Road Bike Tyre Sizes Explained

Some older road bikes still have the 27 inch size.

Road bike tyre sizes explained. A 650b diameter tyre fitted to 650b iso584mm diameter rims give the rider a wheel where the approximate outside diameter of the 650b tyre is the same as that of a 29in iso622mm wheel and standard 2 25in iso57mm tyre. Tyres are one of the most important components of your bike. Our tyre size guide will clear up any confusion you have when selecting the right replacement tyre for your bike. Road bike tires generally come in three widths.

Where you see a block of two or more compatible sizes having the same bead diameter you can assume that intermediate sizes exist that will also fit the same rim. Common road bike widths in millimeters come in sizes ranging from 18 to 23 with a typical road bike tire at 700 x 23. A great road bike will only perform at its best if the wheels are fitted with some good pneumatics. Road bike tyres are designed specifically for riding on the road.

Because of the high pressure and desired low rolling resistance road tires come in narrow widths. The letter at the end of a tire size is a throwback to an old french system when the letters a b and c designated different inner tire diameters it does not stand for cm. They affect your comfort performance and safety. If you are looking for information about tyre choice for different disciplines surfaces and performance goals look at our road bike tyre guide or mountain bike tyre guide best tyre for your bike including rubber compound tread pattern tyre pressure puncture protection and weight.

Mountain bike tyre sizes are usually stated in inches. Road bicycle tyres explained. 23c 25c and 28c their width in mm. The table below lists most of the sizes of tyre that are likely to be found in the uk.

Plus size tyres fill the gap between traditional size mtb tyres and the wider fat bike sizes.