I had a question from a customer about actual widths for some models of the Schwalbe Marathon tires we carry. He is concerned about getting tires that will fit without rubbing on his fenders. I figure others probably have the same questions, so I have compiled a chart showing the actual measurements of some of the tires we carry. I will be updating and adding to the list. If there is a tire you want to know about, and it is not shown, just post it on the comments and I will try to provide actual dimensions for you.
I was going to go into some detail about tire sizing nomenclature but, as usual, the late great Sheldon Brown does a better job than anybody else could. So if you are unsure about what the size markings on your tires mean, check out Sheldon’s page.
All tires will be marked or stamped with the size. 700c and 28″ are two different nomenclatures for the same diameter.
As can be seen a 700c or 28" tire is actually neither. The numbers refer to the diameter of the tire when mounted on a rim and inflated.The ISO/ERTRO measurement is the first pair of numbers
The ISO/ERTRO number is the most important in determining if a tire will fit on a particular rim. The second number in the pair is the diameter of the rim measured where the tire bead will seat.
This tire has a 622 ERTRO diameter and will fit on any rim with the same diameter measured to the points where the tire bead seats.
So called 29’r tires fit on rims with an ERTRO diameter of 622, but generally have a more voluminous casing so the overall diameter and widths will be greater.
So on to the Tire Width Chart. I measured the width of the inflated tire with a pair of calipers. The “height” is measured from the outer edge of the rim to the road contact surface of the inflated tire.
Wherein the bike hermit compares and contrasts 4 different drop style handlebars for the touring bike. Finding the perfect handlebar for his touring bike has him in a bit of a bother.
Last season I installed the Nitto Dirt Drop bars on Chief. I like the way the drops flair out.
Nitto Dirt Drop
The bars actually have a very slight rise from the clamp area to the ramps. These are the medium width version. There is a version that is narrower and one that is wider. These feel a little too narrow for me when I’m riding on the hoods. Dang, should have got the wider ones. But I like the angled-in aspect of the brakes on the flair of these bars. It feels natural.
On the hoods.
The other nice thing about the drops being wider than the tops ….my wrists don’t hit the tops of the bars when “in the drops”.
Nitto Dirt Drop touring handlebars,"in the drops"
On Norm, my everyday bike, I have the On One Midge handlebar. Perhaps my favorite bar of all time.
On One brand Midge handlebar
This handlebar might look a little crazy…. in fact I have been labeled “crazy bar guy” on group rides…but the ergonomics are fantastic. These have a super wide, flat top section so there are multiple positions available on the top of the bars alone. As the top of the bar bends to begin the drop portion it also flairs out at a dramatic angle.
On One Midge.....Wide tops, crazy bends
The other thing that happens when the bend from the tops is so gradual is that the brake levers get mounted at an even more extreme angle. But if I raise my arms out in front of my body, in a relaxed way, my fingers do not naturally line up perpendicular to the ground. They are more like 30 to 40 degrees from vertical. An angle very similar to the angle of the the brake levers on the Midge bar:
Natural angle to the brake hoods
I like to install these handlebars with the ramps level. This provides a great platform and plenty of support for the hands.
Notice the ramps, the portion of the bar behind the levers, are basically level.Another position I use a lot with the Midge bars.Nice platform for the hands
The most notable thing in this view is the distance the ends of the bars extend toward the rider. This should allow for riding comfortably in the drops without reaching. The picture below shows the rise from the center up to the ramp portion.
The Grand Randonneur rises from the center to the rampA view of the upward rise from the center, the slight flair of the drops, and the angle of the brake levers.
The handlebar I am itching to try on my touring bike is the Nitto Noodle.
I guess I know why they are called "Noodle"
These bars intrigue me because of the slight rearward bend of the top portion. Again, if I examine the shape of my palm, curled into a gripping shape, I find that it is at a slight angle, from inside to outside. Corresponding to the shape of the Noodle bar.
They don’t have any flair to the drops though. The ramps are basically parallel to the drops. These would be really cool if they had the backward bend plus a flair like the Midge bars! Then they would be the Pretzel bar.
No flair to the drops and subsequently.... to the brake levers
So, there you have four options for drop style handlebars for touring. If you are thinking about changing handlebars keep in mind that there are three standard diameters for handlebars where they clamp to the stem: 25.4 mm, 26mm, and 31.8mm. Stems are made for all those diameters too. A stem with a clamp for 25.4 will not work with a 26 or 31.8 handlebar, but a smaller diameter handlebar can be made to work with a larger clamp diameter stem by means of handy dandy shims made for that purpose!
After looking at these pictures I think I need to write a post about handlebar tape and how to change it.
These pedals use a unique diagonal strap to hold the rider’s foot more or less in a stable position. A metal bracket screws into the holes on the front face plate of the pedal and secures one end of the strap.
The other end of the strap is bolted to the rear of the pedal on the diagonal. The straps and brackets are sold separately too so any pedals with screw holes for toe clips can be used.
Sliding the foot in at a slight angle and then straightening it causes the strap to tighten.
Entry is at a slight angle.Straightening the foot increases the tension on the straps.
Nearly six years of almost daily riding and they are holding up quite well, thank you. The sealed bearings are still smooth thanks in no small part to the threaded dust cap which keeps the road junk out.
Note the threaded cap that screws into the pedal body providing an excellent seal. Cromoly steel pedal axle.
The high performance version uses aluminum alloy for the body and cage, which for the touring cyclist makes more sense from a durability standpoint the the sport version which incorporates a plastic body. Sealed cartridge bearings and a steel axle contribute to low maintenance and longevity. Theoretically the pedals could be rebuilt if the bearings became worn by removing the axle and pressing out the old bearings and pressing new ones in.
