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The choice between touring bicycle wheels and tires with 26inch
or 700c has surfaced in bicycle
touring equipment during the past several years with the popularity of mountain
bikes. The decision between 700 cm and 26 inch will have to be made early in the
custom frame
or stock touring bicycle shopping process because brake mounts and frame geometry can not be
easily changed.
In the past there were commuting hybrid bikes, like the Bridgestone XO-1, that
could easily be converted to either wheel size and traveled on but these bikes are no longer
made and I do not know of another touring bicycle that can be converted to
take either size wheel being made in the present.
Before I get into the advantages and disadvantages of
touring bicycles with 700c or 26 inch wheels let me make
something clear. I have owned and toured extensively on bikes with both
sizes of wheels. We have also met people traveling for years around the world,
in every imaginable country,
on end on both sizes of wheels. In fact we have seen hard core long
distance (measured in years) touring cyclist on recumbents, mountain bikes,
and more. The bottom line is no matter what you pick as a cycle wheel
size it is not a deal killer and can be used for the bike trip of your
dreams.
Both 700c and 26 inch can go to the hardest parts of the world and perform
well. As with most options in the bicycle touring equipment and gear world this decision
largely comes down to personal preference but there are a few facts to sort out.
FACTS: A few bike wheel size considerations to keep in mind.
-
Given the same quality rims, spokes, and building techniques a smaller wheel is stronger
because of shorter spokes and so on. The difference between the two wheel
sizes is not much so this difference is small. With modern advancements in
rims and spokes both wheel sizes can be over built to be stronger than
necessary. The disadvantage of the larger 700c can be compensated for by
selecting superior rims. Conclusion: either will work with high quality
components
-
A bigger wheel has a smoother ride because it does not get sucked
into holes and depressions in the road as far. Again, the actual
difference in size is minimal so tit is hard (but not impossible) to feel.
This difference can be somewhat overcome with wider 26 inch tires but is more a
matter of ride quality preference rather than a performance gain or loss.
Conclusion: either size will be comfortable enough for a long bicycle tour.
-
26 inch touring tires tend to come in wider sizes and lower
pressure. 700c touring tires tend to be narrower and higher pressure.
This is less true than it used to be because of the growing popularity of
comfort and hybrid bikes. Conclusion: What works best for you will
depend on your touring style and priorities but either can do the job.
-
Many 700c touring bikes do not have clearance for the widest
tires. This does not affect most bike tourist because a medium width tire
or smaller is fine, and even preferred, for traveling on paved roads and occasional
dirt sections. With a 26 inch touring bike you can use any tire a mountain
bike can, including super wide vibration eating and/or knobby tires.
Conclusion: What works best for you will depend on your touring style and
priorities but either can do the job.
-
There is one concrete fact that may help in your decision process. The
wheel size affects your gearing. Given the same number of teeth in your
drive train, a 700c wheel will give you an overall higher gear and a 26 inch
wheel will give you a lower gear. The aspect of wheel size is easily
noticeable here because the size is felt in every revolution. I personally never wish
for a larger gear but I am often grateful for the lowest gear possible.
Conclusion: if you are super strong and often wish your bikes had a bigger
gear then 700c may be best but if you are average, like us, and wish you had a
lower gear on steep hills then a 26 inch may be best. Of course, either
will work.
OUR OPINIONS: Why we prefer 26 inch touring bicycles for our around the world bicycle tour
Tire Availability: The problem with
700c touring bikes traveling internationally is finding good replacement
tires. In my
early days of bicycle travel I had a cyclecross bike with 700c
wheels. Long before I met Cindie I rode a solo two year tour, including the USA
and Mexico, I realized that finding wide 700c bike touring tires is
difficult (without mail order) in the USA and nearly impossible in undeveloped
countries like Mexico. Since then, during our years on the road, we have met countless other touring cyclist around the world, especially in
developing countries, who were in the same boat and desperately
looking for wide 700c touring tires. The only 700c tires available in the bike shops were
what the local road racers used (if any) which is about as wide as a
finger. (700c x 20 -25) Even after long time consuming searches they
were forced to buy these narrow 700c racing tires that wear out fast, easily
got punctured, and are less stable with loaded panniers.
Rim Availability: A similar scenario occurs when a rim is rendered useless from
a crash or wearing out (everything wears out) and starts braking spokes. Even the most experienced
cyclist can destroy a rim after mishandling by
airport baggage handlers or an unfortunate crash. Sturdy rims made for mountain
biking are abundant throughout the world but 700c rims are only common for ultra
light road racing bicycles. A rim meant for a road bike will not last long
under the weight of a loaded bicycle but the average mountain bike rim is fine
for touring.
Inner Tube Availability: The
same problems finding tubes in developing countries is true. If bike
shops don't carry the tires and rims I guess there is no reason to sell wide
700c tubes
In conclusion: What we think makes the best touring bicycle wheel size
The decision between 700c and 26 inch is a tough one.
There is a much bigger selection of 700c touring bicycle compared to the
hard to find 26 inch models. I believe that it
comes down to the availability of tires, rims, and tubes where you will be touring If you are mostly
riding on the paved road, sticking to the first world, or traveling for less
than 6 months at a time you could pick either type of bike but if you are
heading out into the less developed parts of the world I recommend riding a
touring bicycle with 26 inch wheels
Bicycle wheels for loaded bicycle touring
and long bike tours.
