What happened to bicycle tire prices?

[bonneyman]

Went window shopping for some new rubber for my bike and holey moley the prices were ridiculous! And selection was terrible!

Looking like the average 700x40c tire is like $50-60, clearance is perhaps $35-40. EACH! And several of the places I've shopped at in the past are out of business. Geez, what the heck happened?

Schwalbe is still around and makes a good tire but pushing $100 a pair plus shipping is gonna make me vulnerable to a cast iron hat. 

[muddy]

I haven't bought a bicycle tire in probably 20 yrs.

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[strik9]

I buy mostly 24" and 26" mtb sizes and pay at the most  160 pesos each.  The exchange rate is 20p to a dollar  so thats quite cheap compared.

I have no bikes on 700c rims and don't check those prices .
I do know that the fancy mtb tires run about 500p and the spandex crowd don't balk at that much. 

[oldnslo]

I'm seeing them start at $17 on Amazon. Cheaper if you open up your tire width parameters.

https://www.amazon.com/Schwinn-Replacement-Kevlar-hybrid-comfort/dp/B0088X3VL6/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=700cx40+tire&qid=1599698543&sr=8-3

Then again, I only run Conti Gatorskins on my road bikes. I pay for performance there, but I also have web searches working for me, and swoop on stoooopid low prices when someone goofs up. Thus I have a few years supply of my needed size.

Good luck!

[bonneyman]

I haven't gone by the LBS, but I figured they'd be the most expensive. Used to order from Bike Nashbar and Performance Bike, but they've closed up shop. Performance closed just within the past year - I did visit just to see if I could get anything for the stash but nothing I needed then.

Since I'm such a fatty I like wider tires. 700 x 40c would be the narrowest I'd like. 45c would be better. I might swing by the LBS tomorrow while I'm out and around, then maybe hit BikeTiresDirect and look in the clearance section.

[strik9]

I have found the best tires for my uses by pot luck asking the shop to get a particular size. My two 26 by 1 3/8" on cargo bike rims are common fare, by a known brand and are great as fronts.  26 X 1.5" mtb rear in semi slick tread is fair on dirt and amazing on asphalt.  Great in deep water too, I have to get home after rains flood the streets.

Kenda Flama in 26" X fat are thorn magnets but damn di they float on loose sand and apply pedal strokes to asphalt in a positive grip.

That doesn't help your 700c problems but if you do a fat tire bike for yourself.....

[bonneyman]

I have found the best tires for my uses by pot luck asking the shop to get a particular size. My two 26 by 1 3/8" on cargo bike rims are common fare, by a known brand and are great as fronts.  26 X 1.5" mtb rear in semi slick tread is fair on dirt and amazing on asphalt.  Great in deep water too, I have to get home after rains flood the streets.

Kenda Flama in 26" X fat are thorn magnets but damn di they float on loose sand and apply pedal strokes to asphalt in a positive grip.

That doesn't help your 700c problems but if you do a fat tire bike for yourself.....

It's kinda funny since when I built my current steed the common wisdom was get 700c wheels, as tire selection for those were much larger than for 26" wheels. That was 2000-ish. 20 years later it seems to have swung back the other way. 

[hickory n Steel]

This really has me worried.
I'm in need of some new tubes and tires for a 1986 Dahon folding bike and fear that may cost more than it's worth considering it's not the most common size.
Not even sure the size, but I'm thinking around 14" , maybe a 12" but they seem a bit bigger than that.
Luckily it was free.

[strik9]

I built a  junk 24" from up as a tractor to pull trailers full of recycle.    Low gear, fat grippy street tires and a good pair of brakes, the load behind can be 100 kilos on the trailer and its gotta be stopped.

The bike became my daily driver for rainy season as I don't want to ruin my two 26" tractors with water.  Campy stickers you know... 

Take the front disc rim and brake off the 24" and its just a new tire, chain and HD rear rack.  The rest is junk.

[strik9]

This really has me worried.
I'm in need of some new tubes and tires for a 1986 Dahon folding bike and fear that may cost more than it's worth considering it's not the most common size.
Not even sure the size, but I'm thinking around 14" , maybe a 12" but they seem a bit bigger than that.
Luckily it was free.

Look at the tire sidewall.  It will tell a size.  You can get tubes and tires to restore bikes that use stuff not sold since 1910  in stores yet.  All those odd Schwinn sizes are still made somewhere.  Probably India, they use odd standards a lot.

I have a tandem on a 12" rear tire, alloy rim and sealed bearings.  The tire is 30 years old and still not dried out.  Its slow but great at hill climbing.

[hickory n Steel]

This really has me worried.
I'm in need of some new tubes and tires for a 1986 Dahon folding bike and fear that may cost more than it's worth considering it's not the most common size.
Not even sure the size, but I'm thinking around 14" , maybe a 12" but they seem a bit bigger than that.
Luckily it was free.

Look at the tire sidewall.  It will tell a size.  You can get tubes and tires to restore bikes that use stuff not sold since 1910  in stores yet.  All those odd Schwinn sizes are still made somewhere.  Probably India, they use odd standards a lot.

I have a tandem on a 12" rear tire, alloy rim and sealed bearings.  The tire is 30 years old and still not dried out.  Its slow but great at hill climbing.

If I remember  correctly theyee so dried and cracked I couldn't make out the markings.

I'll look again,  that bike is a real fun ride and I definitely need to get it going again.

[stokester]

Mine are usually 23c but I've found Vittoria tires the best bang for the buck. I've paid more for supposedly better Michelins or Contis but always went back to the Vittoria for their reasonable price, long life and puncture resistance.

[hickory n Steel]

Found it and they're a 16×1.75, if I'm not mistaken that's a pretty common kids bike size.
I found some white walls online for under $40 for a set ( don't need anything too fancy ) and might buy them.
I know the hardware has a bit of bike stuff, so I may see if they have them.

[hickory n Steel]

Turns out the tires are more solid than I thought so I just picked up some tubes at the hardware store ( standard kids bike size ).

It feels good to be riding this again,  during the warmer months I've got an electric scooter to hop around my little town but prefer a less weather vulnerable bicycle the rest of the time.
Like this Dahon stowaway because I can just fold it up and leave it there with confidence that nobody will know how to unfold it and ride away, it's literally the only folding bike in town 
Those white walls do look nice so I'm still contemplating buying them some time in the future, but they're not needed at the moment.

[strik9]

Cool bike.  Worth a few bucks to make right.