Bicycle Mechanics - tire size when changing from MTB to road?

My MTB has 26 X 1.95 tires. I want to temporarily convert it to road use, Can I just use regular 26 X 1.75 road tires, or do I have to get new rims too? Thanks...

I replaced 26x1.95 "knobbies" with 26x1.50 "road" tires on our comfort bikes. A lot less noise and pedaling effort for the same speed. IMO, tires rated for 80 PSI rather than 50-65 PSI are a better mousetrap for hard surface riding.

Measure the narrowest point inside the rim walls of your wheel. You can use anything that is at least (or very close to) 1.5 times that width. 20mm inside would equal 30mm or greater width tire.

The 1.75 tires will be fine, don't sweat going for "the narrower the better" vibe....harsh ride and truing wheels sucks.

The 1.75 tires will be fine, don't sweat going for "the narrower the better" vibe....harsh ride and truing wheels sucks.

I agree. Going thinner = higher pressure = harder on the buns! There are so many tire choices out there in 26" you should have no trouble finding a "road" profile in 1.95" width.

Since when is 1.5 inches a 'narrow' tyre? That comes out to be roughtly 38mm, or wider than even most comfort road bikes can take. That's plenty wide for even the most post holed of roads. I'm 90% sure that those tyres would fit on your current rims, and would make a world of difference in ride quality.

Narrow tyres may provide a harsher ride, and be more prone to damaging wheels, but those are NOT narrow tires.

I did that conversion going from 2.1 to 1.75. In my ignorance, I didn't measure the rims but seems lucky so far.

Since when is 1.5 inches a 'narrow' tyre? That comes out to be roughtly 38mm, or wider than even most comfort road bikes can take. That's plenty wide for even the most post holed of roads. I'm 90% sure that those tyres would fit on your current rims, and would make a world of difference in ride quality.

Narrow tyres may provide a harsher ride, and be more prone to damaging wheels, but those are NOT narrow tires.

That *is* narrow for your typical dept. store/low end commuter bike e.g $1k bike that everyone buys everywhere. In the 26" size anyways. You don't see 26x1.5 tyres very often on bikes, the vast majority are the dept store variety size 26x2.1. It's rare to see any thing < 1.5 as the rim width often precludes using such a narrow tyre.

That *is* narrow for your typical dept. store/low end commuter bike e.g $1k bike that everyone buys everywhere. In the 26" size anyways. You don't see 26x1.5 tyres very often on bikes, the vast majority are the dept store variety size 26x2.1. It's rare to see any thing < 1.5 as the rim width often precludes using such a narrow tyre.

It's narrow for mountain bikes. And Department store bikes pretending to be mountain bikes. However most bikes I've seen sold as 'commuters' tend to have narrower tires (narrow of course being relative). And I have yet to meet a mountain bike rim that won't comfortably take a 1.5 pretty comfortably. Whenever someone gives me a bike for repairs, I swap out their tires for some 1.5 inch slicks, just so it seems like my repairs made the world of difference.

It's narrow for mountain bikes.

Which is what 26" wheels are on...?

You can put 26 x 1.5 no problem stay with the decimal 1.25 /1.5 / 1.75 an avoid 1 3/8 etc different breed. oldler bikes. I run Continental sport contacts on mine and the wifes you will not believe how much easier they roll ! and still have good comfort,

Inside width of your rim would be good to know, but unlikely you'll have any problems unless you go really skinny, like a 1" width tire (25mm), but a 1.75" tire is far from a normal "road" width in any case.