I have to to support Ray on this issue, as I import tyres too. (Schwalbe) I see similar problems but in my experience this problem is usually due to Really good tyres being mounted on poorly built rims. to quote the Schwalbe Technical guys: Why is it sometimes so difficult to fit a tire? Fitting difficulties often arise when the diameters of the rim and the tire do not match perfectly. Rims can have a diameter tolerance of +/- 0.5 mm. In addition, each rim flange height can also have a tolerance of +/- 0.5 mm. These figures add up to a total diameter tolerance of +/- 1.5 mm, or 4.7 mm over the circumference. This corresponds to a maximum possible circumferential difference of 9.4 mm between the largest and the smallest rim. A tire has to fit on both extremes, so because a safe fit has to be ensured even on the smallest permissible rim diameter, the proper centering of the tire on the largest permissible rim can prove quite difficult. The circumferential tolerance of SCHWALBE tires is +/- 1mm.
