What size tire
 

I have a trek 7200 FX and I would like to explore the possibilites of changing the tire to a slicker tread and a tire with a smaller width. The bike is stock with Matrix 750 rims & Bontrager 700x35. What is the smallest width tire I can put on these rims? I am trying to avoid buying different rims.

Monty

measure with calipers, and, voila!

you can go a little fatter that the rim width, but not skinnier

Tyres have a designated size (700x28) but there can be a wide variation in the actual physical width of the tyre.
For most hybrid style rims, 28mm is the narrowest that you should use, and it is a good size for fast general purpose riding.
What type of riding do you do (fitness, commuting/utility, training, all weather?). How rough are the roads.

I use 28mm on my all-round road bike/commuter/utility machine, but avoid the narrower types of this designation which are really 25mm in size.

Look for the sticker on your rims. It might give the actual measurement ... something like 622 x 20. My Fisher Hybrid came with Matrix 550 rims that size. Sheldon Brown (at http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html) suggests 21 width rims could take a tire as small as 35mm and 19mm rims a tire as small as 28. Maybe a 20 could hold a 32mm tire safely.

In any event you need to figure out your actual rim width to decide which tire you could try.

Good Luck!

Who makes the Matrix 750 wheels?

My wife bought a used 2014 Trek Verve 3 wsd and does not like the 700x35 tires can we put a wider tire on? if so what would the size be?

here are the specs of her bike:

[TABLE="class: setabulardata"]
[TR="class: serowodd"]
[TD="class: selabel"]Frame [/TD]
[TD] Trek Alpha Gold aluminum [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: seroweven"]
[TD="class: selabel"] Fork [/TD]
[TD] SunTour NEX, 50mm-travel [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: serowodd"]
[TD="class: selabel"] Rims/Wheels [/TD]
[TD] Bontrager 750 [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: seroweven"]
[TD="class: selabel"] Hubs [/TD]
[TD] Front: Formula aluminum; Rear: Shimano RM30 [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: serowodd"]
[TD="class: selabel"] Tires [/TD]
[TD] Bontrager H5 Hardcase, 700 x 35c [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: seroweven"]
[TD="class: selabel"] Crankset [/TD]
[TD] SR SunTour NEX [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: serowodd"]
[TD="class: selabel"] Chainrings [/TD]
[TD] 48/38/28 [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: seroweven"]
[TD="class: selabel"] Front Derailleur [/TD]
[TD] Shimano [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: serowodd"]
[TD="class: selabel"] Rear Derailleur [/TD]
[TD] Shimano Alivio [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: seroweven"]
[TD="class: selabel"] Rear Cogs [/TD]
[TD] Shimano, 8-speed: 12-32 [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: serowodd"]
[TD="class: selabel"] Shifters [/TD]
[TD] Shimano EF51 [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: seroweven"]
[TD="class: selabel"] Handlebars [/TD]
[TD] Bontrager [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: serowodd"]
[TD="class: selabel"] Tape/Grips [/TD]
[TD] Bontrager Satellite Elite, lock-on ergonomic [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: seroweven"]
[TD="class: selabel"] Stem [/TD]
[TD] Adjustable aluminum [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: serowodd"]
[TD="class: selabel"] Brake Levers [/TD]
[TD] Shimano EF51 [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: seroweven"]
[TD="class: selabel"] Brakes [/TD]
[TD] Tektro linear-pull [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: serowodd"]
[TD="class: selabel"] Pedals [/TD]
[TD] Dual-density platform [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: seroweven"]
[TD="class: selabel"] Saddle [/TD]
[TD] Bontrager Boulevard WSD [/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: serowodd"]
[TD="class: selabel"] Seatpost [/TD]
[TD] Aluminum suspension [/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

You will be limited by the space available around the tire itself - to any frame part. Best to ask your LBS what is the largest they can fit, and then decide from there.

Wow, a 10 year old Bump..

Matrix is Trek's house brand rims. I don't know if Trek still makes them in-house or farms out the manufacture.

Thanks Wanderer, I will chk with the LBS.

Yeah, I did a search and the 10 yr thread popped up so there it is. hahaha