Tire Sizing

Will 26 * 2.10 tires fit on rims that currently are fitted with 26 * 1.90 tires? What, if any, problems will I encounter?

Thanks.

Yup, they'll fit. The will be fatter, heavier (depending on the tire ), possibly better traction. You shouldn't encounter any problems.

Tire sizing in the bicycle industry is sort of like shoe sizing in the clothing industry. One maker's idea of 26x 2.10 may be different from another's and you may see little difference. The only problem you could have would be frame clearance but you should be OK.

If you have a speedometer don't forget to recalibrate it for the larger tire size.

Depending on the design, also check to make sure the tires will clear your brakes. You'll find this out when you go to put them on, but I would ask first before buying them.

I have a large front tire on my mountainbike and getting it on and off is a pain because the tire doesn't clear the brake even when it is open all the way, so I have to jam it through the pads, which causes the pad to twist. I have Deore XT brakes that don't swing out of the way as far as the old cantilevers, so you may not have this problem depending on your brake design.

Other than that, they should fit the rims fine. I think you could use up to a 2.25, but unless you are doing serious off roading, I wouldn't bother; the rolling resistance goes way up with the bigger tires.

I remember taking off my off road tires and putting on more of a street tire when I converted a mountain bike to a touring bike, but I don't remember the size-probably a 1.75.

Thanks TomD, Trailrunner and Dryer.

Based on your input I've made an offer on these used Ice Spiker Pro tires. It won't be the same as my Yamaha 500 XT with ice tires but it should be good for some winter fun.

Ooooooooo, you're gonna love 'em! I'm not that dedicated, but I know people who are, and they swear by their studs in winter.

I like my studs too, but I prefer them in warmer places <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

MNS

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Oh wow....I'll bet tires like that don't exist anywhere in Texas! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

The issue isn't whether the tires will fit on those rims as 1.9" to 2.1" isn't a huge jump. The issue will be if they fit into your frame/fork. You'll be able to guess by how much clearance there is around your current tires and you could also check the specs for your bike on the manufacturer's website.

Another poster mentioned brake clearance issues. Almost every brake will have a release feature so you can open them wide to get tires in and out.

safe riding,

Vik

Vik, the problem is that some brakes, even when open, won't clear a big tire. That is the problem with the Deore XT's on my bike.

Just deflate the tire a bit and inflate it once it's on your bike.

That might be a hassle, but tires are such an important element on your bike I'd give the right tire priority over some extra work with the pump.

Of course you could also replace your brakes if you really didn't want to deal with the clearance issue.

A 2.1" tire should clear the brakes on any MTB with the brakes released. What sort of bike did you have these clearance issues on?

safe riding,

Vik

The problem is caused by how front brakes are mounted on a suspension fork-on my bike in particular, Deore XT brakes on a Manitou fork. Unlike sidepull road brakes, the pads on the Deore XT extend back past the fork, so they do not open up enough to clear a big tire because they hit the inside of the fork.

My point to the OP was to be aware of this before deciding to go to a bigger tire. I haven't looked at every brake design on the market, but this is probably a common problem with big tires on mountain bikes. I don't remember this problem on the non-suspension fork on my original 1980's vintage Stumpjumper, probably because the fork tubes weren't as large in diameter as the newer suspension forks.