Deflating tires so the wheels will fit on?

[elmore leonard]

That Deelite bike I saved from the crusher has 27.25 X 1.25 inch wheels on it plus fenders I was able to clean up and save the fendets. But to get the wheel on and off you have to deflate the tires to get the axel into into dropouts and reinflate. Is this common on some bikes? I have never run into it before.  
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Below is the $15 bike I rescued from a Thrift store and refurbished. It was missing the brakes, brake cables and brake stops.. Now it ready to roll.

 

[painkiller]

blue bike looks good. Sometimes you get strange geometry though uncommon. you would have to deflate the tires some to get it to pop in. Sometimes to clear the brake pads too.