I like these pedals for around town because literally any shoe will fit and the leather strap won’t scuff them up. They are easy in and out and they hold my foot enough that I don’t have to worry about slipping off the pedal. Starting off from a stop can be a little sketchy because I never know if the straps will be on the top or bottom. On a pedal with toe clips the clips are heavy enough that the pedal will always be upside down, and it’s easy to use the quill on the pedal to flip it over and slide the foot in. These pedals would work great for a person who is unsure about using clipless pedals for bike touring.
I now have over 3000 miles on my Gilles Berthoud Aspin touring saddle, so I guess I feel OK about sharing my impressions. (the pun will become apparent later) The Gilles Berthoud Company is located in Pont de Vaux, France. The products they produce are well thought out and elegant and, as far as I can tell, any compromise in materials or methods used in construction is never considered. The leather saddles are unique in several ways. The cantle plate and nose piece are made of a special, composite material. The rails, either steel or titanium, depending on the model, slide into holes molded into the composite pieces. The leather tops are bolted on with stainless steel bolts and specially designed brass washers which have the Gilles Berthoud name engraved on them except the nose rivet which has the individual saddle’s number on it. The idea being that individual pieces of the saddle can be easily replaced. The tension on the leather top can be adjusted with a 5 mm allen wrench so no special tool is required as on Brooks saddles. The leather is supposed to be waterproof and Gilles Berthoud does sell a proprietary leather treatment.
Being able to take the saddle apart may be a good idea, but I have noticed a couple of things one needs to pay attention to. If you pick up a 60 pound touring bike by grabbing the rear of the saddle, the rails may pop out of the cantle plate. It is possible to loosen the tensioning bolt enough to pop them back in place and the saddle is good as new, but US 77 outside of La Grange TX is not the best place to go through this exercise. The bolts holding the leather top on can come loose and need to be checked and tightened periodically. We also discovered that the dye used in the black saddles leaves an unsatisfactory stain on lighter colored pants. The natural saddles don’t appear to have that feature.
The bottom line is that this is the most supremely comfortable saddle I have ever used. The leather appears to be thicker than that on some other brands but it has been pre-softened, and rather than simply sagging or splaying out with use has conformed to my anatomy leaving the impressions of my sit bones. Yet it gives enough support that there is no pressure on the soft tissue parts of the perineum or the arteries and blood vessels. In short, no pain and no genital numbness! As with any saddle, especially leather ones, adjustment of the fore/aft tilt is critical to comfort.
The section of rail that can be clamped to the seatpost is short, like on Brooks saddles so the fore and aft positioning of the saddle is limited, but a set back seat post can help if a farther aft position is desired.
Experiment with the best tilt or angle for your Berthoud saddle.
My sit bones leave a deeper impression on the right side
These saddles are not inexpensive, over two times the price of a Brooks B17, but to my mind (not to mention other parts) they are well worth it. After 4 or 5 or 6 hours in the saddle when touring, it’s nice to not have a literal pain in the butt to worry about. The durability of my saddle so far has been terrific allowing for the mentioned caveats. Those are two things that figure into my calculations of value.
This is literally where the rubber meets the road. It’s sort of a boring topic but tire problems could end a bicycle tour quicker than almost anything I can think of. And a flat tire is probably the most likely mechanical repair a traveling bicycler will need to master. Luckily, there are many very good options when it comes to bicycle touring tires.
There is a wealth of information stamped on the side of a bicycle tire. Here you will see the size of the tire. For example 700 X 32 for a 700c diameter tire or 26 X 1.75 for a 26 inch diameter tire. The second number, after the “X”, is an indication of the width of the inflated tire. Depending on your bike, you may either have 26 inch wheels or 700c wheels ( there are other sizes of wheels, such as 650b or 27 inch, but those are not as common)
You will want to carry one or two extra tires with you depending on how far it is between bike shops on your route. So make sure you know what size your bike takes. Most tires come in a “folding” version, which means the bead, or the part of the tire that hooks on the rim, is made of flexible material and the tire can be folded or rolled into a small package.
The width of your tires will affect rolling resistance, comfort and durability.
It may be counter-intuitive but for a given inflation pressure a wider tire will have lower rolling resistance than a narrower tire. And lower inflation pressure, to a point, means a silkier ride because of the greater air volume acting as a cushion.
A wider tire with more air volume will also help protect against pinch flats- the pinching of the inner tube between the tire and the wheel rim when hitting a sharp bump.
Tires with a smooth tread, even no tread, will work best for rides which will be mostly on paved surfaces. Bike tires behave differently than automobile tires and grooves in the tread of a bike tire do nothing to increase grip. In fact, the more rubber actually touching the road, the better. The tire maker Schwalbe explains this better than I can. If you’re riding off-road or on un-paved roads a knobby tread pattern is more important.
note the 650B makes a great touring tire
Look for tires made specifically for touring or urban riding. These tires will have layers of puncture resistant materials such as Kevlar or Aramid under the tread. Usually the casing of these tires will be strong enough to handle the extra weight and loads of a touring bicycle. Sometimes the rubber tread itself will be significantly thicker than the tread on a racing or training tire.
I have used the Panaracer brand T-Serv tire for my tours the last two years and I have been very happy with the performance. These are not super burly tires but I am not heavy and I travel relatively light. The tread wears very well on these tires and the Aramid belt works well to prevent punctures. The cord used in the casing is strong, but the tire is still supple and feels smooth to ride.
Schwalbe Marathon is a line of tires which includes tires made for bike touring. Everything from tires for light touring to tires made for the extreme expedition adventure.
Don’t scrimp when it comes to buying tires. You will have enough things to worry about and enough challenges to keep you busy on your tour.
