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Hi,

I bought a used specialized langster to get an idea of how a 55x55 would feel. (its actually 54.8x54.8, but close enough)

The problem is I can't fit a 28mm tire in the front unless I pull it slightly out.

My common sense tells me this is a bad idea since if it slipped while riding, the front wheel would lock and I would flip over.

Is it OK to do that? He actually sold it to me as a complete and was riding around for a couple days like this. The outside nuts do have some bike on them. So it may be OK. Always rode big clearance bikes like steamroller / volume cutter, so never bumped into this.

I was also thinking of perhaps making shims from a pop can.

And to be honest, the more I look at it, seems even a 25c would rub. So may be normal to have to pull it slightly out of the front drop outs on certain forks?

Thanks!

seau grateau

No don't do that.

diff

Yeah, after some more reading that would be a bad idea.

I guess I will try a 25c gatorskin. If too big will toss that in the back and get a 23c for the front.

If anyone comes across this and knows for sure a 25c gatorskin won't fit on a langster (as I read cont tires are sometimes oversized), please let me know. Also if you know a 25c that will fit, please let me know.

Thanks!

JohnDThompson 

Don't do it. Either use a smaller tire or take a file to the underside of the fork crown to make some clearance:

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Im kinda mad he sold me the bike like this. It was actually from a bike shop and it was his personal bike that was up for sale. Didnt think anything of it. Rode about 25 miles so far. No clue why he just didnt put proper tires that fit on it.

He could of hurt someone.

Came back from a ride today and wanted to see if another wheelset would smooth out the ride. Loosened the front wheel and felt it drop down.

I will be done with the frame in a minute once I'm done testing it. Was gonna re sell it, but will probably throw it through his store window with a note.

Gresp15C

I want to think under the circumstances, that the shop would be happy to take the bike back, and bury the matter of sellling you an unsafe bike that they clearly had a hand in setting up.

seau grateau

Yeah I would not be happy if someone sold me a bike like that.

diff

Thats not a bad idea. But got a really good deal on it. Just wanted the frame from him. So he took off a few parts he "claimed" were high end and replaced with bargain bin parts, and we came to a deal.

Its a nice frame. That bike caught my eye right away. No clue on the year, but before specialized started to make their top tubes all weird looking. But its so mint, maybe it is even newer. Definitely want to ride it for a bit to get a feel for this bike size. Maybe through the fall and then build something new next spring. It wheelies and stops like a dream too since its so light. Also has rear rack blots, 2 water bottle location bolts, and brake line braze ons. Matte grey. Interesting frame. Maybe with a new fork could be a SS commuter one day. The back chain stays seem to have clearance for even 32 tires.

The other issue is I swapped all of my own parts aside the crank to the bike. Dont feel like reversing it all.

Just will run to the bike shop sometime tomorrow and grab a 25. Will be good to go after that.

EnzoRWD

this plus front wheel not all the way in the fork ends - what could possibly go wrong?

Return the bike or swap that tire asap.

Philasteve

I think they started the weird top tube in 2012, could be wrong though. But it's most likely from 2011 or earlier.

caloso

In my experience Schwalbes run more true to size than Continentals. And definitely more than Michelins which seem to run really big.

seamuis

Your rim width plays such a huge part in this equation, I’m not sure it’s fair to say any brand does or doesn’t run ‘true to size’ unless they go so far as to list widths for various rim width combinations. I’m aware of the history of manufacturers under sizing their tires to reduce claimed weight, but I don’t think that’s something that’s still being done today.

seamuis

I don’t know what material Langster forks are made from, but I would be hesitant to suggest taking a file to the crown. Not saying it can’t be done safely, just be cautious. Your rim width plays a huge part in both the width and height of an inflated tire and can drastically change wether a certain size tire can fit or not. This is something to give a good amount of thought to. Possibly the guy you bought it from was running different wheels and the tires he had mounted, fit with those wheels. You should have asked specifically which parts were replaced, to get an idea of what you were buying. Also, I hate to be an ass here, but if the tires don’t properly fit, surely you should have seen that before buying it? I’m not trying to blame you, or absolve the shop of potential scammery, just pointing out that better observation was clearly necessary before funds changed hands. As for for the current rims, you could run a smaller tire up front than on the rear. Different size tires isn’t uncommon. Maybe not ideal, especially for metrics, but a possibility none the less. A wider rim generally means a wider tire with less height. All that aside, unless I’m mistaken, aren’t langsters built around 700x23? Usually with pretty tight clearances? I thought that was a trademark aspect of langster frames.

caloso

I'm sure you're right, but I don't have all that data, just my anectdotal observations. All I know is that if I put a Schwalbe 25mm tire, a Continental 25mm tire, and a Michelin 25mm tire all on the same rim, which is a bog standard Fulcrum road wheel, the Schwalbe is the smallest, the Continental the middle, and the Michelin the biggest. Just eyeballing the clearance. I don't have a chart or graph of different rim widths. Didn't mean to imply otherwise.

