Bicycle Mechanics - Serious novice questions about wheels etc.

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S Rider
09-04-07, 12:21 PM
Hi

I’m about to buy a Trek 7.3FX and it comes with Bontrager Race Lite HC 700x32c tires.
http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes..._path/fx/73fx/

1.
I don’t understand what the numbers mean. What does 700 stand for and what does the 32c stand for?

2.
I have seen the bike and tiers and need to know if I would be able to change them without any problem. If I would want to put thicker tiers on this bike some day, do I have to change the whole wheel including rims etc. or can I just put a thicker tier on the wheel?

3.
What’s the max thickness of tiers I can put on this bike?

Thanks

Steev
09-04-07, 01:03 PM
Try reading up at this link. It will answer your questions and more.
http://sheldonbrown.com/tires.html
spinerguy
09-04-07, 01:08 PM
Hello

700c is the modern standard for rim size, 32 is the tire width.

32 is already pretty fat but you can put skinnier tires such as 21-25 known usually as "road tires"

I used to own the 7.2 fx and for most (city) purposes a 700x25 is a great compromise.

I believe the fatter you can go with those rims are about 40ish and definitely you do not have change rims just tubes and tires but a second wheelset can become really handy for say a "cross tires" for dirt paths.

HillRider
09-04-07, 07:51 PM
A bit of clarification. 700c is the current standard road bike rim size and the actual diameter of the rim is 622 mm measured across the "bead seat" (i.e. where the inside edge of the tire sits.)

The 32 is the tire width in mm. As noted, 32 mm is already pretty wide for a road bike and adequate for light trail use.