Tyre Sizing Query

Mullie

Looking to change out my bike tyres and am a little unsure on sizing.
My current tyres are 26 x 1.95. I'm looking at Panaracer Fire XTCs and they come in 26 x 2.1 and 26 x 1.8. Would either of these fit?
Also, for 40/60 road/offroad riding which would be the better size?
Thanks!

victorcarrera

Use this table to convert yourself to ISO and then have nothing more to do with those old markings!

http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3802

The numbers you quote are american sizes. The table shows which tyres have compatible bead diameters.
The important thing to note is that not all tyres labeled 26' have the same bead diameter.
I can't help you with the on/off road bit.

gman2k

Yes they will fit.
The wider the tire (the 1.8 and 2.1 part), the more suitable for off road use in slippy conditions. But a wider tyre is a little harder to push due to increased footprint.

seamus

Yep, both of those will usually fit. Tyres are usually stated as wheel size x tyre width. So 26 (inches) is the wheel size and 2.1 (inches) is the tyre width. Any 26 inch tyre will fit on a 26 inch wheel (usually).

Road bikes are the same, except the measurements are metric..ish.

On MTBs, your choice of tyre width is generally not a big deal, though some rims won't take very wide tyres (> 2.25") and others may not be suitable for very thin tyres. If you have a manual, the manfacturer's spec will usually tell you, though it's often written on a sticker on the rim too.

In general though, most MTB wheels and frames will take tyres from 1.5" to 2.2" and you'll rarely go wrong with a standard 26 x 2.0 tyre on an MTB.

If you're currently running 1.95 tyres, then 1.8 or 2.1 won't be an issue.

Wider tyres are better for grip - muddy conditions, offroad climbing and hard cornering. Thinner tyres reduce rolling resistance and are better for speed - hard-packed dirt, tarmac, etc.

I would go for the 1.8 given your types of riding.

Mullie

Thats all for the great feedback. Appreciate it.