New frame tyre clearance

kirkee

Merry Christmas to you all. I've recently bought a new Cinelli Experience frameset to replace my ageing bike. The main reason I bought this frame was due to it having intelligent race geometry and that it can accommodate up to 28mm tyres- according to their own product description.
I tried fitting a rear wheel with a 28mm tyre today and its got at most 2mm of space between tyre/seat tube, barely spins. Swapped out and re fitted in my old frame (standard drop brake racing geometry) and it fits with 5 mm to spare. I'm not impressed, I haven't built the frame up yet. I will attempt to return for refund as its not as advertised. Does anyone think I will have a good case for returning the frame or not?

webboo

If it's got 2 mm of clearance, why won't it spin.

kirkee

It has slightly less in places as the tyre has slight variations around circumference. Its definitely not sufficient clearance for normal riding picking up debris etc. For balance I fitted another wheel that's got 25mm vitt open paves on and the clearance still seemed closer than normally expected. I'll have to keep the old bike going for a while longer!

hambini

some wheel/tyre combinations cause the tyre to balloon. you might have this problem? are you running narrow rims.

cougie

Not all 28Mm tyres measure the same.

2Mm is loads compared to some race bikes I've seen.

smoggysteve

hambini wrote:

some wheel/tyre combinations cause the tyre to balloon. you might have this problem? are you running narrow rims.

This. Wider tyres are great - on wider rims. If you have very narrow rims the tyre shape light bulbs and the only place for it to go is outwards and is more likely to make contact with the frame. I personally wouldn't try putting 28mm in anything narrower than 22mm inside rim width. Some tyres may not even get on this rim gauge. I have some old 17mm rims I can't get a 25mm tyre to even seat so 28mm on narrow rims is just going to compound the problem.

kirkee

Im using a mix of Fulcrum and Campag wheels, all 19mm rim width I think. Never had any issue's with seating 25mm tyres of varying brands. As I said the wheel with 28mm fitted fits slightly better on my standard close tolerance old frame. 2mm clearance for a 28mm specific frame is poor as far as I'm concerned. Would get alot of debris build up riding in wet muddy conditions that are commonplace in country lanes where I live.

hambini

kirkee wrote:

Im using a mix of Fulcrum and Campag wheels, all 19mm rim width I think. Never had any issue's with seating 25mm tyres of varying brands. As I said the wheel with 28mm fitted fits slightly better on my standard close tolerance old frame. 2mm clearance for a 28mm specific frame is poor as far as I'm concerned. Would get alot of debris build up riding in wet muddy conditions that are commonplace in country lanes where I live.

I think 2mm is good. My Cervelo s5 has about 1.5mm on 23mm continental tyres!!

I have found that different brands of tyre have subtly different rolling diameters, both visually and my garmin flags the difference after a tyre change.

kirkee

hambini wrote:

kirkee wrote:

Im using a mix of Fulcrum and Campag wheels, all 19mm rim width I think. Never had any issue's with seating 25mm tyres of varying brands. As I said the wheel with 28mm fitted fits slightly better on my standard close tolerance old frame. 2mm clearance for a 28mm specific frame is poor as far as I'm concerned. Would get alot of debris build up riding in wet muddy conditions that are commonplace in country lanes where I live.

I think 2mm is good. My Cervelo s5 has about 1.5mm on 23mm continental tyres!!

I have found that different brands of tyre have subtly different rolling diameters, both visually and my garmin flags the difference after a tyre change.

Granted, your happy with your bikes clearance. Your Cervelo is'nt marketed as a frame suited for 28mm tyres. The frame I just bought is, and with next to no clearance, it clearly isn't! Seems from the replies that its a subjective view taken on how much there should be. I'll contact the shop and make my case, one man's 2mm maybe another's 5mm etc,etc.