Why should you know which tire width fits your bicycle? It's simple, the tires are wear parts, they need to be replaced after a certain mileage. However, your bike might also handle a small upgrade, and new tires are a good start. If you already know the rim width, you can read here which tire width fits. If you don't know it, you'll find tips here on how to determine the rim width. In this part of our tire series, you'll also learn which tire width is recommended for which type of bicycle, what the frame has to do with the tire width, or how the width of the tires affects the riding behavior of a bicycle.
This is how the width of the tires affects the riding characteristics
Why is so much fuss made about the width of a bicycle tire? The answer is quite simple: The width of the tires significantly changes the riding characteristics of the bike. Mountain bikers and road cyclists, in particular, feel the difference clearly and describe a change of tires as the "first step of bike tuning".
- Wide tires mean more surface area on the road. This improves the grip, but also increases the rolling resistance, so you need to exert more muscle power to keep a wide tire in motion than is necessary with a narrow tire. A small tire width rolls more efficiently.
- Wide tires offer more damping and therefore better comfort in the saddle. Narrow tires offer less damping.
- Wide tires give the bike a stable riding feel.
- Wider tires have more material on the road, making them less agile. Narrower tires exhibit a more agile steering behavior .
- The tire width also affects the allowed (or recommended) tire pressure. Wide bicycle tires can be ridden with less pressure, which further improves damping and thus comfort on uneven paths. Less pressure also means less susceptibility to punctures.
- More tire width (+ a lot of tread) always means more weight on the bicycle.
What is the "tire size" on a bicycle?
The term "tire size" is often mentioned, frequently searched for, and written about. However, the designation is somewhat inaccurate, as it describes two different measurements on the bicycle.
- With "tire size," the diameter of the wheel is often meant, such as 12 inches, 24 inches, 26 inches, 27.5 or 29 inches ("The bike has 28-inch tires"). A more accurate term would be "wheel size".
> Most bicycles are built for a specific wheel size.
- But it can also be the combination of tire diameter and tire width meant, in other words, the exact tire size you need to purchase so that the tire fits the wheels of your bike. It is indicated in ETRTO sizes, French sizes, or inches.
> You can vary the width of the tires. In our table below, you can see which tire width is suitable for which rim width.
There is the wheel diameter and the tire width. Together, they make the "tire size." Image © Pirelli
Here, we assume that you already know which wheel diameter you are using and now want to know what width your new bike tires should have (more on common tire sizes, ETRTO, French tire sizes, etc., can be found in our article "How to Determine the Tire Size for Your Bike)
Which Tire Width for Which Bike?
For different cycling disciplines and the demands placed on the bikes, various tire widths have proven effective. The optimal tire width for the intended use of the bike is naturally considered during the frame's construction.
Tire Width on Road Bike/Gravel Bike
The less surface area of the tire touches the road, the less effort is required to move forward. So, if you want to be fast, you need narrow tires, hence road bikes have narrow tires – in the 90s with slim 19 mm tire width, today they are usually 23 mm wide. Road bike tires also have little to no tread. Damping and outstanding grip are not to be expected here, which is why road bikes are best kept on smooth asphalt. Endurance road bikes often have slightly wider tires.
It is quite different with gravel bikes . Here, the tire width ranges from 28 to 42 mm. The wider the tires, the more comfort a gravel bike offers, and it can also be ridden on different surfaces.
Some road bikes still have super narrow 19 to 28 mm tires, but the standard today is 23 mm, with 25 or 28 mm also being seen.
Tire widths of 28 to 42 mm are preferred on gravel bikes.
Tire Width on City Bike/Trekking Bike
The usual tire width on city bikes and on Trekking bike lies exactly in the middle between the narrow tires used on a racing bike and the wide tires of a mountain bike. This tire width offers the best compromise between comfortable cushioning, good grip on the road, and efficient rolling behavior.
Many of these bicycles ride with a tire width of 37mm to 52mm.
Tire width on the MTB
The really wide tires are of course always found on the mountain bike. A lot of surface area is needed here to have enough grip on poor surfaces, and the additional cushioning is also appreciated. A tread with thick studs provides extra bite. Most MTBs have generous tire clearance, and you can vary the tire width according to taste and terrain.
Here are some guidelines:
AM bikes usually ride on 53-61 mm.
Enduros often have tires with a width of 58 to 64 mm.
XC bikes or marathon bikes ride with "only" about 54 mm tire width.
On the fat bike, there are balloon tires with a hefty 95-120 mm.
