[CCSS]

I just "rotated the tires" on the Soulcraft, moving the existing rear 2.4 Mutano Race to the trash can, the existing front to the rear, and installing a brand new 2.4 Mutano race to the front. When sliding the new, fully inflated tire through my V-brakes I noticed it seemed to go through much easier than the old tire had. It also just looked generally smaller. So, I pulled out the handy caliper and sure enough it's a couple of millimeters narrower and a couple of millimeters shorter than the two-year-old version.

My statistical sample size is obviously pretty small, but the difference is substantial. Anybody else notice this?

On the bright side, the bead diameter seems to be slighty larger. I was actually able to get the new tire on my 517 rim without a tire lever which I could never do with the old tires.

 

[gratefulbiker]

Most tires tend to stretch as you ride them. This probably will account for the difference in size.

 

[shiggy]

Left overnight at ~60psi most new mtb tires will "grow" 1-2 mm in casing width. Totally normal.

 

[Chequama Mama]

kind of off topic, and maybe a bit blasphemous but...

Shiggy, do you know if road tires exhibit the same phenomenon? I would assume to, though maybe to a lesser degree because there is less rubber to stretch?

YO MAMA

 

[gatman]

Hummmm..... So, if I put 100+ psi in my tires I will eventually end up with the larger tires that I want?? I guess that or a larger pile of rubber sitting in the trash!!

 

[shiggy]

kind of off topic, and maybe a bit blasphemous but...

Shiggy, do you know if road tires exhibit the same phenomenon? I would assume to, though maybe to a lesser degree because there is less rubber to stretch?

YO MAMA

To a much, much lesser degree. It is the casing treads bedding in, not the rubber stretching that causes the size increase. Much less room for a 23mm road casing to expand compared to a 50mm mtb casing.