Why not use ETRTO?

[Fastpedaller]

What is it about cycle retailers who don't use ETRTO as the most accurate/reliable identification of tyre size. I wanted a tube for my Brompton, into one 'shop' (motorists spares and cycles) and they said 'what size is it' and I may have been speaking a foreign language when I said 37-349. "what inch tyre?" I said it's 16 inch, but I prefer to use ETRTO as that avoids any confusion as there are many sizes of 16 inch. Given that they are a more 'general' store I could understand. So over the road to the 'real' cycle store, where I got the same. They just don't seem to understand ETRTO. When I said 'it must be very confusing to anyone new to cycling, because 700 (or ETRTO 622, which I didn't mention ) can be fitted with tyres that are 27 inch 271/2 inch and (I really dislike this one) 29ers, how is the new cyclist expected to understand? Don't get me started on 'clipless pedals' which are the ones which clip the rider feet in! I've been cycling over 60 years and understand the terms - Is this a case of the industry using "Bull###t baffles brains" to control the customer and raise the prices? Buying online is similar - rarely is an ETRTO measurement quoted, yet it's the best indicator of whether a part will fit. Rant over.

 

[Drago]

Because they prefer not to?

 

[Dogtrousers]

If you, like me, believe that ETRTO is the one true method for wheel and tyre sizing then the best you can do is to just use it. Refuse to dirty your mouth with such nonsense as 27½" Shout your ETRTO sizes at retailers, loudly and proudly, while whipping them with an inner tube (optional)

We shall overcome, one daa-aaaa-aay!

 

[bonzobanana]

I buy most of my tubes online and the boxes can be clearly seen stating the ETRTO size so makes it easy online. I think online lacks to provide full information so not risk returns. I got such a huge supply of inner tubes with the Chain Reaction closing down sale I'm pretty well setup I think for quite a few years. Some of them were only 50p with a voucher code used on top of the overall purchase.

 

[vickster]

I may have been speaking a foreign language w

You are...Forrin innit?

 

[PedallingNowhereSlowly]

FWIW, I agree.
I always use ETRTO for tyre sizing. Anything else just results in confusion.

 

[Once a Wheeler]

With polite persistence, just refuse to use anything other than ETRTO.
It reminds me of the anti-metric brigade of yesteryear. 'We don't do metric,' shops would say to me. 'What a pity,' I would reply, and turning round would add, 'I'll go round to x's, they do metric.' In every case, I would be called back and after a quick lesson in the metric system the shop would find that it did do metric. If the shop prefers to lose your trade, let them lose it. The street will soon lose the shop.

 

[Emanresu]

'We don't do metric,' shops would say to me. 'What a pity,' I would reply, and turning round would add, 'I'll go round to x's, they do metric.' In every case, I would be called back and after a quick lesson in the metric system the shop would find that it did do metric. If the shop prefers to lose your trade, let them lose it. The street will soon lose the

"568 centilitres of your finest ale, landlord" - would get some strange looks around here.

 

[Dogtrousers]

One thing that really puzzles me is the popularity of the term 700C

If the rim was fitted with a size "C" tyre, that doesn't exist, then it would be 700mm. Why is that better than 622mm?

What does the 700 in 700C correspond to? Nothing, that's what.

 

[JohnHughes307]

"568 centilitres of your finest ale, landlord" - would get some strange looks around here.

Since that is 10 pints, I'm not surprised 😁

 

[Fastpedaller]

One thing that really puzzles me is the popularity of the term 700C

If the rim was fitted with a size "C" tyre, that doesn't exist, then it would be 700mm. Why is that better than 622mm?

What does the 700 in 700C correspond to? Nothing, that's what.

Indeed - if the size of the tyre is 622-28 we know it's what it is.
I've not measured the diameter of a '700c' but I wonder if that's where it comes from...... (700-622)/2 gives a tyre profile of 39mm. I believe the French (other EU counties as well?) has 700A, 700B and 700C, however as you say 700C is the popular term used.

 

[All uphill]

ETRTO hardly rolls off the tongue, does it?

I use 622, and that's what I look for on any tyre.

 

[Alex321]

One thing that really puzzles me is the popularity of the term 700C

If the rim was fitted with a size "C" tyre, that doesn't exist, then it would be 700mm. Why is that better than 622mm?

What does the 700 in 700C correspond to? Nothing, that's what.

Properly, 700C doesn't exist.

It should be 700x28C or similar.

The 700 is the overall diameter of wheel plus tyre in mm. The 28 is tyre width, and the letter is a code for the rim width, with C being by far the most common for road bikes.

 

[Drago]

"568 centilitres of your finest ale, landlord" - would get some strange looks around here.

Your local pubs use those new fangled pints? Real pubs still sell a furlong of beer in a fathom glass.

 

[Fastpedaller]

ETRTO hardly rolls off the tongue, does it?

I use 622, and that's what I look for on any tyre.

so you do use ETRTO (rather than 26" 27'5 " or the dreadful 29er!)