Confused/curious what the 3rd size embossed on tyre means

[night cycler]

The metric size on this tyre is fairly straight forward except I don`t know what the letter C reprents 700cX45C.

I am trying to understand why there are two widths stated as the imperial equivelent. I`ve only ever seen a variable width marked on the box of inner tubes. For example 26x1.75 - 2.75

On this tyre in the photo it is something like 28 X 1 1/8 X 1 3/8. have they started putting the profile size like they do on car tyres for example 195 x 18 x 200

 

[DCBassman]

45mm is just above 1 3/4, so not as if it's between the two...weird. Not seen similar before.

 

[Gravity Aided]

Is this a Wilderness Trail Bikes tire? If so, the first # =width of casing, the second, the width of the tread.

 

[night cycler]

Yes, I thought it a bit strange. There may be someone who knows why 2 widths are stated, assuming it referrs to widths.

 

[night cycler]

Is this a Wilderness Trail Bikes tire?

It is on a Carrera Crossfire 2 Hybrid

 

[Gravity Aided]

What brand is the tire?

 

[Gravity Aided]

Yes, I thought it a bit strange. There may be someone who knows why 2 widths are stated, assuming it referrs to widths.

I think the tires are Kendas, but I'm still thinking that the first number is casing width, second is tread width. The metric size may be expressed as one set of numbers, like 700x38.

 

[Markymark]

Is it a scale of how awesome it is? You’re pootling around on c-list tyres.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

See https://www.schwalbetires.com/tech_info/size_markings

 

[Ian H]

700 x 45C means something. The rest is just manufacturer's bollocks. 700C is sometimes referred to as 28" for historical reasons, but none of the numbers refer to any actual standard.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

The C represents the rim diameter the tyre is for. C is 622mm.

 

[Ian H]

The C represents the rim diameter the tyre is for. C is 622mm.

Not quite. 'C' is a reference (originally) to the width of the rim (but also the size, cos wider rims were smaller in order that, when fitted with a bigger tyre, the overall diameter stayed constant). So 700C was originally the second-widest 700 rim. The letter classification was used similarly for all European wheel sizes.
Comprehensive list here: https://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html

 

[night cycler]

See https://www.schwalbetires.com/tech_info/size_markings

"Good post Yucon. This was in your link. It is as I suspected-the profile-as commonly marked on vehicle tyres

QUOTE: The inch marking (e.g. 28 x 1.40) states the approximate outer diameter (28 inches) and the tire width (1.40 inches). Another inch marking is 28 x 1 5/8 x 1 3/8 (approximate outer diameter x tire height x tire width); it is also common".

@Gravity Aided, sorry I don`t know what make of tyres are on that bike, it is a bike on my shortlist.

 

[andrew_s]

If so, the first # =width of casing, the second, the width of the tread.

Is wrong.

The only numbers that are meaningful are the ISO sizes, which are stated as (eg) 37-622
The first number (37) is the width, the second is the diameter of the rim that it fits. At present, the common rim sizes are 622mm (road bikes and 29er MTBs), 584 mm (newer 27.5 MTBs), and 559 mm (older 26" MTBs).

Other numbers are historical tyre sizes, and are confusing (even for Schwalbe), and best ignored. There are, for example at least 4 different 26" tyre sizes.

In the beginning tyres were sized based on rolling diameter - i.e. the outside of the inflated tyres, so a 28" tyre was 28" in diameter, and a 700 tyre was 700 mm in diameter. At the time rims were made by tyre manufacturers (Michelin, Dunlop) to suit their different tyre models, so a 28", 1 1/8" wide tyre fitted a rim that was 28 - 2x1 1/8" = 25 3/4" in diameter. and a 28", 1 3/8" wide tyre fitted a rim that was 28 - 2x1 3/8) = 25 1/4" in diameter. French sizes were in increments of 50 mm (600, 650 or 700 mm), with tyre width was indicated by a letter A (narrow), B (medium) C (wide).
As time went on, the manufacture of tyres and rims divided. The rim makers didn't want to make a huge number of different but similar rim sizes, and riders wanted different widths of tyres that fitted the rims they'd already got on their bikes. This ended up giving tyre sizes like 700x28C (a 28 mm wide tyre that fits a rim originally sized for a size C (wide), 700mm diameter tyre), or 28 x 1 5/8 x 1 1/8" (a 1 1/8" wide tyre designed to fit a rim that was originally for a 28" diameter, 1 5/8" wide tyre)

The OP's tyre is marked 700x45C and 28 x 1 5/8 x 1 3/4".
The width is 45 mm or 1 3/4"
The rim size is 700C or 28 x 1 5/8"

 

[mjr]

[...] with tyre width was indicated by a letter A (narrow), B (medium) C (wide).

Basically that's all as I understand it, but I've also seen some old "D" rims (as @Ian H hints at). Schwalbe are naughty to say "C stands for 622 mm" without pointing out that's only true for 700C - selling more tyres by confusing people into buying the wrong ones?

French sizing is now as messed-up and confusing as American (both old lettered and new numbered) or English. Ignore them all and go ISO.