Check in often for owner, Paul Ahart's tips and tricks for the cycling enthusiast!
September 14, 2001
BICYCLE TIRES:
Bicycle tires come in a bewildering number of sizes, brands
and models. It's enough to drive anyone crazy. In order to reduce
the level of bewilderment and craziness, what follows is a somewhat long-winded
(but fascinating to the technoid) little guide to ALL YOU REALLY NEED TO KNOW
ABOUT TIRES FOR YOUR BIKE.
First of all, if all you want is to replace
what you have with a nearly identical tire, just look on the sidewall of your
old one to find the size. Generally, the size will be imprinted in inches
(like 27x1-1/4 or 26x2.125) or more strangely (like 650x20 or 700x23).
What does this all mean? Well, again, if all you want to do is replace the
tire with another just like it it, get one that has the same markings and all
will be pretty much the same. If, on the other hand, you'd like
perhaps a better tire with a longer-wearing tread and a more compliant ride, you
may want to dive into the "wild and wacky world" of tires. This
is a world of great variety and price. And, as the saying goes, you do get
what you pay for....My shop carries tires for adult bikes that sell for as
little as $9.00 and others as much as $50. Actually, the average price of
a good quality tire is about $20 to $30.
Making sense of tire sizes:
First off, the critical thing is bead size. This is
what fits on your rim and keeps the tire on under pressure. There are some
sizing marks on all good-quality tires that indicate the bead size and
width. If you know what your bike uses, you will always be able to find a
tire for your rim. This is called the ISO number, an international sizing
system.
Here are some ISO numbers:
559: This is the size for ALL
"regular" mountain bike tires. 559 is the bead size. A
tire with 559 stamped on it will be 26 x some decimal number, NOT a fraction
number! For instance, 26x1.75 fits a completely different rim size
than 26x1-3/4. Fortunately there aren't many 26x1-3/4 wheels around
anymore. If you have a mountain bike, any tire with "559"
stamped on it will fit your rim.
Here is another common ISO number:
630: This is the number for a 27" wheel,
like all those old 10-speed bikes of yesteryear. 630 is the metric bead
diameter of a 27x1-1/4 tire. Same for a 27x1, a 27x1-1/8 or 27x1-3/8.
Here is the last ISO number I will lay on you:
622: This is the metric size for all modern
skinny-tired bikes (with few exceptions). 622 is the ISO number stamped on
tires that will be marked 700x something, such as 700x23 (622x23), 700x25
(622x25), etc. The numbers 20, 25, etc. refer to the metric width of the
tire. If you have a modern racing bike or one of the new and popular
"cross" or hybrid bikes, your wheel rims will take ISO 622
tires. You may want to use 700x23 on your race bike and 700x38 on your
hybrid.
TIRE/RIM WIDTH COMPATIBILITY:
When contemplating a new set of tires, you should consider
the width of your rims relative to the width of the tires. With a mountain
bike, you can get tires as narrow as 1" or as wide as 2.5". The
fatter the tire, the more traction and the cushier the ride. If you have
room for a really fat tire in your bike frame and you are only putting a light
or moderate amount of weight on it, go ahead and "get fat" if you
wish. On the other hand, if your bike will be heavily loaded, either by
touring, or if you are a heavy guy or gal, your tire should not be a whole lot
wider than the rim it is mounted on, as the effect of tire sidewall squishing
'way out beyond the edge of the rim will be the cutting and abrading of the
sidewall by the rim. Another effect of a wide tire on a very narrow rim is
squirminess while cornering. Again, for heavy loads, the tire should not
be a whole lot wider than the rim when inflated.
Ok, what are some good tires? Most of the major tire
companies make good, no make that great! tires, as well as low-quality
"economy" models. In my opinion, an economy tire that sun rots,
get cracks quickly and punctures easily is no bargain. High-quality tires
(those selling for about $20 and up) provide more durability, are more
sunlight-resistant and puncture less readily than the cheapies.
With high quality tires you often have the choice of a
wire-beaded tire or a kevlar-beaded (fold-up) model. Kevlar-beaded tires
are lighter, more expensive, and more prone to blowing off the rim than
wire-beaded models. If you have modern high quality aluminum rims with a
pronounced "hook" on the inside edge, you can probably use kevlar-beaded
tires very safely. If not, stick with the wire-beaded variety.
You'll save money, too.
What are my favorite tires? We carry tires made by
Specialized, ChengShin, IRC, Continental and Avocet. Many
Specialized tires come with "FlackJacket" kevlar puncture shielding in
the tread area. Avocet tires are very good, but the thin sidewalls are
very prone to sun rot. ChengShin (CST) tires are cheap and not too bad for
old beater bikes. IRC makes a superb touring tire, the "RolyPoly"
which is sold only through Rivendell Bikes. My favorite would probably be
Continental tires, especially for touring. Their TopTouring 2000 tires are
long-wearing, very puncture-resistant, and give a comfortable ride. And
they are pricey. Their Grand Prix tires for race bikes are hard to beat,
as well.
When to replace your tires? Tires usually rot out
before they wear out. Look at the sidewalls. Are nylon ply threads
frizzing out, is the rubber dry and cracking, do the cracks go deep into the
tread area? Get new ones! A blow-out is not worth saving money
over. New tires also is the quickest way to make your bike ride like new
again.
Happy riding!!
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