28mm tyres on 2007 Cervélo R3

deejay.

Good morning pedallers all!

I’ve recently purchased an old Cervélo R3 and am swapping some Record 10v bits from another frame so I can build it up; a few new parts are going on, too. The frame is around 2007, I think, as it’s the black, red and white colours of CSC, and has CSC decals on the seat tube: think: Basso, Cancellara, O’Grady, Sastre etc.

I’ve been doing a lot of reading around the frame (and the company) and saw a review on BR by Guy Kesteven from January 2008 in which he states the frame will accommodate 28mm tyres. I’m really hoping to get this to work for me as I live in West Berkshire, where the roads are awful - on my existing frame I have to run 23mm tyres (older frames - no clearance!)

I’ve managed to get around to popping my wheels into the frame this morning (Bullet Ultras - looks good) and have learned a couple of things:

1. For no reason I can fathom, neither the front nor rear wheel seem to sit central in the frame both are slightly off the one side: the drive side (I’d post pictures if I could, but I can’t seem to make that work). The front seems to be off by about 2mm, as does the rear (actually maybe 3mm). The frame seems fine, looks in good shape, has been clearly looked after and was hand-delivered by the seller (top man!)

2. Whilst the clearances on the tail end look okay for bigger volume tyres (item 1 notwithstanding), the fork is never taking anything bigger than a 23mm - at least on these wheels.

So that’s the context - here are my questions:

Q1. What could be causing the offset?
Q2. I’m getting my LBS to build this up for me - can the offset be remedied?
Q3. Which fork could I put on this frame to give me clearance for 28mm? I’ve got a 3T Funda fork (which is no use in that respect) but wondered about the Rigida...

Any help, advice, experiences of other owners of R3 frames gratefully received!

Cheers,

deej

imposter2.0

Can’t help with the offset issue, but I only have one question - if the main objective is to run wider tyres, why are you persevering with a 12 year old frame with narrow clearance?

deejay.

Imposter wrote:

Can’t help with the offset issue, but I only have one question - if the main objective is to run wider tyres, why are you persevering with a 12 year old frame with narrow clearance?

Fair question - it’s not the main objective, to be honest: I bought the frame as an interim en-route to something more modern, to allow me to sell another frame (not that I really want to sell the other), because the budget was restrictive and because I’ve always fancied an R3, but either didn’t like the colours of the ones on offer, or needed more steerer tube than was left, or the timing wasn’t right, or whatever. The 28mm tyre piece is an unexpected (and forgotten about) opportunity which, now I am aware of it, I don’t want to miss..!

itboffin

28c is very unlikely, i have to 2012 R5 and i doubt anything bigger than 25 would work.

deejay.

itboffin wrote:

28c is very unlikely, i have to 2012 R5 and i doubt anything bigger than 25 would work.

Thanks - actually 25 would be a start! What are you running on your R5?

Alejandrosdog

its not unusual for bike frames to be offset a mm or 2 (ive come to discover) Obviously with carbon frames theres no opportunity to bend or oterhwise adjust and it only becomes a problem trying to fit wider tyres into a frame from a time where 23mm was the expected norm.

You'll have to live with 23mm or re dish your wheel slightly to make the most but i suspect in anycase you'll struggle to fit a 28mm tyre in the rear of that frame. Not least because most 28mm tyres are going to come up wider still on modern wider rims.

The only bike shop in west berkshire id trust to look after wheels is Ricky over in Pangbourne who is a bit of a proper old school mechanical detail geek in a good way. His shop reflects this, its more of a bike mechanics cave than a glossy retail outfit he's good.

Pedal on have a good reputation too. Depending where you live you could try Marlborough bike shop who have a good mechanic too that can re dish wheels and not leave them like a tension spaghetti.

Apart from that live with your wheels and run 23/25/ . West Berkshire roads are appalling and the council seem to prefer that cheap loose chipping stuff for their intermittant maintenance which is just horrible. Good job the countryside makes up for it.

itboffin

deejay. wrote:

itboffin wrote:

28c is very unlikely, i have to 2012 R5 and i doubt anything bigger than 25 would work.

Thanks - actually 25 would be a start! What are you running on your R5?

25c Schwalbe ones on one set of wheels and 23c Veloflex on my super lightweight custom built wheels, which makes for a very hard ride on the local Windshire roads.

deejay.

itboffin wrote:

deejay. wrote:

itboffin wrote:

28c is very unlikely, i have to 2012 R5 and i doubt anything bigger than 25 would work.

Thanks - actually 25 would be a start! What are you running on your R5?

25c Schwalbe ones on one set of wheels and 23c Veloflex on my super lightweight custom built wheels, which makes for a very hard ride on the local Windshire roads.

