Need a wee bit more clearance for tires.
#1
With a mighty wind
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Need a wee bit more clearance for tires.
I got some new tires on my bike. 30mm wide, which definitely weren’t a thing when this bike was new. I have to inflate the tires when they’re on the bike, I’m ok with that.
I have heaps of fork (and frame) clearance. They’re pretty much perfect in the back.
Up front, the manufacturer mark on the center of the tire just barely touches the underside of my calipers. I can hear it in a quiet garage. It doesn’t seem to slow the wheel at all.
I’m sure that in time, the tire will wear just enough to stop this. Ideally though, I’d like a squosh more clearance so every grain of sand I ride over doesn’t make noise.
I will not be replacing the calipers. Nor will I file the underside.
I have two ideas, unsure if they’ll work. One is to use a couple washers and extend the calipers a few mm from the fork. This might give me a little clearance because geometry. Then it’s just a simple pad adjustment.
My other idea would be to install some sort of spacer, not more than a mm thick, into the fork ends. It would still give me plenty of space to clamp the qr and should open up the space a tiny bit. Basically I’d put a teeny bit of a soup can in the top of the fork ends. Seems a little fiddley to me though.
Are there other more convenient or obvious alternatives? I’m not married to these tires. They’re new, I got them from someone on marketplace along with some other higher value items, so whatever. Still, I’m kinda in love with that rowdy look and would like to try them if I can.
Pics show how tight the clearance is up front and one pic to show that these calipers have more than enough room in the rear.
I have heaps of fork (and frame) clearance. They’re pretty much perfect in the back.
Up front, the manufacturer mark on the center of the tire just barely touches the underside of my calipers. I can hear it in a quiet garage. It doesn’t seem to slow the wheel at all.
I’m sure that in time, the tire will wear just enough to stop this. Ideally though, I’d like a squosh more clearance so every grain of sand I ride over doesn’t make noise.
I will not be replacing the calipers. Nor will I file the underside.
I have two ideas, unsure if they’ll work. One is to use a couple washers and extend the calipers a few mm from the fork. This might give me a little clearance because geometry. Then it’s just a simple pad adjustment.
My other idea would be to install some sort of spacer, not more than a mm thick, into the fork ends. It would still give me plenty of space to clamp the qr and should open up the space a tiny bit. Basically I’d put a teeny bit of a soup can in the top of the fork ends. Seems a little fiddley to me though.
Are there other more convenient or obvious alternatives? I’m not married to these tires. They’re new, I got them from someone on marketplace along with some other higher value items, so whatever. Still, I’m kinda in love with that rowdy look and would like to try them if I can.
Pics show how tight the clearance is up front and one pic to show that these calipers have more than enough room in the rear.
#2
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TBH I would simply not use those tires.
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Well, on the plus-side, you won't need to install a tire-saver on the front.
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#4
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Wider is better. Now that you can't get any wider on that bike, you'll never have better!
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Yikes - that's tight. Certainly try a spacer as a quick and cheap approach to move the caliper forward a few mm, but I don't think it's going to buy you any meaningful increase in clearance. Since you appear to have a few mm of leeway in your brake pad adjustment, could you adopt a drop bolt to move the caliper up a few mm? This is a vintage Campag drop bolt to give you an idea, although this was intended to adapt 27"-fit calipers to 700C wheels - and I don't know if I'd trust my front brake to a jury-rigged vintage part. In your shoes, I'd be inclined to simply put a 28mm on the front - you're still getting some benefit, and your arse will appreciate the 30mm on the back.
I'm in a similar boat - I'm limited to 25mm tires - I might fit a 28 on the back (and I know my Campag calipers will accommodate 28s - just) but anything more than 25 in front would have the tire brushing something - that's too tight for my comfort.
I'm in a similar boat - I'm limited to 25mm tires - I might fit a 28 on the back (and I know my Campag calipers will accommodate 28s - just) but anything more than 25 in front would have the tire brushing something - that's too tight for my comfort.
Last edited by 13ollocks; 05-02-24 at 12:37 PM.
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#6
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The best solution is different tires.
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fork washers & caliper spacer might be the best work around... otherwise, toss the entire wheel in the dryer on high for an hour to shrink it?
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#8
I have two ideas, unsure if they’ll work. One is to use a couple washers and extend the calipers a few mm from the fork. This might give me a little clearance because geometry. Then it’s just a simple pad adjustment.
My other idea would be to install some sort of spacer, not more than a mm thick, into the fork ends. It would still give me plenty of space to clamp the qr and should open up the space a tiny bit. Basically I’d put a teeny bit of a soup can in the top of the fork ends. Seems a little fiddley to me though.
