Tire Recommendations (largest diameter)

[Bob Walicki]

On one of my bikes I have 1x set-up. It's currently a 32T up front and the largest I can go is 34T. I think I want to do that as I want to be able to push a little harder.

In conversations with my LBS they pointed out I could also go as large as possible with my tires to increase the length of each revolution.

I'm currently running 700x44 Snowqualmies (RH). I definitely have clearance for "taller" tires, but I'm at a loss for even starting a search like this.

Anyone have recs?

TIA

Bob

[DavidP]

Generally the way to increase tire diameter for a given wheel size is to increase the tire width. Do you have room for wider tires?

It strikes me that using tire diameter to compensate for drivetrain gearing seems a bit like the tail wagging the dog. What kind of crank and bottom bracket setup does this bike have? 

-Dave

[Will Boericke]

It's hard for me to imagine that increasing your tire size is going to have much (any?) actual effect on speed.  Which I assume is what we're targeting here?  In my stable, once I get beyond 38mm, I take for granted that those bikes will be slower.  I'm not sure I can gauge how much slower 29x2.2 is than, say 650x48.

I'd stick with swapping out the chainring and see if that makes the difference you're looking for.  You could also shrink your cassette some to get smaller jumps between gears.

Will

[Drew Saunders]

You can use this handy tool to test. Here, I’m assuming a 11-36 cassette, and comparing a 32 vs 34 with 42-622 tires. Oddly, there’s no option for 44-622, but RH tires run a bit smaller than labeled. http://www.gear-calculator.com/?GR=DERS&KB=34&RZ=11,13,15,17,19,21,24,28,32,36&UF=2230&TF=90&SL=2.6&UN=MPH&DV=gearInches&GR2=DERS&KB2=32&RZ2=11,13,15,17,19,21,24,28,32,36&UF2=2230

Here, I keep the 32, but change to a 54-622 tire:

http://www.gear-calculator.com/?GR=DERS&KB=32&RZ=11,13,15,17,19,21,24,28,32,36&UF=2295&TF=90&SL=2.6&UN=MPH&DV=gearInches&GR2=DERS&KB2=32&RZ2=11,13,15,17,19,21,24,28,32,36&UF2=2230

Get the bigger chainring!

[Ian A]

As Drew points out, adjusting the gearing by changing to a larger chainring is the best option. You may need a longer chain so try to time the chainring change with time for a new chain. It will be significantly cheaper to switch chain rings than buy new tires, especially RH quality ones.

If you want to experiment with chain ring sizes, Aliexpress has some cheap options. Once you settle.on the ratio you prefer, invest in a nice quality chain ring for longterm useage.

IanA

[Garth]

The tallest tire profile I know of and ridden is the Schwobble Big Ben/Apple balloon series of tires. The Raceguard versions are the best ones and the BB is the same carcass with a more agressive tread. A 50mm version measures something like 45-46mm on a 19mm inner width rim but is notably taller than a typical tire of that width. They're simply fun to ride. I do think it's telling that of the many tires Riv has sold over the years, the BB has been a consistent offering for the last 10 years. "The perfect tire" Riv called them in the description. I agree. 

Do get the larger chainring regardless of the tire. The gains are very marginal though since the ring is limited to 34t, so don't expect anything dramatic. 

[Will Boericke]

I suppose if you were truly committed both to this frame and higher gearing, you could get a rear wheel with a freehub designed to handle a 10t small cog (XDR or the like) and eke out some higher gear inches that way....

Will

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[Johnny Alien]

I agree with everyone that you should fix the issue with the cassette and chainring. If you can't go to a lot of gears in the back then get a wide range cassette for whatever range the hub can handle. If you really want to push it that rear wide range will make the biggest difference although being capped at 34T will only get you so far. My Clem is a 1x9 that I use for general low energy riding/errands and I have a 36T in the front. Even that caps out pretty early with a standard range in the rear.

[Bob Walicki]

Apologies for not being clear from the outset.

I'm currently running a 32T up front and a 11-51T in the rear. I am already planning on going to 34T in the front, but it's the max with the current non-boost crank (and hub). I appreciate everyone attempting to solve this for me again.

