New Tyres....wrong size?

godihatedehills

My incompetence with all things puncture related is really starting to bug me now. My new tyres arrived yesterday - GP4000s in size 700 x 23 (there's no other choice so I presumed this was correct) and I went to put them on last night but they just seem to be too big. I can't see any way for them to stay on the wheel.

Am I doing something wrong or do I have the wrong size tyre? All help would be much appreciated if I'm to make the Orwell race recce tomorrow morning.

thanks

lescol

You're not by any chance on 650c wheels are you? Otherwise they will fit any 700c (road bike) wheels.

Beasty

They should fit standard road wheels (in fact there have been some on here having problems getting them on the wheel)

What is the size of the tyres you removed (it should be on the sidewall of the tyre)?

godihatedehills

Mavic aksium on the front and mavic kysrium on the back, standard issue for a road bike....I presume that would be 700?

lescol

The Mavics come in both 650 and 700 sizes, like Beasty says check the sizing on the old tyre. If you have a womens specific frame it may be fitted with smaller wheels, he says not knowing if you are boy or girl!

ROK ON

GIHTH. If they are the 700*23 and your wheel is smaller (but I doubt it knowing your bike), then I will take them off you if you want rid of them. Was just going to order a pair anyway.

furiousox

I have a pair and they are an f'ing nightmare to fit.
Use tyre levers and try and warm them on a rad or in a hot press before you fit them.

LeoD

furiousox wrote: »

I have a pair and they are an f'ing nightmare to fit.
Use tyre levers and try and warm them on a rad or in a hot press before you fit them.

I've had given up trying to get a pair of Continental Gator Skins onto a pair of Aksium wheels I bought this week. :mad: Not a hope of getting the tyre over the rim. Are Aksiums and Gator skins incompatible?? I'm not going to try heating them becaus eif that does work I'll be rightly f**ked if/when I get a puncture in the middle of nowhere some day. Any recommendation for an Aksium compatible winter tyre? Armadillos?

blorg

Gatorskins fit on Aksiums fine. I presume you are using tyre levers, not just your fingers? Some combos are just a bit of an effort and Conti tend to be a bit tighter. Schwalbe are an easier fit.

victorcarrera

LeoD wrote: »

Are Aksiums and Gator skins incompatible??

No, but I have found the Gators tighter than most other tyres I've used.
Some Tips:
Use plenty of talc on tube and tyre bead.
Slightly inflate tube and ensure that no part of the tube is caught between the rim and tyre bead.
Before lifting the last bit of tyre onto the rim sqeeze the tyre beading on the rest of the tyre so that it sits in the deepest part of the rim. This should give you enough slack to fit the tyre completely.

petethedrummer

Panaracer Ribmo
http://www.panaracer.com/technology.php?sub=protex

LeoD

Finally got them on at around 11pm last night.

I didn't have any talc so tried soap! No luck. Then by accident I tried putting the tyre on by sitting the rim inside the tyre fully first. I was able to get the tyre on relatively easy after that. Usually I place the tyre and rim side by side and fix one wall at a time (don't know if that makes sense). It would seem that I've been putting tyres on my bike assways for years. You learn something new everyday I suppose.