Fit issues - New wheels or new tyres?

woj101

I bought a used cyclocross bike an increasing amount of time ago with the intention of having a set of road wheels & tyres and a set of off-road wheels & tyres so that I could quickly swap them depending on where I wanted to ride.

However, the wheels that came on the bike are no longer available I think (Shimano WH-R550) so I immediately had the decision of buying different wheels or just getting some road tyres to use on the Shimano wheels (the bike came with knobblies on).

Being budget conscious I decided just to get some tyres and went for some trusty Vittoria Rubino Road Bike Tyres 700 x 23 - Folding version.

Sadly, those tyres, despite being folding, are not close to fitting the rims I have - the rims are 622 x 15C so I thought the tyres would fit. And believe me, I've tried, but they're a good few mm short of getting over the rim on both sides.

So was I wrong about 700 x 23 being right for 622 x 15C rims? Or are my tyres, or the rims, not standard size for the dimensions printed?

I now don't know whether to try some different road tyres, some bigger road tyres, or get some different rims that take the 700 x 23 tyres that I like. If I were to get some more rims, do rims come with a cassette in the rear wheel or do I have to get that separately?

Sorry for the scatter-gun questioning - when it comes to wheels and tyres and pretty lost.

Thanks.

roger_merriman

those wheels are 700 so the tires should fit, some rim/tires are though a total pig to fit.

woj101

Thanks - that's what I thought, but frankly I wouldn't want to force these tyres on because I'd never get them off and I'd lose the ability to quickly change tyres, which is the primary reason for getting the bike.

If I get a tape measure out and measure the diameter of the rims is there any way of being sure which out of the rims and the tyres are incorrectly sized?

Monty Dog

Technique - get the mechanic in your LBS to show you how

woj101

But it's not like I've never fitted 700 tyres to 622 wheels before, but these tyres are seriously coming short. Are there any youtube videos or similar that you know would demonstrate such an enhanced technique?

desweller

They will go.

They'll be worst the first time, once they've been stretched a bit they'll be a lot more cooperative.

Can you get one side of the tyre over the rim? I usually partially inflate the tube, it helps a bit.

Some combinations are just a pig though.

woj101

That's just it - can't even get one side of the tyre over - it's several mm short of getting any of the top over if I've started at the bottom.

cookiemonster

Stating the obvious...

622x15 is the ERTO standard 700cc wheel, so your 700cc clincher tyre is the correct size for the wheel

As the folk have said above, its a case of technique to getting the tyre on (it'll likely come off far easier), and some combinations of rims and tyres are especially awkward. However the fact remains that with 700cc you have the correct tyres to go on 622x15 a wh-r550 rim. Maybe take it down to your LBS and ask them to give you a hand?

jon

desweller

Try leaving them in hot water for a couple of minutes. They might expand enough for you to get them on. A bit of soapy water on the rim might help too.

They will be easier to get on and off once you've done it the first time!

woj101

Quite disappointed in myself.

I've had two previous fraught sessions trying to get these tyres on. Spent about 10 minutes today and got them both on. The first one I did stick in the tumble dryer first, but the 2nd one I didn't bother.

They do stretch a surprising amount, don't they, when force is applied in the correct manner.

Thanks for input all. Let's just hope I can get them off again when the time comes.