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Need help with 26" tires

Old 06-11-19, 03:21 PM
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Need help with 26" tires

I am trying to replace the tires on a Schwinn 1990 Mesa Runner with something more street than knobby. But I understand there are several types of 26" tire. The current tires are 26x1.5 "mountain bike" tires.

Any info/help appreciated.



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Old 06-11-19, 03:52 PM
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There should be a number on the sidewall something like 559 x 37 or 37 x 559. The 37 might be 35 or 40, but something close. This is the ERTRO sizing for the common 26" MTB tire and it avoids the confusion of using the many other sizing systems. In the very unlikely event you have a different ERTRO size, buy that size.

These links may help:
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html#decimal
https://www.sheldonbrown.com/26.html
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Old 06-11-19, 04:49 PM
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Some options I found. How far "street" do you want to go?

https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...r-26-inch-tire
https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...e-tire-26-inch
https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...g-plus-26-tire
https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...s-26-inch-tire

https://bicyclewarehouse.com/collect...rathon-26-tire
https://bicyclewarehouse.com/collect...-sport-26-tire
https://bicyclewarehouse.com/collect...1-5-tire-steel
https://bicyclewarehouse.com/collect...-with-skinwall
https://bicyclewarehouse.com/collect...ure-protection
https://bicyclewarehouse.com/collect...e-folding-bead
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Old 06-11-19, 04:57 PM
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BTW, I can see why the trend in "mocha" colored sidewalls now. They replicate the color of aged gumwalls.
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Old 06-11-19, 06:39 PM
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It's also possible there is a number on the rim that will also tell you the width of the rim and the important number for you, the BSD (bead seat diameter). It'll look similar to what an ISO tire size looks like.

Once you know the BSD number, finding a tire that will fit is a cinch.

Sadly, mfrs' cling to those big numbers you show in the picture, but they don't help unless you want to get that same make and model tire, or get lucky.
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Old 06-11-19, 08:59 PM
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OP: Looking closer at your photos, it looks like your front brake cable housing is a little short, the rear less so; note the sharp bend it makes when it enters the cable hanger. A longer housing would allow a more gradual curve which might improve the front brake performance and more importantly minimize inner wire wear/fraying. Lowering the straddle cables may be helpful as well, but would probably require longer inner wires.
Did you by chance put on higher-rise bars while keeping the housing the same?
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Old 06-11-19, 09:30 PM
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Compass/Rene Herse "Naches Pass" are among the best "street" tires you can get for that size. What's your budget?
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Old 06-11-19, 10:27 PM
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Originally Posted by kross57
But I understand there are several types of 26" tire. The current tires are 26x1.5 "mountain bike" tires.

Any info/help appreciated.
If you go to any major vendor, BikeTiresDirect is a good one, Look under the 26" Urban/Touring/Semi-Slick tires.

Anything with a decimal size, like 26X1.95 is the "MTB" 26" tire. This is what you usually find when you look up 26" tires at most vendors.
You want these.

A tire with a fractional size, like 26x1-5/8 is the 'classic cruiser' size from the 1950s-60s. These are harder to find, usually you have to search them out on purpose; but something like Amazn, where the product isn't curated, you may run across these mixed in with the modern '559' 26" tires.
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Old 06-12-19, 03:14 AM
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Thanks to all. Exactly the info I needed.
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Old 06-12-19, 07:39 AM
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559-40 is the 1.5" width, 47 is 1.75" , in mtb wheel 26"

Brands ? Schwalbe and Continental, Suomi- Nokian and what Trek labeled their tires

before hiring K. Bontrager and using his name .... have all worked..






....
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