K'Tesh

I'm a clyde... (a 200lb+ cyclist for those who don't know), and I'm known for breaking stock wheels. There's something about those stock 32 spoke wheels that just can't keep up with my mileage. Yesterday I busted the 3rd spoke on the new bike's stock wheel. The wheel has a warranty for a year, so, it was back to the LBS for replacement.

They didn't have an equivalent wheel for a replacement on hand, but they did have another 32 spoke wheel with a better hub (I'd have to pay the $40 difference). However, I had kept the old (destroyed) bike's hand-built 36 spoke wheel with it's Shimano Deore XT hub. So, to keep me up and running, the LBS swapped that wheel out for me, swapped the tire from the old wheel to the "new" wheel, and are getting a stock wheel for me as a backup.

The only other difference between the wheels is that the stock one had a 35mm wide rim, and the 36 spoke wheel has a 32mm wide rim . I don't know how 3mm can make such a difference, but today it really felt odd.

I don't know why, but I really felt like I was riding a tall bike (3 or 4 inches taller) as I commuted in today. The sensation continued on the return commute.

Any ideas on what could cause this?

amckimmey

My thoughts. If the wheel is narrower the tire wont compress as much. Keeping the tire more round thus increasing the radius by a couple millimeters, not a few inches. But with less compression it would also be little stiffer, making it feel a little odd at first (riding tall).

Is it a knobby tire you have on it?

amckimmey

I feel the difference between a fully pumped tire and a tire that is 10psi low. The fully pumped tire feels stiffer right after riding it(taller feeling), but you get uses to it. It's just the feel of it all.

K'Tesh

No, I'm using commuting/touring tires.

I've never had that sensation after adding air to a tire before, even after adding 20+psi to it. The sensation of it being a little harder on bumps... yes, but never taller.

pityr

What kind of bike did you get?

ThermionicScott 

Vertigo, perhaps? I remember feeling way above the ground the first time I tried a road bike.

alan s 

The bike shop raised your saddle.

K'Tesh

I got a 2011 Trek Montare to replace the destroyed 2008 GT Transeo 1.0

I've been on the Montare (a hybrid) since June, The Transeo was also a hybrid (it's wheel was the one used to replace the Trek's). Also, I haven't taken any time off of the bike since recovering enough to ride after being injured. So, it's not like I forgot how it "feels" to ride it (compare that to the mountain bike ('04 Giant Rainier) that has less than 250 miles on it over the last 3 years (and 8+K miles on it in the years before that))

Now that could be... I'll have to look into that. That said, I wasn't having any problem reaching the pedals. It just felt like my head was higher off of the ground (perhaps it was some kind of vertigo).

amckimmey

Be very careful with that. A bike shop did that to me, it was only off by a couple cm, but after riding 150miles, in 3 days, My knee was so messed up for years after that. That is one of the biggest reason for me learning to do all my own repairs. I like to know what happens to my bike, Every little adjustment.