Tires

Choosing the right bicycle tires plays a decisive role in the riding comfort, safety and performance of your bike. Modern bicycle tires offer an optimal balance between grip, rolling resistance and comfort. There is a wide range of designs, from clincher tires to tubeless MTB tires.

The history of bicycle tires goes back to the 19th century, when the first pneumatic tires were developed. This innovation enabled a more comfortable ride compared to solid rubber tires. Over time, tires were further developed until the clincher tire was finally established as the standard. Clincher tires offer greater stability and are lighter than their predecessors.

Folding tires are a further development of the clincher tire and offer even greater weight savings. They are particularly popular with racing cyclists and enable faster acceleration. Tubeless tires are another innovation in the field of bicycle tires. They offer better cushioning and lower rolling resistance compared to tubular tires.

The different tire shapes, such as road bike tires, MTB tires, gravel bike tires and city bike tires, are each tailored to the requirements of the respective bicycle types. Winter tires are specially developed for use in winter conditions and offer improved traction and puncture protection.

The puncture protection of a bicycle tire depends on various factors, such as the rubber compound, the carcass density and the air pressure. Puncture protection layers and sidewall protection can protect tires from punctures and cuts.

The durability of a bicycle tire depends on tread wear, cracks in the sidewall and other damage. It is important to regularly check the air pressure and remove foreign objects from the tire. Before replacing both tires, you should check whether the front tire can still be ridden.

Overall, choosing the right bike tire plays a crucial role in the performance and safety of your bike. With the right care and maintenance, you can extend the life of your tires and enjoy a pleasant ride.

Whether clincher, folding or tubeless tires - on current tires you will often find information from up to three sizing systems: the French system, the inch-based system and the much more precise E.T.R.T.O system. There are historical and national reasons for the existence of the different measurement systems. These different national measurement systems once ensured that the same tire size was known under different numerical designations in different countries. As a result, tires of different sizes were produced in different countries under the same size designation, which were not compatible with each other! The "classic" standards for tire sizes, the French and the inch-based system, are based on the outer diameter of the tire and are specified in inches (e.g. 26 inches or 28 inches) or millimetres (650, 700). The International Standardization Organization (ISO for short) has adopted a more universal system, the E.T.R.T.O (European Tyre and Rim Technical Organization) system based on a standardized specification according to ISO 5775 for the uniform marking of bicycle tires and rims. The ETRTO system uses only 2 numbers based on the width of the tire and most importantly - the inner diameter of the tire matching the outer diameter of the rim.

The oldest sizing system for tires is French. Originally developed in the motherland of bicycle racing, the French designation is composed as follows: a three-digit number indicating the approximate outer diameter of the tire in millimeters, a multiplication sign, a two-digit indication of the tire width in millimeters and a letter. This may look like this: 700x25C. The letter should give an indication of the recommended inner rim diameter and the tire height. A = narrow to D = very wide. In the meantime, however, the letter no longer says much about the actual width, as current 700C road bike tires, for example, are rather narrow and are ridden on correspondingly narrow rims, but wide twentyniner MTB tires also have a 700C specification in the French system and are sometimes also ridden on 40 mm wide rims.

In the inch-based system, one inch corresponds to 25.4 mm. The inch specification can be written after the decimal point in decimal (e.g. 29 x 2.40 inches) or as a fraction (e.g. 28 x 1 1/2 inches). The first value refers to the approximate outer diameter of the tire and the second usually refers to the width of the tire. In the case of a three-part inch specification in fractional notation such as 28" x 1 5/8" x 1 3/8", the second value stands for the height and the last for the width. There are multiplication signs between the values. When cyclists talk about 26" or 29", they are always referring to the first value of the inch specification. In reality, the outer diameter rarely corresponds to the actual diameter required. The reason for this is the wide range of widths and the inner rim diameter - 29 inch tires are ultimately just very wide 28 inch tires and also fit on wheels that are listed as 28 inch. You should also be careful when converting a fractional tire size, e.g. from a Dutch bike or old touring bike tire. After measuring, you will most likely choose a model with a different inner diameter.

The system of the European Tyre and Rim Technical Organization is based on the international standard ISO 5775 for the uniform marking of bicycle tires and rims. The specification is in millimetres and can look like this, for example: 43-584. The first specification stands for the tire width and is often measured at the widest point of the carcass. The result can vary depending on the rim and air pressure of the same tire. The second, three-digit number after the slash stands for the tire's inner diameter. This corresponds to the diameter of the rim at the tire seat. Your tire will therefore fit reliably on your wheel or rim ring if the 3-digit E.T.R.T.O specification is the same.

If you have questions about our range of tires or are not sure whether or which are compatible with your bike or want general advice, contact us by phone, by mail or just visit us in our BIKE PUNK SHOWROOM in Berlin-Kreuzberg! If we do not have a certain product in stock, we will try to get it for you in a timely manner. We are happy to advise and accompany you on all topics related to your bike. For the latest products, inspiration and information follow us on Instagram!