AzTallRider

ROFL... here we go again.

t4mv

SPRING10 FTW, baby! Honestly, I don't know how those blokes stay in business unless they are the WallyWorld of bikedom...

BengeBoy 

Ding ding ding!! We have a winner!!!

23 in front, 25 in rear.

Philipaparker

You know you'll have to deflate the tire a bit to get them off and then reflate them once they are on. I usually ride Conti Gator skins 700x25 that slide on and off easily, this rainy season I switch to conti 4 season 700x25 and had the same problem you're having. The tires just didn't clear the brake pads. So I just carry the floor pump with me to reflate the tires.

On your tubes, we are lucky to have the tour of California stop by San Francisco in years past, I took a close look at the "Pro's" bikes including Lances. What the mechanics do is put electrical tape around the valve stem where it comes through the rim, I asked one of the guys about it. He said it kept the valve stem from moving around and they had less flats.

You may want to try that.

Terex

Continental Gator Hardshells in 700x25 on my Addict for riding in NJ, and Continental CityRide 32's on my Cannondale SuperX for riding in NM. And I'm faster than you. Whoever you are. Darn you skinny tires, darn you all to heck.

outwest5

Okay- done. I put a little piece of black electrical tape at the valve hole on the rim as recommended. I have new name brand tubes (Michelin Butyl) without threads and new Continental Grand Prix 4000S tires. They all came in the mail yesterday. I am off work today. I spent the morning *****ing and groaning putting them on the bike. I got the first one on and then noticed the directional arrow. Crap! I had to redo the whole thing. When I finally got the bike back together I had to readjust the brakes. My husband offered to do it for me when he got home, but I want to be able to do it myself. I ride by myself a lot.

I took it out for just a couple of miles to try them. NICE! Smooth! Easier up a hill! I can feel the road more than with the 25's, that is true, but it isn't unpleasant. In fact, it feels pretty smooth to me. Maybe because I inflated them to 100 in the back and 90 in the front? It doesn't seem like much air compared to what others do, but that is what the formula said for my weight. They look pretty nice, too. Tomorrow we are going on a longish 30 mile ride. I should know the real story after that.

Thanks for the suggestions everyone. I am now equipped with cute spandex clothes (omg), an awesome bike tweeked to perfection (for me), places to go and things to see.

I will not spend ANY more money on this bike. I will not spend ANY more money on this bike.I will not spend ANY more money on this bike.

...well, I did notice some Felt water bottles on the website that match the bike...

PS I just checked the Amazon link again. The tires are now showing $55.93 each and not coming from Amazon, but from a 3rd party. ooooo, I got in there just in time, I guess. I paid $77.88 for both with free shipping and they came directly from Amazon. I bet if you keep the link and check over the next couple weeks they will go down again.

zonatandem

We run 700x25 Maxxis Re-Fuse tires on our tandem bike.
Great flat protection, easy to install/remove as it has a Kevlar bead. Can do that without tire tools.
Lawyer's tabs on forks also tend to hang up wheel removal.
Open up brakes a tad (loosen cable a tiny bit then re-tighten).
Pedal on!

kjc9640

I just went from 23s to 25s, Bontrager Race Lights and Bontrager tubes. I have had no problems in 2000 miles except I wore the rear tire out. No flats and I do not notice any drop off in speed and enjoy a much smoother ride. They are mounted on Mavic open pro rims. I liked the so much that I bought 2 extra tires last week when they were on sale.

Get the Saris Bones trunk rack, I have the 2 bike rack cost about $129. I have seen them on craigs list for $45

outwest5

A trunk rack is next.

We did our ride today, about 25 miles up and down. I like the tires a lot! I was surprised how stuck to the ground they felt around corners; I felt very confident on them. They are also smoother than my husbands 23's. His have more of a triangular shape. I guess all brands of tires have their own feel. My bike was obviously made for running 23's. The 25's barely fit. Getting the wheels off and on was so annoying. These Continental 23's have some of the comfort of the 25's. I feel like they were a great compromise.

Thank you for the suggestion of them everyone. I am very happy! They look good, too.

gtragitt

The first time you mount new tires, you will probably notice greater difficulty. Once they have been mounted, removal and remounting should be easier.

Congratulations on doing it yourself!

mkane77g

I wouldn't be concerned about which way the arrow points. Moot point on a bicycle. We use that new Michelin tire on a tandem and inflate after the wheel is installed on the fork.

outwest5

I am not sure about that. They have a little design on the sides that is directional. I read over the instructions after I put them on (of course) and it says to pay attention to the arrow.

