Black Friday bike wheels and tyres: deals

What does the Black Friday for bike wheels and tyres include?

The tyres on Black Friday form the largest selection, from slick road rubber to downhill treads. The inner tubes and tubulars complete the setup. On the wheel side, complete wheels, sold individually or in pairs, sit alongside rims and hubs, axles and spokes. The mudguards wrap up the section.

Check the size of a tyre before ordering

The side of a tyre displays two notations. The old one, in inches or millimeters, like 26 x 2.25 or 700 x 28 C, can be confusing. The ETRTO notation, it, leaves no doubt: 57-559 means 57 mm wide on a bead diameter of 559 mm. Remember a few diameters: 406 for the 20-inch BMX, 559 for the 26-inch MTB, 584 for the 650B, also known as 27.5 inches, and 622 for road and 29-inch. Then make sure the width fits the internal width of your rim and the frame's tyre clearance.

Tubeless, inner tube or tubular: three setups

With an inner tube, choose from the size range that surrounds that of the tyre, the valve, either fine Presta or auto-style Schrader, and a valve length suitable for the rim height. A tubeless ready tyre mounts without a tube, on a compatible rim, with a sealing strip, a tubeless valve and a preventative liquid that seals small punctures. Finally, the tubular encloses its tube in a sewn casing and is glued or taped onto a tubular rim, without a bead.

Wheels, rims and hubs: compatibility points

A wheel is chosen based on the diameter, type of brake, rim or disc, and in this case the Center Lock or six-bolt fitting, followed by the axle, quick release or thru-axle, with their widths. At the rear, the freehub body must fit your cassette: Shimano HG, Micro Spline, Sram XD or XDR. Hubs with integrated gears, common on city bikes, are replaced based on their number of speeds and their control. Each discipline also has its selection for operation: road bike wheels and tyres for road bikes, MTBs, BMXs and city bikes. Outside of Black Friday, the section bike wheels and tyres serves as a permanent guide, while end-of-line products go to clearance.

Tyres and wheels on sale: compare like for like

A same model of tyre often comes in several widths, in tubeless ready or not: a discount is only valid between two identical versions, putting the strikethrough original price against the discounted price. For an inner tube, compare within equal size ranges and valve types; for a wheel, compare diameter, axle, disc fitting and freehub body. The product sheet also specifies if the part is sold individually or in pairs.

Which brands of wheels and tyres during Black Friday?

Continental offers the Terra Trail for gravel, with marked shoulder treads, and in MTB the Cross King and Mountain King.

Hutchinson counters in gravel with the Caracal Race, a racing semi-slick, against the Touareg, whose Hardskin version reinforces the casing.

Schwalbe covers touring with the Marathon Mondial, gravel with the G-One Allround and BMX with the Billy Bonkers.

Shimano provides wheels for every activity, from the WH-MT500 for MTB to the Dura-Ace WH-R9270 for road, and its hubs with integrated speeds Nexus.

Michelin, a manufacturer from Clermont-Ferrand, is present with the Power Cup for road, the Power Adventure for gravel and the Wild AM2 for MTB.

Vittoria, an Italian brand, brings together the Corsa Pro, both in tyre and tubular, the Terreno T30 for rolling tracks and the Mezcal for cross-country.

Frequently asked questions

Does a wider tyre fit my current rim?

Often, within a certain limit: each internal width of rim accepts a range of tyres, indicated by the manufacturers. Also check the available space between the tyre, the frame and the fork, including mud.

Should I replace the front and rear together?

Nothing requires it: the rear tyre, which carries more weight and transmits power, wears out faster. However, keep the same model on the front and back when handling matters, especially in MTB, and respect the rotation direction of directional tyres.

Will a MTB inner tube fit in a road tyre?

No. The diameter must match, and the width range of the tube must enclose that of the tyre. A tube that is too wide folds inside the casing, while a tube that is too narrow stretches and thins.

How can I tell if my rims accept tubeless?

The tubeless ready or TLR marking often appears on the rim, and the technical sheet of the wheel specifies it. A rim not designed for tubeless does not securely hold the bead without a tube.

When do promotions on wheels and tyres happen?

Thanksgiving falls on a Thursday, and Black Friday refers to the following Friday; on Vélo-Store, discounted prices for tyres, tubes and wheels apply for the whole of November. For a wheel sold individually, check the side: the rear has the freehub body, or a hub with integrated gears, and a wider axle, so the two are never interchangeable.