The rubber attached to the rim of your wheel. Flats, changing tires, selecting tires, etc.
28
votes
5answers
3k views
Should I change both tires when I need to change one?
I know that it's a best practice in a car to change all 4 tires if you change 1, although in practice, it's only done if 3 need to be changed. Does the same thing hold true of a bike?
9
votes
4answers
724 views
What is a good way to keep my tires from going flat easily?
Title says it all, how do I keep my bicycle tires from going flat easily? I live in an area with a lot of sharp stuff (think glass shards, nails, cactus, etc)...
6
votes
1answer
510 views
Can 37-622 tyres replace 32-622 tyres?
I used my old Trek mountain bike last winter (Helsinki, down to -25C, lots of snow) for commuting to work (8km each way, roads) but it probably needs too many repairs to be worthwhile.
I got a new ...
8
votes
4answers
255 views
Ice tires for winter commuting on non-icy roads?
Can a tire like the Schwalbe Marathon Winter be used for winter-long commuting (40 km/day) on roads which are mostly or usually not icy?
I might want the studs occasionally (and lower the air ...
0
votes
2answers
571 views
Good tires for road riding in winter weather?
What are some good tires to install for riding the roads in snow, ice, other winter conditions? Besides letting some pressure out for better traction, what tires should I use?
9
votes
4answers
919 views
does a tire bead 'jack' work?
I'm having great difficulties getting a kevlar belted tire onto my rim (maybe I'm getting old). I had heard about the Kool-Stop tire bead jack as a possible alternative to using just my tire levers. ...
5
votes
2answers
3k views
Can I convert hybrid to mountain bike. Tyres and tubes?
I have a mountain bike looking frame with wheels that currently have road tyres. The bike is classified as a hybrid.
My tyres state: 28" x 1.6 (42-622)
The rim: ETRTO 622 x 18
I am having ...
8
votes
7answers
1k views
Is it better to have mountain bike tyres for the winter?
I have a hybrid commuter bike that is more at the mountain bike end of the spectrum
Currently I have slick road tyres on it.
Is it a good idea to get mountain bike tyres on it to deal with the wet ...
1
vote
2answers
2k views
What do I need to know when replacing my inner tube/tires?
Context:
The inner tube on my bike burst the other day, I took it home and salvaged another one from a bike that's been sitting unused in my garage for years.
The New(old) innertube inflates fine ...
7
votes
2answers
367 views
How to remove branding from tire?
I have bought a new tire. It has big white labeling on each side which I don't like.
Do you know any method to remove this white text from the tire?
7
votes
3answers
236 views
How can one prevent a tube from sticking to the inside of a tire?
I was cleaning my cruiser today, and as part of that I removed the tires from the rims to give them a good scrubbing. As sometimes happens, the tubes were stuck to the insides of the tires. (This also ...
7
votes
5answers
386 views
Is a tire patch kit really necessary for urban commute?
I'm cycling for urban commute, on well-maintained roads and bike paths, Vittoria Randonneur "puncture resistant" tires, and at no point on my ride am I more than 1/2 mile (usually within 1/4, I bet) ...
1
vote
3answers
327 views
Tire and rim sizing, tubeless conversion?
I am looking to shave some weight off my wheels. I am currently commuting on a 26" MTB.
The ETRTO size of the rim is 559x22 and the tires are 559x54. As my commute is through the city center, I want ...
1
vote
1answer
299 views
How much friction arise from the tires?
Does anyone know how much friction (rolling resistance) arise from the tires? I know this heavily depends on type of tire, their air pressure and the type of surface. I would therefore like to see any ...
16
votes
7answers
11k views
How can I check tire pressure without a pressure gauge?
I would like to tell if my tires are correctly inflated, in this case road tires, but I do not have a pressure gauge.
Is there a handy heuristic for checking the pressure? Could I do it, for example, ...
20
votes
7answers
2k views
How long should a road tyre hold its pressure?
How long should a road tyre be able to maintain a pressure of around 100psi, and what factors are likely to reduce this time?
Background:
My tyre pressures are consistently dropping to around 60psi ...
7
votes
4answers
4k views
How do I know which size and type of rim strip to buy?
