Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Another noob question....rims and tires

Just curious if any 26" tire will fit any 26" rim?

I ask because Im thinking about swapping the thick nobbies that are on my bike (size 26" x 2.1" tires) for a smoother street riding tire. I don't want a slick, just something that can not only support my weight (350 lbs) but also work well on the streets and gravelly shoulders and occasionally some grass - a good all around tire.

The rims are Sun Single Track 559 x 31 mm.

If I've got 26 x 2.1" tires on there now, can I just swap out the tires for a 26" x 1.5"?

Also (to add to the noob factor) - how do you know what tube(s) to buy? Will any old 26" tube work with any old rim?

Any suggestions? Im not looking to spend a fortune on these either for now. I can upgrade later once I get some experience and know better what I want.

Thanks!

I'm not sure about dropping from a 2.1 all the way to a 1.5. You might be better going with a 1.75.

Any tube will work, but getting a thorn resistant tube is a bit of added flat protection.

I'm not very up on the economics of MTB tires so I'll leave that to the more informed.

NO, for certain, not all "26 inch" tires are the same size (diameter) and will not fit all 26 inch rims. I'm aware of at least three different "26" inch tire sizes. One of them is the standard mountain bike tire that is found on almost every brand of mountain bikes and some beach cruisers. The second is the 26 inch tires typically found on old Raleigh 3 speed bikes (and other brands except Schwinn). The third is the 26 inch tire found on Schwinn single and three speed bikes from the fifties and sixties.
I don't have the metric numbers handy, but these are three differnt, non-interchangable tire sizes. So be careful when purchasing "26" inch tires, especially road style because that's the design used by all three sizes. BTW, the tires that typically fit the Raleigh and other bikes of the fifties/sixties/seventies is typically a 1 3/8 inch width. I believe the Schwinn tires used the same width measurement style. Mountain bike tires use a metric number such as 1.8, 2.1, 2.3 etc.
EDIT: I think you'll be OK with the 1.5 size you propose to use, but I'd check with an LBS to be sure.

yes you can. 2.1 to 1.5 is fine. i've done it.

Do you guys know if my rims can take any "off the shelf" tire 26 x 1.5 or 1.75?

I got this bike from my brother. He has on there Sun Rims Single Track 559 x 31mm. Does anyone know if a typical 26" x 1.5 or 1.75 will fit on this rim with no problems?

31mm rim...1.5" tire is 38 mm (25.4 mm/inch). It would probably work. Tires that are too big of a size mismatch to the rim won't work well. You may want a tube sized for a 1.5" tire.

A friend is looking into Serfas City Drifters and Vittoria Randonneur Cross tires for all-around use like you describe.

I went with some Forte Metro-K's from my local Performance Bike shop; they're 26"x1.25" and cost only $14! Because you can inflate these to a much higher psi they are way faster then my old 26x1.75 and the degradation in ride quality didn't out way the increased performance.

You can change the tires you will need to change the tubes as well. No problem done it on my GT, shouldn't be a problem at all.

Do you guys know if my rims can take any "off the shelf" tire 26 x 1.5 or 1.75?

I got this bike from my brother. He has on there Sun Rims Single Track 559 x 31mm. Does anyone know if a typical 26" x 1.5 or 1.75 will fit on this rim with no problems?

Is the RIM actually 31MM wide? That's HUGE!
Typical MB rims are around 21ish.

IF you misread the size and it actually says 21MM, than a 26x1.50" would be a nice fit.
I use Serfas Drifters in that size. It sounds like that may be the type you are looking for.

It literally says on the side of the rim 559 x 31 mm, yes.

http://www.tampagoldbuyer.com/junk/Rims2.jpg

I think Schwalbe makes a particularly wide tire, the Big Apple, but I dont know if it comes in 26"

http://sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html#width

It literally says on the side of the rim 559 x 31 mm, yes.

http://www.tampagoldbuyer.com/junk/Rims2.jpg

You're halfway there. Now look at the tire size. See the numbers in () next to the 26" x 2.1"? Those numbers will help you match the rim to the tire.

+1 See the Sheldon Brown site. I have 26 - 1.25 slicks on my MTB. This is on a 92 Trek 950.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/2858219480_27b8ff947a.jpg

wrk, how do you like the conversion or I should say the slicks versus the knobbies? Did it make a big difference for you on the road?

The difference between knobbies and slicks are HUGE. Do it now and never look back.

Nice pictures guys!

The 1.5 tires will be fine. I weigh in at 345 and just swapped my Panaracer DH 2.3s for a 1.5 Kevlar slick with thorn proof tubes. I'm thrilled with the results. When I start riding my 87 Bianchi Axis again I'll put the 2.3s back on the Hardrock.

BTW, my old Axis currently has AT type tread. I intend to replace those with kevlar slicks as well.

I agree with what others have said about there being no problem with you fitting a 1.5 tire on there. The inner tubes have the size on the box. Tubes that are supposedly too big for your tire work just fine as well, so you don't have to throw away the old tubes if they still hold air.

I have had good luck with Forte city tires (http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=26288&subcategory_ID=5425) made for Performance. In the fall and winter, I also insert a puncture resistant tire-liner (http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile_combo.cfm?SKU=4588&estore_ID=&subcategory_ID=5412&CFID=2158730&CFTOKEN=73731179) between the tube and the tire (lots of goat-head thorns in the fall, and sharp debris after the first snow).

Those tires ride great on pavement, gravel, and hard-packed dirt. The only time that I switch back to my knobby tires, is when I know that I'm going to be riding in the mud.

Have fun riding that bike. It looks like a beauty.

+1 See the Sheldon Brown site. I have 26 - 1.25 slicks on my MTB. This is on a 92 Trek 950.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3185/2858219480_27b8ff947a.jpg

sweet ride.

Did you change out the cranks to a roadbike set? If so what size spindle did it take and how did you clear the bottle braze ons? I have an 850 I would like to do similar surgery on.