Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Road Cycling
Reload this Page >

Tire width options

Notices
Road Cycling “It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.” -- Ernest Hemingway

Tire width options

Old 09-25-19, 09:11 PM
  #1  
Strosfan5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 22
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Tire width options

Hi all,
have tried to dig some for an answer on this but just can’t get a solid answer.

the short of it:
Purchased an older Murray mountain bike from 1984ish.. Brand new, never used and was stored in basement for last 30+ years. Tires are in great shape and have been flawless. Have ridden it about 180 miles so far. Bike has 26x2.125 tires on it.

I would like a thinner tire but am really not sure what would fit on the rim. I don’t want super thin but maybe a touch under 2” and a less knobby tire.

what sizes
would fit
this rim.
Strosfan5 is offline  
Old 09-25-19, 09:18 PM
  #2  
rumrunn6
Senior Member
 
rumrunn6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,528

Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0

Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5219 Post(s)
Liked 3,564 Times in 2,331 Posts
Check biketiresdirect.com - it’s a good website w categories and pics and you could probably fit anything they carry
rumrunn6 is offline  
Old 09-25-19, 09:20 PM
  #3  
Seattle Forrest
Senior Member
 
Seattle Forrest's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 23,208
Mentioned: 89 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 18883 Post(s)
Liked 10,645 Times in 6,054 Posts
You'll probably do best going into a shop with the bike. You may have better luck in the MTB forum, this one is "for" shiny tire bikes with drop bars, a lot of the people here don't ride mountain bikes. If you can measure your rim width we might be able to help you.
Seattle Forrest is offline  
Old 09-26-19, 06:57 AM
  #4  
rumrunn6
Senior Member
 
rumrunn6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,528

Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0

Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5219 Post(s)
Liked 3,564 Times in 2,331 Posts
Michelin Country Rock 26 Inch Tire
This popular tire is excellent for riding on both asphalt and hard-packed dirt. Tightly packed, super low profile knobs create a tire that rolls almost as smoothly as a slick on the road, but provides more traction than a slick on dirt surfaces. More pronounced edge knobs offer better cornering off-road. The tread is very puncture-resistant and long-wearing.
Wire bead. 33 TPI. 560 grams. 73 maximum PSI. 26" x 1.75". Black.

Review excerpts:
Best way to turn a mountain bike into a street bike. Fast rolling and great puncture resistance.

For what I got, I'm stunned at the low price. I replaced some old knobby tires on a MTB that I inherited and hated. Now I love it and I'm using it as a bad weathertouring bike for the days I don't want to risk using my road bike

Good on the road, trails. I ride mostly on trails and I find that this allows for a smooth ride without picking up lots of stuff in the tread
Performs well on pavement and minor hard-pack. Used for around-town commuting, with occasional light trail use. Works great, rolls easy, all around good tire.
rumrunn6 is offline  
Old 09-26-19, 07:01 AM
  #5  
Strosfan5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 22
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Do you think they would fit on a rim which currently has a 26x2.125 tire?
Strosfan5 is offline  
Old 09-26-19, 07:06 AM
  #6  
rumrunn6
Senior Member
 
rumrunn6's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,528

Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0

Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5219 Post(s)
Liked 3,564 Times in 2,331 Posts
Originally Posted by Strosfan5
Do you think they would fit on a rim which currently has a 26x2.125 tire?
I do. but to put your mind at ease you can call them for reassurance (800) 682-0570
rumrunn6 is offline  
Old 09-26-19, 07:07 AM
  #7  
robbyville
Senior Member
 
robbyville's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Palm Desert, CA
Posts: 2,504

Bikes: Speedvagen Steel

Mentioned: 11 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 429 Post(s)
Liked 248 Times in 156 Posts
Originally Posted by Strosfan5
Do you think they would fit on a rim which currently has a 26x2.125 tire?
Based on model year and the rims available then, most definitely it will fit fine. I used to put that sized tire on many of my old mountain bikes.
robbyville is offline  
Old 09-26-19, 07:40 AM
  #8  
eduskator
Senior Member
 
eduskator's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Québec, Canada
Posts: 2,064

Bikes: SL8 Pro, TCR beater

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 957 Post(s)
Liked 562 Times in 423 Posts
Wrong forum!

Tires still good after 30 years? I'd definitively inspect them for cracks. Rubber always end up drying & tearing.
eduskator is offline  
Old 09-26-19, 08:29 AM
  #9  
mstateglfr 
Sunshine
 
mstateglfr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,538

Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo

Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10902 Post(s)
Liked 7,393 Times in 4,148 Posts
Originally Posted by Strosfan5
what sizes would fit this rim.
- Any bike tire with an ISO of 559 will fit your wheels. Just google 26" MTB tires and what you see will almost certainly fit. Any decent website will list the ISO# on each tire's page.
- Tread is good for loose surfaces. Slick tires are good for hardpack and paved surfaces.
- Inexpensive tires are heavier and roll slower than lighter tires.
- A quality 2.1" tire could very well roll faster than an inexpensive and heavy 1.85" tire. Keep this in mind because wider doesnt necessarily mean slower.


