school me on tire sizes.

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jackthe

New Member
May 16, 2011
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Im doing my first build on an old raleigh tenspeed bike frame. I believe the rims are 26". I want to put some wider tires on it. Looking at other bikes that look like they have the same size rims it looks like they have 26" to 29" tires of different widths installed on them. My question is how can a 27,28,29" tire fit on a 26 inch rim/wheel and stay on?
 

ocscully

New Member
Jan 6, 2008
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Orange County, CA
Im doing my first build on an old raleigh tenspeed bike frame. I believe the rims are 26". I want to put some wider tires on it. Looking at other bikes that look like they have the same size rims it looks like they have 26" to 29" tires of different widths installed on them. My question is how can a 27,28,29" tire fit on a 26 inch rim/wheel and stay on?
The Short answer to your Question is, They Can't! and Don't

This link should help Tire Sizing Systems I'm guessing that you are using a bike that has 26 X 1 3/8 in. tires or maybe even 27 X 1 1/8 or 1 1/4 in tires, and there just isn't much choice in tire widths that will fit either of these rims you might have. If you want wider 26 in. tires you need to start with a bike that has the wider clearances designed into the frame and fork for the wider tires and also has rims that will take the various 26 in. tires that are called out in decimals rather than fractions.

ocscully
 
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jackthe

New Member
May 16, 2011
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wow thanks for both replies. Im going to have to go back to school to understand those tire charts but I will figure it out.
 

jackthe

New Member
May 16, 2011
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reading this article it states: but you can generally interchange tires of different widths as long as you match the ISO/E.T.R.T.O. size number. So I will try and find this number on my rims and make sure i have the fork/frame clearance to go wider.
thanks