Tyre advice needed

[Jenky]

I recently acquired a recumbent which has a 28-440 (500x28a) tyre on the front. It has Magura HS22 hydraulic brakes.

This size tyre seems to be unavailable nowadays.

Can anyone advise what my best next steps would be?

I have tried a Michelin City 37-440 but that is too tall.

Ideally I would find a replacement 28-440 tyre, because all the alternatives I can think of are quite involved.

[Jdsk]

I'd also ask in the BHPC forum:
http://forum.bhpc.org.uk/forums.html

Jonathan

[[XAP]Bob]

https://www.1bike.co.uk/hutchinson-rigi ... 8-440.html

So it looks like they might still exist, even if they are out of stock.

[Grldtnr]

St.johns street cycles, Bridgewater ,is quite a good source of off/obselete parts.
For my money ,I would re- size the the front wheel, to more readily available size, of course there might be an underlying reason to keep the current one.

[Jenky]

It seems that the probable solution is to replace the 440 rim with a 406. Tyres of this size with a 28mm section seem to be available. However, this will also necessitate either relocating the brake bosses or finding a suitable replacement fork and rebrazing a mount for the steering rod.

Then you have the question of whether this would affect the steering geometry much, as the front tyre is in effect a smaller diameter.

You can see why I would prefer to find an original size tyre! They just seem to be unobtainable. I have trawled websites all over Europe with no joy.

[Campag]

I replaced the wheels and tyres on a Kingcycle, no effect on the steering and stability. 16" / 349mm front, 24" / 507mm rear so better availability of tyres and tubes for the future. Only other modification was long reach cable operated brakes instead of the madura hydraulics.

[a.twiddler]

The main disadvantage of older standard tyre sizes is that they tend to be a more basic specification, with no puncture protection or reflective sidewalls. You might also find that if they pop up on places like ebay and seem relatively cheap, they are often from continental sellers and you have to consider having to add an unexpectedly high postage cost post Brexit.

My Linear came with a Michelin City 37-440 front tyre, which was rather perished, and a drum brake wheel and I did some searching without finding any choice in tyres other than the Michelin City tyre complete with whitewall or the Hutchinson referred to above. Confusingly, there are several approximately 20" wheel sizes marked 20 X 1 3/8 even though the ERTRO sizes are 406, 438, 440 or 451. Even more confusingly the 20 X 1 3/8 that fits the 440 rim is marked 500A and the 1 1/8 which fits that rim is a 500B. The 440 is a French size, the 438 is a Dutch size seen on older Dutch recumbents or small wheelers.

I came across a Schwalbe HS 110 in 37-438 and wondered if that would fit the 440 rim -after all, there's only 2mm in it, and that's probably within the range of tolerances if they're in your favour. This has K-guard puncture protection and a reflective strip. I bought one, as it was cheap, and it went on the rim OK. A bit fiddly seating it but once on, no issues. Despite being marked 37-438 it was noticeably skinnier than the Michelin 37-440 that I took off. It ran fine for over a year until I came across a drum brake 406 wheel which is now on the Linear.
The Linear already had a 700C rear wheel rather than the 26" which is standard, and changing the front tyre didn't have any odd effects. Fitting an even smaller wheel on the front didn't cause problems either. Sometimes it's easy to over think things.

I only mention the 438 tyre as a possible option to widen your choice before taking the plunge and changing wheel size and having to alter your brakes. You mention that the Michelin 37-440 was "too tall". I don't know if this is due to lack of mudguard/fork clearance or another reason. As it happens I have a trike with HS 110 tyres in 37-438 (I kept the one from the Linear as a spare). Pumped up to a reasonable pressure the width is 33mm, height from rim to tread centre is also 33mm, so perfectly round. Obviously yours might have a narrower or wider rim, but just to give you an idea.

Hope that helps.

[Jenky]

Many thanks for the advice. I’m going to give the Schwalbe 37-338 a go. There is one winging it’s way to me now!

[Jenky]

Well it was a tight fit but I have the 37-438 tyre fitted and all seems fine. Plenty clearance.

Thanks for all assistance.

Cheers…..

[a.twiddler]

Bit of a random solution, if I hadn't done it myself previously I would have been sceptical. Glad it worked!