There are tons of options, depending on what you want to spend. No point suggesting $60 tires if you want to only spend $15. So list what you want to spend.
mstateglfr is offline  
Old 09-26-19, 10:57 AM
  #10  
SethAZ 
Senior Member
 
SethAZ's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2013
Posts: 1,394

Bikes: 2018 Lynskey R260, 2005 Diamondback 29er, 2003 Trek 2300

Mentioned: 18 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 564 Post(s)
Liked 334 Times in 182 Posts
It really depends on what kind of riding you want to do. If you're using this mountain bike as an ersatz street bike for just getting around town and whatnot you'll really want tires with little to no tread, since knobs wear off quickly on the street. If you're actually going to be riding it off road, then of course you'll want an appropriate knobbed tire for good grip in the dirt. I put around 9000 miles on a mountain bike that I was using as an ersatz road bike when I first started losing weight and weighed around 350 lbs. The knobby tires I started with wore out within 300 miles or so on the street. I put on somewhat narrower "slick" or semi-slick road-style tires on it and loved it for the rest of the time I was using that bike on the street. If using it as a street bike it'll also be a much more comfortable ride not to have aggressive off-road knobbies on your tires.
SethAZ is offline  
Old 09-26-19, 11:01 AM
  #11  
Strosfan5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 22
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by eduskator
Wrong forum!

Tires still good after 30 years? I'd definitively inspect them for cracks. Rubber always end up drying & tearing.
I’ll post a pic once I hit the threshold but maybe you have to see to believe.
Bike was stored indoors for last 30+ years effectively.
Ive ridden the crap out of it for last two months and no issues. Stay tuned for a pic.
Strosfan5 is offline  
Old 09-26-19, 12:20 PM
  #12  
eduskator
Senior Member
 
eduskator's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Québec, Canada
Posts: 2,064

Bikes: SL8 Pro, TCR beater

Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 957 Post(s)
Liked 562 Times in 423 Posts
That's impressive! I bet recent tires wouldn't last as much if stored for that amount of time.

The industry use to make long lasting products until they realised they would make a sh*t load of additional money if they'd limit product's lifespan. Got to love planned obsolescence! I know, I'm getting off topic (again).
eduskator is offline  
Old 09-26-19, 02:22 PM
  #13  
Strosfan5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 22
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Also have an old Schwinn cruiser I’ve had since from mid 80’s. Greased the hubs and cranks. Rides like a dream - zero rust.
Had to get new tires for that btw 😁😁
Strosfan5 is offline  
Old 09-26-19, 02:24 PM
  #14  
Strosfan5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 22
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by eduskator
That's impressive! I bet recent tires wouldn't last as much if stored for that amount of time.

The industry use to make long lasting products until they realised they would make a sh*t load of additional money if they'd limit product's lifespan. Got to love planned obsolescence! I know, I'm getting off topic (again).
There’s no money in building something that doesn’t need adjusting or replacing every so often.
Strosfan5 is offline  
Old 09-26-19, 08:21 PM
  #15  
mstateglfr 
Sunshine
 
mstateglfr's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Des Moines, IA
Posts: 16,538

Bikes: '18 class built steel roadbike, '19 Fairlight Secan, '88 Schwinn Premis , Black Mountain Cycles Monstercross V4, '89 Novara Trionfo

Mentioned: 123 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 10902 Post(s)
Liked 7,393 Times in 4,148 Posts
Originally Posted by eduskator
That's impressive! I bet recent tires wouldn't last as much if stored for that amount of time.

The industry use to make long lasting products until they realised they would make a sh*t load of additional money if they'd limit product's lifespan. Got to love planned obsolescence! I know, I'm getting off topic (again).
Originally Posted by Strosfan5
There’s no money in building something that doesn’t need adjusting or replacing every so often.
Are you both suggesting tire brands have changed their material composition to ensure tires last less time/miles?
If so, do you have any bit of backing to that claim?

...or are you both just speaking in generalizations that dont actually apply?
mstateglfr is offline  
Old 09-27-19, 05:42 AM
  #16  
Strosfan5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 22
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by robbyville
Based on model year and the rims available then, most definitely it will fit fine. I used to put that sized tire on many of my old mountain bikes.
thanks for the insight on this -
Strosfan5 is offline  
Old 09-27-19, 01:48 PM
  #17  
Strosfan5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 22
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by SethAZ
It really depends on what kind of riding you want to do. If you're using this mountain bike as an ersatz street bike for just getting around town and whatnot you'll really want tires with little to no tread, since knobs wear off quickly on the street. If you're actually going to be riding it off road, then of course you'll want an appropriate knobbed tire for good grip in the dirt. I put around 9000 miles on a mountain bike that I was using as an ersatz road bike when I first started losing weight and weighed around 350 lbs. The knobby tires I started with wore out within 300 miles or so on the street. I put on somewhat narrower "slick" or semi-slick road-style tires on it and loved it for the rest of the time I was using that bike on the street. If using it as a street bike it'll also be a much more comfortable ride not to have aggressive off-road knobbies on your tires.
I plan on going to a slicker tire for sure. The knobbiea in these are kn their way out.
Strosfan5 is offline  
Old 09-27-19, 01:52 PM
  #18  
Strosfan5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 22
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by eduskator
Wrong forum!

Tires still good after 30 years? I'd definitively inspect them for cracks. Rubber always end up drying & tearing.


These are the tires on the bike from August. Original tires that came with it -
Strosfan5 is offline  
Old 09-28-19, 10:51 AM
  #19  
Strosfan5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 22
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by Strosfan5
I’ll post a pic once I hit the threshold but maybe you have to see to believe.
Bike was stored indoors for last 30+ years effectively.
Ive ridden the crap out of it for last two months and no issues. Stay tuned for a pic.


A couple of pics
Strosfan5 is offline  
Old 09-28-19, 11:33 AM
  #20  
Jack Tone 
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2015
Posts: 598
Mentioned: 1 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 389 Post(s)
Liked 255 Times in 165 Posts
I cleaned out most of my garage a few days ago. Dozens of tires and tubes hanging up, and in cabinets. Some of my tires were from over 30 years ago, and strangely enough, some of the old ones were just fine. And some were so bad they cracked and fell apart when I squeezed them.
Jack Tone is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.