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Size Markings

What do the various size markings on bicycle tires mean?

Nowadays, bicycle tires sizes should all fall in line with ETRTO’s (European Tire and Rim Technical Organization) tire and rim standards. Yet the older English and French tire size markings are still used.

An ETRTO size marked 37-622 indicates the width of 37 mm and the tire inner diameter of 622 mm. This designation is clear and allows an unequivocal match with the corresponding rim size.

Inch size designations are less accurate. A tire marked 28 x 1 5/8 x 1 3/8 indicates an approximate outer diameter of 28 inch, the tire section height of 1 5/8-inch, and the tire section width of 1 3/8-inch. Inch sizes can also follow the pattern 26 x 2.10, which, in this case indicates only tire’s outer diameter and the tire’s section width.

Inch sizes are ambiguous and lack accuracy. For example, the diameters 559 mm (MTB), 571 mm (Triathlon) and 590 mm (Touring) are all designated 26 inch. Tires with diameters 622 mm and 635 mm are both designated 28-inch, yet, surprisingly, tires with a diameter of 630 mm are designated 27-inch.

A French size marked 700 x 35C, indicates the approximate tire outer diameter of 700 mm and the tire section width of 35 mm. Not all tire sizes exist as French size designations, for instance MTB sizes.

Size designations on the tire

Size Designations Overview

  ETRTO Inch French
Size designation 37-622 28x1 5/8 x 1 3/8 700x35c
Outer diameter - Approx. 28" Approx. 700mm
Inner diameter 622 mm - -
Tire section width Approx. 37 mm Approx. 1 3/8" Approx. 35 mm
Tire section height - Approx. 1 5/8" -


How many tire sizes are there?

The following table shows all common tire sizes This table lists, where applicable, a corresponding ETRTO-size for virtually every tire size.

  ETRTO Inch French
7" 47-93 7 x 1 3/4  
8" 47-94

20 x 47-50
8 x 2

  
50-94 200 x 50  
54-110 8 x 2 1/8
8 1/2 x 2		  
32-137 8 x 1 1/4  
10" 54-152
44-194		 10 x 2
10 x 1 5/8		  
11" 47-222 11 x 13/4  
12" 47-203 12 1/2 x 1.75
12 1/2 x 1.90		  
54-203 12 x 1.95  
57-203 12 1/2 x 2 1/4 R  
62-203 12 1/2 x 2 1/4  
32-239 12 1/2 x 1 3/8 x 1 1/4 300 x 32A
57-239 12 1/2 x 2 1/4 300 x 55A
14" 57-251 14 1/2 x 2 1/4 300 x 55A
47-254 14 x 1.75

14 x 1.90

  
40-279 14 x 11/2 350 x 38B
37-288 14 x 1 5/8 x 1 3/8 350A
350A
350A Confort
350A Ballon
350A 1/2Ballon
350 x 32A
40-288 14 x 1 5/8 350 x 38A
44-288 14 x 1 5/8 x 1 3/8 350A
350 x 42A
32-298 14 x 1 1/4 350A
350 x 32A
16" 40-305 16 x 1.50  
47-305 16 x 1.75
16 x 1.90		  
54-305 16 x 1.95

16 x 2.00

  
57-305 16 x 2.125  
40-330 16 x 1 1/2 400 x 38B
28-340   400 x 30A
32-340 16 x 1 3/8 x 1 1/4 400A
400 x 32A
37-340 16 x 1 3/8 x 1 1/4 400 x 35A
400A Confort
400A Ballon

400A 1/2 Ballon
44-340 16 x 1 5/8  
28-349 16 x 11/8  
32-349 16 x 11/4 NL  
37-349 16 x 1 3/8  
17" 32-357 17 x 1 1/4  
37-369 17 x 1 1/4  
18" 28-355 18 x 1 1/8  
40-355 18 x 1.50  
47-355 18 x 1.75
18 x 1.90		  
37-387 18 x 1 3/8  
40-387 18 x 1 1/2  
28-390 18 x 1 1/8 450 x 28A

450A
37-390 18 x 1 3/8 450 x 35A
450A

450A Confort
450A Ballon
450A 1/2Ballon
55-390   450 x 55A
57-390   450 x 55A
450A
37-400 18 x 1 3/8  
20" 54-400 20 x 2 x 1 3/4
20 x 2F4J		  
28-406 20 x 1 1/8  
32-406 20 x 1.25  
35-406 20 x 1.35  
37-406 20 x 1 3/8  
40-406 20 x 1.50  
44-406 20 x 1.625  
47-406 20 x 1.75
20 x 1.90		  
50-406 20 x 2.00  
54-406 20 x 2.00  
57-406 20 x 2.125  
54-428 20 x 2.00  
40-432 20 x 1 1/2  
37-438 20 x 1 3/8 500A
40-438 20 x 1 3/8 500 x 38A
28-440   500 x 28A

500A
500A Standard
40-440 20 x 1 1/2NL 500 x 38A
28-451 20 x 1 1/8  
37-451 20 x 1 3/8 B.S.  
22" 44-484 22 x 15/8 x 11/2  
25-489 22 x 1.00  
37-489 22 x 1 3/8 NL  
40-489 22 x 1 3/8 x 1 1/2  
50-489 22 x 2.00  
28-490   550 x 28A
550A
550A Standard
32-490 22 x 1 3/8 x 1 1/4 550 x 32A
550A
37-490 22 x 13/8 550 x 35A

