Tyres for a moutain back come commuter
Discussion
As I'm about to move slightly out of town and am the proud owner of both a 1994 and a 2006 Kona Fire Mountain, I thought that rather than selling the 94 model, I'd convert it for use as a commuting bike.
First step in this cunnning plan was to swap the knobbly tyres for something a little slicker, so I went to my local bike emporium and bought some Continental CityRide 26x 1 3/8 tyres. However, on trying to fit these over the weekend, I discovered that they are too big diameter-wise for the rim, despite the existing knobblies also being 26"! Although the outer diameter of the new and old tyres are exactly the same, it seems that the sidewall profile is a lot lower on the slick tyres which means they don't fit. It seems that unlike car tyres, the diameter of bike tyres refer to the outer diameter as opposed to the size of rim they fit?
So, question is, how am I to know which tyre to buy that will fit on my MTB rims?
First step in this cunnning plan was to swap the knobbly tyres for something a little slicker, so I went to my local bike emporium and bought some Continental CityRide 26x 1 3/8 tyres. However, on trying to fit these over the weekend, I discovered that they are too big diameter-wise for the rim, despite the existing knobblies also being 26"! Although the outer diameter of the new and old tyres are exactly the same, it seems that the sidewall profile is a lot lower on the slick tyres which means they don't fit. It seems that unlike car tyres, the diameter of bike tyres refer to the outer diameter as opposed to the size of rim they fit?
So, question is, how am I to know which tyre to buy that will fit on my MTB rims?
Well at least someone else is thinking the same way as me on this one!
As for the rims, I'm pretty sure they're 26" and I'm *absolutely* sure that both the old tyres that fitted the aforementioned rims perfectly are 26".
As a side note, would I need a different size or type of inner tube when moving to a less chunky tyre?
As for the rims, I'm pretty sure they're 26" and I'm *absolutely* sure that both the old tyres that fitted the aforementioned rims perfectly are 26".
As a side note, would I need a different size or type of inner tube when moving to a less chunky tyre?
No no nooooo...
I love the whole confusion over tyre sizing; it still gets me confused..!
Decimally measured 26" wheels are not the same as fractionally measured 26" wheels.
Therefore a 26 x 1 3/8ths tyre would not be the same as 26 x 1.325
A quick google tells us that this is the best explanation...
For instance - old road bikes all used 27" tyre designation. However 700c - which is road bike now, are actually 28 x 1 5/8 or 1 1/4.
Its all very confusing, and used to absolutely fox Saturday bike shop lads
I love the whole confusion over tyre sizing; it still gets me confused..!
Decimally measured 26" wheels are not the same as fractionally measured 26" wheels.
Therefore a 26 x 1 3/8ths tyre would not be the same as 26 x 1.325
A quick google tells us that this is the best explanation...
For instance - old road bikes all used 27" tyre designation. However 700c - which is road bike now, are actually 28 x 1 5/8 or 1 1/4.
Its all very confusing, and used to absolutely fox Saturday bike shop lads
Edited by Neil_Bolton on Wednesday 9th May 16:23
Neil_Bolton said:
No no nooooo...
I love the whole confusion over tyre sizing; it still gets me confused..!
Decimally measured 26" wheels are not the same as fractionally measured 26" wheels.
Therefore a 26 x 1 3/8ths tyre would not be the same as 26 x 1.325
A quick google tells us that this is the best explanation...
For instance - old road bikes all used 27" tyre designation. However 700c - which is road bike now, are actually 28 x 1 5/8 or 1 1/4.
Its all very confusing, and used to absolutely fox Saturday bike shop lads
I love the whole confusion over tyre sizing; it still gets me confused..!
Decimally measured 26" wheels are not the same as fractionally measured 26" wheels.
Therefore a 26 x 1 3/8ths tyre would not be the same as 26 x 1.325
A quick google tells us that this is the best explanation...
For instance - old road bikes all used 27" tyre designation. However 700c - which is road bike now, are actually 28 x 1 5/8 or 1 1/4.
Its all very confusing, and used to absolutely fox Saturday bike shop lads
Edited by Neil_Bolton on Wednesday 9th May 16:23
F**k a duck! I'm even more confused now.
I can see I'm just gonna have to go back to the bike shop brandishing the wheel and say "gimme a slick tyre to fit this bad boy if you please!".
thegreatsoprendo said:
Neil_Bolton said:
No no nooooo...
I love the whole confusion over tyre sizing; it still gets me confused..!
Decimally measured 26" wheels are not the same as fractionally measured 26" wheels.
Therefore a 26 x 1 3/8ths tyre would not be the same as 26 x 1.325
A quick google tells us that this is the best explanation...
For instance - old road bikes all used 27" tyre designation. However 700c - which is road bike now, are actually 28 x 1 5/8 or 1 1/4.
Its all very confusing, and used to absolutely fox Saturday bike shop lads
I love the whole confusion over tyre sizing; it still gets me confused..!
Decimally measured 26" wheels are not the same as fractionally measured 26" wheels.
Therefore a 26 x 1 3/8ths tyre would not be the same as 26 x 1.325
A quick google tells us that this is the best explanation...
For instance - old road bikes all used 27" tyre designation. However 700c - which is road bike now, are actually 28 x 1 5/8 or 1 1/4.
Its all very confusing, and used to absolutely fox Saturday bike shop lads
Edited by Neil_Bolton on Wednesday 9th May 16:23
F**k a duck! I'm even more confused now.
I can see I'm just gonna have to go back to the bike shop brandishing the wheel and say "gimme a slick tyre to fit this bad boy if you please!".
- be warned - they will have a chuckle - its a very common request agent006 said:
So that'll be why my new slicks were absolute bastards to fit. It all becomes clear.
Nah, thats just the fact that slicks are usually a bastard to fit
If you were sold them by the shop, they usually know to sell you the right ones (does rather tend to piss the customers off to have to come back) - in your case I expect that you have something like 26 x 1.5.
You can fit any range of (decimal) widths to a 26" rim - the samllest I've ever fitted is some Contis at 26 x 1.125
- you can fit anything up 2.5 width tyre on a normal rim, however you are getting into DH territory, in which a tyre will seat better on a wider rim. However when it comes to fractional sized tyres, that - like car tyres - plays with the profile IIRC.
Slicks are not the only tyres that are bastards to fit - DH tyres can be sods too - its all rather variable
Edited by Neil_Bolton on Thursday 10th May 09:35
The other points to mention is that rims also have a minimum width of tyre that they will run.
And that a wider tyre, running the same presure will roll faster and smoother than a skinnier tyre at the same presure. Although the skinnier tyre can run at a higher presure to roll faster this increases harshness.
Personally I would buy some 26 x 1.75 semi slicks with puncture protection and side wall reflection strips. Schwalbe Marathon Plus fit the bill perfectly (£50 a pair though!).
And that a wider tyre, running the same presure will roll faster and smoother than a skinnier tyre at the same presure. Although the skinnier tyre can run at a higher presure to roll faster this increases harshness.
Personally I would buy some 26 x 1.75 semi slicks with puncture protection and side wall reflection strips. Schwalbe Marathon Plus fit the bill perfectly (£50 a pair though!).
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