A friend came over with a set of new Mavic Kyserium Elites. These wheels were round and true but the inner measurements of the clincher rims were REALLY narrow. He also had a set of Panasonic 23 mm tires.
I attempted to install these tires on these rims and it was extremely difficult to get the tire to stick in the clincher bead. It was so bad that two of us (and Will is a big man as well) had to actually push the new tire down into the bead. It wouldn't stay on the rim until we got it mounted more than half-way around the rim. And the well was so shallow on the wheels that the innertube was extremely difficult to get inside the tire. It pinch flatted twice and we finally got the third innertube inside and inflated. The rear tire with all of our practice only pinch flatted once.
So in total it required five innertubes to get two new wheels with tires installed. Will texted me last night that the front tire had gone flat overnight again and he had installed a SIXTH innertube. We'll have to see how that works.
How much of this was due to the tires and how much to the rims is something of a question. After multiple installations I couldn't tell if the slightly easier installation was due to the stretching of the folding tire bead and how much to experience with these damn things.
Will intends to get a set of 25 mm tires and see if Continentals install easier. I've never encountered wheels that were so difficult to mount a tire on. And having a pinch flat mounting a new tire and tube has been unknown if you mouth inflate the new tube so that it is the correct diameter so that it fits inside the tire when mounting.
Another problem with Kyseriums that everyone I know that has bought them has had is that they crack around the nipple holes within a year. One of my particularly stubborn friends bought a new set every year for about five years before he got smart and went to Campy wheels.
Will is heavy and he was buying a new set of wheels because the Bontrager wheels on his top end Trek broke out a nipple for an eighth inch around the nipple hole. That was a careful ride home.
If you are looking to buy aluminum wheels I suggest Campy or Fulcrum which are made by the same company. I got a set of Fulcrum 3's last year on sale since they were the last of the 2017's rather cheaply and they really strike me as good wheels. I have them on my Basso Loto and have beat them pretty badly in very fast descents over pretty poor roads.
I attempted to install these tires on these rims and it was extremely difficult to get the tire to stick in the clincher bead. It was so bad that two of us (and Will is a big man as well) had to actually push the new tire down into the bead. It wouldn't stay on the rim until we got it mounted more than half-way around the rim. And the well was so shallow on the wheels that the innertube was extremely difficult to get inside the tire. It pinch flatted twice and we finally got the third innertube inside and inflated. The rear tire with all of our practice only pinch flatted once.
So in total it required five innertubes to get two new wheels with tires installed. Will texted me last night that the front tire had gone flat overnight again and he had installed a SIXTH innertube. We'll have to see how that works.
This does not bode well for Will getting a flat on the road.
How much of this was due to the tires and how much to the rims is something of a question. After multiple installations I couldn't tell if the slightly easier installation was due to the stretching of the folding tire bead and how much to experience with these damn things.
Will intends to get a set of 25 mm tires and see if Continentals install easier. I've never encountered wheels that were so difficult to mount a tire on. And having a pinch flat mounting a new tire and tube has been unknown if you mouth inflate the new tube so that it is the correct diameter so that it fits inside the tire when mounting.
Another problem with Kyseriums that everyone I know that has bought them has had is that they crack around the nipple holes within a year. One of my particularly stubborn friends bought a new set every year for about five years before he got smart and went to Campy wheels.
Will is heavy and he was buying a new set of wheels because the Bontrager wheels on his top end Trek broke out a nipple for an eighth inch around the nipple hole. That was a careful ride home.
If you are looking to buy aluminum wheels I suggest Campy or Fulcrum which are made by the same company. I got a set of Fulcrum 3's last year on sale since they were the last of the 2017's rather cheaply and they really strike me as good wheels. I have them on my Basso Loto and have beat them pretty badly in very fast descents over pretty poor roads.
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