Tires & Tubes Rad rover 6 tire question

[jafo]

My new Radrover 6 arrived with the front tire empty and the bead broken. I filled it and the bead set and seemed okay. I've put about 40 miles on it. When I was cleaning it I noticed a difference in the edge of the tire to the rim going around it. The pictures will explain better than I can but there are areas that look completely sealed and areas that look like the bead isn't all the way into the rim. You can see lines and a ridge in some areas and the ridge is right up against the rim in others. This is the same on the front and rear tire. I called Rad last night and was on the phone for an hour and 15 minutes while the rep was trying to figure it out chatting with a tech in a chat room. The told me to air it up between 5 and 10 lbs. and work my way around squeezing the edges in with my hand until it's even...........With it empty I couldn't move the bead away from the rim so that and the fact they haven't come loose from the rim tells me the bead is set so I'm wondering if it's just the casting on cheap Chinese tires being uneven. Do I have a problem or do you other Rad bike owners have tires that look like this?

 

[biknut]

Doesn't look like a problem to me. I have a Sondors Fatty, and I see the same thing. I've noticed that 26 inch fat tires fit pretty losely on the rim. When changing a tire, as I start filling it with air I go slow and keep checking the bead, because the tire likes to pop off the rim when you air it up. The best way I've found to do it is to put about 3 or 4 psi in the tire, and then use my fingers to go around both sides of the wheel, and stuff the tire bead in all the way, and then carefully fill the tire to the desired pressure.

 

[jafo]

Thanks for the reply. I tried that while I was on the phone with their tech support. Even with no air in the tire I was unable to move the bead in further or away from the rim. I've been riding on rough terrain and I would think if either tire was not on the rim correctly it would have broken loose. I'll give it another try.

Another issue cropped up. I didn't like the stock seat, made my butt hurt. I heard good things about the Cloud 9 seats so I ordered one. I knew it wouldn't clamp onto the Rad post as it is made for a 22mm post and Rad's is 27.2 but it indicated you could remove the clamp and mount it directly to the rails just like the stock seat. Well, lo and behold the rails on the stock seat and therefore the clamp that goes to the rails is about 2mm off so it won't mount to the rails. Is this an intentional proprietary design so you have to buy their "upgraded" seat?

 

[biknut]

Thanks for the reply. I tried that while I was on the phone with their tech support. Even with no air in the tire I was unable to move the bead in further or away from the rim. I've been riding on rough terrain and I would think if either tire was not on the rim correctly it would have broken loose. I'll give it another try. Another issue cropped up. I didn't like the stock seat, made my butt hurt. I heard good things about the Cloud 9 seats so I ordered one. I knew it wouldn't clamp onto the Rad post as it is made for a 22mm post and Rad's is 27.2 but it indicated you could remove the clamp and mount it directly to the rails just like the stock seat. Well, lo and behold the rails on the stock seat and therefore the clamp that goes to the rails is about 2mm off so it won't mount to the rails. Is this an intentional proprietary design so you have to buy their "upgraded" seat?

I'm pretty sure it will fit. The problem is you're not using enough elbow grease. That's just how bicycle crap is made.

 

[sojourner]

1) Tire: the real ? is whether the tire/wheel combo is round. You want to see no observable hop when it is spun (inflated to normal pressure)
2) Just squeeze the rails together and tighten it.
If either of these does NOT produce the desired results; Your LBS is the answer. Get to know them. They will be your friend.

 

[jafo]

I'm pretty sure it will fit. The problem is you're not using enough elbow grease. That's just how bicycle crap is made.

Yeah, I finally figured it out. A large pair of channel locks and a little persuasion and I got it on.
Thanks

 

[Smaug]

Looks fine to me. You might be obsessing. ;-)

 

[rolffz]

I'm pretty sure it will fit. The problem is you're not using enough elbow grease. That's just how bicycle crap is made.

I had the same problem after putting a new tire on my Rad Rover 5 and deflated the tire all the way and started over slowly turning the wheel as I inflated it making sure the bead stayed seated in the rim. It's a smooth ride now!