550A Confort
550A Ballon
550A 1/2 Ballon
37-498 22 x 1 3/8 x 1 1/4  
32-501 22 x 1 1/4  
37-501 22 x 1 3/8  
24" 40-507 24 x 1.50  
44-507 24 x 1.625
24 x 1.75		  
47-507 24 x 1.75
24 x 1.85/1.90		  
49-507 24 x 1.85  
50-507 24 x 1.90/2.00
24 x 2.00

24 x 2.125

  
54-507 24 x 2.10  
57-507 24 x 2.125
24 x 2.00		  
60-507 24 x 2.35  
44-531 24 x 1 5/8 x 1 1/2  
40-534 24 x 1 1/2  
25-540 24 x 1.00  
32-540 24 x 1 3/8 x 1 1/4
24 x 1 3/8		  
37-540 24 x 1 3/8  
40-540 24 x 1 3/8 x 1 1/2  
22-541    
25-541   600 x 25A
28-541   600 x 28A
600A

600A Standard
32-541 24 x 1 3/8 x 1 1/4 N4 600 x 32A
37-541   600 x 35A
600A Confort
600A Ballon
600A 1/2 Ballon
26" 25-559 26 x 1.00  
35-559 26 x 1.35  
37-559 26 x 1 5/8 x 1 3/8
26 x 1.40		  
40-559 26 x 1.50  
44-559 26 x 1.625
26 x 1.50/1.75		  
47-559 26 x 1.75

26 x 1.85/1.90

  
50-559 26 x 1.90
26 x 1.95

26 x 1.90/2.00
26 x 2.00/2.10

  
54-559 26 x 1.95

26 x 2.10
26 x 2.125

  
57-559 26 x 2.125

26 x 2.20/2.25

  
60-559 26 x 2.35  
62-559 26 x 2.50  
20-571 26 x 3/4 650 x 20C
23-571 26 x 7/8 650 x 22C
40-571 26 x 1 1/2 CS
26 x 1 3/8 x 1 1/2 NL
26 x 1 5/8 x 1 1/2 		650 x 35C
650 x 38C
47-571 26 x 1 3/4
650 CS confort		 650 x 45C
54-571 26 x 2 x 1 3/4 650 x 50C
28-584 26 x 1 1/8 x 1 1/2 650 x 28B
32-584   650 x 32B
35-584 26 x 1 3/8 x 1 1/2 650 x 35B
650B Standard
37-584 26 x 1 1/2 x 1 3/8

26 x 1 1/2

 650 x 35B
40-584 26 x 1 5/8 x 1 1/2 650 x 42B

650B Semi-Confort
650B 1/2 Ballon
20-590   650 x 20A
25-590 26 x 1 1/8, 1 1/4
26 x 1 3/8 - 1 1/4		 650 x 32A
28-590 26 x 1 1/8 650 x 28A
32-590 26 x 1 1/4

26 x 1 3/8 x1 1/4

 650 x 32A
35-590 26 x 1 3/8 650 x 35A
37-590 26 x 1 3/8 650 x 35A
650A
40-590 26 x 1.50
28 x 1 3/8 x 1 1/2		 650 x 38A
44-590    
32-597 26 x 1 1/4  
27" 40-609 27 x 1 1/2  
20-630 27 x 3/4  
22-630 27 x 7/8  
25-630 27 x 1.00
27 x 1 1/16		  
28-630 27 x 1 1/8
27 x 1 1/4 Fifty
27 x 1 1/4 		 
32-630 27 x 1 1/4  
28/32-630 27 x 1 1/4  
35-630 27 x 1 3/8  
28" 18-622 28 x 3/4 700 x 18C
19-622   700 x 19C
20-622 28 x 3/4 700 x 20C
22-622 28 x 7/8 700 x 22C
23-622 28 x 7/8 700 x 23C
25-622 28 x 1.00, 1 1/16 700 x 25C
30-622 28 x 1.20 700 x 28C
28-622 28 x 1 5/8 x 1 1/8 700 x 30C
32-622 28 x 15/8 x 11/4 700 x 32C
700C COURSE
35-622 28 x 15/8 x 13/8 700 x 35C
37-622 28 x 1 5/8 x 1 3/8 700 x 35C
40-622 28 x 1.50
28 x 1 5/8 x 1 1/2		 700 x 38C
42-622 28 x 1.60 700 x 40C
44-622 28 x 1.625 700 x 42C
47-622 28 x 1.75 700 x 45C
50-622 28 x 1.90
28 x 2.00		  
60-622 28 x 2.35  
32-635 28 x 1 1/2 x 1 1/8 770 x 28B

700 x 28B
770B COURSE
40-635 28 x 1 1/2
28 x 1 1/2 x 1 3/8		 700 x 38B
700 x 35B
700 Standard
700B Standard
44-635 28 x 15/8 x 11/2 700 x 40/42B
28-642 28 x 1 3/8 x 1 1/8 700 x 28A
37-642 28 x 1 3/8 700 x 35A