Tyres
Used road bike tyres are where the rubber meets the road, and the right set changes how the bike corners, climbs and holds speed on long flat stretches. Cranxs connects you with private sellers across the UK listing new and second-hand road tyres, from slick race-ready options to more durable, puncture-resistant choices.
What width should you run?
25mm and 28mm are the common road widths, with 30mm and above increasingly normal on disc frames. Wider tyres run at lower pressures for more grip and comfort without losing speed on real road surfaces, but your frame and brake calliper set the ceiling, so measure the clearance you actually have before buying. The rest of the wheels and tyres setup has to work around whatever the frame will take.
Clincher, tubeless or tubular?
Clinchers use an inner tube and fit any hooked road rim, which makes them the easy default and the easiest to repair at the roadside. Tubeless runs the same bead into a tubeless-ready rim with sealant instead of a tube, sealing small punctures as they happen. Tubulars are sewn closed and glued to a dedicated rim, and outside racing they are rarely worth the hassle.
Race rubber or training tyres?
Race tyres use softer, faster compounds and thin, supple casings that corner and roll beautifully but wear quickly and cut easily. Training tyres add a puncture-protection belt under the tread and a tougher casing, costing you a little speed in exchange for getting home. Many riders keep both and swap for events.
Will they fit your wheels?
Road tyres are sized by ETRTO, so a 700c tyre is listed as 25-622 or 28-622 where 622mm is the bead seat diameter of the rim. Check the rim's internal width too, as the same tyre measures wider on a modern rim than an old narrow one, and hookless rims require a tubeless tyre approved for them. Confirm the standard against your wheelset or single front wheel before buying.
What should you check buying used?
Look at the wear indicator dimples in the centre of the tread; if they have gone, so has the tyre. Check for cuts through to the casing, flint embedded in the tread, and a squared-off profile on a rear tyre. Sidewalls that look cracked or chalky have perished with age rather than use, and are worth avoiding at any price.