tire sizing

[gmcunni]

i know nothing about bike gear.


have a trek 4700 with 26X2.1 tires. need a new tire to replace the stock tire that ripped. besides the fact that there appear to be 3082 different tires to choose from i was thinking about wider for the back.

LBS (who i don't trust) said a 2.2 will fit on the rim where i had a 2.1 but no way a 2.3 would fit. anyone know if going up a size would generally work?

 

[bvibert]

That depends on how wide your rims are. A 2.3 will probably "fit" on most rims, but the tire may be a little bowed out in the middle and/or hard to get on. You also have to worry about tire clearance, especially in the rear, but I'd think most 2.3's would fit (yes, not all 2.3's are created equally).

The common trend on MTBs is to put a wider tire on the front of the bike. I won't get into the multiple reason's I've heard to do this right now...

I like a nice high volume tire, but the bigger the tire the more it weighs. Which means more rotational mass, which means more work to accelerate. I wouldn't worry about it too much though...

Choosing the size is the easy part, once you have that narrowed down you get to have fun choosing from the many many different treads out there. 8)

Kenda Nevegals seem to be popular around here, though I hear the Stick-E version can wear out quickly. I haven't run them before, so I can't speak from experience. Most of my experience is with Specialized tires, which I have a tendency to rip the side walls on...

 

[gmcunni]

The common trend on MTBs is to put a wider tire on the front of the bike. I won't get into the multiple reason's I've heard to do this right now...

interesting.. i recall a conversation with someone and they were going wider in back for better grip on rocks and mud, so much for that idea.

i'll stick with stock sizing. not like i'm some advanced rider who demands a lot from my bike.

thanks for the info.

 

[bvibert]

i'll stick with stock sizing. not like i'm some advanced rider who demands a lot from my bike.

Probably a good idea. I'm big on not changing things unless you think it's holding you back in some way.

 

[EOS]

I have a Kenda Nevegals 26 x 2.1 that's suppose to be delivered Friday (rear tire replacement).

I'm no pro, but I'm expecting it will be just fine for me.
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teen vids

 

[powers]

Tires are like skis:
Skinny tires/skis are fast but tough to use in the rough stuff.
Fat tires/skis rule the mank and rough terrain.
Sticky rubber is like rocker on skis in that its power steering thru rough stuff.

I now ride on nothing smaller than 2.2 and only use sticky rubber. They cost more and wear out faster but the performance easily outweighs the cost. As far as tread style, ask around and try other people's bikes. I like the Kenda and Maxxis lines myself. Good tires for the $$$. You might even want to start a QUIVER of tires, some for fast dry days in summer and some for soft wet days on the shoulder months. Don't bother with mud tires since you really shouldn't be riding trails that NEED mud tires. They work great but rip up the trail.