Rim width/tyre choices

[NewBiker25]

Hi,
Just wondering what tyre sizes you can get away with on particular rims. Not technically a mountain bike but i'm looking at buying this, but intend to change the tyres to narrower ones more aimed at road use and efficiency.

http://wooshbikes.co.uk/?rio-fb

I posted in this subforum because I figured people would be more clued up on rims etc. The tyres on it are 26x3.



I'm wondering if something like a 26x2.3 tyre would fit or is that not possible?

[NewBiker25]

The outer diameter of the rim itself is about 42mm by the way.

[RickH]

The outer diameter of the rim itself is about 42mm by the way.

I presume you mean external width? a 42mm diameter rim would be very small!

Schwalbe Big Apples in 2.00 (50-559) or 2.15 (55-559) are the ones that immediately spring to mind for me.

[NewBiker25]

Yes I meant width lol. I find it odd that the 3 inch tyres that it comes with even fit on such a narrow rim?

[NewBiker25]

Turns out they are a 45mm outside width, 39mm inside width. Whats the narrowest tyre I could comfortably get away with'?

[squeaker]

Turns out they are a 45mm outside width, 39mm inside width. Whats the narrowest tyre I could comfortably get away with'?

Some (informed) ideas here

[crossroads]

Well those width rims seem to essentially be 'plus' sized for 26" - I have never seen 'Plus' sized in 26" only in 650b and 29.
Essentially I think it would be unwise to fit 2.3 tyres to such a wide rim, I run 2.35 on 29mm (internal width) rims and I probably wouldn't want to go much narrower on tyres on those rims (maybe 2.2 very minimum)
So for you I think 2.7 would be the very min otherwise you getting into a situation where the tyre width is not far off the rim width which I don't think would be good.
Besides which fatter tyres roll better so I would leave it as is or just some better 3.0 tyres.

[NewBiker25]

In that case do you think I should just get a different bike? Since 26x3 tyres are hard to come by and almost all are 26x4 fat tyres, and you cant seem to get any which are slick or built for commuting mainly on tarmac which i want the bike for mainly

[RickH]

You could get a different bike.

Or, if you like the rest of the bike, you could get some 26" wheels with narrower rims for not too much money.

In fact, as you have disc brakes, you could even go up to 700C with something like 38mm Vittoria Voyager Hypers which give only a small reduction in rolling diameter & would give a fast, comfortable ride on road (& still surprisingly capable off road).

[crossroads]

Well if you haven't brought it as your post suggests then perhaps you should consider something else. Or change wheels as already suggested if you already own the bike.

[Bigdummysteve]

2.5" surly extraterrestrials would work well on those rims

[Fat tyre kicker]

The 2.5 E/t's would be excellent as Steve suggests, I run them on 47mm rims and are
An excellent all rounder