Cyclocross - Giant TCX, whats the widest tire you have fit?

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go::ahead
10-12-09, 12:30 PM
I picked up a Giant TCX a couple of weeks ago and am having a blast on it! I'm hoping to do the endurance mtb races on this bike, I'm in north Tx and the endurance courses end up being mostly un-technical. I need to know what the fattest tire I can run on this frame is to make it as trail-worthy as possible, thanks!

RonH
10-12-09, 06:58 PM
I have two sets of tires (good ones: 700x32 Michelin Mud 2 and cheap ones: 700x35 Kenda Kross). There's still lots of room for a fatter tire, maybe a 700x43??
seat_boy
10-13-09, 05:06 AM
I haven't tried it, but by looking at it, I'd be surprised if my '08 TCX could fit bigger than a 38 between the chainstays. I had a 34 in there, and it wasn't exactly roomy.

go::ahead
10-13-09, 07:33 AM
thanks ya'll, I think its going to come down to the actual width of the tire. I was talking with the shop owner and he says he barely fit 35's on it, but I have 35's on there now and there is tons of room left

seat boy, what tire were you running?
sooprvylyn
10-13-09, 10:54 AM
It will also depend on your rims and which part of your frame will be first to get hit by the tire. If the seat or chain stays are gonna be hit first use a narrower rim and this will save a couple mm on tire width. if the rear bridge will hit first use a wider rim and this will save you a couple mm from the tire height.
The rim will only affect the tire width or height by 1-3mm. Also knobbier tires will tend to be wider and taller than tires without knobs. You can save a little room on height too if your tires don't have tall center tread.

keep in mind 5mm is less than 1/4 inch width. divide this by two=1/8 inch. do you have at least this much room between tire and frame on all sides? If so then you should be fine with the 40mm tires, just be aware of the knob height.
seat_boy
10-13-09, 04:20 PM
I was using Hutchinson Acrobats (a hybrid tire). Nominally a 37, they actually measure about 32 at the casing and 34~35 at the knobs.


thanks ya'll, I think its going to come down to the actual width of the tire. I was talking with the shop owner and he says he barely fit 35's on it, but I have 35's on there now and there is tons of room left

seat boy, what tire were you running?