Hey guys, this is my first post on the forum and I just had a quick tyre sizing question. I have a Specialized Allez from around 07 and I'm replacing my tyres. I previously had some Armadillos but they are getting old so I just bought some Continental Gatorskins from a local bike store. The Gatorskins did not fit my rims but I thought the sizing was correct. I could quite literally put my hand between the rim and the tyre, but my old Armadillos fit very tight and were actually very difficult to get on and off.

My rims are stock; Jalco GX460 700c (622x14). The new Gatorskins I bought were 700c x 25. Is there any reason that these shouldn't fit my rims? My old Armadillos were 700c x 23, but I know that the 23 vs 25 is just how wide the tyre is. What are the chances that I got two Gatorskin tyres that were actually mislabeled from the factory? The sticker said 700c x 25 but the actual tyre only had the 25 indicated in print.

Thanks for your help guys and just let me know if you need any more info! I already returned the Gatorskins and am looking at buying online so I just wanted to confirm what my problem was.

When you say you could put your hand between the rim and the tyre, what do you mean exactly? Maybe a photo? What did the store that you bought them from say?

Sorry I didn't take a picture. I could seat the tyre in the rim along the bottom, pull it up the sides and at the top there was a gap big enough to put my hand through (no need for levers). With my Armadillos, it was hard even to get the tyre half way onto the rim (to the point where you would put the tube in). The gatorskins just slid over and I actually couldn't even seat the tyre because the gap left over at the end was big enough to slide my hand through.

I didn't talk to the store about it because I found out after the fact that they were way over priced. I figured if I told them the problem they would just try to get me an exchange, but I would rather save money by shopping elsewhere.

As far as I know, the only larger tire (diameter) than 700c is 27". Maybe that's what you got.

Thanks, yeah just a bit unlucky I guess.

Gatorskins are a beast to put on the rim for the first time. I have never had such a struggle. However, they will fit and once on they stretch enough that they are much easier to reinstall. The 23-25-28 sizing is teh diameter of the tire itself. 700c is the diameter of the rim. If you bought 700c tires, they will fit. Gatorskins are expensive (around $50 per tire) but they are great for avoiding punctures and they last a long time. The flat resistance is worth the extra cost IMO. If you paid much more than that, you should find a new shop.

You can ask the shop to install them and they will probably do so for a minimal charge.

Contls are great tires and you need not be so quick to give up on them.