tyre sizing advice

[confusedcyclist]

Putting road tyers on my flat bar Hybrid (if I can).

Current tyers are 26 x 2.1" knobbies.

So how does this tyre changing work. Do I have to find slicks at exactly 2.1". Do I have to replace the wheel to change to thinner or thicker tyers? What dimension is the 2.1" ?

Cheers

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

26"x2.1" is a nominally 26 inch overall diameter tyre which is 2.1 inches wide.

The tyre has to be the right diameter to fit your wheel rims (559mm if it's a standard mountain bike 26" wheel) but you have a lot more flexibility with the width. Have a look at page 7 of this PDF which gives more detail about what width tyre fits what width rim.

You'll probably find that 1.5" width will fit with no problem and you could possibly go narrower if you want.

If you want a fast tyre the Schwalbe City Jet is very popular. On my converted cheapo mountain bike I've gone for Continental TourRide which rolls pretty well on road but will still cope with the odd bit of off road use.

 

[confusedcyclist]

Thanks Phil, just what I needed. Although I plan to mostly ride on the road, I think I would be silly to exclude any rougher surfaces, the Leeds-Liverpool canal tow path is rough in places, does anyone know if the city jet tyers would handle that kind of surface???

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Nothing to stop you riding the City Jets off road it's just you'll have to take it a little more carefully. Someone mentioned the other day that they ride this tyre on gravel trails and find them fine.

What I think you'll find is that they'll be fine on hard packed surfaces, will need a little caution on loose surfaces and will struggle in mud (to be fair though, no road biased tyre is great in mud)

 

[confusedcyclist]

Just put an order in for some city jets, will report back on performance

Found the best deal I could on amazon x 2 tyers and x 2 schrader inner tubes for £23.98

 

[confusedcyclist]

Doh... word of warning to anyone thinking of repeating my foolishness. I just fitted these and only after working up a major sweat inflating both wheel with my tiny hand pump I realised these are directional tyres! Due to sods law, naturally they are both the wrong way a round... (what's the chances of that? 1/4?? )

Does anyone know if the tread actually makes a difference to performance, I was of the understanding that bike tyres are not prone to hydroplaning so what's the point in the tread marks on the city jets, are they cosmetic? Does direction really matter on bike tyres?

Still, I'm pretty excited to get these out of the road

 

[Pale Rider]

As you say, a bicycle tyre cannot aquaplane.

The tread might wear a little better rolling the 'right' way, but now you've fitted the tyres I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[confusedcyclist]

Very impressed with these tyres. I feel like the hills are almost effortless and smashed a bunch of PR on strava segments without really trying (it my first night ride and quite dark in places so had to take it easy - http://www.strava.com/activities/163430439)

 

[John the Monkey]

Does anyone know if the tread actually makes a difference to performance, I was of the understanding that bike tyres are not prone to hydroplaning so what's the point in the tread marks on the city jets, are they cosmetic? Does direction really matter on bike tyres?

Still, I'm pretty excited to get these out of the road

Shouldn't make a difference at all.

Although I can't fit a tyre if the labels don't line up with the valve stems, so personally, it would drive me mad until I sorted it out

 

[Tim Hall]

Shouldn't make a difference at all.

Although I can't fit a tyre if the labels don't line up with the valve stems, so personally, it would drive me mad until I sorted it out

Yebbut, how do you deal with the left hand/right hand question? If I line up the first letter of the label with the valve when viewed from the left, it's all to cock when viewed from the right. I tried going for the middle letter, but that was a bit unsatisfactory and a bit of a cop out. I expect the velominati (nobbers © @User) have a rule about it.

 

[John the Monkey]

Yebbut, how do you deal with the left hand/right hand question?

Labels line up with valve stems on the side the rim sticker is readable from.

It's ridiculous, but I feel I have to do it on all my bikes, lord help me. And, at least, I don't mind what other people do (no "Rules" from me )