correct tire size?

In message <[email hidden]>, Warren Ginn
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

The rims on my bike say, "26 x 1.5" but the tires I have are 26 x 1.95.

Do I have the wrong size tires?

The second number relates to the width.

You can use a certain range of tire widths safely on a particular rim width. Sheldon Brown gives
a useful table on this near the end of his article on Tire Sizing. You need to go metric for this
so have a go at the rest of the article and maybe get up to speed on tire sizes using the
consistent ISO system. There is more here perhaps than you will want (or than I can recall after
5 minutes anyway)

sheldonbrown.comtire sizing.htmlOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

I am shopping for new tires and I want to be sure I get the right size.

By the way, any suggestions on MTB tires for road use?

It depends what you plan to do most. There is a choice from 25mm width Stelvios (high pressure
fast tyres like a road bike) up to 60mm Big Apples just from the one brand Schwalbe. I've used
their City Jets to give an old ATB a lot more go on the road without breaking the bank or shaking
myself to death.

This links to their catalogue in pdf form:

schwalbetires.comTire%20Catalog%202003.pdfOpen ↗

Martyn

--

Martyn Aldis e-mail [email hidden]
==============================================================================

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

In message <[email hidden]>, Warren Ginn
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

The rims on my bike say, "26 x 1.5" but the tires I have are 26 x 1.95.

Do I have the wrong size tires?

The second number relates to the width.

You can use a certain range of tire widths safely on a particular rim width. Sheldon Brown gives
a useful table on this near the end of his article on Tire Sizing. You need to go metric for this
so have a go at the rest of the article and maybe get up to speed on tire sizes using the
consistent ISO system. There is more here perhaps than you will want (or than I can recall after
5 minutes anyway)

sheldonbrown.comtire sizing.htmlOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

I am shopping for new tires and I want to be sure I get the right size.

By the way, any suggestions on MTB tires for road use?

It depends what you plan to do most. There is a choice from 25mm width Stelvios (high pressure
fast tyres like a road bike) up to 60mm Big Apples just from the one brand Schwalbe. I've used
their City Jets to give an old ATB a lot more go on the road without breaking the bank or shaking
myself to death.

This links to their catalogue in pdf form:

schwalbetires.comTire%20Catalog%202003.pdfOpen ↗

Martyn

26x1.5, I recall is a special size and is not readily available - at least in the US. I think this
came on a few Schwinn models, but even Schwinn (yeah, I know - they are history anyway) did
not really carry it too well. If you can find them, they are pricey. Consider swapping to a
cheap set of "normal" 26" wheels and tires. It might even be cheaper than a pair of those
special tires.

Dan

--

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Quoted message said:

26x1.5, I recall is a special size and is not readily available - at least in the US. I think this
came on a few Schwinn models, but even Schwinn (yeah, I know - they are history anyway) did
not really carry it too well. If you can find them, they are pricey. Consider swapping to a
cheap set of "normal" 26" wheels and tires. It might even be cheaper than a pair of those
special tires.

Dan

Ignore Dan; he is misinformed. He is likely confused by the significant difference between 26 x 1.5
and 26 x 1/2. The latter is the rare one.

All will be revealed at sheldonbrown.comtire sizing.htmlOpen ↗

--
Ted Bennett Portland OR

"Warren Ginn" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The rims on my bike say, "26 x 1.5" but the tires I have are 26 x 1.95.

Do I have the wrong size tires?

I am shopping for new tires and I want to be sure I get the right size.

By the way, any suggestions on MTB tires for road use?

"Mountain bike" rims such as yours ( diameter 559mm) are labelled in decimals and can accept the
full range of tires in most cases ( 26x1.125 through 26x2.4 are readily available).

