Mounting tires on older nonhooked alloy rims
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Mounting tires on older nonhooked alloy rims
I recently was gifted an early 1970s Gitane with Weinmann 27x1 1/4 straight wall (nonhooked) alloy rims. It was riding ok at my usual 100PSI until a much heavier friend took a ride... and of course the rear tire blew off the rim. I now know that these older nonhooked rims should not be inflated to modern PSIs. I remounted the like new Gatorskin it came with and only inflated it to the Forums advised under 70PSI. After I mounted the tire (wheel not yet back on the bike) and inflated to just 65PSI , I saw in faint letter lettering on the sidewall 'mount only on hooked rims'. My question: will the tire stay on at that lower PSI or do I need to buy compatible tires? If I need other tires, inexpensive ones which will seat on these rims recommendations?
Many thanks
Michael
Many thanks
Michael
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Wire bead (they also come in folding, but I specifically recommend the wire bead) Panaracer Pasela tires come in 27" sizes, and they ride very well at 70-75psi. I used to have them on my daily rider with hookless Super Champion rims. They're usually pretty inexpensive.
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I have Pasela's on my big Paramount with Weimann's, they only tolerate about 45psi before they want to squirm off.
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A rarely used, but functional option is to fit 700C tubulars to 630mm ETRTO rims. Depending on rim trough profile, you may need to add double sided sticky tape to keep the tire from sliding.
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Were the Gatorskin tires folding- or wire-beaded???
Some early 1970's Weinmann rims could barely handle 70-75psi reliably even using wire-bead tires, but this was more a problem of quality control of the rim's diameter as it was about it's basic hookless shape.
Many bikes with hookless 27" rims were reliable at 90+psi (with tires from the 1970's having a rated pressure that high).
I rode on about 90psi for years on my old bikes having hookless rims!
Some early 1970's Weinmann rims could barely handle 70-75psi reliably even using wire-bead tires, but this was more a problem of quality control of the rim's diameter as it was about it's basic hookless shape.
Many bikes with hookless 27" rims were reliable at 90+psi (with tires from the 1970's having a rated pressure that high).
I rode on about 90psi for years on my old bikes having hookless rims!