Recreational & Family - hybrid tires ? What is a good size tire.

I bought a diamondback hybrid menona yesterday. Rides great, but have an issue with the tire. The website for this new bike says that it comes with a 700x40c but showed up with a 700x35c. I prefer the wider the better so I can do some trails with the bike (not MTB trails).

What do you think about the width issue. Does it really matter that much. I know its wider then traditional road tires that are 700x23 or 700x25. Not sure what to do or if I should even care about it.

Thanks,

I have 700 x 28 and they are WAY too skinny for any kind of loose-packed dirt.

I've ridden hybrids extensively on trails and in the woods with 35mm tires and I never had any problem. Much of tire specs are wishful thinking anyway. 40mm might measure closer to 35 or 38. So, I wouldn't worry about it. You buy a hybrid because it's faster and lighter on the road than a mountain bike. If you put true 40mm tires on it, you may as well have just bought a mountain bike.

I've ridden hybrids extensively on trails and in the woods with 35mm tires and I never had any problem. Much of tire specs are wishful thinking anyway. 40mm might measure closer to 35 or 38. So, I wouldn't worry about it. You buy a hybrid because it's faster and lighter on the road than a mountain bike. If you put true 40mm tires on it, you may as well have just bought a mountain bike.


Oh not really. Most mountain bike frames are somewhat smaller and allow more intense manuevering, whereas a hybrid is more comfortable on the road. Don't use too skinny of tires for your conditions, it will suck.

Your 35mm will be wide enough for just about anything.
On this side of the Pond, 32mm is considered wide enough for riding tracks and trails without a load. I ridden mine on all kinds of trails, including ones that scare MTB newbies.

murf,

i'm currently sharing some of your angst about the 35mm tires. yesterday my lbs gave me a full refund on my fisher comfort bike toward the purchase of a trek 7300 with the 700x35 tires. i actually wanted to buy the fisher nirvana 's' but didn't primarily because because of it's 42mm knobbies.

i haven't taken delivery on the 7300 yet (it will be ready saturday) and i"m really doing a mindf**k on myself wondering if i made the right decision. i really LIKE a wider tire and the nirvana has much better componentry for about 50 bucks more. at this ponit it's all i can do to keep from calling the dealer and having him build the nirvana for me instead.

help!

sdr

murf,

i'm currently sharing some of your angst about the 35mm tires. yesterday my lbs gave me a full refund on my fisher comfort bike toward the purchase of a trek 7300 with the 700x35 tires. i actually wanted to buy the fisher nirvana 's' but didn't primarily because because of it's 42mm knobbies.

i haven't taken delivery on the 7300 yet (it will be ready saturday) and i"m really doing a mindf**k on myself wondering if i made the right decision. i really LIKE a wider tire and the nirvana has much better componentry for about 50 bucks more. at this ponit it's all i can do to keep from calling the dealer and having him build the nirvana for me instead.

help!

sdr

why can't you buy the nirvana and then put diff tires on it? you can always go skinnier but not always wider.

murf,

i'm currently sharing some of your angst about the 35mm tires. yesterday my lbs gave me a full refund on my fisher comfort bike toward the purchase of a trek 7300 with the 700x35 tires. i actually wanted to buy the fisher nirvana 's' but didn't primarily because because of it's 42mm knobbies.

i haven't taken delivery on the 7300 yet (it will be ready saturday) and i"m really doing a mindf**k on myself wondering if i made the right decision. i really LIKE a wider tire and the nirvana has much better componentry for about 50 bucks more. at this ponit it's all i can do to keep from calling the dealer and having him build the nirvana for me instead.

help!

sdr


Calm down...it's JUST a tire...you can put narrower or skinnier ones on anytime.
There's quite a bit of difference between a mountain bike and a 7300 (FX)?...much more than tire size.
Did you read the tire width section on Sheldon Brown's site?
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tires.html

You can put at least a 38mm tire on it...that's almost about an inch and a half wide
The chart on his site

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html

will show you..look up the rim width on Trek's site.

i actually like the wider tires as well as the nirana's specs much better than the trek but feel that my decision was heavily influenced by reading some of the commentary here about wider equating to a much slower bike - which would seem obvious.

if it were only the tires it wouldn't be a big deal.

trigger vs grip shifters

deore vs SRAM X-7

rockshox metro GPS vs RST suspension

and, last but not necessarily least, the nirvana's saddle is ALSO more desireable.

the more i read the more confused i become and neither bike is available to test ride in my size - 22.5"

sdr

OK, if you think you need a suspension, I would definitely not get the 7300,
I'd get the Mountain bike...you decided against it just on the knobbies?
My bike shop switched out thr 35mm for 28mm tires for me at no charge

both bike are hybrids.

