How To Size A Mountain Bike Tire

Step 3 find the tire size that corresponds to your rim size on the sidewall of a selected tire.
How to size a mountain bike tire. 29 x 2 3 indicates a tire with a 29 outer diameter and a 2 3 width. Tires are essential to mountain biking the type of terrain you ride and they can have a big impact on your riding experience. Sometimes referred to as 650b the 27 5 inch wheel fits right in between the 26 and 29 inch offerings. Mountain bike sizing can be affected by suspension and your tire choices.
A third type of tire size might appear on either a mountain or a road tire. Whether you are mountain biking on dry trails in utah or through the waterfalls of iceland having the right tires is crucial for the best riding experience. There are multiple tires to consider and it s important to understand tire size. Stand the bike up using a kickstand or just lean it against a wall.
So make sure you look at a tire size chart and try a full suspension mountain bike for size before buying. There are french sizes for variants of the 26 wheel. Mountain bike size chart. Place a tape measure against the center of the bicycle wheel and then extend the tape in a straight line towards the tire s outer edge.
And right behind those big 29ers are wheels of yet another size. A tire size you might see on a road bike. It all boils down to the type of mountain bike you use traditional mountain bikes no suspension have 26 tires hardtail front suspension 26 or 29 tires and full suspension both rear and front suspension 26 tires. Read the size carefully sizes written as decimals such as 2 75 are different than sizes expressed as fractions such as 2 3 4.
Mountain bike tires are usually measured in inches whereas road and hybrid bikes are measured in millimeters. With french measurements and mountain bike tires all you really need to know is that 650b 27 5 and 700c 29. While 26 inch wheels are still considered the standard for mountain bikes 29 inch wheels are fast on their heels. However the most common 26 wheel which is denoted by 26 1 0 or 559mm bsd does not have a designated french size.
For standard hardtails our mountain bike size chart should be a god send. A hybrid of road and mountain tires cyclocross tires are labeled as 700c and have widths indicated in millimeters like road bikes yet are knobbie like mountain bike tires.