Differences between wheelsets – 700c gravel bike and 29″ mountain bike

Asked by: Sabrina Clark

Is 29 and 700C the same?

29″ (ISO size 622) is actually the same rim diameter as 700C, although most 29″ tires will not fit 700C road rims because they’re too wide. 29″ tires are popular with mountain bikers; search for 29″ MTB.

What is the difference between a gravel bike and a mountain bike?

Mountain bikes are undoubtedly more capable on rougher and steeper off-road trails, although they’re not as fast on the road. Gravel bikes are most similar to cross-country bikes, which are designed to cover ground easily and pedal well, while also being able to tackle smaller obstacles and trail features.

Can a gravel bike be used as a mountain bike?

Gravel bikes can be converted to use a mountain bike drivetrain (e.g., SRAM AXS allows for a “mullet” set-up using the 10-50t mountain cassette). But most mountain bikes don’t have enough clearance to fit the larger chainrings of gravel bike drivetrains and top-end speed will always be limited compared to gravel bikes.

Will a 700C fit a 29er?

Any 700c tire can be mounted on any 29er rim, and vice versa. (But it’s generally a good idea not to mount a tire on a rim wider than the tire, or less than 1/3 the width of the tire.) Both the Alfine 11 wheel and a normally spaced front wheel will fit a 29er mountain bike frame just fine.

Can you put mountain bike tires on a 700c?

You can put 700c tires on most mountain bikes without issues. Actually, the rim diameter 29-inch MTB wheels are identical to that of a 700c wheel. So as long as the width of the 700c tire isn’t smaller than the rim width, it will work perfectly on a mountain bike.

How tall should you be for a 29 inch bike?

If you’re 5’6′ or taller, you should be able to find a 29er model to fit you. Riders more than 6′ tall can rejoice: You’ll definitely enjoy a more natural riding position with the size and frame geometry of a 29er.

What is the advantage of a gravel bike?

The real advantage of the gravel bike is that you can switch the tire and fit much larger wheels and tires, giving you improved grip and comfort on the bumpiest of tracks. In other words, you can turn it into a fat bike!

Is gravel bike good for uphill?

Gravel bikes with larger chainrings (46-48T for example) in the front will result in higher gear ratios, making it easier to accelerate down hills. Bikes with smaller chainrings in the front (31-34T) will make it easier to climb steep hills, but will spin-out more quickly while descending.

What’s the point of a gravel bike?

A gravel bike is a drop-bar bike designed to let you ride over many different surfaces. The drop handlebar and sporty geometry means you can make good progress on the road –but, with wider tyres, lower gearing and stable handling, you can also head off-road with confidence.

Is it OK to ride mountain bike on road?

Yes, you can ride a mountain bike on the road. Many people like to have a mountain bike instead of a road bike or hybrid because they like the option of being able to ride off-road should they choose.

How much faster is a gravel bike?

With a gravel bike, you can maintain a speed of about 16mph – 22mph on paved roads while riding in the city. This depends on your fit, gearing, and power output. A gravel bike won’t be as fast as a road bike for city riding because the latter is designed for speed and competitive cycling.

Why do gravel bikes have no suspension?

Most gravel bikes do not have suspension because it adds weight to the bike, slows down your road performance, makes it harder to accelerate in a race, and requires extra maintenance.

What does 700c mean for bikes?

The 700cc is a term for motorcycles referring to their motor power. The words are very similar but the meanings are so different. The term “700c” is the tire size according to the French system. The “700” is stating the diameter of the bicycle tire and “c” is the width size of the tire.

Can I put road tires on my 29er mountain bike?

The short answer is yes, you can put road wheels on a mountain bike, but due to the very different design of a mountain bike when compared to a road bike, you also need to make some other adjustments and take the design of the bike into consideration to make this transition work out.

What is the widest tire for a 700c rim?

Tyre widths available for the 700C/622mm size standard vary from 18 to 47mm, with popular widths such as 23, 25 and 28mm in the mix. The big-wheeled mountain bikes known as 29ers also use this size, so there are off-road tyres up to a whopping 75mm wide.

IS 700c 28 or 29?

29″ / 700c (ISO 622 mm)



The standard modern road bike wheel has an ISO diameter of 622 mm and is referred to as 700c (makes sense, right? /s).

What does 700c 29 mean?

“700c” has the same diameter with a 29-inch tire. However, the width of the 700c is narrower than a 29-inch tire. Riders think because their diameters are the same size, the width will also have the same size.

What size is a 700c tire?

700c. A standard road tire is 700c x 23mm, indicating a tire diameter of approximately 700mm and a width of 23mm. When shopping for road tires, you’ll look for 700c x your preferred width, 23mm being the slimmest option and going up to 36mm.

What size rim is 700c?

700C is the dominant wheel size in the modern bike world, and the biggest of the top three. The other two are 26-inches, and 650B, which also goes by 27.5-inches. The approximate diameters of the rims for these sizes are: 700C = 622 millimeters = 24.5 in.

Which is bigger 700c or 29er?

29″ (ISO size 622) is the same inside diameter as 700C, but some 29″ tires will not fit 700C road rims because they’re too wide.

Is there a difference between 700 and 700c?

It doesn’t mean anything, really. It’s a historical relic. At one point in time, “700c” was a standard tire/rim size, where “c” indicated the bead seat diameter and “700” was the diameter, in millimeters, when the tire was installed and inflated. That “700c” tire size has a 622 millimeter bead seat diameter.