My tire/wheel issue
04-11-09, 05:40 PM
#1
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Location: I've just moved to Sioux Center Iowa about an hour South of Sioux Falls South Dakota.
Posts: 45
Bikes: Currently just an old GT Tequesta MTB, but just rebuilt from the ground up as a single speed and love it! Next project is a road fixie, looking for a donor....
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My tire/wheel issue
OK experts..help me here.
Last summer I picked up a circa 1988 Gt mountain bike to convert to a SS. Worked great but I was still running the ancient 1.9" tires it had on ie.. maybe the originals! The front one always has somewhat of a bump/wiggle in it but the rim seemed OK so I passed it off and figured I'd replace the tires next season.
Fast forward to this season. I put on a pair of 1.5" WTB Slickasaurus tires, work great for my podunk town riding here in Iowa...except for the front tire again, only worse. I still have the bump but more pronounced with the much smaller tire. I checked the rim again and it seems true and not out of round. The best I can determine is that the tire bead doesn't seem to be seated the same depth on the rim as it spins. I'm running 1 3/8 tubes and the rim is right about 1.5", about the same as the tire.
I have been thinking about geting some new cheap rims so I have a freehub rear to improve my chainline. I wonder if the new rim should be narrower than 1.5", it there's a good trick to fix my current issue, is my tube bunching up..yada yada yada.
Sorry for this novel but I want to get out riding!! And..I don't want to drag the 1/9" knobbies around my little town of 6000 anymore :-(
Last summer I picked up a circa 1988 Gt mountain bike to convert to a SS. Worked great but I was still running the ancient 1.9" tires it had on ie.. maybe the originals! The front one always has somewhat of a bump/wiggle in it but the rim seemed OK so I passed it off and figured I'd replace the tires next season.
Fast forward to this season. I put on a pair of 1.5" WTB Slickasaurus tires, work great for my podunk town riding here in Iowa...except for the front tire again, only worse. I still have the bump but more pronounced with the much smaller tire. I checked the rim again and it seems true and not out of round. The best I can determine is that the tire bead doesn't seem to be seated the same depth on the rim as it spins. I'm running 1 3/8 tubes and the rim is right about 1.5", about the same as the tire.
I have been thinking about geting some new cheap rims so I have a freehub rear to improve my chainline. I wonder if the new rim should be narrower than 1.5", it there's a good trick to fix my current issue, is my tube bunching up..yada yada yada.
Sorry for this novel but I want to get out riding!! And..I don't want to drag the 1/9" knobbies around my little town of 6000 anymore :-(
04-11-09, 05:47 PM
#2
Rumblefish
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Austin Texas
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Bikes: 1973 Crescent Pepita Single Speed,1978 Raleigh Competition G.S.,1976 Raleigh Super Course MKII,1970's Motobecane Super Touring Fixed Gear, 1980's Denti Road Tech Five,Gary Fisher Hoo Koo E Koo,1973 Atala Giro,Cheap MTB Tandem,Schwinn World Sport
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Might try overinflating(not too much!) to see if you can seat the tire. Squirt some soapy water in there to grease the works if you like
04-11-09, 06:41 PM
#3
Senior Member
Or partially deflate the tire and try to seat it properly before fully inflating.
04-11-09, 11:37 PM
#4
Great State of Varmint
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Seems to me that 'mountain bike' and 'Iowa' would construe an oxymoron. However I think I know what you mean. Spent many a long, humid, blazing summer sequestered in Burlington, IA with my Grandparents. Burlington has a hill. It goes down to the edge of the Mississippi - where most of the city is located. Love those floods!
You could try to get thinner rims, but for a mountain bike wheel, the fact they take a 26" will rather limit your possibilities. Have you considered slicks? But what this sounds like is you have tired of the mountain bikes. So I'd suggest thinking about the things you do like about them? Upright riding position? Lower/smaller frame compared to road bikes? The relatively slow speed they go?
If you like the first two - you should look into getting a hybrid. They are upright, and they go plenty fast. Full size 700C wheels and more tire choices than you can count.
If you don't care about the riding position, upright sometimes and crouched in others - but you want to go good and fast - look into a road bike. I'm afraid there aren't too many 26" wheels that will accommodate a 28C tire. Those are quite fast and tough. But mountain bikes and components are geared <koff> to grinding up the bumpy paths bouncing off rocks - not winning races or sprints.
Good Luck!
You could try to get thinner rims, but for a mountain bike wheel, the fact they take a 26" will rather limit your possibilities. Have you considered slicks? But what this sounds like is you have tired of the mountain bikes. So I'd suggest thinking about the things you do like about them? Upright riding position? Lower/smaller frame compared to road bikes? The relatively slow speed they go?
If you like the first two - you should look into getting a hybrid. They are upright, and they go plenty fast. Full size 700C wheels and more tire choices than you can count.
