OuroborosChoked

So my bike was in the shop from Saturday until after closing Tuesday (after 8pm). I turned it in and they said it would be ready Tuesday. Tuesday came... nothing... visit in person... "Oh, you're next in line"... three hours later... "Oh, you're next in line"... *grumble*... an hour later... "It'll be about ten minutes before he starts work on it... it'll be done in about half an hour to 45 minutes"... *GRUMBLE*... ten minutes to close... "Uh, it's still not done." This is the OTHER bike shop...

Anyway, it DID get done, eventually... but they did something weird. I needed the front tube replaced, the back wheel replaced, and the drivetrain cleaned. They cleaned the drive train, and the back wheel looks awesome... but they replaced the front tire with a 700x23C Bontrager Hardcase... a road tire. I have a hybrid bike. My usual tires have been 400x38C... just regular hybrid tires.

Will this mess me up? Is it safe? It looks really bizarre... like I stole some road bike's front wheel...

KingTermite 

If you didn't want them to change the "tire", then I'd take it back PRONTO and tell them to fix it "right this minute".

I used to have a good LBS and then my 2nd LBS (because it was just down the street from me). I (unfortunately) used my 2nd LBS a few times for minor repairs. Never once was I happy with their work. It seems everytime they did anything, I later discovered something they did wrong, or not the way I asked.

Tom Stormcrowe

Do you actually HAVE someone else's wheel on there? Mistakes have happened, ya know.

OuroborosChoked

I don't have a problem with it... if it's safe and still works just fine... which it seems to, so far. I rode it rather roughly today, and I'm still alive... everything's still together.

And I might consider taking it back... if it wasn't thunderstorming... and wicked brutal outside (feels like 94 F with humidity and NO breeze). >_<

OuroborosChoked

Pretty sure it's my wheel. The dust and scrapes look the same, anyway...

Though it does look like it has fewer spokes...

Edit: It IS mine. The odometer sensor is the same.

KingTermite 

All odometer sensors are more or less the same (unless you see a brand or logo on it or something).

Also...if you do keep it, don't forget to change your computer front tire setting for new tire width.

OuroborosChoked

Did that last night!

Seamus

If you were happy with the 38s, and the tire didn't need replacement, I'd go back and ask for the original tire or a comparable replacement. No reason to run a West Coast Chopper combo (fat rear, skinny front).

Jim

jaxgtr

what is the rim size? If it is a standard hybrid rim, around 18mm, then a 23 will be small and slightly unsafe if you ask me. I would say a min tire size on a 18mm rim would be a 28. I'd take it back and have them put a 38.

OuroborosChoked

How do I measure the rim size?

Sorry, I really am a n00b when it comes to bike repair stuff... and bike fitness stuff...

I'm probably getting ripped off big time every time... >_<

mazpr

I am kinda of new to, but isnt it suppose to be 700x38 instead of 400x38?

I dont know about you, but I do notice a BIG difference between 23c and 25c on my bikes and another one I have with 35, 38 is way up in the comfort zone.

The same thing happens when you take a car for repair, they always change stuff just to charge more. I remember a lady took her car for repair and they swapped the brakes and rotors and determined it was unsafe to leave with the car with brakes in such a bad condition, the lady was so angry.

The same goes with performing repairs not authorized. The bike must look strange with a big tire on the back and a skinny one on the front if thats how it is right now.

jaxgtr

Take a tape measure and measure the inside part of the rim where the tire clinches in. It also might be on the rim stickers. If you still are not sure, look them up on the internet and you should be able to find some sort of documentation on them somewhere. Now what is bad on my part is that I assuming you have some sort of hybrid or cross bike since you were running 38's.

What type of bike are you running? and the model and make of the rims?

OuroborosChoked

It's a hybrid. A Raleigh c200 (2003-ish?). Front rims = xrims 622x19. Rear = ???. Seriously, there are no markings on the rear rims that I can find. The receipt just says Hybrid Singlewall. *shrug*

jaxgtr

Is it the same rim as the front? Match set, if so, then 23 is way small for those. Check the graph about half way down the page. https://sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html and you will see that 28 are as small as you go for a 19mm rim.

OuroborosChoked

They are NOT the same rims, I know that.

The tires are as follows:
Front - 23-622 (700x23C)
Rear - 700x38C (40x622)

Seems to me like they reverse the listing methods...

The rear looks normal. It looks like my bike used to. The front just looks like a road bike's wheel on a hybrid...

I couldn't really make heads or tails of that page, though. I hardly saw anything about my front wheel on there...

jaxgtr

OK, you need to take the tire off and measure the rim from inside wall to inside wall and that will tell you the rim size. On the graph, on the left is the rim size in mm, at 19mm, the smallest tire to safely run is 28mm and the largest is 44.

gobot

Sheldon Brown discusses mixing different tires on front/back in this article: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/tires.html

but he seems to make more of an argument for the wide front+ narrow rear combo. I have no idea, just thoguht I rememebred reading somethin' about it.

OuroborosChoked

Are you gobot like Go-Bot?

Or like a sci-fi parody of Waiting for Godot?

Man, that would be sweet! **imagines**

OuroborosChoked

Son of a MILF! My LBS is trying to kill me!!

spencejm

Someone messed up. I guess it's possible but I've never seen a HYBRID tire that was 23mm. You said your reciept specified HYBRID tire. According to Sheldon's site, if your rim is labeled 622-19 like you say, you need a tire that will probably be labeled something like 700X28 up to 700X44. To match the rear you'll want a 700X38 or 40. My guess is that is what you paid for but someone in the shop either got cute or just messed up. Seems like weird mistake to make though. You would think a good tech would seriously question that combo.

Someone PLEASE correct me if I'm wrong!

Joe

Black Shuck

I've been running mismathced tyres for a good while, 28mm Vittoria Randonneur rear and 25mm Michelin Speedium front on 19mm rims. Had a Speedium in the rear too but got a pinch flat almost instantly but the one in the front has held up good. I don't think you'll have any problems with your configuration as long as you keep the pressure up and the rolling resistace will be slightly lower. I would still go to the shop and complain though.

gobot

OuroborosChoked

UPDATE

Got the tire exchanged. No hassle.

The guys there today weren't the same jerks who were there on Tuesday...

jaxgtr

Just out of curiosity, what did they say?

OuroborosChoked

Not really much of anything. I explained the situation, and the guy was mostly just befuddled. He said he'd have a talk with the repair guys.