Tight tyres on Chrina rims - any solutions? (answer: yes)

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Jay Gee
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Joined: 1 Aug 2010, 9:01pm
Location: West Dorset

Tight tyres on Chrina rims - any solutions? (answer: yes)

Post by Jay Gee »

Building a new wheelset has been very satisfying, but it's been incredibly difficult to fit tyres to the new Rigida Chrina rims. They're not new tyres (folding conti gatorskins) and they slipped off the old wheels very easily. I've watched the video on the Spa Cycles website - several times - but even getting the first bead over the rim is a struggle. I'm seriously worried about dealing with a puncture on the road.

Any thoughts? Are some tyres likely to be easier? I saw a review on Huthinson Intensives that mentioned they were easy to fit, but they're quite expensive and I don't want to buy more tyres if they won't make a difference. Are there other things I can do before buying different rims and starting again?
Last edited by Jay Gee on 4 Jan 2014, 7:37pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Mick F
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Re: Tight tyres on Chrina rims - any solutions?

Post by Mick F »

Tyres do vary I believe, so different ones may be less tight.
Trouble is, Rigida Chrina rims vary too.

My present pair are different ERDs, though the outside diameter is the same. My Vittoria Rubino Pro folding tyres are very tight on them and hurt my thumbs, but my previous Chrina rims were easy. I won't be buying Rigida Chrina again.

Ferrit Worrier on this very forum gave up on his new Chrinas coz he had big problems.
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Mick F. Cornwall
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531colin
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Re: Tight tyres on Chrina rims - any solutions?

Post by 531colin »

Try fitting the tyre without tube and rim tape.
If its easy, a thin rim tape is the answer.
rogerzilla
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Re: Tight tyres on Chrina rims - any solutions?

Post by rogerzilla »

This is a well-known problem with Chrinas. They seem to be either out of tolerance (slightly larger bead seat diameter than 622mm) or the rim well is too shallow

Sometimes fitting the tyre without the tube first, which means you can use levers, stretches it just enough to allow fitting without tools when you do it with the tube. Once a tight tyre, especially a folding tyre, has been fitted and inflated to the maximum pressure, the beads will usually creep over a period of about a fortnight so it is no problem to fit or remove in future.

Other tricks include thinner rim tape (as suggested above; electrical tape works if pressure isn't too high) and lots of talc opn the tube. The latter really helps with the last bit, because a talced tube doesn't create lots of friction between the tyre and the rim.
Brucey
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Re: Tight tyres on Chrina rims - any solutions?

Post by Brucey »

All rims vary in ERD slightly from one batch to another, and Chrinas are far from immune to this. In addition I agree the extrusion design does have a shallow well. I've found that Michelin tyres practically fall off open pros when deflated but are somewhat tighter on chrinas. Open pros have nice deep rim wells.

cheers
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Brucey~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Steve
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Joined: 2 Apr 2007, 1:42pm

Re: Tight tyres on Chrina rims - any solutions?

Post by Steve »

I had the same problem and solved it, once I'd calmed down, by dismantling the wheel I'd built & sending the rim back for a refund! Then rebuilt with an alternative brand. Frustrating in the short term but better than struggling for the next few years every time I needed to take a tyre off. Just possible too that the dissatisfaction got back to the wholesaler.
Jay Gee
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Joined: 1 Aug 2010, 9:01pm
Location: West Dorset

Re: Tight tyres on Chrina rims - any solutions? (the answer)

Post by Jay Gee »

An update on this topic, in case of interest .... I bought a pair of hutchinson intensive tyres, wondering if I was throwing good money after bad. They were still a pig to fit, but slightly easier than the old gatorskins. I worried a bit about repairing a puncture at the roadside, but gradually forgot about them. The puncture fairy stayed away until today. To my surprise, the tyre slipped off the rim very easily, I could probably have taken it off without tyre levers if I'd had to, and popped back on with no problem at all. I'm happy with my not-so-new wheels now. :D
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velorog
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Re: Tight tyres on Chrina rims - any solutions? (answer: yes

Post by velorog »

I recently fitted some Gatorskins to a pair of MA3's. They were an absolute pig to fit and at first I thought that I had bought 26's by mistake. I can usually fit M+ without tyre levers but the Continentals took over half an hour with levers. I am dreading getting a roadside puncture. Generally I find Schwalbe tyres to be a slacker fit that Continentals. If you can lay your hands on a Schwalbe it may be worth giving that a try.
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