Doc_Wui

My wife took a spill hitting some soft ruts on a packed limestone path. Her tires are 32mm wide. Do you think she would be more stable on this stuff with wider tires? I was thinking of 2.125 (54mm). Rolling resistance is not a big issue. How wide can one go. RIms are 17mm wide outside dimension.

Actually meant to [post this in the folding bike section as these are 20" tires.

FolderBeholder

My electric folder has 20" tires so this forum COULD be applicable as well.

Hope she's OK...see you in the Folding Bikes section.

KraneXL

Your wife needs more riding practice, 32 is more than sufficient.

2old

FME offroad riding, sand or gravel on a hard surface presents a challenge as front tires tend to wash out when they encounter this type of surface precipitously (was reminded of that yesterday when descending a 3000' or so "hill" on a fire road and hit some small, round rocks on a sun-baked hard-packed dirt surface). Wider tires will help, but placing them on too narrow rims will change the profile of the tire making its contact patch with the surface as bad or worse than a narrower tire. I wouldn't go wider than 38mm (1.5") on those rims. Maybe a folding e-fat bike is in her future.

slomoshun

What '2old' said about 38mm/1.5". Coarse tread and/or lower psi helps in the soft stuff.

Doc_Wui

Lots of people riding 26" and 700cc wheels fine, but this was a downhill section where running water must have piled up loose gravel that was several inches deep and long enough to catch a smaller wheel.. I barely got thru it, yelled back a warning to veer left and crash!

MikeyMK

I have two early '80s Raleigh shopper bikes, they're the same but for specification changes such as gearing, colour and tyres. Not electric, but not far off as heavy!

The blue one has the original spec whitewall tyres, size is like 20x1.3/8 or something, with a zig-zag tread.
The gold one has modern 20x2.5in Savage BMX tyres on it - they're so fat i had to modify the frame and fork with an automotive coil-spring compressor/expander to clear them, space the brake blocks, and make new mudguard stays...

The original blue one is scary, challenging and fun - the back-end slides in tight fast corners even with the tyres pumped up hard, it's vague on anything resembling loose chippings.
The modified one is faster, smoother, and handles far, far better. It's planted, handles like it's on a rail and performs well beyond it's looks. The tyres have turned it into a spiritual BMX. Far more effective when pushed hard, if not quite so.. comical.

Here's the Gold one with the balloons;


And the standard blue one;


A modern bike will take a wider tyre without modifications, but you'd need to check your clearances. Modern BMX tyres are available in different widths, countless colours, they're tough, effective, and these particular ones are very smooth.
Well worth considering this route.

KraneXL

Ah, excellent. Sometimes we (I) forget about that.

Doc_Wui

I will look into some tires with the right tread, MikeyMK. Good info.