If you don't care about the riding position, upright sometimes and crouched in others - but you want to go good and fast - look into a road bike. I'm afraid there aren't too many 26" wheels that will accommodate a 28C tire. Those are quite fast and tough. But mountain bikes and components are geared <koff> to grinding up the bumpy paths bouncing off rocks - not winning races or sprints.
Good Luck!
04-12-09, 02:17 AM
#5
Senior Member
Did you go with the outer or inner chainring when you converted? With one bike, I did find an old 7-spd freehub-equipped rear wheel and was able to easily adjust the chainline. But the rest of mine were all freewheel conversions, and the inner chainring worked best.
Now your bump problem is baffling, but here are two possibilities:
1) your front rim has a noticable seam. I say this because I have a friend that can actually feel the seam on good rims, as the wheel revolves. So if you have a pronounced seem, I can imagine it causing problems.
2) i doubt this is it, but if your tube is pinched between the tire bead and rim, this could cause a bump. When I mount a tire, I always go around the wheel, both sides, pushing the tire away from the rim to visually check that the tube is not stuck under the bead. Then I pump it up.
I recently mounted a used 27" tire on the rim, and the tire was noticably out-of-round, not the rim. It was quite a surprise. But I don't think this is your problem, since you've had this symptom with two sets of tires. I always check the condition of the rim tape also. I've seen odd things with rim tape shifted. If you've got the old rubber type, that effect could be greater. I like the modern cloth stuff myself, and I've had enough problems with rubber, that I routinely replace it on old bikes.
Now your bump problem is baffling, but here are two possibilities:
1) your front rim has a noticable seam. I say this because I have a friend that can actually feel the seam on good rims, as the wheel revolves. So if you have a pronounced seem, I can imagine it causing problems.
2) i doubt this is it, but if your tube is pinched between the tire bead and rim, this could cause a bump. When I mount a tire, I always go around the wheel, both sides, pushing the tire away from the rim to visually check that the tube is not stuck under the bead. Then I pump it up.
I recently mounted a used 27" tire on the rim, and the tire was noticably out-of-round, not the rim. It was quite a surprise. But I don't think this is your problem, since you've had this symptom with two sets of tires. I always check the condition of the rim tape also. I've seen odd things with rim tape shifted. If you've got the old rubber type, that effect could be greater. I like the modern cloth stuff myself, and I've had enough problems with rubber, that I routinely replace it on old bikes.
Last edited by sunburst; 04-12-09 at 02:20 AM.
04-12-09, 03:36 AM
#6
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Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: I've just moved to Sioux Center Iowa about an hour South of Sioux Falls South Dakota.
Posts: 45
Bikes: Currently just an old GT Tequesta MTB, but just rebuilt from the ground up as a single speed and love it! Next project is a road fixie, looking for a donor....
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Iowa Mt biking?
LOL..love the comment. Moved here from Colorado last summer for a job. Rode a Mtn B for the last 20 yrs for urban year-round commuting snow and all. Like the SS much and still like the frame.
I simply wanted to ditch the knobbies for the summer and went to WTB partial slicks. I went to 1.5" s since what the hey...if I'm doing smoothies might as well. will go back to knobs for fall till riding is over for the year. My SS is running a Shimano single crank I got off ebay. It's actually a captians crank from a tandem that a place flopped and heilicoled the pedal threads for the proper L-R threads...$45 new and works great.
Anyyway, I know the rim seam issue..hadn't thought of that so I'll check it. This bike is new to me as I picked it up for $40 just before moving here as a SS project. Has been great till this tire/rim issue.
I hear ya on the road vs Mtn bike but currently prefer this setup. Had many custum roadies since the early 70's. I don't have the Mtn B set for upright ride as I don't like it. Usinf bar ends etc for a bit of streach when needed. It's so windy here all the time that upright would be couner productive. BTW...my town has one big hill...I loop around it for fun, locals think I'm crazy LOL.
I'll try the suggestions and get back...thanks!
I simply wanted to ditch the knobbies for the summer and went to WTB partial slicks. I went to 1.5" s since what the hey...if I'm doing smoothies might as well. will go back to knobs for fall till riding is over for the year. My SS is running a Shimano single crank I got off ebay. It's actually a captians crank from a tandem that a place flopped and heilicoled the pedal threads for the proper L-R threads...$45 new and works great.
Anyyway, I know the rim seam issue..hadn't thought of that so I'll check it. This bike is new to me as I picked it up for $40 just before moving here as a SS project. Has been great till this tire/rim issue.
I hear ya on the road vs Mtn bike but currently prefer this setup. Had many custum roadies since the early 70's. I don't have the Mtn B set for upright ride as I don't like it. Usinf bar ends etc for a bit of streach when needed. It's so windy here all the time that upright would be couner productive. BTW...my town has one big hill...I loop around it for fun, locals think I'm crazy LOL.
I'll try the suggestions and get back...thanks!
