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Category Archives: Tires
Tire Width: how much difference do a few millimeters make?
At Compass Bicycles, we often get the question: “I am riding 23 mm tires right now, and I wonder whether a 25 mm-wide tire would make a noticeable difference.” The graph below, taken from the Spring 2013 issue of Bicycle … Continue reading
Posted in Testing and Tech, Tires
16 Comments
Tire Wipers
Many cyclists are tempted by the performance and comfort of supple tires, but they are afraid that they might get too many flats without puncture-resistant belts and reinforced sidewalls. Tire Wipers improve the flat resistance of your tires without detracting … Continue reading
Posted in Tires
30 Comments
How Wide a Tire Can I Run?
Many cyclists want to ride on wider tires, but are limited by the clearances of their bikes. So they want to use the widest tires their bike can fit. How do you determine your bike’s maximum tire width? You need … Continue reading
Posted in Tires
27 Comments
Grand Bois Extra Leger in All-Black
The black Cyprès Extra Léger 700C x 32 mm tires are in stock now. Our first run of 700C x 32 mm Grand Bois Cyprès Extra Léger tires sold out within a month. The reason is not just higher-than-anticipated demand, but … Continue reading
Posted in Tires
37 Comments
Grand Bois “Extra Léger” Tires
Grand Bois tires are hard to improve, but that hasn’t kept us from trying. The result of years of research and development are the new Grand Bois Extra Léger (French for “extra light”) tires. This special casing is usually reserved … Continue reading
Posted in Rides, Tires
53 Comments
Compass 26″ x 1.5″ Tires
We now offer the Compass 26″ (559 mm) tires in a slightly narrower 1.5″ (37 mm) width, in addition to the popular 1.75″ (44 mm) model. These tires are great for an existing mountain bike, touring bike, or 26″-wheeled tandem. … Continue reading
Posted in Tires
37 Comments
Hutchinson 650B x 32 mm Tires
Compass Bicycles now carries the Hutchinson “Confrérie des 650″ tire. The Confrérie des 650 was created by French riders who loved their 650B bikes. They were concerned that the wheel size might become extinct, leaving them without rims and tires … Continue reading
Posted in Product News, Tires
11 Comments
Bicycle Quarterly: Performance of Tires
Perhaps the most influential topic in Bicycle Quarterly has been our research on the resistance of tires, first published in Vol 5, No. 1 (above). It is not a coincidence that 5 years after that issue was published, professional racers … Continue reading
Preventing Flat Tires: One Year of Tire Wipers
Supple tires with relatively thin tread greatly contribute to the joys of cycling. They roll much faster and are more comfortable. However, they also tend to be more prone to punctures. On the other hand, “flat-resistant” tires are harsh and … Continue reading
Posted in Testing and Tech, Tires
36 Comments
Mounting Tires on Rims with Deep Wells
Sometimes we get a call or an e-mail from a frustrated customer: “I have a brand-new set of your tires, and both wobble when I mount them on my rims.” In most cases, it is not the tires’ fault. Usually … Continue reading
Posted in hubs/rims, Tires
41 Comments
The Downsides of Wide Tires
Since we have published a post about “The Dangers of Narrow Tires,” it is only fair that we look at the other side of the coin. What are the disadvantages (or even dangers?) of wider tires? I can think of … Continue reading
Posted in Testing and Tech, Tires
72 Comments
The Dangers of Narrow Tires
It is unfortunate that most “road” and even “hybrid” bikes are sold with tires so narrow that you cannot cross streetcar tracks at an oblique angle without risking a fall. The Seattle Times reported recently about a rail line that … Continue reading
Posted in Cycling Safety, Rides, Testing and Tech, Tires
27 Comments
Compass Tires in 26″ x 1.75″
Compass Bicycles is introducing our new Compass 26″ x 1.75″ tires (42 – 559 mm). Many readers and customers have asked for a 26″ version of the much-loved Grand Bois Hetre 650B tires. This would allow riders of mountain bikes, … Continue reading
Posted in Product News, Tires
24 Comments
Preventing Flat Tires
Every cyclist knows the sensation: You ride along, feeling at one with your bike and the world. Suddenly you notice your tire going soft, often accompanied by a hissing sound. Like Icarus, who flew too high and got singed by … Continue reading
Posted in Testing and Tech, Tires
13 Comments
How Durable are Grand Bois Tires?
Tires are the most important component of your bike. Supple high-end tires roll faster and are more comfortable. A set of great tires transforms your bike’s feel. The down side is that high-end tires can be more fragile than sturdy … Continue reading
Posted in Our Bikes, Product News, Testing and Tech, Tires
23 Comments
Tire Sizes
Making tire molds continues to be an inexact art. For decades, riders have complained that many tires, especially wider ones, do not run “true to size.” In most cases, tires were narrower than their stated width, which caused Sheldon Brown … Continue reading
Posted in Product News, Testing and Tech, Tires
10 Comments
Grand Bois Lierre 650B x 38 mm Tires
We received our first shipment of the new Grand Bois Lierre (Ivy) 38 – 584 mm (650B x 38 mm) tires. I put a set on my Grand Bois Urban Bike and went for a ride. With the shallow “negative” … Continue reading
Posted in Product News, Tires
Science and Bicycles 1: Tires and Pressure
Most cyclists are interested in improving their bike’s performance, because rolling along at considerable speed while expending relatively little effort is one of the great appeals of cycling. Before you can improve your bike’s performance, you need to know what … Continue reading
Posted in Testing and Tech, Tires
8 Comments
