Lexi01

Hi Everyone...first post so be kind.

I've recently got back into riding after over a decade off a bike. I bought a Fuij Sunfire 2.0 that has done the job - but its time to upgrade.

What I liked about the Fuji was the 35mm tires...thin enough for roads but thick enough to go off when I need to (and I do need to where I ride).

Anyway...I'm looking at the Cannondale Quick 2 or the Quick CX2.

The Quick has 32mm tires and the CX has 37mm.

My question is can I just run 35s on either bike?

While I'm on it is there a limit to how far away you can move from the specified tire width?

AdelaaR

Two words: "personal preference".

You can run 28's or 32's or 35's or even 45's on most hybrid frames and forks.
Some people like to run a wider tyre in the back and a narrower in the front.
For both roads and moderate offroad I highly recommend 35 cyclocross tyres.
I use Schwalbe CX comp's which are cheap yet robust and fast ... there are several others in various qualities and prices you could consider ... Marathon supreme's are highly recommended aswell.

Be wary of running anything smaller than 25's though as you may need a narrower rim for those.

Fiery

It's all about the rim width. This page has a lot of useful info on tyre sizes: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html If you scroll down, you'll find a chart showing recommended tyre widths for various rim widths.

In general, you could probably use 35s on both of those bikes, and even if you couldn't, both 32 and 37 are very versatile widths and should do well for your needs. (For example, cyclocross bikes often use 32 mm tyres for riding offroad.)

giantcfr1

I'd take the bike to the shop you intend to buy the tyres from.
When I bought my Cannondale, the guy in the shop mounted another set of tyres because I wanted bigger than the standard set. (unfortunately I can't remember the size but for some reason I'm thinking 32mm) A couple of days later I noticed the tyres weren't at their max pressure and I pumped them up. The tyre was stuck against the frame. I went back to the shop and he happily swapped them for 28mm. Rim size may not be your only problem.

Lexi01

Not the answer I expected...I thought that if you went too wide (or too narrow) they might just slip off the side of the rim when you're riding.

Thanks guys...

So if I buy the CX with 37s on it I can just buy a set of 32s at the same time and swap them over when I know I'm gonna go on a fairly lengthy road ride not involving offroad? Or indeed when I know I'm gonna be doing a fair bit of offroad I may just buy a set of 45s and do the same?

Is there seriously no safety impact of doing this?

late

First find out what the max and min sizes are for that bike.

Swapping tires is just annoying enough that you won't do it much.
It's a lot easier to swap wheels. Use the wheels off the old bike for the big tires.
And the new ones for the small tires.

I'm a big fan of the Vittoria Randonneur tires. I have the Rando Hyper, and want to try
the Rando Pro when these wear out. They ain't cheap, but they are worth it.

giantcfr1

Fiery suggested you check Sheldon Browns Chart. It is straight forward to me...measure your inner rim width and follow the suggestion on the chart.

AdelaaR

I doubt you will change your tyres just because you are going to do a fairly lengthy road ride.
It takes time to change tyres and there is very little benefit in changing them anyway depending on your riding speed.
If you are a casual rider and you go at casual speeds ... let's say you average 10-15 mph ... there is no reason why you shouldn't ride the 37's ... especially if you like to go offroad once in a while you'll probably love those 37's.
They are called "continental double fighter 2" and they look like this: https://www.produkt-suchmaschine.com/...-id5431808.jpg
They seem like mighty fine tyres to me that will be able to cope with roads, wet roads, cobblestones, tracks, gravel and even light mud.
For actual very muddy mountainbiking they might fall short.

My advice: get the new bike with the 37's and give it a try ... you can always swap 'em later if you really feel the need.

qmsdc15

Yes you can, no problem, and you should. A long ride with anything wider than 32 would be torturous.

Lexi01

I did check this out...makes absolute sense. Thanks everyone for your input.

I'm gonna go for the CX2...just hope my LBS has a Jumbo in stock so I can ride it. The geometry seems a little tighter than my sunfire or the Quick 2.

Anyway...thanks heaps everyone.

prathmann

The chart is a reasonable starting point, but I've found that there usually isn't any problem even when using tires that are well off the recommended sizes based on that chart. On my touring bike I run tires anywhere from 23mm to 38mm using the same rim and have never encountered any problem related to the tire width.