What's the difference between a 29" tire and a 700C tire?

mikeschn

· Registered

Joined Jun 6, 2009

·

52 Posts

Discussion starter · #1 · Apr 15, 2010

Only show this user

What's the difference between a 29" tire and a 700C tire? Yes, I know they both mount on a 622 rim.

Do they make the sidewall higher to achieve a 29" O.D.? Or do they make it wider and taller proportionately?

Are the 700C and the 29er pretty much interchangeable?

Mikey

 

laffeaux

· Registered

Joined Jan 4, 2004

·

6,004 Posts

#2 · Apr 15, 2010

Only show this user

A 29er tire is a mountain bike tire that fits onto a 700c rim.

The 700 in "700C" refers to the fact that the outside diameter of a tire, when mounted on the rim will be about 700mm in diameter. The "C" is part of an old French system that denoted a narrow rim - with "B" being wider, and there must have been an "A" size rim too. So a 700C rim is a narrow rim intended to be used with a 700mm outer-diameter tire.

A 29er tire is bigger than 700mm (about 27.6 inches), so the 700 part of "700C" does not really apply. Also, since some 29er rims are wide, the "C" part really doesn't apply either. So a 700c rim can be used to build a 29er wheel, but technically speaking not all 29er rims are 700C (if you use the real definition). However, if you define a 700C rim as any rim with a 622mm bead diameter, then a 29er rim is a 700C rim.