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Never thought I would be asking this, but I'm looking for a tighter fit road tyre, are there any that often cause issues by being hard to mount? Currently running Vittoria Zaffiros but they are very loose on my current rims and makes puncture repairs a pain. I suspect it's actually the rims at fault being undersized, but looking for any general purpose 25 mm road tyre that comes up small, any recommendations?
I should have added, this is for a clincher rim with tubes, no tubeless required.
How does a loose tyre make puncture repairs a pain?
Not the repair itself but refitting the tyres. They're slack enough that even at pressure I have to knead the bead into the rim to get it to catch onto the hook.
What rims are they?
Could be poor quality control on the tyres too?
Rims are rebranded generics I think, maybe Alex or similar, but don't have useful model number I'm afraid.
It could also be tyre tolerances as you say, although the fact that the OEM spec Kenda gravel tyres were similarly baggy led me to suspect the rims are more likely.
I vaguely recall having a puncture while out two summers ago and re-fitting the 25mm Grand Sport Races was great fun!
One option is to switch to a tyre with a wired bead. After the faffing needed to refit a loose fitting tyre on one bike that was my solution. Easier to keep it all in the right place re-fitting.
extra layer or two of tubeless rim tape ?
Funnily enough I am looking for the opposite solution.
Rims are Fulcrum 7.
Tyres are Panracer Gravel King, tubed, 700 x 28 (622-28). Foldable tyre.
The tyres were so tight to fit I had to use a Koolstop Tyre-Jack to get them on. This meant carrying the Tyre Jack in the saddle pack. Bit annoying really as the handle is long to get the leverage, but means you need to use a longish pack.
I then experienced so many punctures with these tyres, I got pretty fed up.
So, this year I am going back to Continental Super Sport Plus. Have used these tyres before with very good results.
I emailed Fulcrum in Italy asking for their opinions about tyre fitment, and got a pretty short reply, along the lines of 'We are not tyre manufacturers'.
So, I need to go back to them, with a more direct question about the tyre size itself.
Surely, they must take tyre size and fit into consideration when designing a rim. A rim that tyres will not fit is going to be a market failure?
Am I selecting the wrong tyre size for the rim? 700 rim, must be a 622, or maybe I need to go to a 27" tyre which is 632. 10mm might be the difference that I need.
Am I selecting the wrong tyre size for the rim? 700 rim, must be a 622, or maybe I need to go to a 27″ tyre which is 632. 10mm might be the difference that I need.
Don't do that, it won't work.
Tyre fitting is largely down to technique although sometimes you'll find a combination that is pretty tight. I've fitted / removed tyres without tyre levers that I've been told need cutting off by the owner!