# wider tyres for an 09 Boardman Hybrid Pro ?



## Error (30 Aug 2009)

I think the subject heading speaks for itself 

My first post and ordinarily I hate it to be a question......but this weekend has left me no options....sorry for that.

Sooo Im a n00b  I purchased a hybrid pro in a way that only someone special like me can do......i looked on the Halfords website, (cycle to work scheme) took some advice from guys that cycle to work and ordered it without looking......GENIUS!

Now....it must be said that I love the bike to cycle to work....its all roads and not very far.

Interestingly enough...not knowing bugger all about bikes and not riding anything since i was a kid (20 years ago) i had no idea that 18 gears only meant 14 odd useable  I took this as Halfords staff not having a clue ant took the bike to my LBS to de-halfordise and setup correctly. £40 bucks later for a service I find the bike in worse shape than before it went to then.....in this case Halfords staff came out on top. Interestingly I only found out about the less gears through the mighty Google.

OMG im waffling........So to my original point....although I love my bike on roads..... im surrounded by Eton and Windsor with some really great scenic cycle paths which I tried this weekend to find them more gravel track than smooth paved paths. Im pretty sure that this bike wasnt designed for this kinda terrain and dont wanna risk a blowout of a 120psi tyre thats built like a razor soooooo :

Can I put bigger tyres on this bike ? something that will cope with more than a glass surface ?

All advice would super super appreciated.

Of course I could be a tad paranoid and in fact this bike might stand up to more than i give it credit for.....but better stay on the side of caution.

Cheers

Craig


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## marinyork (30 Aug 2009)

Go to your boardman and see what it says is the internal rim size. It will be printed in very small letters e.g. 700x19 perhaps in white or black.

M+ (not that I recommend them) can go fairly small so if the rim is wide enough should take 700x25 Marathon Pluses.


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## Error (30 Aug 2009)

marinyork said:


> Go to your boardman and see what it says is the internal rim size. It will be printed in very small letters e.g. 700x19 perhaps in white or black.
> 
> M+ (not that I recommend them) can go fairly small so if the rim is wide enough should take 700x25 Marathon Pluses.



Hi, thanks for the response, they would be 700x28c

Cheers

Craig


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## marinyork (30 Aug 2009)

That'll be the tyres, not the rims. In anycase the answer is yes, there are a wide range of tyres you can put on. 700x28 tyres or if the rims are large enough something else. M+ or anything below that in reinforcement.

I'd have thought 700x28s wouldn't be too bad on cycle paths?


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## Error (30 Aug 2009)

I think i need to go see a bike shop and check out a range to see whats available.

Im guessing the tyres are the only restricting factor when wanting to put a road biased hybrid on track type cycle paths ?

Thanks for the help so far 

Cheers

Craig


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## Garz (30 Aug 2009)

Yes it was a bad decision but we all live and learn! Good luck Error on the new tyres!


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## Muddyfox (30 Aug 2009)

I've got 700x32's on my Cannondale Synapse 

Simon


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## youngoldbloke (30 Aug 2009)

Im pretty sure that this bike wasnt designed for this kinda terrain and dont wanna risk a blowout of a 120psi tyre *thats built like a razor* soooooo :

28mm (width) tyres are _not_ narrow. In fact they wouldn't even fit on a performance road bike due to lack of frame clearance. Most such bikes will be shod with 23mm tyres, and I have ridden roughish cycle paths with 19mm clinchers - not recommended, mind you! If you fit tyres which are too clunky you are going to compromise your (mostly?) on-road performance.


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## Error (30 Aug 2009)

so do we think that these tyres (maxxis detonators 700x28) are OK to ride on these cycle paths? I do ride only on road 5 days a week and err im not exactly the most fit or aerodynamic of guys (unless ball-shaped counts), did i mention my workplace in like 3 miles from my house?

the thing is theres sooo much nice scenery around near where i live and its all cycle path, i just dont want to miss out because of a possible tyre issue.


...Razor blade  my last bike was a Yamaha R1 so compared to this it definately is.

Cheers

Craig


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## marinyork (30 Aug 2009)

I'm not familiar with those tyres. However most 28s should be reasonably suitable for bike paths. Depends on the quality really. If it is reasonably flat mud and micro gravel it should be fine.


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## HJ (30 Aug 2009)

I can see a problem with tyre width, there is no reason why they wouldn't be at risk. I ride with 25mm Conti GatorSkins and haven't had an unplanned deflation events in over a year. I have been known to ride forest road at speed without problems, but I don't recommend that you try this...

The important thing is to keep them well pumped up.


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## jig-sore (30 Aug 2009)

my hybrid is fitted with 700x40c Michelin City tyres. some would consider these to be massive but i find them perfect.

the larger size gives a lot of cushioning and are very comfortable to ride on, especially if your on the large size.







some people will say these will slow you down on the road, but I've averaged 19mph on my way home before

you can buy duel tread tyres that have a slick tread in the centre and off road tread on the outer edges. I'm not too sure how effective these are and they may be overkill if you spend 99% of your time on the road.


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## Cubist (31 Aug 2009)

If you do mainly road riding then the Boardman wasn't a bad recommendation. The 28s are plenty wide enough. If you're going to ride them on anything other than smooth tarmac, you only need them pumped up to about 90 front 100 rear. Any more and you'll feel every granite chip in the surface.

Fact of life with the gears I'm afraid, you'll always get overlapping gears in the middle of the cassette, but trust me, the 09 Pro has plenty of gears. The steepest hill on my ride home (or should I say every time I ride home.....) is about 20% at its steepest point, and even I can grind up that, so anything less .....!


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## Error (31 Aug 2009)

Again thanks Cubist for the advice, dropping the pressure for unpathed cycle paths is a cheaper option than new tyres just for a weekend ride in the scenery 

cheers

Craig


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