Tyres

[sawyer280769]

looking at new tyres. The wheels are 700c. Can anyone tell me what the 700c stands for? I have been told I need 25 tyres. Whatdoes the 25 stand for? Excuse my ignorance if this is really obvious.

 

[Ben M]

700c refers to the diameter. 700c is the usual size of modern road bikes.

25 is the width of the tyres in millimetres. I ride 25, but I think that most people ride 23mm. If you are relatively heavy, or ride with panniers etc as I do, then 25 or more is the size to go for.

 

[sawyer280769]

thank you. so do 23 fit 700 diameter wheels as well?

 

[Ben M]

Yes. Any tyres which are for 700c wheels will fit 700c wheels. The sizes are usually:

700x23c
700x25c
700x28c
700x32c

any of which will fit 700c wheels.

So if you have 700c wheels, then 700x23c will fit them.

 

[Sittingduck]

What kind of bike do you have sawyer? If it's a road bike you will most likely want to be using 23 or 25. There may be clearance for 28 but don't bank on it and order these wider tyres unless sure. I ride 25's myself and am very happy with them. As Ben says, the majority or road bikes have 23's fitted.

 

[sawyer280769]

Its an old TREK road bike. I weigh around 14 stones (at the moment ! LOL) and dont envisage using panniers at the moment.

 

[HJ]

Sawyer don't feel embarrassed about asking, that's how you get to learn, everyone is a beginner at sometime, so feel free to ask away...

If you would like to find out more about tyres and wheels check out Sheldon Brown, although there is stuff there you never thought you'd want to know...

 

[sawyer280769]

that looks very helpful. Thank you very much!

 

[Randochap]

Think about the condition of the roads you ride regularly as well. If your local roads are bumpy, then a wider tyre will be more comfortable ... and faster.

If your bike has clearance, a good quality (this is key to performance) 25 or even 28+ will be a better way to go. If you have mudguards -- a good plan in wet weather -- you will also neeed to make sure you have extra clearance for both wider tyre and these.

Look among manufacturers like Continental, Schwalbe, Vittoria.

 

[jig-sore]

my hybrid is fitted with (apparently massive !!) 700x40 Michelin city tyres.
are they slow ? well an average speed of 19.2mph on my commute home says NO. do they soak up the bumps ?? it's like sitting on a two wheel sofa.

why fit anything else ???

 

[SimonRoberts0204]

19.2 average on a commute? ! Is it downhill? Is it far?

 

[jig-sore]

this is the route... http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=12604

11.6 miles and it's up and down but general drops most of the way. (click on "show elevation data")

i do like to push on the way home, i get 15-16mph av on the way to work. 18.2 mph on the way home toady (today)

 

[Sittingduck]

i do like to push on the way home, i get 15-16mph av on the way to work. 18.2 mph on the way home toady

Who you callin' Toady, Frog face!

Nice stats though... 18+mph avg seems way quick!

 

[marinyork]

this is the route... http://www.bikehike.co.uk/mapview.php?id=12604

11.6 miles and it's up and down but general drops most of the way. (click on "show elevation data")

i do like to push on the way home, i get 15-16mph av on the way to work. 18.2 mph on the way home toady

That is exceptionally quick for such a slow bike, even considering how very flat it is.

 

[jig-sore]

ha ha, you don't get slow bikes, you get slow riders

i don't like rolling along, i always like to ride at my limit, which varies on the length of ride of course. I'm quite good at pacing myself, but sometimes i get it wrong