Mis-matched tyres

[MarkF]

I've been supplied mis-matched tyres, 700c x 32mm and 35mm, my supplier more or less told me to quit moaning, it was only 3mm.

I wanted a pair of Schwalbe Delta cruisers 32mm, they were to be for my hybrid and they are strong enough for towpath stuff and not too big to spoil my road riding, I had them on my last bike and was comfortable with them, that's my total knowledge of tyres.. However I now have one of them and one Schwalbe Marathon plus 35mm! A good tyre by all accounts but a different size and tread pattern!

I have never needed tyres before, I've always changed bikes before needing new ones, am I stupid? Am I am moaning git? Am I missing something about cycle tyres? I mean, nothing would get me to ride my motorcyle on mismatched and different sized tyres.

 

[bonj2]

Surely it was specified what size they were when you ordered them? i.e. if you've ordered 2x 700x32 and you got 1x 700x32 and 1x 700x35, then they've
not sent you what you ordered, regardless of whether or not they will be ok. Therefore they are obliged to either swap it to what you have ordered, or give you a refund - I'm sure this is covered under the trades descriptions act.
It's like if I ordered two loaves of bread from tescos and they delivered one loaf of bread and one pack of crumpets, I would be rightly still miffed if their excuse was, 'well you can still toast 'em? what're you moaning for?'

Dig out the details of your original order and point out that what they've sent isn't what you ordered.

Who is the supplier may I ask, or don't you want to say?

 

[RedBike]

The Marathon plus is arguably the better tyre. However, I wouldn't fit either make of tyre for use along a towpath (Unless the paths are paved).

I would go for a Cyclo-cross tyre (CX). They're almost overkill. However, a good CX tyre should significantly out perform both of the above tyres on wet grass/mud. There will be a slight rolling penalty. However, as most CX tyres are designed for racing this shouldn't be too severe.

Both the tyres you've listed are touring tyres. Great puncture protection, comfortable thought their size; but the tread is much better suited for roads than wet grass.

 

[MarkF]

I don't want to say who the supplier is yet, everybody gets a 2nd chance. I believe another tyre is on it's way to me

Originally I did get 2 Delta's 700c x 32mm but one was badly damaged. The Marathon is a replacement for that, there is no dispute about what I ordered. But, like I said, my tyre knowledge is zilch and I was made to feel silly for requesting that I have 2 matching tyres and ended up doubting my (sensible to me) opinion that mismatched treads and sizes would be very silly indeed.

 

[RedBike]

There's nothing wrong with having miss-matched treads and sizes. Quite a few MTBs have different treads/widths on the front to the rear.

 

[snorri]

I have never needed tyres before, I've always changed bikes before needing new ones,

 

[MarkF]

There's nothing wrong with having miss-matched treads and sizes. Quite a few MTBs have different treads/widths on the front to the rear.

Hhmm, wish I hadn't been so hard on him on the phone now. The upside is that I have learnt something.

Snorri, I am 45 and only got cycling 18 months (ish) ago, you rapidly learn things. Like brand new £99 MTB's are shoot, like an accepted "good" bike like a Dawes Galaxy is not very good in the woods Thats why I had a rapid turnaround of bikes, zero knowledge of bikes I have a hybrid now and am content.

 

[bonj2]

There's nothing wrong with having miss-matched treads and sizes. Quite a few MTBs have different treads/widths on the front to the rear.

oh well mtbs yes, i've got a much fatter tyre on the rear of my mtb than on the front...

 

[Steve Austin]

oh well mtbs yes, i've got a much fatter tyre on the rear of my mtb than on the front...

Which is the complete opposite of how it should be

 

[RedBike]

Hhmm, wish I hadn't been so hard on him on the phone now. The upside is that I have learnt something.

I think you had every right to complain. Cosmetically they wouldn't match; and more importantly it not what you ordered!

I wouldn't be too tempted to use the Delta cruisers tyres in a woodland either. Slick tyres don't grip very well in muddy conditions or on wet grass. However, if you fitted a cross country tyre you could conceivably use your hybrid bike in the woods.

 

[mickle]

oh well mtbs yes, i've got a much fatter tyre on the rear of my mtb than on the front...

Woops! Wrong way round lessen you be peddlin backards moi babber.

 

[bonj2]

Woops! Wrong way round lessen you be peddlin backards moi babber.

hmm... never thought of that actually.
'spose you're right in theory.

 

[Arch]

I had a slightly fatter tyre on the rear of my Galaxy, when it was still in use (MUST get that respray done), so is that wrong for a tourer as well? I think, as with most of my bike part decisions, it was partly dictated by availability of cheap bits and pieces at the time... Why is it wrong?

So, nothing wrong with odd tyres, if you don't mind the look, but if you've ordered something, you ought to get what you ordered, and not be fobbed off if they muck up.

 

[MarkF]

It arrives as promised so I now have 2 marathon Plus 35mm tyres and a 32mm Delta Cruiser that they don't want back so that has halved my next tyre cost

 

[twowheelsgood]

Arch, a larger rear tyre is almost certainly the right way to go for most riding, especially touring.

I you think 2/3rds of your weight plus say 20kg of load on the rear pannier goes through that tyre, then you either go bigger or run the same tyre at higher (possibly too high) pressure.

It's especially true of heavier riders (like myself). The maximum rated pressure on a 23c usually co-incides with the recommended pressure for an 80-85kg rider. There are a lot of heavier riders out there who would actually be better off on a 25c at least at the rear, 'cos they aren't riding their skinny racing shoes as they are designed to perform (or they run at some crazy pressure). I've seen countless riders, even on expensive machines effectively riding on the sidewalls. I run 23c Michelin pro races on my roadie at 130-135PSI - at my own risk a 25c would be better if I could find one.

On my commuter/tourer, I generally run different size panaracer Paselas 'cos the all match nicely. commuting 25/28, light touring 28/32, loaded 32/35.