# Bike tyre size



## Franzpan (Mar 2, 2009)

Hi, I'm a complete novice when it comes to fittings and stuff for bikes, what I'm looking to know is - the tyres on my bike atm are 26"x 2.0 would i get away with fitting 26"x 1.95? or even 26"x 1.5 or would this require a thinner rim? Thanks, Phil.


----------



## badly_dubbed (Dec 11, 2008)

they will fit


----------



## chrisibiza (Aug 6, 2008)

1.5" may require a thinner rim but the 1.95" will fit with out any problems.


What particular tyres are you interested in and what sort of riding are you doing?


----------



## Franzpan (Mar 2, 2009)

I'm doing mainly road and towpaths, I have a mountain bike with big gnarly tyres. I would love a hybrid bike which would suit my needs much better but i cant justify spending the money on one so was just going to make do with semi slick tyres on my mtb.


----------



## Bigpikle (May 21, 2007)

take the rim to the bike shop and get them to tell you....

trust me that you really want THE thinnest road specific tyre you can find for any kind of MTB use on road, and get the pressures up to the recommended and check them every few days or before each ride if its less often - will make a very big difference.


----------



## chrisibiza (Aug 6, 2008)

Continental top contact tyres are my reccommendation for a good slick 26" tyre!


----------



## Franzpan (Mar 2, 2009)

My local bike shops only keep a couple of different tyres in stock, last time i went to look for normal replacement mtb tyres and they struggled to find a 26" never mind having an array of different types to choose from  I just looked on my rim and its a 1.75" one so I think 1.5" should fit OK. Would any less be pushing it?


----------



## chrisibiza (Aug 6, 2008)

I wouldnt go any less than 1.5", 1.5" is probably pushing it.
If you put a tyre which is to narrow on the rim, it will fall off if you go round a corner to quick or sharply.

Continental Top Contact : http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=18813

Schwalbe Marathon Racer : http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=24796

I see you are in NI (me too) but it doesn't say where from, Chain Reaction Cycles are near Ballyclare and they have a showroom you could call in to, to have a look at the tyres before you buy them.


----------



## Franzpan (Mar 2, 2009)

Thanks Chris, I'm from Portadown which is a fair bit away from Chain Reaction Cycles unfortunately. It was their site though that I was looking at, they have a good range of tyres and everything else for that matter and free postage is a big bonus. Had a look at those links there, no doubt they are good tyres but not sure i could splash out £60 for a pair  I was looking at the Schwalbe City Jet Tyres they are proper slick though :devil:, they have decant reviews and the price is very good. Any thoughts on those ones?

Thanks, Phil


----------



## chunkytfg (Feb 1, 2009)

chrisibiza said:


> I wouldnt go any less than 1.5", 1.5" is probably pushing it.
> If you put a tyre which is to narrow on the rim, it will fall off if you go round a corner to quick or sharply.
> 
> Continental Top Contact : http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=18813
> ...


It all depends on the wheels as to how narrow he can go. My MTB wheels are really narrow and only just a fraction wider than the rims on my road bike so could take a very narrow tyre quite happily.

Older bikes tend to have wheels which are alot wider than the more modern stuff so unless when know what width your wheels are you cant really say what the minimum it will take safely would be.

As has been said though 1.5" should be fine on anything. DOnt worry to much about slick tyres having no tread at all as tbh unless you are really pushing it on the bends in the wet they will happily grip fine. I wold say avoid any metalwork on the roads though. Manhole covers are lethal when wet!:thumb:


----------



## Jace (Oct 26, 2005)

chrisibiza said:


> I wouldnt go any less than 1.5", 1.5" is probably pushing it.
> If you put a tyre which is to narrow on the rim, it will fall off if you go round a corner to quick or sharply.


No it wont, a tyre which is too wide for the rim will roll off.

I myself run 26x1.35 Schwalbe Kojak, that is a totaly slick tyre with no tread at all, super fast in the dry.

Here is a break down of the tyre ETRO sizing

26x1.00 : 25-559
26x1.10 : 28-559
26x1.35 : 35-559
26x1.50 : 40-559
26x1.75 : 47-559
26x2.00 : 50-559
26x2.10 : 54-559
26x2.25 : 57-559
26x2.35 : 60-559
26x2.50 : 62-559

http://www.etrto.org/page.asp?id=1594


----------



## Franzpan (Mar 2, 2009)

My wheels are 26"x 1.75". think im gona order the city jets


----------



## Jace (Oct 26, 2005)

A great tyre & a great price.

You could fit 1.5 City Jets without any problems


----------



## Franzpan (Mar 2, 2009)

Good good, Thanks Jace. Ordered them at lunch time, hopefully will have been sent out today. Will report back with how I get on. Thanks for all the help everyone :thumb:


----------