http://www.fisherbikes.com/bikes/bike_detail.asp?series=dualsport&bike=Nirvana_S

http://www2.trekbikes.com/Bikes/City_Bike_Path/Hybrid/Hybrid/7300/index.php

moot point. i did call the bike shop and we mutually agreed that the only way to make an informed decision is to ride both bikes, side by side. they are bringing in a nirvana 's' as well as the 7300, both in a 22.5" frame, so that i have will that opportunity early next week.

i will now return you to your regularly scheduled programming - murph, take it away.

sdr

My bike shop switched out thr 35mm for 28mm tires for me at no charge


Same, my LBS switched out the 40's for 28's on my Giant Cypress SX

Based on what you are saying I would go with the Nirvana. I almost bought a Trek 7300. Two things turned me away. One, I did not like the LBS store. The second reason had to do with parts just like your concern. I went to another LBS store that I really like. This was the first time I have gone bike shopping and there was a hugh difference in service between the two. The second one sold primarily Raleigh and Giant versus the Trek of the first.

I started comparing the Trek 7300 parts to the Raleigh c200 and the Trek parts were a step down even though they were priced the same. Not surprising since Trek tends to be higher priced then most other bikes from what I have noticed. They were out of Raliegh c200s and could not locate me one because they were switching to the 2006 model year where its now called passage 5.0. I did not like the fact that the 2006 was a solid white where as the c200 was black and silver. I then remembered that Raleigh owns diamondback and found that diamondback had a similar bike but much nicer looking.

Anyway back to your stuff and the tires. I would go with the bike that fits and rides better. If the Nivarna has better parts then go with that one. If the tires are too big, the LBS can swap them out. Its not a big part of the bike cost so it should not be a problem for them. That is the advantage of a LBS vs a dept store bike. Maybe they can also take off the 50 dollars or throw in a helmet or light or something to make up for it.

If you have doubts listen to them. I had my doubts with the Trek and switched over. I then had my doubts with the "white" raleigh and found a cooler looking red/black diamondback that I liked.

This is a big investment so follow your instinct, figure out which rides better and get that one. If the tires are too nobby, ask them to switch them out. For these prices, you need to get what you want. The more you like it, the more you will ride it.

As far as my tires. I am ok with the 35s. I thought the 40s might ride better on trails. Also read where thinner is better on roads. Try them out and get what you like.

I also prefer the trigger on my diamondback versus the grip of the trek and the shimano parts were a step up on the diamondback based on what I read on the trek website.

Keep up the good work with the bike shopping.

thanks, murph, for the encouragement!

rather than buy something impulsively, like i did with the comfort bike i'm swapping out against the hybrid, i'm determined to get a bike that fits ME. after all, i'm the one that will be riding it - not to mention, paying for it.

i hope you're loving your menona, it looks like a really nice bike - i love the colors on it!

ride on!

sdr

If you don't mind me asking, what made you choose the 7300 against the FX series?
Why do you think you need a suspension fork on a hybrid?

no, i don't mind you asking at all.

i initially purchased the 'comfort bike' primarily because of it's gimmickery - shock absorbtion, fore and aft.

after riding that bike for the last couple of months i have grown to like the front shocks as well as the shock absorbing seat post.

given that the hybrid bike is somewhere betwixt n' between a road bike and mountain bike this older guy is leaning in the direction of a mountain bike 'lite" ergo the appeal of the nirvana 's' with the wider tires and rockshox metro suspension.

quite simply, i guess, if given the opportunity to turn my wheels down an off-road hillside opposed to attempting to emulate lance armstrong on asphalt, i want a bike that will permit the former rather than the latter.

sdr

murf,

i'm currently sharing some of your angst about the 35mm tires. yesterday my lbs gave me a full refund on my fisher comfort bike toward the purchase of a trek 7300 with the 700x35 tires. i actually wanted to buy the fisher nirvana 's' but didn't primarily because because of it's 42mm knobbies.

i haven't taken delivery on the 7300 yet (it will be ready saturday) and i"m really doing a mindf**k on myself wondering if i made the right decision. i really LIKE a wider tire and the nirvana has much better componentry for about 50 bucks more. at this ponit it's all i can do to keep from calling the dealer and having him build the nirvana for me instead.

help!

sdr


I'd get the Nirvana and get different tires. You can get slicks for road travel or opt for a less aggressive tread for trails. IMO the 35's are fine but it sounds like you really want the Nirvana. Is it possible to test ride some bikes with the different tires to get a feel for them?

i've had the nivana s for almost 3 weeks now. love it! i almost swapped-out the 42mm tires for something thinner - opted not to and boy am i glad!

today i rode a really cool trail here in southern california, felt adventurous, and ended-up off-road in sand-dirt and rock. those 700cX42mm knobbies pulled me through some pretty hairy terrain with flying colors! (see link: http://www.nearfield.com/~dan/sports/bike/river/sg/index.htm )

perhaps, somewhere down the line, i'll think about a thinner tire? for the moment, however, i'll think of my wider tires as-like being in the on-deck circle swinging a lead bat - they're an Xcellent conditioner!

*sdr*