Popular commuting tires are smooth and about 1.5 to 1.75 wide. YMMV

--
Andrew Muzi www.yellowjersey.org Open every day since 1 April, 1971

Martyn Aldis wrote

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

You can use a certain range of tire widths safely on a particular rim=20 width. Sheldon Brown
gives a useful table on this near the end of his=20 article on Tire Sizing. You need to go metric
for this so have a go at =

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

the rest of the article and maybe get up to speed on tire sizes using the consistent ISO system.
There i=

s=20

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

more here perhaps than you will want (or than I can recall after 5=20 minutes anyway)

sheldonbrown.comtire sizing.htmlOpen ↗

Dan Brussee said:

26x1.5, I recall is a special size and is not readily available - at=20 least in the US. I think
this came on a few Schwinn models, but even=20 Schwinn (yeah, I know - they are history
anyway) did not really carry i=

t=20

Quoted message said:

too well. If you can find them, they are pricey. Consider swapping to a=

=20

Quoted message said:

cheap set of "normal" 26" wheels and tires. It might even be cheaper=20 than a pair of those
special tires.

No, you're thinking of 26 x 1 1/2. This is the 584 mm size, more=20 commonly known by its French
designation "650 B". That size was=20 formerly very common in France for utility bikes, tandems and
loaded=20 tourers. This size was also occasionally used by Schwinn, and briefly=20 by Raleigh USA.

You may think that 26 x 1 1/2 is the same as 26 x 1.5, but it isn't. In =

bicycle tire sizing systems, fractions and decimals are NEVER=20 interchangeable. 26 x <decimal>
tires are 559 mm, same size used on=20 virtually all mountain bikes and most cruisers.

There are at least five different 26 x <fraction> sizes, none of which=20 is interchangeable with
any decimal size. The link above gives all the=20 gory details.

Sheldon "ISO/E.T.R.T.O." Brown +----------------------------------------------+
| I will be making my grand opera debut in a | Concert Performance of Bizet=92s Carmen | July
| 31/August 1, M.I.T. Kresge Auditorium | Cambridge, Mass web.mit.eduwwwOpen ↗ |
+----------------------------------------------+ Harris Cyclery, West Newton, Massachusetts Phone
617-244-9772 FAX 617-244-1041 harriscyclery.comharriscyclery.comOpen ↗ Hard-to-find parts shipped Worldwide
captainbike.comcaptainbike.comOpen ↗ sheldonbrown.comsheldonbrown.comOpen ↗

In article <[email hidden]>, [email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

"Warren Ginn" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The rims on my bike say, "26 x 1.5" but the tires I have are 26 x 1.95.

Do I have the wrong size tires?

I am shopping for new tires and I want to be sure I get the right size.

By the way, any suggestions on MTB tires for road use?

"Mountain bike" rims such as yours ( diameter 559mm) are labelled in decimals and can accept the
full range of tires in most cases ( 26x1.125 through 26x2.4 are readily available).

Popular commuting tires are smooth and about 1.5 to 1.75 wide. YMMV

My bad. Ignore my previous comments.

--

Remove NOT from email address to reply. AntiSpam in action.

Thanks, man. I really appreciate it.

Warren

Martyn Aldis <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:<[email hidden]>...

Quoted message said:

In message <[email hidden]>, Warren Ginn
<[email hidden]> writes

Quoted message said:

The rims on my bike say, "26 x 1.5" but the tires I have are 26 x 1.95.

Do I have the wrong size tires?

The second number relates to the width.

You can use a certain range of tire widths safely on a particular rim width. Sheldon Brown gives
a useful table on this near the end of his article on Tire Sizing. You need to go metric for this
so have a go at the rest of the article and maybe get up to speed on tire sizes using the
consistent ISO system. There is more here perhaps than you will want (or than I can recall after
5 minutes anyway)

sheldonbrown.comtire sizing.htmlOpen ↗

Quoted message said:

I am shopping for new tires and I want to be sure I get the right size.

By the way, any suggestions on MTB tires for road use?

It depends what you plan to do most. There is a choice from 25mm width Stelvios (high pressure
fast tyres like a road bike) up to 60mm Big Apples just from the one brand Schwalbe. I've used
their City Jets to give an old ATB a lot more go on the road without breaking the bank or shaking
myself to death.

This links to their catalogue in pdf form:

schwalbetires.comTire%20Catalog%202003.pdfOpen ↗

Martyn

Warren Ginn said:

By the way, any suggestions on MTB tires for road use?

They are very expensive, but if you want very light weight, very narrow tires, look at the
Continental Grand Prix. The Turbo Pro Classics and the inexpensive Fatboys - both from Specialized -
are also worthy road tires.

Dave icylist.comicylist.comOpen ↗