Maxxis Hookworms and other balloon type tyres
Discussion
Has anyone fitted a set of 26" x 2.5" Maxxis Hookworms or any other 2.5" for that matter and are they absolutely massive or will they fit pretty much any MTB?
I have a fairly old rigid steel mountain bike that I want to start using again and like the look of the Hookworms but have no idea how big a tyre I can go without measuring and as it's in storage 40 miles away I can't easily check until this weekend and would like to have some tyres ready to go on as there's a chance the old ones have perished.
The bike is a Raleigh DynaTech from 1991 and you can see how much clearance there is below (That one isn't mine by the way).
Could someone experienced in the world of mountain bikes (so not me then) take an educated guess as to whether a 2.5" would fit in those gaps? Cheers.
I have a fairly old rigid steel mountain bike that I want to start using again and like the look of the Hookworms but have no idea how big a tyre I can go without measuring and as it's in storage 40 miles away I can't easily check until this weekend and would like to have some tyres ready to go on as there's a chance the old ones have perished.
The bike is a Raleigh DynaTech from 1991 and you can see how much clearance there is below (That one isn't mine by the way).
Could someone experienced in the world of mountain bikes (so not me then) take an educated guess as to whether a 2.5" would fit in those gaps? Cheers.
Hmm, that's from an era when tyres were a lot thinner. Rear is where the problem might be.
Schwalbe Big Apples are raved about and the scant comparisons around pitch them better than the Maxxis.
I'd go 2.35 front 2.0 rear. Still very balloony
Edit. Halfords do both sizes. Order 3 of them in reserve & collect, get bike and measure, go pick up & pay for the ones you want on Saturday, they'll return the other one. They price match everyone too.
Schwalbe Big Apples are raved about and the scant comparisons around pitch them better than the Maxxis.
I'd go 2.35 front 2.0 rear. Still very balloony
Edit. Halfords do both sizes. Order 3 of them in reserve & collect, get bike and measure, go pick up & pay for the ones you want on Saturday, they'll return the other one. They price match everyone too.
Edited by richardxjr on Wednesday 27th January 15:12
As I'm sure you've all been waiting with baited breath to see what I went for in the end, I picked up a set of Schwalbe Big Apple 2.35"s and they even have a tiny bit of room to spare so I may try upping it to 2.5" next time. I love how they've transformed the look of the bike.
ETA: Ok it's more obvious in real life than in that photo.
ETA: Ok it's more obvious in real life than in that photo.
Safety enhanced too! That reflective strip is a great idea, and weighs next to nowt. I wish more 'skinny' road tyres had the reflective strip, as I do a fair amount of riding at night, and I'd go for safety over 'cool' every time.
Bike looks nice, too, with the larger tyres, but *oof* - that stem? I know it's probably "of it's time" and all that, but it looks very long, and out of proportion with the rest of the bike.
Bike looks nice, too, with the larger tyres, but *oof* - that stem? I know it's probably "of it's time" and all that, but it looks very long, and out of proportion with the rest of the bike.
yellowjack said:
Bike looks nice, too, with the larger tyres, but *oof* - that stem? I know it's probably "of it's time" and all that, but it looks very long, and out of proportion with the rest of the bike.
It's from the early days of mountain bikes when the geometry was just "so we take a road bike, slap some 26" wheels on with wider tyres and flat bars yeah?" 
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