25mm tires too tall on serotta?

[2manybikes]

I have a 2007 Serotta Legend and just put on the new 23mm Bontrager TLR RXL wheel with 25mm Continental GP4000s. First ride was great. Second ride I had stones get stuck between the F3 fork and the tire several times. Had to stop to remove them.

Is this just an issue with the Legend and all 25mm tires or are the GP4000s on the large side? Any other 25mm tire recommendations that folks have run with Serotta's F3 forks?

[Ahneida Ride]

Are you sure you have an F3 fork .... ?

a 23 should clear a F3 easily .... I run an F3 with 23's
No Problemo at all

[572cv]

Ditto for me, f3 on a Serotta with continental gp4000 25's. plenty of room.

[2manybikes]

Are you sure you have an F3 fork .... ?

a 23 should clear a F3 easily .... I run an F3 with 23's
No Problemo at all

Positive. There is a big F3 on both sides :). 23mm rim. 25mm tires. 23mm tires clear fine. Never had anything clog up with them.

[2manybikes]

Ditto for me, f3 on a Serotta with continental gp4000 25's. plenty of room.

Are they GP 4000 or GP 4000s'?

[Ahneida Ride]

Even an F1 will run 23's (I've done it)

but not most 25's (It's a dirt clearing issue)

[dave thompson]

Positive. There is a big F3 on both sides :). 23mm rim. 25mm tires. 23mm tires clear fine. Never had anything clog up with them.

There's your key, the combination of the 23mm rims and 25mm tires are causing your clearance issues. On 23mm rims Conti 25mm tires typically will measure near or slightly larger than 27mm. The max safe clearance on F3 forks will be reached running 25mm tires on 'standard' rims.

[A1CKot]

There's your key, the combination of the 23mm rims and 25mm tires are causing your clearance issues. On 23mm rims Conti 25mm tires typically will measure near or slightly larger than 27mm. The max safe clearance on F3 forks will be reached running 25mm tires on 'standard' rims.

I thought the wider rims spread the tire out. So the tire measures wider and is flatter or not as tall.

[Ken Robb]

I have a 2007 Serotta Legend and just put on the new 23mm Bontrager TLR RXL wheel with 25mm Continental GP4000s. First ride was great. Second ride I had stones get stuck between the F3 fork and the tire several times. Had to stop to remove them.

Is this just an issue with the Legend and all 25mm tires or are the GP4000s on the large side? Any other 25mm tire recommendations that folks have run with Serotta's F3 forks?

Do you lack room on the side or the top of the tire? Wider rim=wider but shorter tire shape.

[2manybikes]

Do you lack room on the side or the top of the tire? Wider rim=wider but shorter tire shape.

Distance to fork is about equal from the top of the tire to the rounded area near the top. Sidewall has a little more clearance. Brake caliper has even less clearance although the rocks got stuck before they got there.

[HenryA]

Not sure I get where the lack of clearance is, but I'd go with rounder tires (Continentals are tall). I like Panaracers (most durable and flat proof) or Vredesteins (slightly softer ride, don't last as long).

[Ken Robb]

Distance to fork is about equal from the top of the tire to the rounded area near the top. Sidewall has a little more clearance. Brake caliper has even less clearance although the rocks got stuck before they got there.

So: where does stuff get stuck?

[alancw3]

i had an F3 fork on my la corsa and ran hed ardennes 23mm rims with conti gp4000 w/o issue for several years. could the axle on your wheels be smaller in diameter and therefore move the tire closer to the fork? just thinking out loud. or perhaps someone filed the titanium fork tips out a little and that moved the tire closer.

[2manybikes]

So: where does stuff get stuck? Front fork where tire rotates toward the back of the fork.

[2manybikes]

i had an F3 fork on my la corsa and ran hed ardennes 23mm rims with conti gp4000 w/o issue for several years. could the axle on your wheels be smaller in diameter and therefore move the tire closer to the fork? just thinking out loud. or perhaps someone filed the titanium fork tips out a little and that moved the tire closer.


I'm reading elsewhere the 4000s may be running wide. See link below. Also, I measured the width of a 23mm 4000s on my ZIPP CSCs and a 25mm 4000s on my RXLs. the 23mms measure 22.9mm at the widest point. The 25mms measure 26.9mm at the widest point. Looks like Continental's math is 25mm-23mm = 4mm!

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/wheels-tires/continental-gp4000s-25mm-do-they-run-large-302030.html

[Neil]

I'm running 25C Roubaix tubs and an F1 fork, working well- in horrifically wet and gritty English conditions.

[campy man]

Serotta F2 fork on a Legend Ti using Vittoria Rubino Pro 3, 700x28 ... all is good.

Should have added, using with Mavic Open Pro rims.

[DfCas]

I measured a tire on a narrow rim and a wide rim. The wide rim makes the tire both wider and taller.

[572cv]

Are they GP 4000 or GP 4000s'?

They are the GP4000s, on Hed Ardennes, so a 25 on a 23 rim.

[jpw]

I measured a tire on a narrow rim and a wide rim. The wide rim makes the tire both wider and taller.

i don't doubt this, but it seems counter intuitive for a tire to go both wider AND taller.

[2manybikes]

So I went to the LBS who carries Trek's with the same rims. With Bontrager R3 25mm tires, they measure out to 25mm installed. My Continentals measure 27mm. Height of my Continentals measure 3mm taller than the R3s. I'm ditching the Continentals. Maybe the set I bought from fleabay were rejects!

[Dustin]

Forks that won't clear at least a true 28 bring out the Grant P. In me.

[Pete Mckeon]

with 25mm tires and normal (whatever they are) Mavic open pro.

You are lucky you do not have an F1 for anything above a 23 will be too close

There's your key, the combination of the 23mm rims and 25mm tires are causing your clearance issues. On 23mm rims Conti 25mm tires typically will measure near or slightly larger than 27mm. The max safe clearance on F3 forks will be reached running 25mm tires on 'standard' rims.

[Neil]

I'm running 25C Roubaix tubs and an F1 fork, working well- in horrifically wet and gritty English conditions.

Just tried fitting SKS Raceblade Longs- not enough clearance under the fork crown with the 25's.

Wet feet tomorrow.

[Plum Hill]

Michelin 25s on my Ottrott w/F3 resulted in deep scratches on underside of fork crown. These tires are big. Switched to Vittoria 25s and had more room but damage was done.

Dreadful experience with same tire on my HSG. Not sure which fork model. Actually had wheel lock up with "rock" stuck between tire and fork. This experience was on a day-old gravel job, but this lousy township department uses slag from the steel mill instead of limestone.

In both cases the bottom of the brake caliper (Campy Record) was gouged up. Both wheelsets were Campy Neutrons.

Friends wonder why I like to ride the highways.

[Black Dog]

i don't doubt this, but it seems counter intuitive for a tire to go both wider AND taller.

If the sidewalls are tapered in at the rim, like you would have with a normal rim then when you widen the base with a wider rim then sidewalls become vertical and thus it increases the height of the tire. Hold you arms above your head and form a v, now bring your arms closer together and you will see that you hands are moving higher above the ground as you do so.

[segalpin]

I have a Legend SE with F3 fork and recently put Schwalbe Ultremo 28c tires on Mavic Open Pro's. They fit and the ride is really smooooth!:bike::bike::bike::bike::bike::bike:

[bluesea]

You are lucky you do not have an F1 for anything above a 23 will be too close


Haha, yes indeed.