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This section is provided primarily for reference. We are trying to carry a broad
selection of tires to fit many different bikes, but many of these tires sizes are no
longer available as new. You may therefore need to find someone carrying old stock
in order to find some of these more obscure tire sizes. If you have an older bike that
you're trying to fit with new tires, perhaps this information will help
you find what you're looking for.
Bicycles have been around for over a century so you can imagine the
number of different tire sizes that have been produced. For many
decades, each country that produced bicycles created their own tires
sizes. Over the last twenty years, the industry has started to stabilize
on the relatively few tire sizes mentioned above. Owners of older
bicycles, though, have quite a challenge in finding the ride size tire
to fit their steed.
Tire widths are specified as either a decimal number (e.g., 1.5") or
a fractional measurement (e.g., 1 1/2"). Generally, tires that are
specified with decimal widths are not compatible with tires specified in
fractional widths.
The table below indicates some of the common tire sizes used over the
past several decades. ISO (ERTRO) Tire Sizes In order to try
and reduce some of the confusion with tire sizes, the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO) developed a universal tire sizing
system, known as the ETRTO system (after the European Tyre and Rim
Technical Organization). This tire sizing system also uses two numbers,
although they're reversed from traditional measurements. The first
number refers to the tire or rim width in millimeters and the second
refers to the diameter of the bead seat of the rim, also in millimeters.
For example, a 700C x 23 tire would be specified as 23-622. The bead
seat diameter of a 700C rim is 622mm.
Many older European manufactured tires and rims will have this ISO
measurement printed on them, so it is helpful in determining what size
tire you really need.
Refer to our Tire Size Chart for a list of standard ISO tire sizes used in the past few decades.
Note that just because two tires have the same rim
bead seat diameter does not mean that they are compatible. Older
bicycle tires used a straight-sided rim. As tire pressures
increased, bike tires started to use a hooked rim so that the tire
bead would be held more firmly. | 
