AndyB
You say that far eastern/third world touring is only a possiblity,that seems to imply that the vast majority of your touring/riding will be in Europe, in which case as has already been said by CJ no contest its got to be 700c.
The tyre choice for 26in is limited to only a couple of manufacturers and even then sections are limited,whereas 700c choice is endless(well almost)37mm section tyres are plenty big enough to cope with all but the toughest terrain and only 3mm narrower than the 1.5in that are considered the 26in ideal tarmac touring tyre.
The question I'd ask myself is,am I really going to ride anything bigger than 1.5in(40mm)? if the answer is no then its 700c x 37mm(near enough).
Asia etc etc= FedEx DHL etc in case of disaster.
Touring wheel size
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hubgearfreak
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- Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 4:14pm
remembering that 29er, 28(often) in germany and 700 or 622 are all the same diameter rim, you'll need to decide on the frame clearances now if you're going to invest in a custom frame.
smoothish tyres are available for 29er
http://www.halorims.com/HaloNew/twinrail.html
perhaps you should get clearance for 29x2.2 so if you're ever that way inclined you could have them. that way you could get 42mm tyres and mudguards in the frame
continental list tyres right up to 47, although they seem to measure a bit differently to other makes and a continental 32 is the same as a michelin 28
http://www.conti-tyres.co.uk/conticycle ... tact.shtml
when on the continent, don't assume 28 means 622 though
AASHTA
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html
also, just to add another confusion into the mix, if you ever were to tour vietnam or somewhere else, you'd need to seriously pack a great deal of stuff i imagine, perhaps including a couple of flat pack emergency tyres wouldn't make a great deal of difference?
it's a near impossible decision, i imagine - deciding what a custom frame should be like....but if you want advice about colour, come back to us to get a unanimous and straight answer
smoothish tyres are available for 29er
http://www.halorims.com/HaloNew/twinrail.html
perhaps you should get clearance for 29x2.2 so if you're ever that way inclined you could have them. that way you could get 42mm tyres and mudguards in the frame
continental list tyres right up to 47, although they seem to measure a bit differently to other makes and a continental 32 is the same as a michelin 28
http://www.conti-tyres.co.uk/conticycle ... tact.shtml
when on the continent, don't assume 28 means 622 though
AASHTA
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html
also, just to add another confusion into the mix, if you ever were to tour vietnam or somewhere else, you'd need to seriously pack a great deal of stuff i imagine, perhaps including a couple of flat pack emergency tyres wouldn't make a great deal of difference?
it's a near impossible decision, i imagine - deciding what a custom frame should be like....but if you want advice about colour, come back to us to get a unanimous and straight answer
Last edited by hubgearfreak on 5 Feb 2008, 6:29pm, edited 1 time in total.
reohn2 wrote:The tyre choice for 26in is limited to only a couple of manufacturers and even then sections are limited.
I haven't found that to be the case. Schwalbe, Panaracer, Continental, Michelin, Nokian, Specialized and others do 559 tyres with touring treads. I reckon you'd find a 700c and an MTB semi-slick pretty much anywhere in europe and sensible tourists pack at least one spare tyre anyway.
The real issue isn't so much which bead diameter to use but to get a bike that can use the full availability of tyre widths. So many tourers - at least in our dropped bar style - can barely fit a 32mm safely let alone a 42mm cover.
Good point scottg. Not convinced about the 650B suggestion, it's a dying size even in France, though not if Rivendell have anything to do with it. And try getting a 600A anywhere.
I like the idea of quirky sizes (UK 26 x one and a quarter was an old favourite for small bikes) unless I'm stuck with a burst tyre wall in the middle of nowhere.
I like the idea of quirky sizes (UK 26 x one and a quarter was an old favourite for small bikes) unless I'm stuck with a burst tyre wall in the middle of nowhere.
