Cycling UK Forum

zenzinnia wrote:I recently had my rims replaced (Alessour Edeavours (sp?) for Rigida Sputiks - basically the same rim) but now my Conti Ultragators don't seem to fit. I think they are too small as it is hard to take them off but it's causing a 'flat spot' so when I ride it feels like I'm going along a rippled road. Does this sound right? I can't decide if there was a problem before that I put down to the fact that the rims were worn out and had therefore gone oval or if it's a new problem. Could it be a faulty batch since I've never had a problem before or has something changed? I don't want to go and spend 40 quid on new Contis if I'm going to get the same problem.

Hello,
I use the same rims from Spa on two bikes. I have Conti Top touring 200 on one set which fit easily. The Conti Ultra Gators on the other set are a really nasty pain to get fitted. I get a flat on one rim but the other is OK. I have to fit fit fit remove remove remove and pump high as I can to get it right. It will fit with some effort. To make sure (?) of no punctures whilst out riding I fill the particular one in question with slime!
Have fun.
John.

Glad I found this post; thought I was going mad.
I have exactly the same setup (sputniks & 28mm gatorskins), and exactly the same problem, albeit only on the front.
I ordered mine separately from Spa and they came with the tyres ready fitted, so I don't know if they're a sod to get on or not.
Anyway, I couldn't get them to seat properly so I took it to my LBS. They decided it was a dodgy tyre, and suggested swapping front and back. Either that or just put some miles on it and see what happens (bearing it mind it felt like the wheel was 50p shaped).
Being a lazy swine I left it on, and about 1500miles later it's fine. Either that or I've frazzled all my nerve endings.

I found it difficult to seat the tyres on our bike, so I let them down & then pumped to only 28psi or so. I then worked round the tyre manipulating the bead in to the correct position by either pushing away from the rim with the heal of my hand or pushing it down with my thumbs.

Did this both sides so that the ridged area of the tyre adjacent to the bead was just hidden by the rim all the way round.

Then pumped up to 40psi & checked nothing had moved, then again at 60psi, then again at full pressure (about 110psi).

No problems since.

After a while of doing nothing I'm back on to sorting this problem out. Last night I put on the Michelin City and that had the same problem. I dug out an old Conti and that did the same (although not as bad). I then compared my old Conti with my new one and you can plainly see a ring of aluminium deposited on the tyre where it sat against the rim. On the old tyre (that was on the old Endeavours) it is just outside the bead where it should be all the way around. On the new tyre that's been on a Sputnik there is a very noticable deviation.

Next I compared the old rim to the new one - I was half expecting them not to be the same diameter, but standing them next to each other showed no aparent difference. However on comparing the width there is a noticable difference with the nw Sputniks being wider by a good few mm. Could this be the problem? (also see viewtopic.php?f=5&t=21431 ) Would a wider rim make the tyre not fit in this way? I really don't want to have to go to 32s (particularly because I bought a whole new set of Conti 28s during all this, just to try them, now they are waiting till my present ones wear out.

Also concerned by djnotts coments as I was thinking of changing the rims to Charinas. Hopefully I'll find time to get down to my lbs tomorrow (not open Wednesdays) and have a word with them.

I'm not sure that standing the wheels alonside each other would reveal the difference because if there is one here, it will be in the diameter of the part of the rim bed where the beads rest. That is obviously hidden by the rim wall. I think you would need very accurate equipment to measure any difference because it is only going to be quite small, I think. I can't see how the width of the rim would affect this either; that's going to be relevant in respect of how the tyre works but the beads should still seat properly.

I've had 700x28 Gatorskins on Chrina rims for the last two years with no problems. Fit fine and are pretty easy to get on and off.
Recently changed to 700x25 Panaracer Pasela Tourguards which are a bit tighter to fit and remove but still ok, but notice a significant difference in comfort, the paselas are much comfier than the Gatorskins despite being narrower and at a higher pressure. Something to do with the sidewall flexibility I think?

I too have bought a pair of wheels with 700c Rigida Sputiks rims and have had problems fitting tyres. Having run Schwalbe Marathon tyres for some year, I decided to go with their new version the Mararhon Plus. This tyre has no give in the sidewall (besides being extremely heavy) and even though I know most of the tricks on how to put on a tight tyre on a rim I simply could not get these tyres to go on that last 8 inches or so and this is without a tube in !!!! ( just about managed to fit one on the work hack with cheapo £25 wheel)

I tried a couple of old Michelin tyres that I had knoking around and in 15 seconds, straight on. Next I removed a well worn ordinary Mararhon tyre from my work hack - this went on ok but you had to work at it but still acceptable and with minimal trouble with tyre runout which I could improve with better technique.

So the upshot is - the Rigida Sputiks rims do seem a little bigger diameter on the seating face so some tyres may be a pain to fit and runout of true but dont bother fitting Marathon Pluses

Just a quick note to bring this topic up to date: I boughta Rigida Sputnik rim and had the same problem as discussed in previous posts (shame I hadn't searched BEFORE I bought!).

I swapped it for a DRC ST19 which has the same ERD (so you don't need to change spokes) - My Conti gatorskin fitted beautifully!

So that's one option for anyone in the same situation as me!

Have to say I had the same problem with Sputnics and 700x38 tyres. The tyres themselves were Halfords specials from Taiwan. The 'rippled road' effect drove me nuts on a long ride and I changed the tyres twice but for the same cheapo tyre and had the same result. Then I changed them for Schwalbes and bingo no more problems. The perplexing thing was I could see nothing at all wrong with the tyres and until I read your post I thought the problem was a high spot in the tyre but yes maybe they were marginally too small and created a flat spot. Sadly you've been more help to me than I am to you sorry

what is your wheel size? If it is 26" then you might need 590 tyres, due to there being several variations of 26" wheel sizes which actually have different diameters! My girlfriend's bike had a similar problem and it was because I had squeezed a decent quality 584 onto it when in reality it needed a 590

http://sheldonbrown.com/26.html