Folding Vs Wire Bead Bike Tires
The number of bicycle tires available can be quite overwhelming for a newbie . . . .Clincher tires, Folding Bead Tires, Wire Bead Tire, Tubular tires are the ones that you will most likely encounter. So, when looking to upgrade or buy a spare bike tire, which one should you choose? The good news is that is not as confusing as it looks; so, continue reading we will get you on the right path.
Please Note-The following article is based upon comparing similar tires to another. For example, a top-of-the-line folding tire will be compared to a premium steel wire bead tire. The reason for this is that it will mostly rule out exceptions to the rule that may come up, which I feel is reasonable as it is not fair to compare an expensive, premiere wire bead to a cheap folding tire.
The Anatomy of A Bike Tire
You most likely know this information already. But, if you do not the following is a summary of the bicycle wheel’s anatomy.
- Rims-Rims keep the tire on wheels and work and for rim brakes, they serve as an area of contact for the brake.
- Bead-For bikes, beads are not cylindrically shaped. A tire bead is a cord/wire that is covered by an outer, fabric, cover that circles the entire tire’s circumference. The bead also secures the tire to the rim or the wheel’s outer edge.
- Tire-The tire is the rubber that is mounted on the bike rim.
- Inner Tube– This is what holds the physical air and also contains an air valve for releasing and adding air.
What Is a Clincher Tire?
The clincher tire is the standard tire in cycling. It is called a clincher because of the way the physical tire attaches or “clinches” to the wheel rim. A clincher tire is a generic term for a type of bike tire that covers both the folding bead, wire bead, and tubeless clincher tires.
Clincher tires are made from a kevlar or steel bead that connects to the wheel’s rim. Clincher wheels will have three types of rims: Crochet rims, Straight-Side, and hooked-bead rims. Of the three, the most common is the hooked-bead rim.
Clincher Tire Overview
Steel Wire Bead Clincher Tire
The wire bead tire is the most common type of clincher tire sold. With a wire bead tire a steel wire (covered in a casing) circles around the tire to keep the tire on the wheel. The wire is surrounded by a hard rubber casing. A steel wire bead, unlike a folding tire, cannot be bent.
Pros and Cons
PROS
- Common-As is the most common type of bike tire, there will be more available tire sizes, and it is easier to get.
- Cheap-These are the cheapest type of bike tire that you can purchase.
CONS
- Heavy– Compared to a folding tire the steel wire bead is heavier.
- Installation-The steel wire bead tire is considered to be among the more difficult bike tires to mount.
- Poor Quality– As these are the cheapest tire, depending upon the brand, a cheaper casing, and inferior rubber source may be used to make these tires.
Folding Bead Clincher Tire
The folding bead tire is an advanced clincher tire that has quite a few advantages over the wire bead. It was originally designed for a road bike and to be used for long-distance bike tours. However, as the price has gone down, it is now used by the general public. As the name states, a folding bike tire can be folded and placed in your saddlebag, backpack, etc., which makes the folding version bike tire perfect for a long ride where you are not close to a bike shop.
How Is a Folding Bead Tire Made?
With a folding tire a Kevlar bead circles the wheel instead of steel wire. Kevlar is lighter than steel, and as a result, folding tires are approximately 1.7 to 3.2 oz. (50 to 90g) lighter than wire bead tires. This doesn’t seem like a lot, and it isn’t. But, for a professional, those few ounces could mean the difference between first and second place. A folding tire also has other advantages other than just being lighter. The pros and cons of the folding clincher tire are listed below
PRO
• Compact– Just like a spare tire on your car the portable folding tire can be brought with you.
• Rubber– The folding tire’s rubber is known for its flexibility and being extra soft, which results in better traction and an overall smoother and better performance.
• TPI-Folding tires will most likely have a higher TPI or threads per inch count than wired beaded. A higher TPI tire is more supple and it tends to grip the ground better than a wire beaded tire.
• Faster-The Kevlar bead weighs less than the wire bead tire. And a lighter bike means a faster bike.
CONS
• Cost-As they are using more advanced technology folding tires cost more than most other clincher tires.
• Durability-The folding tires, soft rubber, have better traction and also weigh less than a wire bead. The softer rubber also has a down point in that they aren’t as durable as the harder wire bead tire rubber.
The Tubeless Clincher Tire
The tubeless clincher tire is a clincher tire minus the inner tube of the traditional clincher. (Hence, why it is called tubeless). Its goal is to save a rider from getting flats. As it was first introduced to the market, in 2006, The tubeless tire is quite new.
Professional riders rarely use it on their race bike as it weighs more than traditional clincher tires. Tubeless tires also require you, for best results, to purchase specialized tubeless bike rims. So, if you decide to go tubeless you will need to purchase not only the tire but also specialized rims. One strong point of tubeless bike tires is that they are EASIER To mount than either a folding or wire bead clincher tire.
Tubular Tires
Tubular is another tire, not part of the clincher family, that you will see when you are shopping. Tubular tires are not addressed in this article. They will be addressed in a later post.
Final Thoughts
Folding Clincher or Wire Bead?
Whether you choose the folding clincher or wire bead bike tire depends upon your priorities. Folding bike tires are perfect for the touring road biker who rides long distances. Its ability to be folded up and put in saddlebags or some other storage area could be an invaluable lifesaver. A professional racer, who chooses to use clinchers, will love the fact that folding bike tires are lighter than wire beaded tires as a lighter weight means an overall better performance.
All of the above are nice. If you are an average hobbyist or commuter cyclist reliability, rather than a slight performance gains should be your priority. When starting out, if a bike tire is not as reliable, you should not care that much if your wheels are four ounces lighter, and/or the ride may not be as smooth as you would like. So, personally, unless you are a serious competitor, it would likely serve you best to choose a more reliable tire. In conclusion, if you are a bike commuter or a hobbyist rider, ask yourself if you value slight performance gains (that you may not even notice) or a bit more reliability.