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hubgearfreak
- Posts: 8212
- Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 4:14pm
glueman wrote:I like the idea of quirky sizes
you should get a swiss army bike. they have unique tyres
The original Militarvelo tyres were produced by a company called Maloya using a bead system dating back to the end of the 19th century. They stopped production years ago. You can buy a Chinese Maloya clone, but the rubber feels like cheap plastic.
http://www.63xc.com/stefs/sabike.htm
http://www.bikecult.com/works/collections/sab1935.html
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reohn2
glueman wrote:reohn2 wrote:The tyre choice for 26in is limited to only a couple of manufacturers and even then sections are limited.
I haven't found that to be the case. Schwalbe, Panaracer, Continental, Michelin, Nokian, Specialized and others do 559 tyres with touring treads. I reckon you'd find a 700c and an MTB semi-slick pretty much anywhere in europe and sensible tourists pack at least one spare tyre anyway.
The real issue isn't so much which bead diameter to use but to get a bike that can use the full availability of tyre widths. So many tourers - at least in our dropped bar style - can barely fit a 32mm safely let alone a 42mm cover.
Panaracer would be out for me(too flimsyon the side walls for my liking) Nokian(?)I haven't seen any Michelin 26in road tyres(thats not to say they don't exsist)Specialized seem to be a bit stodgy to say the least,to me.
I have a Dawes Horizon (531st like the Galaxy)which will take 37mm.If AndyB is going custom build and using the bike for 85% or more of the time in Europe then I don't honestly see any reason to go 26in.So it does come back down to wheel size and if I were stuck anywhere in Europe with the worst case senario ie tyre ruined,spare ruined,rim trashed I think I'd prefere that the wheels were 700c for a quick repair.
I've been in that situation albeit with a 26in, 48 hole rim and the owner of a very big and extensive bike shop said he couldn't repair it.
My tourer has Michelin 1.5 tyres and had 1.75 last overseas trip. I trashed an MTB wheel on a tandem in rural France and walked out the shop 15 minutes later with a new one, and tyre. Mountain bikes have hit most places and wherever they've been someone will need a road tyre for one. Not enough experience of riding outside europe to know what wheel to choose there. I'd happily cross the channel with either size.
Last edited by glueman on 5 Feb 2008, 7:28pm, edited 1 time in total.
scottg wrote:What size bike you ride would be a consideration.
Several good touring bikes use 559s up to 56cm
and 700c in the larger sizes. Fat 700c tires with fenders
can make for a lot of wheel flop in small sizes.
Yes - a reasonable point. I'm 54cm equivalent. From an aesthetic point of view, I think both look reasonable on that size frame. Not sure what you mean by "wheel flop" though.
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hubgearfreak
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- Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 4:14pm
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reohn2
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hubgearfreak
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- Joined: 7 Jan 2007, 4:14pm
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andymiller
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CJ wrote:If third world touring is only a pipe-dream (perhaps rendered even less probable by rising price of oil, hence long-haul flights, not to mention the greenhouse gases) and all your actual travels will be in Europe: 700C is the way to go.
They do roll easier, but tyre availability and choice is the main reason. Actually, it's the main reason they roll easier. Some of the best touring tyres are not made in 26in, or are only made in a vastly fatter section that will not accept a high enough pressure to deliver comparable ease of progress on tarmac.
Owners of 26in wheeled road bikes are reliant upon a very small number of suitable tyres. [...]
So although its possible to get something similar in 559, it'll have to be ordered from a specialist supplier. And whilst you'll be able to buy tyres to fit your rims at any shop, the choice is unlikely to include somethig 1.5in wide with a touring tread. Even slim 26in tubes can be a bit hard to find.
I agree that the best option is probably to get a 700c bike and then if you do decide to go round the world, get a 26inch MTB or expedition bike or whatever.
However, I'm not sure it's really correct to say that there is a narrow range or 26" tyres suitable for road touring. There seem to be a pretty wide range of tyres for the 'road MTB' market. This is the selection Wiggle offer.
Lots of possibilities: Conti Ultragatorskins at 1.125 inches, Sport Contacts at 1.3 inches, or if you want something with a beefier tread, there are Schwalbe Marathons at 1.5 inches. All seem to me to be pretty reasonable and sensible choices, depending on what sort of touring you're doing.