GS are next. Once I've done them, I will have paid for approx. 1/3 the cost of the changer. And NO SCRATCHES! To anyone who has tried the Harbor Freight (or other makes) and given up on it, I suggest you get the Nomar videos (free) along with one of their mount-demount bars. With the right tools, this is pretty easy! Link to comment
Lawman Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 I love my Harbor Freight..Assuming I only smash one thumb and not both I can change both tires in less than 8 hours now. And with the money I saved I can buy new tire spoons to replace those I bend or break. Link to comment
RickB Posted March 7, 2009 Share Posted March 7, 2009 I love my Harbor Freight..Assuming I only smash one thumb and not both I can change both tires in less than 8 hours now. And with the money I saved I can buy new tire spoons to replace those I bend or break. Spoons? Spoons? My "Mojolever therapy" has helped me deal with all those terrible spoon memories... Link to comment
hogdvr Posted June 10, 2010 Share Posted June 10, 2010 Well, I finally got around to trying out my Cycle Hill changer on the wife's 07 RT front tire, a Pilot Road 120/70 ZR17. I mounted the changer on a 4'x4' surface of plywood (2 sheets of 1/2" glued together) and this arrangement worked fine. The bead breaker worked very good--the edge design made it dig into the tire without skipping towards the wheel so no mods needed there. The "2nd hand" gizmos are nice--only 1 came with the changer so I'll be ordering 2 more. They hold the tire away from the rim when mounting the rim on the changer spools and make that task much easier. The changer held the wheel securely but I did use a nylon strap to secure the wheel so it wouldn't rotate when demounting & mounting. The mount/demount bar works as advertised (it is same as Nomar), the tricks being to use lots of lube and keep the opposite side of the tire pushed into the "drop-center' of the wheel, which was easy to do. Once I was past the learning curve, I actually enjoyed it! New tires for the F650GS are next. Once I've done them, I will have paid for approx. 1/3 the cost of the changer. And NO SCRATCHES! To anyone who has tried the Harbor Freight (or other makes) and given up on it, I suggest you get the Nomar videos (free) along with one of their mount-demount bars. With the right tools, this is pretty easy! I just purchased the same unit. I am debating how to mount it. I like your idea of the 4X4 1" plywood platform. I am curious if this alone holds the unit from moving when you use it. Do you have it screwed into the floor as well? Any more details of exactly how you mounted it would be helpful to me. Hardware used, how, etc. Thank you very much! Link to comment
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