Bicycle Mechanics - tire question

Can I put 28" tires on my 700C wheels? They originally had 700X38C and now have 700X28C. I have a set of new Conti Top Touring 2000 28X1 1/4 I've been wanting to try, but maybe someone can save me the trouble if they're not going to work. Thanks.

Yes you can put 28mm on a hybrid rim.
The conti TT is probably best in its 32mm incarnation.
The 28 is a bit thick for a fast tyre, and for a rugged tyre, its better to go slightly thicker than 28, but if youve already bought them, they will work.

Some 28mm are a bit thin and fragile. Panarcer Pasela is popular with endurance riders, but is very narrow. I find the 32mm is about the size a 28mm tyre should really be.

Running 28mm tyres will make your bike faster, but they are generally rugged enough for city streets and even some off-road trails. Its not a common size to use, which is a shame, since it the best all-purpose tyre size you can get.

Wait, are you talking about a 28" diameter tire? Or am I misunderstanding? I wouldn't think the beads would fit in the rims, just flop over it. 700 is not the actual diameter in mm though it is often referred to as such; it is just a size designation. A "700" rim is only 622 mm in diameter.The 28mm width is fine.

Heck, it only takes a few minutes to swap out the front tire to see if it fits. If it doesn't fit in the rim good and tight like a 700, don't even pump it up. You will just blow out the tube. There are actually 28" tires?
Regards,
Raymond

Woah. Thanks Rainman. 28" is some weird Dutch roadster size, not 700c.

Now you Dutchies are weird :D

Forgive us for jumping to conclusions, Toolfreak, but you are the only Nederlander most of us have to go by. :)

Just by coincidence, I also just bought a set of Conti Top Touring 2000's, in th 28 X 1 1/4 size.

They are replacing 700C x 32's, and that's what the LBS gave me. They had a tag on them saying 700X32, but the lettering on the tire has the actual size.

I put the front one on, it seems a little narrower than the 32, but that's OK. The only thing was it seemed pretty tight getting it on, but once on it is fine. I havn't put the rear one on yet I'm waiting a while to see how the front one does, although I've got close to 200kms on it with no probalems, so I'll probably go ahead and put the other one on.

Good! Thanks for all the good info. I'm gonna do it--I'll let you know how it works.

Well, I installed the Conti TT 28"X! 1/4" no problem. It might have just been the difference between the Conti's (75psi max) and the Specialized Nimbus 700X28C I took off (100psi max), but the rolling resistance was terrible. The Conti's rode smoother, but pedaling them about kicked my but. I just bought Specialized Armidillo 700X26C (max psi125), installed them, and went for a short ride. They roll a lot easier than either of the other tires, and even though the ride isn't as smooth, I like them. Guess tthe next step is to get a faster bike.

I imagine the difference would be in the lower pressure of the conti's, and also I think they are wider than the tires you removed. The Conti 28x1 1/4 were sold to me as 700Cx32's so that would be larger than your 28's.

I didn't notice much difference from my old tires, except the new ones have tread left!

Did you have any trouble getting them on? Mine were really tight on my rims, although the other tires were as well.