Garilia

The arrow is wise, it will always point the way. You just have to figure out which way it's supposed to point.

DnvrFox

I've never noticed any difference, and, besides, my mind can no longer easily translate wheel motion, arrows and place in space into a coherent answer. I just put the tire on, without straining my brain. Seems to work for my riding.

Allegheny Jet

When I mount tires on the front wheel, I don't look at the arrow until after mounting the tire. If I mounted the rotation arrow in the wrong direction, I just change the skewer to the other side. I do pay attention when mounting the rear as switching the skewer is not an option
.

Elmog

My Allez Elite has a much better ride with the 25's mounted on the Mavic Open Pro wheels. I would not go back to 23's unless I got involved in racing.

outwest5

Yes, the ride is very nice with the 25's, but the hassle of getting them on and off all the time wasn't worth the extra comfort to me. Perhaps other wheel/brake/fork set ups will allow the 25 to slip on and off easily. Mine did not. The continentals I got are pretty darned smooth feeling for a 23- 'course, I have only ridden a few different 23's.

PS My matching water bottles came in the mail. That's IT! No more stuff for the bike!

kr32

Yeah sure, we have heard that before, who you kiddin'?

BluesDawg

Good one!

Hermes

I researched this matter. The GP 4000s has asymmetrical tread pattern. Although, Continental does not offer any guidance on its cycling tire website, it does on its motorcycle tire website. Asymmetrical tread patterns channel water / road moisture and improves cornering adhesion in wet conditions assuming proper rotating direction. The same guidance was provided by Wiggle.com customer service concerning the need to run the GP 4000 s tire in the proper direction. As if you needed more reasons to justify your choice of the 4000s here is a link from Continental to a German magazine testing *tyres*. https://www.conti-online.com/generato...gp4000s_en.pdf

I check our bikes before every ride. I inspect tires, chain, frame, brake pads, clearance, headset and etc, My goal is not to crash due to mechanical failure, poor maintenance or failing to follow manufacturers recommendations. I accept flat tires and operator error and other risks as part of riding.

I loved your "I am not sure about that".

Garilia

hehe.

Denial is not just a river in Egypt

Face it, you're addicted.

Of course, you will justify not spending any more on this bike by seeking the n+1 purchase.

AzTallRider

How different people handle maintenance is interesting. People like Hermes (and me) want to know, for themselves, that everything is 'right'. If anything happens on a ride, it's entirely our fault, and very likely something that was preventable. Even flats are preventable to a certain degree. A friend of mine, who has mentored me a lot as I've started racing, is the opposite. What he says is "If I had a breakdown on a race because of something I did to the bike, after training for months for that race, I could never forgive myself." So he relies on the LBS for most of his maintenance and race prep. This past Saturday, in a race we both trained up for, I hear him off to the side shouting my name. He points to his headset - the cap bolt is missing. I express my empathy, saying something intelligent like "Sh**!" He didn't know what to do. He drifted back to find his LBS buddy to ask him. He sprinted to the front to do the same, then drifted back again. He talked to people about it, and finally decided to just keep riding. He is a much stronger rider, but I finished 10 minutes ahead of him, something one of our co-workers is giving him major grief about, saying "Hey, equipment is part of it." Which, of course, it is.

What I'm pretty sure happened is that he, like a bunch of us, turned his bike upside down while waiting for the start, in order to sit down, use the toilet, etc. The cap-bolt was loose and dropped out then. If your stem bolts are properly torqued, that cap-bolt isn't likely to cause on issue. If you know your bike inside out, you will know that, but it's also far less likely to happen. My attitude is "If I trust my race to a teenaged LBS wrench, and something fails, I could never forgive myself." So I'm gradually learning what I need to know, and collecting the tools, to do as much of 'everything' as I can.

Those different approaches reflect the title theme in "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance."

berner

My bike, a Specialized Secteur, came with 25 mm tires. I installed a 28 mm Serfas Seca in the back to soften the ride for a bad back. The Seca has 2700 miles on it now and is just showing some wear. I think it'll go another 1500 miles. I recently bought two of the folding Secas and they weigh 210 grams. I can say I'm very satisfied with these tires.

On the issue of inspection, I now check the tires frequently as I've noticed glass embedded in the rubber but hidden from view. I'm letting air out so the tire can be pinched to open up any cuts. This was a tip from a pro known for high speed descents.