Is it bad if I don't need a tire lever to take my tire off the rim?

ashra.kolhatkar

While fixing a flat on my rear wheel (tire is the original that came with the bike, the wheel is new and was replaced about three months ago), I noticed that I didn't need to use a tire lever, or really much force at all, to take the tire off the wheel. It didn't quite fall off, but it came off pretty effortlessly.

This doesn't correspond to any of my previous experience with changing tubes. I recently fixed a flat on my front wheel and I did need to use tire levers to take that tire off (original tire, original wheel).

Once the tube is inflated, however, the tire stays on just fine though it seems to be a little prone to popping out of the rim while inflating.

Is this something to be concerned about? Does this suggest that the replacement wheel I got is too small? Should I get a new tire? Should I get a new wheel?

(The wheel was replaced by the same shop that sold me the bike originally, so I'm kind of assuming they put the right wheel on the bike to match the front wheel.)

First.Aspect

You'll just have a lucky combination of manufacturing tolerances, that's all. Trust me, its better than having a large wheel and small tyre. Particularly if you flat on a wet Tuesday night in Stoke.

mr_evil

A loose-fitting tyre is more likely to come off the rim while you're riding if you get a puncture. This could be catastrophic, but it doesn't seem to be a huge risk.

apreading

I wouldnt worry as you are using innner tubes and high pressure. I would worry if you were a mountain biker with big, low pressure tyres running tubeless.

Alex99

ashra.kolhatkar wrote:

While fixing a flat on my rear wheel (tire is the original that came with the bike, the wheel is new and was replaced about three months ago), I noticed that I didn't need to use a tire lever, or really much force at all, to take the tire off the wheel. It didn't quite fall off, but it came off pretty effortlessly.

This doesn't correspond to any of my previous experience with changing tubes. I recently fixed a flat on my front wheel and I did need to use tire levers to take that tire off (original tire, original wheel).

Once the tube is inflated, however, the tire stays on just fine though it seems to be a little prone to popping out of the rim while inflating.

Is this something to be concerned about? Does this suggest that the replacement wheel I got is too small? Should I get a new tire? Should I get a new wheel?

(The wheel was replaced by the same shop that sold me the bike originally, so I'm kind of assuming they put the right wheel on the bike to match the front wheel.)

I've seen some tyre/wheel combos that are pretty loose fitting and needed a bit of 'caressing' to get the bead in the right place all the way round when inflating. However, they were fine once inflated. Just, if you puncture, stop ASAP. This is one of the arguments for using tubulars over clinchers. You can ride on a flat tubular reasonably safely if you're not silly about it.

svetty

ashra.kolhatkar wrote:

While fixing a flat on my rear wheel (tire is the original that came with the bike, the wheel is new and was replaced about three months ago), I noticed that I didn't need to use a tire lever, or really much force at all, to take the tire off the wheel. It didn't quite fall off, but it came off pretty effortlessly.

This doesn't correspond to any of my previous experience with changing tubes. I recently fixed a flat on my front wheel and I did need to use tire levers to take that tire off (original tire, original wheel).

Once the tube is inflated, however, the tire stays on just fine though it seems to be a little prone to popping out of the rim while inflating.

Is this something to be concerned about? Does this suggest that the replacement wheel I got is too small? Should I get a new tire? Should I get a new wheel?

(The wheel was replaced by the same shop that sold me the bike originally, so I'm kind of assuming they put the right wheel on the bike to match the front wheel.)

Some rims are a bit prone to the tyre coming off (with a bang) - Stans Alpha 340s spring to mind. I must admit I'd be slightly wary of a wheel/tyre combo where the tyre was a very loose fit - especially on the front wheel.