I have a Gary Fisher mountain bike. I was changing the tube in my rear tire. The rim strip (rubber lining around the wheel to protect the tube from the spokes) had moved a bit so I went to adjust it ...
4
votes
3answers
522 views
Does my tire need to be replaced?
I noticed some strange damage on my rear tire, where there appear to be diagonally cuts going around the entire wheel. I have no idea what might have caused this damage. I first saw it a few months ...
4
votes
4answers
1k views
Mountain bike tires for rocky, steep, dirt trails?
I live in central Iowa and travel once a year to the Breck area (Breckenridge, CO) to do mountain biking. Since that is the Rocky Mountains, well they are rocky and steep. Very different terrain from ...
5
votes
4answers
2k views
How much should I inflate my tires?
I just purchased a new bicycle pump with a pressure gauge and after checking my tyres, inflated them to the top end of interval printed on the tyres (4.5-6.5 bar).
I'm wondering when the tyres ...
2
votes
2answers
11k views
Can I put 700cc tires on rims made for 27x1.25"?
It's getting hard to find any selection for my old Avanti 12 speed. it currently uses 27x1.25 inch tires. Can I put 700cc tires without needing to buy new rims?
5
votes
4answers
2k views
Can I use an inner tube that's too narrow for the tyre?
I recently got a puncture and when I went to replace the inner tube I discovered that I'd bought the wrong size tube. My tyre is 700 x 40c, the tube is 700 x 28-35c.
What is likely to happen if I use ...
2
votes
1answer
471 views
Switch front and rear tire for distributing wear [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Should I change both tires when I need to change one?
On my road bike, my rear tire has much more wear as my front tire (reported by others on this site as well).
...
11
votes
9answers
3k views
What is the narrowest tire you would use for commuting?
Speed isn't so much of a factor, obviously, but the lower the rolling resistance the less sweaty I am when I get there. Then there's flats to consider. Basically the tire has to never get them because ...
6
votes
4answers
646 views
Why does my back tyre wear so much more quickly than the front?
Identical tyres, identical rims, minimal braking on the back wheel, no skids, properly inflated at least once a fortnight to manufacturer's recommended pressure.
Why does the back one wear out more ...
3
votes
3answers
4k views
Mixing different front and rear tires
My used bike came with different front and rear tires. It appears to have some kind of Kenda commuter tire in the front, and Continental Country Ride in the rear. They are both the same size (700x28).
...
4
votes
2answers
338 views
Riding packed limestone trails on 700x23 ties
I recently bought a Trek 2.1 and it came with 700x23 100psi tires. I do a lot of road riding, but every once in a while the packed limestone (rails-to-trails) trails are the better option. I've ridden ...
7
votes
4answers
1k views
Should inner tube have excess length?
I've recently changed the default 700x35 tires and 35mm Schrader inner tube to 700x25 slicks with 25mm Presta inner tubes.
However whilst fitting the new tire and inner tube, I noticed that the inner ...
6
votes
3answers
654 views
Studded tires for small wheels
I'd it possible to purchase 16" studded tires? I have an old Dahon I use as a winter bike, and I'd like to replace the tires with proper snow tires if this is possible. If not, has anyone here ...
12
votes
2answers
503 views
Should spoke tension be measured before or after adding a tube and tire?
I built my first set of wheels and measured the spoke tension when I finished. They were all uniformly tense at about 100kg of force.
Once I put the tire on, that measurement went down a little, to ...
7
votes
2answers
159 views
Buying a CO2 tyre inflater
I am thinking about buying a CO2 tyre inflater. I have never used one before and have 3 questions:
Do they have enough pressure to get a road tyre up to full pressure (~100psi)
When you use a ...
4
votes
3answers
2k views
What is the widest tyre that you can get away with, on a standard road bike?
In general, what is the widest tyre that you can get away with, on a standard road bike (with dual pivot brakes)?
Edit: I have a Campagnolo Eurus wheelset.
7
votes
3answers
567 views
When is a good time to change tyres due to age?
When should I consider changing tyres due to age? The tyres in question are five/six years old Continentals.
