Touring - Spare Tire Size

Hi

I'm heading out on my first longish tour and currently have a 23c spare (nice and light) folding tire to go on my Mavic A319's. The Mavic site says these rims are 19c and suggest nothing thinner than a 28c, which is what the bike is currently equipped with. Anyone have personal experience putting 23's on a 19c rim? This is obviously not a [I]great[I] idea, but will this work as a lightweight way of getting me through a day or two of riding to the next shop"

Thanks for your time.

If you are carrying a spare, why would you not want to carry one that will actually work?

Because I already own it, and it is 1/3 the size and 1/2 the weight of the 32c near-knobby (that I would have to purchase) which is my only other option at this point.

Because I already own it, and it is 1/3 the size and 1/2 the weight of the 32c near-knobby (that I would have to purchase) which is my only other option at this point.

I can see your point and I tend to tour on the light side of things, but I carry a spare that is the same model/brand as what I'm running on my bike. If I have a problem on tour it just goes on and I keep the damaged tire as an emergency spare - assuming it has any life left in it. When I wear out a tire at home I throw the spare on and order a new spare.

Part of the reason I do that is I don't feel it is highly likely I am going to run into a shop that has a tire I want to tour on. So I'd end up having to do mail order - works okay in Canada, but a much bigger problem in Mexico.

Nothing wrong with what you are suggesting as long as you are cool with the result when you need to use the spare. Obviously a narrow high pressure tire on a wider rim with a heavily loaded bike is not ideal, but it will get you down the road.

I'm all for saving weight, but if Mavic says don't use anything smaller than a 28mm, I wouldn't put a 23mm tire on it. Are you sure the tire is 23mm and not just says it is a 23mm? Even if the tire would fit, I wouldn't want to tour on such a slim tire. I would only want to carry things on my bike that I could use. I'd rather carry a heavier spare tire that I can put on the bike and not worry about finding a shop or hoping the tire doesn't come off on a descent. Once the spare is on, I can happily be on my way.

Since I have never tried to go smaller than the recommended size, I can't say it won't work. Most likely Mavic's recommendation has some lee way for legality reasons, so it might. I wouldn't risk it.

Hi

I'm heading out on my first longish tour and currently have a 23c spare (nice and light) folding tire to go on my Mavic A319's. The Mavic site says these rims are 19c and suggest nothing thinner than a 28c, which is what the bike is currently equipped with. Anyone have personal experience putting 23's on a 19c rim? This is obviously not a [I]great[I] idea, but will this work as a lightweight way of getting me through a day or two of riding to the next shop"

Thanks for your time.
Why not mount the tire and try it?

OTOH: I didn't bother with a spare when I took the TransAmerica route across the US or on shorter trips. I figured carrying a piece tire casing, a few feet of duct tape, a needle and thread and a couple tubes was sufficient. It depends on where you will tour and how paranoid you are though.

EDIT: Actually I did do the figure 8 trick and carry a full sized spare for a small portion of the TA. When I replaced both tires on my bike I kept the front one for a while until my daughter wore out her rear tire. It fit in the front pannier and my cook set nested nicely inside it so it didn't take up all that much room.

On a short tour, if I carry a spare it will be a foldable in whatever size that is close to what I am running. On longer tours I don't worry too much about the weight and carry a full sized spare that is the same as what I am running. Typically those are normal tires, but I figure 8 them (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/video/tire-folding.html) and lash them to the rack or the outside of a pannier.

Aaron:)

... figure 8 them (http://www.sheldonbrown.com/video/tire-folding.html) ...

haven't seen that before!

haven't seen that before!

:D
Some of us predate folding tires:o That is the way I was taught years ago. I did a transcontinental tour in 1977 and carried 2 spares that way.

Aaron:)