In direct comparison, you can clearly see the difference, on the left the racing bike tire, on the right a tire for MTBs. Images © Continental and Schwalbe
Which tire width fits your rim (and in your frame)?
Which tire width fits a bicycle depends on two factors, on the one hand on the frame, and on the other hand on the rim.
- Which tire size fits your frame?
Tires that are too wide would rub against the rear triangle and the fork, so the manufacturer of the frame has the last word when choosing. According to the manufacturer, your frame has an "allowed tire clearance" or "Tire Clearance", which refers to the possible tire width that fits into the frame.
- Which tire width fits your rims?
The rim width you want to ride also determines the possible tire width, you cannot simply mount any wide tire on the rims of your wheels. Tires that are too narrow or too wide simply do not hold, or they ride "strangely". Often there is a recommendation or approval of certain tire widths from the manufacturer of the rim. You can find this information somewhere on the rim in the form of an ETRTO indication, a French tire size or as dimensions in inches.
Your rim does not have such information? In this case, to choose the right bicycle tires, you can simply search on the homepage of the wheel manufacturer. Often, there is a detailed product description that includes this information. If no tire width is recommended, perhaps the rim's internal width is specified. Look for the "internal width," "rim width," or "inside width" in the product description. If that also fails, you need to measure the rim width of your rims.
How to measure the rim width of your rim:
The rim width is the internal distance between the rim walls. The easiest way to determine it is with a caliper . Measurement with a ruler also works to some extent, but since you need to determine the internal dimension , this measurement is always somewhat inaccurate (unlike in our picture, your rim is not cut open).
To ensure your bicycle tire fits, you need to know the internal width of the rim or "rim width." Image © WTB
Rim width – Tire width … the table
|
RIM WIDTH (mm) |
RECOMMENDED TIRE WIDTH (mm) |
|
15mm |
22-34mm |
|
16mm |
22-34mm |
|
17mm |
25-54mm |
|
18mm |
25-54mm |
|
19mm |
28-63mm |
|
20mm |
32-63mm |
|
21mm |
35-65mm |
|
22mm |
35-65mm |
|
23mm |
37-65mm |
|
24mm |
37-65mm |
|
25mm |
44-65mm |
|
26mm |
47-65mm |
|
27mm |
47-65mm |
|
28mm |
52-65mm |
|
29mm |
52-65mm |
|
30mm |
47-99mm |
|
36-40mm |
55-99mm |
|
41-45mm |
58-113mm |
|
46-50mm |
62-132mm |
Depending on the manufacturer, or ETRTO specifications, the recommendations may vary. Our table helps you with the selection, but it is advisable to follow the manufacturer's specifications!
What happens if the tire width does not fit?
If you mount a tire that is too wide for the (narrow) rim the tire bulges too much outward. The result of this combination is annoying to dangerous: the tire does not sit stably on the rim, the bicycle feels wobbly or spongy, especially the performance in cornering precision leaves much to be desired.
If the tire width is too narrow for the rim , the tire diameter becomes too "flat", i.e., too wide. The tire no longer rolls properly on the tread, the sidewalls of the tire are unnecessarily stressed and can be damaged. The cushioning effect of the tire can also be impaired. But don't worry, if you have read our article, you will surely find the right tire for your bicycle! Whether you need wire tires, folding tires or tubeless tires , we will clarify in another article!
How do you find the right bicycle tires now?
Now you've been presented with a lot of number salad and still don't know, which tires fit your bicycle. Don't worry, it's not hard to find tires in the right width and diameter. It takes exactly 3 steps before you click on "Buy".
- Visit the "Tires" category
- Decide on the type of tire that you find most appealing*
- You can then filter by the previously determined tire size and choose your new bicycle tire from the suitable results
Buy the right tire
Wire Tire | Folding Tire | Tube Tire | Tubeless | Winter Tire
*In general, you have the choice between wire tires, folding tires, tubeless, and tube tires. Describing them in detail would go beyond our scope here, a detailed article is in the works. Just briefly: Wire tires are the affordable, widely used standard. Folding tires are often lighter and a bit more expensive. Tubeless offers excellent riding characteristics but requires regular maintenance. Tube tires are more of a special case and are only common on racing bikes. Winter tires are a class of their own, you can read everything important about them in the article "Do you need winter tires for your bicycle"!
You can find many more details in the other parts of our tire series:
- How to determine the tire size for your bicycle
- Here's how to determine the tire pressure for your bike
- How to convert your MTB to tubeless
- Everything you need to know about bicycle valves
- Gravel tires - what you should know!
- E-bike tires - useful or useless?
Cover image: Alessandra Caretto on Unsplash
