robtown

I enjoy building bikes when I acquire enough parts and a new interesting frame. I've just purchased a Kona Lisa triathlon style frame to build.
In fitting the rear wheel I have to mount it before pumping up the tire. The 700c rims are Mavic box style & I tried wire bead 700x25c tires first. At about 70 psi the tire seems out of round and binds against the seat tube in several locations. My second try was a 700x25c Vittoria folder. That tire bound at 80 psi. My third try was with an Araya box rim and a Huttcheson Fusion 700x23c tire (off another bike). That one bound in the 80 psi range but seemed a bit rounder. The last try as with my new Rolf aero wheel and Conti 4000. It was very round and barely cleared at 120psi.

I build for fun and to recoup a small ($100 or so counting labor as free) profit but the Rolf wheelset (at several hundred used) is definitely staying on my newly acquired keeper.

Question - Are there specific tires, 700x21c perhaps, that have a low profile and will solve my problem? Hopefully for something closer to $55 per pair instead of $125 per pair? I'm also considering an economical wheelset that has 24mm semi-areo rims like the Rolf.

Note - I know aero rims are the way to go - but I've sold moderate quality refurbished 6 - 9 speed steel frame road bikes to beginning triathletes who had been using old MTB and worse bikes. The Kona, even with box rims, is much better and will sell for 1/3 the cost of what might be considered a serious bike.

sirious94

I run 21s on my TT bike, but it clears fine with 23s, did you set the dropout screws correctly?