Tire Fittment Question

[1OldGI]

Picked up this 70's AMF for next to nothing. Not planning a hard build until the end of the summer but I have done some nit noy upgrades (seat, cheapy whitewalls, three piece crank). It rides nice so I figured I'd ride it as is for the summer and make the build a Fall/Winter project. My question is: Can I run 26 x 2.3 tires on this bike? The current 2.125s don't look like there's a bunch of room left but I'm just not totally convinced the 2.3s would fit. I'd really like to run Kenda Kiniptions or K Rads but don't want to buy them and have to return them because they rub and I can't run them. Does anyone have a similar bike running 2.3s?

Loose build plan:
Strip and paint Anita Bryant Orange
Red Bear trap pedals
Mr. Tick lay back seat post
Lowrider chrome straight springer fork with twisted struts
Chrome 4 piece bmx/ cruiser bars
Chrome lowrider rims
Flo-Grown sticker on the chain guard where it says Tradition (blue script letters with red border) Go Gators!
Chrome 144 spoke rims?

 

[deorman]

I know some guys really like them, but I never got the billion spoke wheel thing. More weight, added work if they need truing, and I just don't care for the look. I get the adding stuff just for style, but when it comes to old plain Jane cruiser bikes, I'm more likely to take stuff off than put it on, unless it involves
functionality, like suspension or gearing. Fortunately, my opinion doesn't matter much, since it's your bike.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Cool bike/starting point! 144's and Twisted stuff isn't really my style either, but I still appreciate a nice build. Looking forward to seeing it happen when you start the transformation!

Luke.

 

[1OldGI]

Not really sure yet about the 144 rims and lowrider fork. I'm too old to have ever owned a BMX bike so I may take it in that direction. Same color scheme, leave the chain guard on, lose the fenders and replace the stock fork (13/16"") with a fat straight 7/8" fork, the handlebars would remain BMX/Cruiser style and I'd change the seat to an old school, Brooks knock off. If I can't get 2.3's under it I may change to a set of red 2.125's. I think this setup would be a bit more in line with my "Old Goat BMX bike/ East Coast Klunker theme. What are the odds I can run 2.3s

 

[gowjobs]

As long as you don't go wider on the rims, I'm betting that a 2.3 K-Rad or similar will work out okay. You'll just have to make sure that your wheels are true. The place you'd likely have problems would be going to an aggressive off-road tire on a 2.3 casing, as they have more knobbies on the outer edge, and a squarer general profile.

All that being the case, tire sizing systems vary quite a bit between manufacturers, so one company's 2.2 might be the same inflated dimensions as another's 2.4, mounted on the same rim.

 

[user 135]

If you are taking fenders off,I bet they will fit. If you fenders are staying, then it will be trial and error.

 

[Bicycle808]

Nice bike. I like it. I can't say for sure whether or not a 2.3 will fit out back; as others mentioned, shedding the fenders will open up some clearance, but your best bet is to pull the wheel, and measure the space between the stays. Running the hub as far back as it goes in the dropouts will afford you the most room for rubber. You'll want to measure between the stays at about 310mm (12 1/4") to see if you'll have the lateral clearance. (I'd be stunned if there wasn't enough vertical clearance.) LEave yourself a few mm on each side to allow for wheels going out of true or mud or whatever. Oh, usually the bottleneck is between the chainstays, but i've never messed with that frame, so best to measure between the seatstays, too. As others said, some of these tire manufacturers run sizes a bit over or under the nominal size; i'm running the 2.3 kiniptions on 31mm rims, and they measure out at 2.125" side-to-side. (I bet the 2.125s you got on it now are running a bit narrow too, if you measure them...)

If you'e changing to a tubular fork, it'd almost definitely clear 2.3" kiniptions or k-rads. If the frame is tight out back, you could run a 2.3 k-rad up front, and a 1.95" k-rad on the rear. Just a thought!

 

[CrazyDave]

Perhaps you could go down to your favorite LBS and ask em to test fit a set? As long as you buy your rubber there they should have no qualms about it. My LBS loves it when folks bring in off-beat ideas to try...everyone learns and gets to try something different! With fenders on that? I find it unlikely. Schwinn Middleweights will barely take a 2.0 and I have some 1.9" kenda K-rads on a 1.75 bike with fenders (49 higgins) that I had to adjust the fenders perfectly and get the wheels straight as can be to not rub....looks killer but I almost regret it. Let us know how it goes though, I am curious!

 

[1OldGI]

Oh, usually the bottleneck is between the chainstays

Exactly, on the non-drive side just behind the bottom bracket I have like probably 1/8" clearance. The drive side and the front no doubt would be fine. I suspect this was a 1.75 bike so yeah 2.125 could be as oversized as it gets for this one. Give me enough time and I'll change my mind again, put some 1.5 Maxxis Detonators on it, with bullhorn bars and make it a "go-fast" bike

 

[deorman]

I have an older AMF bike with similar clearance issues, a true-to-size 1.75" would barely clear, so I went full skinny, 1 3/8" 3spd.

 

[deorman]

Here's the first bike I ever posted, a
Columbia middleweight with 1.5" on alloy rims.

 

[1OldGI]

Both very nice bikes. Perhaps I will go skinny. Maybe I should spend the summer just trying various things out and when I get it configured the way I want it, I'll strip it down and do the body work. Or would you guys recommend body work first then build? I've puttered a bit but this is really my first real no kidding build and restore.

 

[1OldGI]

Started getting stuff together for the skinny tires mod. I'm going to install alloy rims with Bontrager Road Warrior 26 x 1.25 tires. The more I start to gradually clean this thing up the more I feel like I'll leave it patina (maybe just rub out the paint and clear coat over it.) I'd really like to put an old school fork truss (just the truss, not a springer fork).

 

[1OldGI]

It's surprising, (now that I really look at it) how very close to not clearing the 2.125s are. They're running OK for now but if the wheels get even a little bit out of true, no dice, there's probably 1/8" of clearance or less. I bet with the skinny slicks on it this thing will move like a ..... ape.

 

[honestherman]

I don't know anyone who will take tires back because they Rub after you mounted them . I have seen several skinny bikes, love the look as long as Everything is Skinny. Fenders, Seat , Bars and even a skinny chain guard!

 

[Baron von Zach]

Does the rider have to be skinny too?
I'm out...

 

[Bicycle808]

My vote, not that you asked, is Kenda K-Rads; 2.3 up front, 1.95 out back, both pumped up to the max which is like 80psi....they'll move, too... and it'll make your ride look far more "moto", with the fat/skinny matched-tread combo.....

 

[1OldGI]

After I started looking, The 2.125 I was running just barely cleared the chainstays. Decided to go skinny. I'm currently running 26 x 1.25 Bontrager Road Warriors on alloy rims. Took it for a 40 mile ride yesterday. Cruises like a boss. Clearly this wasn't the bike to run 2.3s on. I'll save that distinction for the pre-war balloon tire bike I'll be picking up next year.