| Name | Bead seat | Typical widths | Usual bikes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 700c (e.g. 700x25c) | 622 mm | 23–50 mm | Road, gravel, hybrid |
| 28 inch (e.g. 28 x 1.6, 28 x 1 5/8 x 1 3/8) | 622 mm | 32–60 mm | European city and trekking bikes |
| 29 inch (e.g. 29 x 2.3) | 622 mm | 50–66 mm | Mountain bikes |
So can I swap them?
The tire will mount, but it also has to suit two other things:
- Rim inner width. Narrow road rims (about 15–19 mm inside) suit tires of roughly 25–45 mm. Wide mountain rims (25–35 mm inside) suit about 2.1–2.6 inch (53–66 mm). Far outside the range, the tire is unstable or can come off.
- Frame, fork and brake clearance. A 29 x 2.3 tire won’t fit a road frame; leave at least 4–6 mm of space around the tire.
Not to be confused with 27 inch
Older road bikes often have 27-inch wheels (630 mm). They look almost the same but are 8 mm bigger – a 700c tire won’t seat on them. Check the sidewall number: 622 or 630.