Tyre options and dimensional sizing differences

[Fabian]

These photos show the massive difference between high rolling resistance tyres and low rolling resistance tyres. Naturally there are always trade-offs, which typically has grip being sacrificed for increased speed.

These examples are from my non motorised (conventional) bicycle.




Conventional 26 x 2.125 mountain bike tyre vs Schwalbe Marathon Plus (puncture proof) 26 x 1.75 tyre















Schwalbe Supreme (puncture proof folding bead) tyre 26 x 1.6 vs Schwalbe Durano 26 x 1.1 tyre























In the case of the super fast and super flimsy and downright dangerous looking 26 x 1.1 tyre, which happens to be narrower than the width of the rim, it gives the perception of being downright flimsy and dangerous, and on anything other than a smooth well made concrete or bitumen surface, it does indeed feel downright dangerous.

Having said that, it's a super fast tyre; giving a surprising reduction in rolling resistance, so much so, that it feels like the bike has an engine attached to the frame.
I would have never thought that a tyre could make """SO""" much difference to rolling resistance. To be honest, it feels like you are cheating, when installing a set of super fast and super narrow; flimsy and dangerous looking low profile slick tyres to your bike.

 

[Timbone]

The trouble with the knobby mountainbike tires is that they aren't really designed to roll 30 mph on asphalt. Great for taking steeply leaned turns at full throttle,but they wear so fast. My motorbike ground theoe things down in a hurry, even the front one. The tires that work best for me, as a road tire, are smoother, balloon like cruiser tires. They are a good trade off between low rolling resistance and grip.

That skinny tire on the front is a pinch flat waiting to happen!

 

[Robot]

Heres a picture of a set of tires on you guessed it an unfinfinished Cadet

Continental 2.30 not two expensive ~50MM

 

[Fabian]

That skinny tire on the front is a pinch flat waiting to happen!

I agree.

The bike is fitted with two of those ridiculously skinny and dangerously flimsy tyres, and i can tell you that it doesn't feel safe to ride at maximum rated pressure of 115 PSI, as there isn't much more than 1/8" of rubber touching the road.
When i run over an insect, i can count how many legs it had, in it's previous three lives.

That said, those skinny tyres roll so freely and make the bike pedal so easily that it's a complete joke. I feel guilty riding with other people when my bike is effortlessly rolling along at speed and the person next to me is frantically pedaling his heart out, on a cheap budget store pushbike.

I used to be among the slowest of the group with the mountain bike tyres fitted, but with the 26 x 1.6 tyres, i was in the top 1/2 of the riding group. The skinny 26 x 1.1 tyres feel like they need 1/3 the amount of effort to push, compared to the 26 x 1.6 tyres., albeit risking my life for every yard of the journey with those slicks. It's a spooky feeling looking down at the front wheel and seeing the rim to be wider than the tyre.

 

[Fabian]

Continental XKing 26 x 2.4 vs Schwalbe Durano 26 x 1.1
Grip and supreme comfort vs speed and absolutely zero comfort.

Going by the numbers, it seems that manufacturers list their tyres as being wider than what they measure up.
In the case of the Continental 26 x 2.4 the tyre should be 60mm wide, but it measures up as 56mm wide, at an inflation pressure of 25 PSI, which is in the ball park for this type of tyre.
My bike uses a conventionally sized frame (designed for tyre width around 26 x 2.125) and i still have 3mm of room to spare when a wide 2.4" tyre is installed.

























Schwalbe Durano vs Continental XKing 2.4





















With respect to the above image, there is a difference of 27mm between the axle heights of the Schwalbe Durano 26 x 1.1 and the Continental XKing 26 x 2.4























As a comparison, a Schwalbe Marathon Plus Tour 26 x 2.0 measures up at 44mm wide, even though the tyre specification lists it as being 50mm wide.
The 9mm wooden blocks just slide into the frame, so by doing the maths i have 3mm clearance space to (a conventionally sized) frame when installing a 56mm wide tyre.
It might be a little tight for clearance, but so long as the wheel doesn't have any buckles and runs perfectly true (as it should do) you can fit a 2.4" wide balloon tyre to your bike, and have all of the comfort and excellent shock absorption qualities that goes with tall sidewalls and low inflation pressure.

 

[HeadSmess]

interesting, very interesting...

strange, i was watching a documentary, had a little bit about a farmer down in mozambique...


how curious it is, that they all ride around on "ancient" (even when brand new, theyre old school!) bicycles, with hub gears (if any at all) and the stock standard 27 inch steel wheel... not exactly racing rubber, but definitely not what you would call "off-road" either... yet they will HAPPILY, WHILE GRINNING WITH THE SHEER JOY OF BEING MOBILE, ride around on these bicycles, through terrain that makes our "adventures" look rather sad and pathetic... out of necessity.


no suspension. no gears. no fancy seats. just a bike with a bell and a rack at either end. no whinging about the choices (or lack of) for rubber. 27x1.75 is what you get. no mail ordering. no special jobs. just 27x1.75. dont like it, kafir? walk then

pinch punctures? yeah, but i was carrying three goats and the neighbours milking stand 75 mile to market then stopped to give mojambi a lift for the last ten miles as well.

another beautiful scene from "the gods must be crazy II". guy on bike gives girl a lift. eventually bike breaks for some reason. guy shrugs, picks up bike and keeps on walking. leaving girl behind to curse all she wants.

first world people, and first world problems...




makes me sad, thinking i just threw twenty or so bikes out.... could be a KING in africa!