Rear Tire not seeding correctly?

[Lead Sled]

I have restored a 69' Scwhinn Collegiate 24" (yeah, my girlfriend is that tiny) and it has the SA internal 3 speed rear hub. I am no expert by any means, and here is my problem...

I have installed and re-installed the rear tire and tube to the rim multiple times(3 different tires and 3 different size tubes). Every time I fill it with air, I get at least one bulge in the tire somewhere. (A special thank you goes out to my buddy George who has an air compressor in his garage. I may have ended up on the 11o' clock news without it.) The bulge isn't always in the same place either. I have gone so far as to bring it in to a bike shop to be sure the rim is true. The bike shop fella tried for 25 minutes also and believes it is a rim issue. "The inside portion of the lip of rim is not pronounced enough to keep the tire in place."

Could this be the issue? Repair? Thoughts on the rim/tire? Not on my drinking over bike building... :wink:

Yesterday, I spent 3+ hours on the rear rim/tir alone. I was "not going to let this rim beat me." Well, I am about to start taking up drinking over bike building... My poor dogs started hiding after tools started flying.

 

[CCR]

do you have the right size tire ? should be an oddball tire size, being a schwinn im guessing the tire originally on it was a 24x1-3/8, but there are actual two size tires depending on the rim you have. Your rim schould be stamped saying Schwinn S-5 or Schwinn S-6, in that case the tire needs to have an ISO # of 547mm if its the british version of a 24x1-3/8 it will have an ISO of 540mm which would be a bear to actually get on the rim in the first place i would imagine, nevermind getting it to set right. the ISO should be on the sidewall its usually to #'s seperated by a dash "width-diameter" so you'll see something like 37-540.

i have came up with the same problem your describing though when the tire is the right size for the rim too. you usually have to inflate it 10lbs at a time and work the tire in place with your thumbs so the tire is even all the way around the wheel and theres no high/low spots, work it with your thumbs, add another 10 lbs and work it again to keep it place. it's a hassle, especially if you dont ride it often and the air leaks between rides.

 

[Bendix]

ccr makes agood point- make sure you're working with the right stuff to start with.....

you mention "3 different tires and 3 different size tubes"..... :?

it's one of those things i wish i had in my hands. post all the numbers you can find on the tires and rims, that should help.

 

[jerrykr]

An air compressor inflates bike tires too fast IMHO.
Try a hand operated pump, and put in pressure slowly, and as others have said use your hands to work the tire/tube around the rim a little bit at a time.

Bike tires don't take a lot of air, and if you go slowly, it's actually a lot less work than struggling with an air compressor.

Get a pump with a built in air gauge, so you know what pressure you have as you go without having to stop and check with an air gauge.

Just my .02, but I only use the hand pump now. Got it at wally world BTW.

 

[Lead Sled]

Well, the mystery is solved.

After reading your posts, I decided to take my rim and tire into a place that specializes in Schwinns. You guys were right. I had a 24 x 1.138 on the rim and it needed a 24 x 1.25 for the S5 rim. The not so funny thing is that my LBS sold me the wrong tire for the rim. It took your posts and me deciding to get off early from work to drive across town to my Schwinn expert to resolve the problem. Oh, that and another $18 bucks for a new tire.

Thanks for the replies. It was all very helpful.

 

[Lead Sled]

Correction: had a 24 x 1 3/8 and needed a 24 x 1.25.

 

[Bendix]

it's funny how much confusion schwinn tires cause- they're not that rare, and are easy for any shop to get.....glad it worked out!






.....although i've never seen them referred to as '1.25'..... :?

 

[Lead Sled]

You are so right, the guy at the LBS had this, "How am I going to BS my way out of this one?, dear in headlights look" after he tried in vein for a good 20 mins trying to get that rim to seed.

The Schwinnie dude, he saw some coinage to be made. But, it was the best overpriced $18 bucks I have spent. Now I don't have to follow my girlfriend and have that bubble drive me nuts every time I look at her rim. And, I've stopped my drinking!

Thanks again...

(69' year old rim? Wonder how many others have been beaten up by that rim?)