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My son has just bought this for riding around Glasgow on.
8 speed so I’m thinking late 90s.
Its been refurbed at a social cycle scheme place on the south side.
He’s got it back to his flat and is concerned that the front tyre is rubbing. He’s sent me a video and it looks like it is very slightly fouling the crown of the fork.
Looking at the photo it’s got 32 mm tyres fitted, which seem a bit big to me - I would have expected 28s max.
I’m tending towards just telling him to ride it an not worry, as I don’t think a bit of tyre rub on the underneath of the fork crown is anything to worry about, but I could suggest swapping to a 28 on the front.
Am I right in thinking it wouldn’t have come with such big tyres out of the factory, and is the fork rub likely to be an issue?
For the price of a cheap 28mm tyre I would change it. Slight rub over the miles might be enough to wear the tyre.
What happens if he hits a bad pothole and the wheel is no longer round?
Is there a risk of the wheel jamming if anything gets picked up by the tyre?
Out of the factory in the late 90s, it probably had 23mm of 25mm. Road bikes weren't built for 32s then.
I wonder if there is any scope whilst keeping it safe to remove a little fork material. If it's being ridden currently there won't be much to remove.
Rub is bad news. one little bit of gravel jams in there and he's straight over the bars. Not sure without seeing it my 38 might not be enough. As above, expect to drop to 23 or 25.
Probably 23s as standard. My 90s Harry Hall will only just take 25s - providing they aren't pumped up too hard! I recall running Hutchinson 21s back in the day 'cos they were bound to be faster right?
Tyre rub can destroy a frame or fork. The other risk as noted above, anything, even a bit of grit or getting a puncture from a thorn which then jams in between tyre and crown means an instant over the bars.
My old road bike will just about squeak a 28 in there but I'd never use it with clearance that narrow.
Accept what it is and run it with a 25, it'll be safer for you and the fork!
For the price of a cheap 28mm tyre I would change it.
For the price of a cheap 28mm tyre I would take it back to whoever sold it with the wrong tyre on it and they can learn something at the same time.
Definitely dangerous.
Early-90s catalogues say 25mm tyres
The 370 seems to have disappeared around '96 so the 8-speed is probably later. Get the seller to make the swap
I wonder if there is any scope whilst keeping it safe to remove a little fork material. If it's being ridden currently there won't be much to remove.
"Scope"? Please don't do this.
Thanks folks I’ll get a pair of 25mm gator skins or similar and get it sorted.
@oldtennisshoes do you want a pair of hard wall/ wire bead Bontrager something's in 25mm if I can get them to fold enough to post?
They've just been taken off my new to me road bike in favour of something more supple in a 28mm for my ageing joints.
They're a bit agricultural but I suspect fairly durable.
The other thing to check is the brake clearance. My Pinarello Prince takes a 28mm GP4000 fine - until I pull the front brake. The Campag Record rim brake caliper drops down a few mm when used and stops the wheel wether you want it or not.
A GP5000 28mm fits fine. The 5000s are a lot smaller, both width and height.
For the price of a cheap 28mm tyre I would change it. Slight rub over the miles might be enough to wear the tyre.
Ditto, or if he wants to be absolutely certain that it won’t rub go 25mm
while it might be fun to go and complain, I would probably keep the 32 he removed as a spare for the rear, which will wear out first (I’m assuming they put 32mm F&R and the rear clears?)…
