Tire size question again for Kona Jake

[IFLUX23]

Sorry for the new thread again, and I do think this has been discussed before.


Okay, so here's the story. My friend wanted the Stud Tire (Schwalbe Marathon Winter Studded 700 x 35c) and I bought it at ebay from Japan making a pair pretty cheap (because Japanese yen are currently very high) about a month ago. My friend offered a price fair enough so I decided I would purchase another pair of Studded Tire, considering that I have only used it for one month, and that I lost one stud.

What I have noticed using Marathon Winter is that it's poor on snow. I don't ride my bicycle with speed, so speed shouldn't be the factor, and I do know how to turn corners. Well it's much better than most tires of course, but I didn't get the results I needed. It did perform extremely well on ice though.


My other friend had Nokian 700 x 40 240 pins studded tire who said that the blocks on the tire is suited for snow and is also perfect on ice. Since we live in the same city, same or close result should be the case with my bicycle too. My friend had Louis Garneau hybrid bike.


I have Kona Jake (2012 model). I am wondering if 700 x 40c Nokian W240 studded tire would fit on my bicycle. When I tried on Schwable Marathon Winter 35c, it did seem like there are plenty of space for 40c studded tire, but we never know unless we try. I don't use fenders...fenders are pointless on snow and ice since I don't ride fast and snow would never touch my back. I also contacted my bicycle shop (where I bought the bike) and he said it should be fine, but I remember people here saying I should buy 35c because 40c won't allow ice buildups...

Has anyone tried 40c studded tires on Kona Jake? If not, do you think it's possible?



(NOTE: Does the ice really build up on the tires? I did have times when snow piled up on my tires but they won't build up more than 1mm on the tire. I never had a case where ice build up on my bicycle. I have a lot of days when roads are covered in ice, but no way did they even look like they were building up...)


EDIT: This is Kona Jake with Schwalbe Marathon Winter 700x35c

[Andy_K]

It looks like 40's would fit with no problems without fenders at least. I'd guess that your tightest fit will be where the rear tire approaches the front derailleur. Could you ask your friend with 40's if you could try his wheel for a minute?

[Barrettscv]

I think to 700x40 might be tight. I run a 700X38 Schwalbe Marathon Cross on my Soma Cross bike. Both the Soma and the Kona have 425mm chainstays. My Marathon Cross has only about 2mm of clearance between the front derailleur band and the tire. The 700x40 might rub at that point, even if it clears everywhere else.

[fietsbob]

That looks fine as it is, a couple MM Wider is not going to help, much
you need get thru the snow, to grip the terra firma .

or go get a much wider tire bike to float on top .. Idida-bike to Nome?, Pugsly..

WRC rally race cars put a narrow tire on, studded, for the races in the snow.

[IFLUX23]

It looks like 40's would fit with no problems without fenders at least. I'd guess that your tightest fit will be where the rear tire approaches the front derailleur. Could you ask your friend with 40's if you could try his wheel for a minute?

Hmm. I didn't mention Front Derailleur because it had about 2cm space. Are you guys sure front derailleur would be the tightest? It seems to me like the furthest.


Yea I would try asking my friend to see if it fits.

[IFLUX23]

Okay, it turns out that my friend did not have Nokian W240 700x40C. He instead had Schwalbe Marathon Winter 700x40C. I tried it anyway and it had at least 5mm space between the closest part and the tire.

Do you think Nokian W240 700x40c would be fine?

[IFLUX23]

Alright, I bought the Nokian Suomi W240 700x40C snow tire and tried it on, and it was totally fine. There was enough space for snow build up. Didn't seem any different from 700x35C Schwalbe Marathon Winter in sense of clearance.

Thanks guys!