4
votes
2answers
478 views
Different tyre width (front and back)
Out of necessity, I had to put an 1.26" (32mm) rear tyre on my bike where the front tyre is only 1.1" (28mm) wide (and the bike came with 1.1" tyres when I bought it). Are there any advantages or ...
17
votes
7answers
7k views
Am I too heavy for my road bike tires?
I am wondering if bike tires have a weight limit. I have to admit, I am a large guy at 6'3" 250lb (190 cm, 113,5 kg), and I have always had issues with my road bike's tires getting pinch flats. I ...
4
votes
3answers
1k views
Is my pressure gauge broken?
I recently got an xtech pressure gauge that reads up to 160psi. My bike is a road bike that uses presta valves on the inner tubes.
Here's the gauge (the one at the bottom):
...
0
votes
2answers
147 views
Is it possible to loosen or crack the tire when I change a broken tube?
If I don't use the proper tools. Last time I used spoons to take out the tire.
0
votes
1answer
161 views
Tank tape for tire patching - Enough friction?
This topic has been cursorily covered by How can I repair a tyre with a deep cut? before, but less with empirical evidence. Tire patches as mentioned there are not available in my local bike shops ...
2
votes
4answers
791 views
What is the actual width of a Panaracer Pasela tire?
Not unlike other brands, I've heard that older Panaracer Pasela tires ran slim when compared to their advertised width, probably a marketing ploy to get the weight down for its size - but I've also ...
3
votes
2answers
832 views
What direction of rotation should I mount my tyre?
I have a panaracer rampage tyre which I have mounted on my front wheel. This tire has knobs in the centre tread which have a ramp on one side.
The tyre does not have a direction of rotation marked ...
3
votes
3answers
647 views
Back wheel skidding out
On my cycle to work this morning I noticed my back wheel was skidding out as I was going up a fairly steep hill. It did it enough that I thought I'd probably gotten a flat, however upon inspection it ...
7
votes
2answers
306 views
Which endurance tires for touring?
I got a recommendation from an experienced tourer to switch to Schwalbe Marathon Plus endurance tires during summer and Schwalbe Spike something during winter. I like the Marathon Plus tires, despite ...
10
votes
3answers
4k views
700 wheels on bike made for 27" wheels
I just bought an older road bike with 27" wheels. I am curious if I can mount 700 wheels (typical road size) on it. Has anyone ever done this?
The main reason I am interested in doing this is so ...
0
votes
1answer
343 views
What Schwalbe Nobby Nic should I buy?
I recently bought a Swissbike X5 (same as the Montague Paratrooper, but labeled Swissbike and matte black).
It came with Kenda Kinetics 26" x 1.95" (front and rear) that I'd like to replace.
Due to ...
4
votes
2answers
195 views
How does the length of the studs on winter tires affect traction on ice?
How does the length of the studs on winter tires affect traction on different surfaces?
I recently bought a pair of Nokian Hakkapeliitta W106 tires for my around-town cruiser. These studs are pretty ...
11
votes
2answers
8k views
how to choose inner tubes
I've always bought 700x28/38 Specialized inner tubes for my bike, because that was what I was told fitted. But what do those numbers mean? How do I know that a specific inner tube will fit my bike?
4
votes
2answers
608 views
Recurring flats
I've had 4 flats in three rides, all rear wheel. I can't see anything in the tyre, the tyres relatively new, the rims look good. Needless to say I'm getting pretty hacked off with having to keep ...
4
votes
1answer
313 views
Is there a way to estimate contact patch size given tire size plus tire volume and rider weight?
Is there a way to estimate contact patch size given tire size plus tire volume and rider weight?
Specifically, I've tried to build a unicycle that maximizes contact patch for riding on soft snow. I ...
9
votes
1answer
396 views
How is “correct” tire pressure related to tire volume?
I have a unicycle with a Surly Endomorph 26"x3.7" tire, and I've discovered that this tire rides best at significantly lower pressure than smaller tires.
Even though I weigh ~110 kilos, I can ride ...
10
votes
2answers
377 views
What kind of tires should I buy for an e-bike, commuting on maintained off-road?
I need to buy a new front tire for my new e-bike. Let me give you a few of the conditions I'll be riding in, and I'd like your advice.
First of all, this bike is primarily going to be used to commute ...
