Hi,
I have these Pirelli Cinturato Gravel tires which I’ve used only once and then properly stored for 2 years.
Now, when fitting them back, the back one seems to not seat evenly along the rim?
It should be visible in the video and photos that the black strip isn’t even along the rim.
I’ve tried applying soapy water along the bead and deflating/inflating multiple times but it always stays the same.
Could this be a factory defect that I only now noticed?
Tried ridding the bike and can’t feel the wobble, even at higher speeds. Is this rideable or should I avoid it?
Thanks!
by 3pwood
17 Comments
https://preview.redd.it/t1ja4k078t0f1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=9b4a2dbb36b9798dd6e183b190691169d391524a
Just adding 2 photos. On this one you can see the black strip along the rim
Washing up liquid with a little bit of water in a jug will help to seat it if you pour it over the half installed / half inflated tyre
Blast more air in
Fully deflate, massage the sides all around to make sure they are not seated and are evenly hanging into the central rim channel, inflate to the max allowed PSI, drop the wheel to the floor a few times while rotating them. Eventually you’ll hear it pop into place.
Deflate to under 20psi, but not totally flat. Massage the bead so that it seats properly. Inflate.
Inflate to the Max pressure and then some more, it should pop into place. If not, deflate and try with some soap
Inflate to max pressure and bounce the tire on the ground a couple times, you’ll probably hear a little “ping” when it seats properly. If that doesn’t work try soap and stuff that others have suggested – but usually just max inflation and a little nudge works
Damn, if only this question was answered 4 times a day 365 days a year on this sub. Guess we’ll never know! Good luck!
Tyre lube, inflate and deflate it a couple of times, I try to pull the tyre side to side as I inflate can help.
Assuming tubeless, you can install with a tube to seat half the bead, remove tube, and then there’s 50% less bead to seat. Soap or slick honey on the bead. And the key will be pushing the PSI 5-10 beyond max pressure to get the last section beaded. Or you can add an additional wrap of tape to the rim to reduce air volume and help push that little section onto the rim.
This post comes up like once a day which commenters inevitably mention. But I just came here to say good on these OPs, who don’t seem to have much bike maintenance/setup experience, recognizing that this is an issue. I don’t think a lot cyclists even catch this or know how to take a tire on/off. Enjoy your journey
Yo!! Same tires!! Same problem!!
I have never experienced that before getting these tires , it would drive me fucking nuts , I thought something was wrong with the rim half the time.
I found the easiest solution was to just pump the tire up to max and stretch with the hands. But it drove me crazy
I have the exact same issue.
I bought some slightly wider foldable WTB tires for some bontrager rims that came on a trek (yeah fck off haters) 520 tourer.
IMHO it seems some rims just don’t love all tires. And i bet money the tires fit lovely on a diff pair of rims and thats just how bikes be sometimes…
Another thing to possibly try which did work for one of my wheels eventually was to use a skinnyier inner tube – a new one preferably, and make sure that its taught under the part of the tire where it was bulging before (usually near the valve stem). That might improve the eveness.
I work in a shop. Sometimes I need to deflate the tire about halfway, spray soap where it’s not seating/beading, and I push and pull on the tire to help it move before re-inflating it. That works oftentimes
Sometimes it really is just a matter of doing the same thing over and over. If that’s not working, I think the recommendation of taking it off and starting over is probably wise. Tires can be funky.
Best of luck! I’ve been having fun with my tubeless tires too this week. My new tire was leaking sealant from the sidewalls!
The weird thing about this problem is how it is almost invisible on the internet at large and at shops. I asked mechanics at three shops in bay area and none of them had any advice.
Your observation is correct. You should fix it before riding. 🤣🤣🤣