REDMASTA

didn't know langsters had square geometry.

seamuis

no mistaken implications and no need for any apology of sorts. It’s a worthwhile conversation. My only point is that most of the time, people buy tires based on a specific size and manufacturers almost never offer actual sizes for common rim width. Without this information, it’s pretty much impossible to know exactly what a tire is going to measure when inflated. In essence, the stated size is rather meaningless without the necessary info. All that aside, there are other things that can affect a tires size, such as PSI(particularly differences between front and rear) wether or not the sidewall is thin or thick (like a ‘supple’ sidewalled tire vs a tire designed for tubeless). Then, even certain rims with the same external width, may not have the same internal width. There are just so many variables. My policy is typically that as long as a tire (after the first week or two of use at normal PSI) is somewhere within 1-3mm of its listed size or within 1mm smaller than listed size, I don’t worry about it too much, and ensure that I have proper clearance for that possible difference. In your case, each one of those tires could have had significantly different sidewalls as well as tread type which could have affected their size from their stated on the same rim with the same PSI.

a good example from my own experience, with a set of h+son tb14’s, a pair of panaracer gravelking slicks at 32mm, went on easy and eventually measured at 33 in the rear at 75-80 PSI and 32.5 in the front at 60-65 PSI. A pair of compass stamped pass (standard casing) 32mm, also made by panaracer and extremely similar tire overall including identical weight, was much harder to fit and were undersized by roughly 2mm on initial measuring. After two weeks, they measured out about 33.5 in the rear and 33 in the front. Biggest difference between the two is one has a thicker sidewall for tubeless compatible and one is a thinner sidewall. Pretty impressive differences in size for a near identical tire in the same rim, same tubes and same PSI.

TL/DR: it’s kind of pointless to say brand x is usually undersized and brand y is usually oversized, without all the necessary data, and especially if you’ve only compared one tire from each brand. It’s as complicated as trying to figure out the complete insanity of the various tire size designations.

Mikefule

It was definitely a bad idea, an accident waiting to happen, and a smaller tyre is the way to go.

I don't know if a 25mm Gatorskin will fit your particular bike, but I do know they are very nice tyres. I've just spent an hour off roading on 25mm Gatorskins, bashing through briars and thistles and over tree roots and been comfortable and puncture free. I have 28mm Gatorskins on my other bike.

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Thanks guys.

Its a 2006 (special thanks to the person that mentioned the year they started the top tube design stuff). I wouldn't of thought this frame was 15 years old.

I actually tried a 28mm gatorskin on a velocity deep v and if the rim was perfectly true, it would of fit with the tiniest clearance.

Got a 25mm gatorskin after work today and fits. Lots of room there for 25's.

Thanks!

diff

This guy barely joined the forum last year, has no idea what kind of fork we are talking about, yet he comments.

So you tell me you are going to randomly purchase a used bike for $200 and inspect / take apart the whole thing before buying? As I mentioned in my 1st post, I bought the bike just for the frame, I could of cared less what he swapped or what he did to it. Now if I were buying a $2000 used bike, I would of definitely inspected it more. It kinda went like this...

Me: Is that langster over there for sale?
Employee: No, that is actually his bike (points to another employee)
Me: Hey...do you want to sell that bike? I only want the frame?
Bike Owner: Hmmm, well I will probably sell the complete bike if the price is right.
Me: I will offer x

Some back and forth negotiating. We agreed on a price, and I walked out with it. Didnt even test ride it. I did check it (the frame mostly) and it basically mint and have been dying to test this geometry and size.

There is absolutely no way anyone could of spotted the front wheel was pulled out 2mm or so.

Now, the moment I realized this, I didn't ride the bike, or even tighten the nuts more than hand tight.

So go ride your crappy bikes and don't comment on threads you have nothing to add to, or know nothing about. 23mm tires a trademark of langsters? What??

seamuis

1. How long I’ve been here, isnt relevant to anything. But since you brought it up I’ve been here nearly two years and I have more posts than you. Or is your math and logic as pathetic as your attitude?
2. I can’t know because YOU didn’t know the year, and there have been both Alu and steel framed langsters.
3. Yea you could have and should have spotted that. Given your response to my comment, now I understand why you didn’t though. And it clearly pisses you off that you didn’t, because you said you were mad and you made this feckin thread.
4. What langster has ever come with anything other than 23s as stock? It’s a track bike, with track geo. The most common tire size in modern track racing is 23mm. Therefore, fork clearance is likely to be designed around 700x23. It’s not rocket science.
5. Just the hubs on my crappiest bike is worth more than this and my most expensive bike was completely custom hand built to order worth in excess of 8k at this point. But sure mate, I’ll go ride my ‘crappy’ bikes. Lol, man you’re about as mature as a fresh plop of horse ****. And all this from someone who is apparently dumb enough to even consider riding the bike with the front wheel not set properly in the dropout? The hilarity is epic. Cheers mate.

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Hilarious. Took my bait. I knew you would, and further flap you lips. We dont care about your 8k bike or how much time you spend posting here.

seau grateau

Langster comes with 25s stock. I'm just here for the luls now though.

diff

I know, this guy is hilarious. I am going to start calling him 8k from now on.

(another skit)

Me: Hey!!! Where has 8k been?
8k's friend: On the internet as usual...
Me: Why? Doesn't he have an 8k bike? He should be out riding!
8k's friend: I know. But the problem is the guy sucks. He can't even wheelie. He went out and bought an 8k bike because he thought it would make him a better rider.
Me: Did it?
8k's friend: No. The guy doesn't even ride it.
8k's friend: And all he talks about are his hubs.
Me: How did he get that bike? I mean $8,000! How could he afford so much?
8k's friend: He sold his 2000 camry and bought a bike with all the cash.

LOL

Mikefule

Oops. I only joined the forum last year and I commented too. I apologise unreservedly.

IAmSam