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20 inch tire confusion

Old 01-20-23, 03:35 AM
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jdogg111
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20 inch tire confusion

Hi to all, I'm a bit confused about tire sizing. Currently on my zizzo I have 20 x 1.50, 406 tires, but I want a narrower tire, something like a 20 x 1.125 or even just 20 x 1. Ok, easy right ? Not so much, first problem, selection seems very limited, 2nd problem, what I do find is 20 x 1 1/ 8 or 1 3/8 and labeled not 406 but larger. Will they still fit my wheel ? Is a 20 x 1 even made ? Thanks for any help.
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Old 01-20-23, 04:36 AM
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Always the issue of the wheel sizes in inches that are confusing!

You must look at the wheel sizes in ETRTO mm that gives the rim diameter and not the tire outer diameter.

You need ETRTO406 tires, there are several narrow tires options like the Schwalbe Pro-one 28-406, Schwalbe One 28x406, the excellent Continental Contact Urban 32x406, the Panaracer Minits Lite PT 32x406.
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Old 01-20-23, 12:41 PM
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The confusion is because wheel size is a designation for bicycles, not tires. Rim size is a designation for tires.
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Old 01-20-23, 04:42 PM
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The confusion comes because there are several 16" (ETRTO305, ETRTO349), several 20" (ETRTO406, ETRT451) several 24" (ETRTO507, ETRTO520, ETRTO540...), several 26" (ETRTO559, ETRTO571)...
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Old 01-20-23, 07:40 PM
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Originally Posted by jdogg111
Hi to all, I'm a bit confused about tire sizing. Currently on my zizzo I have 20 x 1.50, 406 tires, but I want a narrower tire, something like a 20 x 1.125 or even just 20 x 1. Ok, easy right ? Not so much, first problem, selection seems very limited, 2nd problem, what I do find is 20 x 1 1/ 8 or 1 3/8 and labeled not 406 but larger. Will they still fit my wheel ? Is a 20 x 1 even made ? Thanks for any help.
they absolutely will NOT fit.
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Old 01-21-23, 02:03 PM
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The convention with 20" tires is for the widths in 406 size to be expressed in decimals (like your tires) and for 451 size in fractions (like 1 3/8"). As stated, only the 406 tires will fit your rims.
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Old 01-25-23, 08:27 PM
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What I love about standards,
is that there are so many to chose from.
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Old 01-25-23, 08:35 PM
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https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...ad-tire-hs-462
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Old 01-31-23, 06:27 AM
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jdogg111
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Thanks, good info. Another question, when a tire says tubeless, what does this mean? Can u still run a tube or is it for a special rim?
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Old 01-31-23, 09:05 AM
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It means first that the tolerances on the diameter is tighter.

But these tires have also an internal airtight layer that for some brands isn't very compatible with an inner tube, each brand has his own TL technology.

Even for a single brand, there are several TL technologies different for road tires and MTB tires because the pressure of road tires is much higher than the pressure of MTB tires.
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