Correct Shoe Size

[Nick Calne]

Steamer 2 is about to get a new pair of shiny black TKC 80 boots from those lovely Continental people.  ST2 has got standard steamer wheels.

Before I rush in and (as normal) make a tit of myself with the wrong kit can anyone confirm that:

110/80 19
140/80 17

are the right ones....  I have heard some people say 150/80 17 is the right size for the back.....

Thanks guys. 8)

[Rocinante]

The knobs are very different on the rear depending on the width you choose. Currently I have TKC-80 130, and the knobs are a lot narrower than on the standard 140. The 150 is closer to 140 I think, but still wider knobs.

The result is that the wider you choose, the more paved road friendly it becomes.

Other than that your sizes look correct.

TKC-80 is in my opinion the best all-round choice you can make. On paved roads it behaves pretty much like a road tire, unless you like to use knee pucks, and on gravel it´s very decent and a lot better than the standard tires for these bikes. It wears a bit quicker though.

Last year I road on Pirelli MT-21 which is a much better pure gravel tire, but discovered in a rather brutal way how lousy they brake on paved surfaces. Now I don´t dare to use them anymore.

[MIMbox]

In the UK, early Tiggers had a 140 rear. The rear tyre on my 95 is a 150, but the rim was swapped out by the last owner due to corrosion, and a rim from a later one was used, possibly a Girly Tiger. I do not know when the cut over was, but it may have coincided with the change to stainless spokes/Behr rims. I suspect that you need to ensure your rim is correct for your tyre width. The later wheel was a straight swap, I am told.

[Nick Calne]

Thanks gents.