tire clearance with carbon fork

[dave1215]

so let's say you have a carbon fiber fork (serotta, alpha Q, reynolds, wound-up, other) and you want some comfort from a larger tire - how big a tire can you fit under your carbon fork?

[Ray]

Depends on the fork. Most of them will take a 25 pretty comfortably. Some won't take a 28 - others will but just barely. Not just carbon either - I had an early '90s Specialized Allez (lugged steel) with a steel fork and it wouldn't take a Conti 28, which was a pretty skinny 28.

-Ray

[Peter P.]

Many, if not most tires don't measure what they say on the label. For example, the 700x25 Continentals on my commuter actually measure 23mm. Most carbon forks can handle a 25mm tire, if just barely.

The Rivendell Reader had an article over a year ago that compared quite a few forks and the widest tire they could accept. It's worth searching for.

[weaponsgrade]

In my personal testing, here's what I found. A 25 Pro Race 2 will fit in an Ouzo Pro and Easton. It "fits" in an Alpha Q, but the clearance is like 1mm - I wouldn't ride it. The other thing to note is that I think Michelans run a little big - at least their Mud cross tires do.

[davep]

Pro Race 2s run to almost 27mm.

[rnhood]

I have run Specialized All-Condition 28s on my Ouzo Pro and, these are about as large as will fit. Michelin Pro-Race 25s also work fine and, these are very close in size to the Specialized 28s. Both these tires ride very nice.