I very much love the rec of the Schwobble Big Ben/Apple, Garth.

At this point, its really about just seeing if I can eke out anything extra from the present setup. That's all. 

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[Bob Walicki]

Thanks. Oh, the bigger chainring up front is definitely happening.

I'm running 44s and can go a bit wider, but I guess I was asking specifically for tires that people know are "taller" as well, that is that increase the overall diameter of the wheel. I appreciate the skepticism regarding the suggestion, but this is a VERY well known and trusted LBS, with excellent staff, who think about these things a lot in a variety of setups (not just Rivendell, Waterford, etc., though they do that too).

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[Bill Lindsay]

You definitely can make your highest gear higher by using bigger tires, BUT the differences are small.  Let's look at the numbers objectively:

Running a 32x11 as your highest gear on a bike with 700x44 wheels, you are talking about a top gear that is roughly 81 gear inches.  Pedaling at 60RPM you'll be going 14.5MPH.  Pedaling at 110RPM, you'll be going 26.6MPH.  81 gear inches is not that high a top gear.  

Many cyclists complain that they spin out at 81 gear inches, and those people self identify as mashers.  They like to push hard at low RPM.  They don't want to pedal at 110RPM, but they want to go faster at lower cadence.  That's cool.  Get higher gears to do it.  

Going from a 32 to a 34 increases that top gear by about 6% to about 86.5 gear inches.  Pedaling slowly at 60RPM, you'll be going about 1 mile per hour faster, 15.5MPH.  That's a small improvement

Going from 44mm tires to 55mm tires increases the wheel diameter by 20mm.  That's about a 3% increase in diameter, so it increases the gear inches by about 3% to about 89 gear inches.  It's about HALF the benefit you got from switching the chainring.  Now mashing at 60RPM will make you go another half a mile per hour faster, to something like 16MPH.  

Hypothetically if you could switch to a SRAM Eagle cassette which is 10-52, then your top gear would jump up by ~10%.  In other words, switching from an 11T to a 10T cog would make more of a difference than changing both the chain ring and the tires.  That's simple, but it's expensive.  

If you made all of the above changes, we're talking about an 18% increase.  Hypothetically if you could train yourself to pedal 20% faster, then you'd make more of an impact and do it for free.  Pedaling faster is free if you are able to do it.  Many claim that spinning is more efficient also.  Many claim that they are far more able to spin when running shorter cranks.  If you are already a spinner and already maxing out at 26MPH or faster and need to go still faster, then higher gearing is the way to go.  Best of luck on all of it. 

Bill Lindsay

El Cerrito, CA

[dane...@gmail.com]

If you want an even higher gear e13 9t cassettes are an option also. 

-Dan

[Bob Walicki]

Thanks Bill. That is helpful.

And it seems pretty definitive. I'm currently running 700x44 and my MPH @ 60RPM with a 34x11 would be 15.4.

Running 700x56 my MPH(@60RPM) would be 16.1, which is 99% of the 16.3 you would get with 36x11 on 44s. So I can get close to a 36T "feel" with 56s.

So, who's got some 55ish tires they love?

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[Bob Walicki]

To close this chapter. My LBS had a bunch of tires on discount and I grabbed a pair of 29x2.2 Kendas for $30 total - Saber Pros. I decided to give them a try.

I've been running them tubeless for a couple of weeks and they are fantastic. I've not embiggened the front cog yet, but at my comfortable cadence I'm over 17MPH. Mission Accomplished!

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[John Williams]

LOOKING FOR 55-IS TIRES? IMHO, YOU CANNOT BEAT THE https://www.renehersecycles.com/shop/components/tires/700c/700cx55-antelope-hill-tc/

Rolling perfection...get the ultra lights and run about 27psi for the ride of your life!

Happy Trails, 

JRW

[Bob Walicki]

Thanks! Nice rec. I'll try to be good perhaps and see if I can sell my 700x44 Snowqualmies before committing to these ones as the Kendas are rolling nice. But, those look like they'd ride great.

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