from Rookie’s keyboard,
Hello, friends
Yesterday a dude came in with some cruiser bike from the previous century and asked me for “special tires”. I required further clarification, and he told me that a friend of his (probably some guy on reddit) had told him that cruisers need ultra-special tires.
That ain’t really true. Cruiser bikes aren’t pretentious and that’s one of their strong points. The ideal cruiser tire is wide and slick (or with minimal thread) since cruisers are used on paved roads.
Slick tires = lower rolling resistance on the road. Contrary to popular belief, the knobbies found on MTB tires do not increase the bike’s grip when riding on paved roads. In order for the knobbies to be effective, they have to dig into the surface which happens only when riding off-road.
In reality, knobbies decrease tire grip on asphalt because the contact area is smaller. (Only the knobbies touch the ground.)
For that reason, road bikes and commuting models use slick tires. Slick tires maximize the contact patch and thus increase traction.
And most of the “cruiser tires” are designed either for MTBs, hybrids or touring. There isn’t a tire segment just for cruisers.
The vast majority of cruiser bikes are equipped with 26″ tires whereas modern MTBs rely on 27″ and 29″ tires.
However, in the past, 26″ tires were the norm for MTBs too and continue to be used on older MTBs and dirt jumpers to this day. Consequently, there are still many 26″ models to choose from.
Rim and Tire Compatibility
The rims of the cruiser that you have should be wide enough to accommodate the new tires. In most cases, this won’t be a problem because beach cruisers use fairly big tires (e.g., 1.95″) by default and thus come with wider rims that can support balloon MTB models too.
But don’t forget that some beach cruisers are closer to a hybrid bike and rely on narrower wheels.
To be sure whether the rims and tires are compatible, check the rim for indications of the minimum tire width that it supports.
If there’s nothing on the rim, search for its model online or ask in a bike shop.
Frame and Fork Clearance
The frame and fork should provide enough clearance for the new tires.
Since most cruisers use fairly beefy tires, they offer decent clearance by default and support over 2″ wide models
To be absolutely certain, however, you can do the following:
a. Pump the existing tires and measure how wide they are with a caliper (recommended) or a ruler. This number will serve as a reference point.
b. Examine the fork and frame clearance. If there’s lots of clearance, you can go a size up. If the clearance is already limited, keep the size the same or even go down, especially if you plan on using full fenders.
The Pros of Using an MTB Model
- Off-Road Grip
MTB tires provide more grip when riding on off-road terrain thanks to the knobbies that dig into the ground. Since most cruiser are city bikes this property doesn’t matter all that much.
However, there is also a movement known as “klunking” which represents off-road competitions on cruisers equipped with MTB/off-road tires.
- Alternative Look
Some people find the look of alternatively equipped cruiser bikes aesthetically pleasing.
TL: DR;
If you have a cruiser bike and you plan to use it as intended (on the road), grab the widest slick tires that it can support. This way you get comfort and speed.
If you plan to be a “klunker”, obviously go for an off-road tire.
But don’t buy the nonsense that there are “special cruiser tires”.
Until next time
Rookie
Leave a Reply