Ouch - I know what you mean. Thanks!

deejay.

Alejandrosdog wrote:

its not unusual for bike frames to be offset a mm or 2 (ive come to discover) Obviously with carbon frames theres no opportunity to bend or oterhwise adjust and it only becomes a problem trying to fit wider tyres into a frame from a time where 23mm was the expected norm.

You'll have to live with 23mm or re dish your wheel slightly to make the most but i suspect in anycase you'll struggle to fit a 28mm tyre in the rear of that frame. Not least because most 28mm tyres are going to come up wider still on modern wider rims.

The only bike shop in west berkshire id trust to look after wheels is Ricky over in Pangbourne who is a bit of a proper old school mechanical detail geek in a good way. His shop reflects this, its more of a bike mechanics cave than a glossy retail outfit he's good.

Pedal on have a good reputation too. Depending where you live you could try Marlborough bike shop who have a good mechanic too that can re dish wheels and not leave them like a tension spaghetti.

Apart from that live with your wheels and run 23/25/ . West Berkshire roads are appalling and the council seem to prefer that cheap loose chipping stuff for their intermittant maintenance which is just horrible. Good job the countryside makes up for it.

Thanks for the reply - useful extra info. Ricky built up my Master Olympic for me, he’s definitely good - but also very busy! Might try Pedal On instead. Sorted the front offset - just the rear (which sounds, as you say, like a re-dish). For interest I put another wheel in the rear triangle - not a proper fit, but with a 28mm Schwalbe 1 on it, and there was daylight - 2-3mm all-round. Bearing in mind the crappy roads, and discretion being the better part of valour, a safe 25mm might be better than an iffy 28mm - better than 23mm, either way!

Cheers,

deej

Alejandrosdog

Even a 25 would help!

I’m on 23 still and they’re fine. Mine should take a 25 but have the same issue as yours and I get rub.

deejay.

Alejandrosdog wrote:

Even a 25 would help!

I’m on 23 still and they’re fine. Mine should take a 25 but have the same issue as yours and I get rub.

Which rims are you on?

deejay.

Alejandrosdog wrote:

its not unusual for bike frames to be offset a mm or 2 (ive come to discover) Obviously with carbon frames theres no opportunity to bend or oterhwise adjust and it only becomes a problem trying to fit wider tyres into a frame from a time where 23mm was the expected norm.

You'll have to live with 23mm or re dish your wheel slightly to make the most but i suspect in anycase you'll struggle to fit a 28mm tyre in the rear of that frame. Not least because most 28mm tyres are going to come up wider still on modern wider rims.

The only bike shop in west berkshire id trust to look after wheels is Ricky over in Pangbourne who is a bit of a proper old school mechanical detail geek in a good way. His shop reflects this, its more of a bike mechanics cave than a glossy retail outfit he's good.

Pedal on have a good reputation too. Depending where you live you could try Marlborough bike shop who have a good mechanic too that can re dish wheels and not leave them like a tension spaghetti.

Apart from that live with your wheels and run 23/25/ . West Berkshire roads are appalling and the council seem to prefer that cheap loose chipping stuff for their intermittant maintenance which is just horrible. Good job the countryside makes up for it.

Have now booked in with Pankhurst Cycles - should get it back around 8/9/10th July...

Alejandrosdog

deejay. wrote:

Alejandrosdog wrote:

Even a 25 would help!

I’m on 23 still and they’re fine. Mine should take a 25 but have the same issue as yours and I get rub.

Which rims are you on?

On all rims, narrow c24 and wider 303 theres just no room.

Nice you got it in with Ricky

deejay.

Alejandrosdog wrote:

deejay. wrote:

Alejandrosdog wrote:

Even a 25 would help!

I’m on 23 still and they’re fine. Mine should take a 25 but have the same issue as yours and I get rub.

Which rims are you on?

On all rims, narrow c24 and wider 303 theres just no room.

Nice you got it in with Ricky

Yeah - he did a super job as you’d expect. Only managed one easy ride so far (time, and a dicky knee) but so far really pleased with the frame and the build!

Alejandrosdog

deejay. wrote:

Alejandrosdog wrote:

deejay. wrote:

Alejandrosdog wrote:

Even a 25 would help!

I’m on 23 still and they’re fine. Mine should take a 25 but have the same issue as yours and I get rub.

Which rims are you on?

On all rims, narrow c24 and wider 303 theres just no room.

Nice you got it in with Ricky

Yeah - he did a super job as you’d expect. Only managed one easy ride so far (time, and a dicky knee) but so far really pleased with the frame and the build!

Photos please