Folding bike tires are more expensive than wire bead tires.
Folding bike tires vs wire bead.
Wire bead tires are heavier than folding ones and they are also substantially harder to re mount should you need to take one off to change a flat.
Wire bead tires require tire levers to change.
Many cyclists will find that the premium features of folding tires are commensurate to their high cost.
If you have been shopping for new bicycle tires you have likely encountered tires of the folding variety which generally sell for 6 to 30 dollars more per tire than regular tires as of late 2013.
Wire bead road bike tires.
Most of the time it s wire bead.
The cost difference is attributed to tire construction.
The bead includes a steel wire that goes between your bike s rim and the tire itself.
Wire beads formed by a thin steel wire are old school.
Well folding bead tires can be folded.
Now a bead isn t like what you d see on a necklace or bracelet at least in biking.
I could be wrong about this but i m assuming a wire bead tire is also stiffer as a result of the different construction meaning slightly higher rolling resistance and slightly less comfort vibration damping.
Speaking of traditional bike tires have you ever considered what they re made of.
The bead is where the tire contacts the rim.