Are there other more convenient or obvious alternatives? I’m not married to these tires. They’re new, I got them from someone on marketplace along with some other higher value items, so whatever. Still, I’m kinda in love with that rowdy look and would like to try them if I can.
My other idea would be to install some sort of spacer, not more than a mm thick, into the fork ends. It would still give me plenty of space to clamp the qr and should open up the space a tiny bit. Basically I’d put a teeny bit of a soup can in the top of the fork ends. Seems a little fiddley to me though.
Are there other more convenient or obvious alternatives? I’m not married to these tires. They’re new, I got them from someone on marketplace along with some other higher value items, so whatever. Still, I’m kinda in love with that rowdy look and would like to try them if I can.
Running such a close clearance is potentially dangerous for the tyre - if a sharp piece of road debris gets picked up by the tyre and jammed under the brake it can slice the tyre, so a thorn catcher would probably be a good idea.
[edit]I just thought, if you make a steel shim for the dropout, you could solder it to a washer to hold it in place.
#9
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Did the Wright Brothers fly coach?
Did John Connor say "I'll be back"?
Hell no brother!! Who's with me?
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Did John Connor say "I'll be back"?
#12
With a mighty wind
Thread Starter
You gotta admit, a handbuilt steel bike from 2001 rocking a pair of 30mm balloons would be really cool.
Its so close.
Its so close.
#13
You gotta admit, there’s virtually zero visual difference between 30mm and 28mm tires. Both look cool.
On the other hand, there can be significant difference in your face between riding tires too large for the fork and ones that won’t jam and lock up the front wheel.
On the other hand, there can be significant difference in your face between riding tires too large for the fork and ones that won’t jam and lock up the front wheel.
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Tire clearance isn't horseshoes. Close doesn't matter. If the OP is talking about the molding flash or risers touching he can safely ignore it. Or he can spin the wheel against a razor knife to trim it in lieu of waiting for it to wear off. As for the actual tore touching, that would be a nono, but ANY clearance is enough.
I have a front brake on my street use track bike, and it's tire clearance is near zero. It's so close that I can hear the zzzzt of momentary contact on hard bumps, and any grit carried up on the tire squeezes by and gets pinged out the front at high speed. It's been that way forever, and you can see trace wear on the brake, but not enough to fret over.
I have a front brake on my street use track bike, and it's tire clearance is near zero. It's so close that I can hear the zzzzt of momentary contact on hard bumps, and any grit carried up on the tire squeezes by and gets pinged out the front at high speed. It's been that way forever, and you can see trace wear on the brake, but not enough to fret over.
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Make sure you carry a spoke wrench.
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Upside-down "drop bolt?"
I'd be concerned in running with clearance that tight on the front wheel. Something that sticks to the tire could jam under the caliper and lock up the wheel, causing a crash.
Looks like plenty of clearance on the back; maybe just run a narrower tire on the front?
I'd be concerned in running with clearance that tight on the front wheel. Something that sticks to the tire could jam under the caliper and lock up the wheel, causing a crash.
Looks like plenty of clearance on the back; maybe just run a narrower tire on the front?
Last edited by JohnDThompson; 05-02-24 at 02:51 PM.
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#19
With a mighty wind
Thread Starter
Tire clearance isn't horseshoes. Close doesn't matter. If the OP is talking about the molding flash or risers touching he can safely ignore it. Or he can spin the wheel against a razor knife to trim it in lieu of waiting for it to wear off. As for the actual tore touching, that would be a nono, but ANY clearance is enough.
.
.
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Feel free to ignore them, along with the advice to make any kind of change.
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“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
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Benjamin Franklin's America hating ass was a draft dodger during the Civil War. He had the courage to play with his kite but when America needed him to serve he was nowhere to be found. "Oooh look at me I have time to put my face on money but not enough time to serve our country"
#22
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Benjamin Franklin's America hating ass was a draft dodger during the Civil War. He had the courage to play with his kite but when America needed him to serve he was nowhere to be found. "Oooh look at me I have time to put my face on money but not enough time to serve our country"
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Franklin wasn't young at the time of the Revolution, and would have been well over 100 during the Civil War, had he lived that long.
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Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
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You come here for free advice, and certainly have no obligation to listen
However, it's bad form to tell those who've you came to for help, that you don't like what they suggest.
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
FB
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An ounce of diagnosis is worth a pound of cure.
Just because I'm tired of arguing, doesn't mean you're right.
“One accurate measurement is worth a thousand expert opinions” - Adm Grace Murray Hopper - USN
WARNING, I'm from New York. Thin skinned people should maintain safe distance.
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not me....get 28mm
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