# Max tire size for my bike??



## Ridin'Sorra (Sep 7, 2004)

Hi All!!

I want to ride my road bike on some dirt roads around my area. Long story short, my MTB is plain overkill and I recently got a road bike from my cousin so I'm thinking of using it on these very tame dirt roads. Like this:











I would still have to ride on road to get to those dirt roads, so I would like to achieve some balance. Something that rides relatively fast on both surfaces and have decent handling. I understand I will have to make a huge compromise somewhere, but I'm not racing anyways.

You can see the frame on the attached pics. I "think" a 32c can fit in there, but I have never seen a 32c tire! 

So far, I like Panaracer Paselas (call me whatever you want but the only negative I can find is the skin colour wall), Vittoria XN Pro, Schwalbe Sammy Slick and Marathon.

Of course, without having an idea of how wide I can go, it's a very wild guess.

Oh, the bike it's like 7 time zones away from me, so I can't go and check with my calipers. That's why I ask for your help.

Cheers!


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## gordy748 (Feb 11, 2007)

It looks like you should be able to put some pretty big tires on. You have a lot of frame clearance front and rear.

I've got 25s on my Colnago, which is designed as an out-and-out road race bike. Those brakes look like they're long reach, which means you should be good for almost any 30 - 35 cyclocross tire.


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

I think it's impossible to say from those pictures. Can you get some pics that show the actual clearance between the currrent tires and the frame? You can't really tell from those angles. And you need to know how big the present tires are, too. I'd be surprised if a 32mm tire fit, but maybe 28.

And of course, you have to keep in mind that actual tire measurements don't always match the nominal size. Sometimes bigger, sometimes smaller.

gordy, brake clearance looks ample, but I'd wonder about room between the stays, and between the fork blades. A 32mm tire will be wide, as well as tall.


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## Ridin'Sorra (Sep 7, 2004)

Thanks, guys... I know it's a hard guess. I'll try to get more pics, I'll tell my wife to send me a pic or two.

The tires that were mounted were both 23c (always 700). The black ones are Contis Ultra Sport. The others were ghetto Cheng Shin 23c.

I don't think the seat stays are an issue at all from what I recall. The chainstays may have less clearance and I can't remember the fork.

I'm also leaning to a 28 max.

I'll try to get more pics and report back.


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## LC (Jan 28, 2004)

I looks like a 27" to 700c conversion. If those are long reach brakes then you can easily go for 32mm.


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## Ridin'Sorra (Sep 7, 2004)

I don't think calipers are long reach. They're double pivot Sora's. The whole gruppo is a 2002 (I think) Sora.

The bike has always been a 700c, but I can't say if the frame was made for 27" and sold by Benotto as a 700c


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## Ridin'Sorra (Sep 7, 2004)

It wasn't until you mentioned 27" wheels that I realized that bead diameter of a 27" is actually bigger than 29"... surreal. ut:


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## Ridin'Sorra (Sep 7, 2004)

I made my wife to confrim the number on the brakes. They're plain Sora BR-3300, so most probably it'll be ok with anything 28mm maximum.

I'll get a few pictures...


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## BluesDawg (Mar 1, 2005)

Ridin'Sorra said:


> Hi All!!
> 
> I want to ride my road bike on some dirt roads around my area. Long story short, my MTB is plain overkill and I recently got a road bike from my cousin so I'm thinking of using it on these very tame dirt roads. Like this:
> 
> ...


I've ridden many miles on roads like that on 28mm Panaracer Pasela TG tires. Keep the air pressure as low as you can get away with depending on your weight and watch out for loose dirt and gravel and have a ball!


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## JCavilia (Sep 12, 2005)

Ridin'Sorra said:


> It wasn't until you mentioned 27" wheels that I realized that bead diameter of a 27" is actually bigger than 29"... surreal. ut:


Yeah, very confusing. 29er is of course a recently made up term for a 700c wheel with a MTB tire. 

And of course, a 700c wheel, to actually have the nominal (originally) 700mm diameter, would have to be wearing a 39mm tire. 

And let's not get started on the 4 (or 5, or 6) different rim sizes that are called "26 inch."


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## Ridin'Sorra (Sep 7, 2004)

Thanks for the suggestions, guys!!

I've narrowed my search towards Panaracer Paselas in 700X28 and Vittoria Randonneur 700X32 (Randonneurs apparently run small, being the 32 more like 29).

Blues... that's the intention. Doing these roads on my 150mm travel bike is not challenging at all. With skinny tyres, well, it should make it more interesting!


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## NJBiker72 (Jul 9, 2011)

Ridin'Sorra said:


> Thanks for the suggestions, guys!!
> 
> I've narrowed my search towards Panaracer Paselas in 700X28 and Vittoria Randonneur 700X32 (Randonneurs apparently run small, being the 32 more like 29).
> 
> Blues... that's the intention. Doing these roads on my 150mm travel bike is not challenging at all. With skinny tyres, well, it should make it more interesting!


I put the panaracer pasela tg on my winter bike for just this reason. Size 28 on a secteur. Only rode once since but great so far.


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## Ridin'Sorra (Sep 7, 2004)

Resurrecting this old one..

I put set of Vittoria Randonneur 700 x 32 which are actually 28mm wide. It looks like 28mm is the maximum size tyre it will fit.
There is ample clearance at the rear end but the fork blades are the limiting factor. Brakes can take a real 32mm tyre with ease.

If Vitoria CN CX ytres are also 28mm wide (they are supposed to be also 32mm), that will be my ticket to off road tyres.

Thanks everyone who contributed!


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