Tryres and Rims - how fat a tyre can I use?

[KneesUp]

My trusty steed has super skinny tyres on from back in the day when my bones didn't ache and I lived somewhere where the council made at least a token effort to keep the roads something approaching smooth.

Anyway, I'm at work and the bike is at home, and I can't remember what it has on, but I think they are 700 x 23, and the front rim is narrower than the rear.

Right - to the question. Riding it around this town on the tyres it has is like sitting on a pneumatic drill, so how do know what the maximum width of tyre I can fit is? (Assuming there is clearance in the frame)

Thanks.

 

[JoeyB]

My trusty steed has super skinny tyres on from back in the day when my bones didn't ache and I lived somewhere where the council made at least a token effort to keep the roads something approaching smooth.

Anyway, I'm at work and the bike is at home, and I can't remember what it has on, but I think they are 700 x 23, and the front rim is narrower than the rear.

Right - to the question. Riding it around this town on the tyres it has is like sitting on a pneumatic drill, so how do know what the maximum width of tyre I can fit is? (Assuming there is clearance in the frame)

Thanks.

I might be mistaken but I think you just answered your own question....see the bit in bold

 

[KneesUp]

Ah right - so as long as it fits the frame it will be ok on the rim? I have a Decathlon gift card from Christmas, so I've had a look on their website since I posted. These - http://www.decathlon.co.uk/asphalt-5-atc-700x35-tyre-id_8294548.html- look fine for my purposes. Job for the weekend then. Thanks.

 

[Banjo]

Obviously as joey B says the first thing you need is clearance but there are limits how big /small you can go on a rim.

The late great Sheldon Brown has a tyre size chart on his site which tells you what tyres go on what rims.
http://sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html

Scroll down to a red and green graph which shows what tyre will go on a rim by measuring the width inside the rim

 

[MikeW-71]

Well.. to a point.

First, what pressures are you running the 23's at? Second, 25mm would go straight on and would be more comfortable as they need less pressure. Beyond 28mm you might need a wider rim. I await someone with much better knowledge to tell me I'm wrong on that one though.