Larger tire on 14s

[fourthewin]

Hey all,

I searched around but didn’t see anything. Has anyone put a larger/taller tire on the 14c/s? 

I have both models but was looking to try to get a bit more ground clearance so the pedals didn’t scrape. 

 

Thanks!!

[mrelwood]

A 14*2.5” tire would be taller, but I haven’t heard of anyone doing that on a 14-incher. It will likely require the same mods as putting 2.5” on the 16S, meaning:

- Cutting/sawing the shell edges to fit the wider and taller tire

- Fixing the shell one row of bolts higher, with only 4 bolts per side

- Enlargening the hole for motor wires in the shell

14x2.5” might be quite a nice upgrade!

[Smoother]

I have done the 14c 2.5" upgrade.  At least I will have once I sort out a few other problems and put the wheel back together.  Spoiler alert.....You're not going to get much more pedal clearance, just the additional radius of the new tire over the old tire.  Sorry, I don't know what this is, because in order to measure the inflated diameter of both tires on the rim I would need two rims.  I can tell you the diameter (radius) of the 2.5" and you can measure your 2.125" and tell us all the difference.  Hold on a sec. I'll go do that right now.

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378mm diameter( or 189mm radius) as best as I can figure.  This is straight across the tire/wheel with no motor or axle in the way.  You wont be able to duplicate this unless you dismantle your motor. here's a measurement you can compare; from the outer edge of the rim to the outer edge of the tire is 54mm to my eye (i can't measure around corners).  That's for my tire, a Chao Yang H-972 14x2.5/64-254.  Ymmv. 

(Curious observations relevant to nothing: the 254 is the bead diameter in mm and there are smaller markings indicating "2.5-10"  So in motorcycle tire terms our 14" tires are actually 10" tires.  And to confirm, I measured my rim diameter at 10"/254mm.  And the "64" is the tire width in mm.) Number that may help in searching for a tire.

I suspect that the most difference you will gain in height will be around 4mm over the 2.125 tire.  That's your added pedal clearance.  

Just for comparison or confusion, the diameter of my uninflated, unmounted 2.125" is 360mm.  How this differs from mounted/inflated, I have no idea.

But wait, what about moving the bolts on the pedal arms.  Doesn't that give you more clearance?

Eh.....no.  That just raises the shell up on the pedal hangers, it doesn't change the relationship of the pedal hangers/pedals with the ground.

 

edit.  Also, the 14c only has 4 hanger holes. So to mount the shell higher (to make clearance) you have to drill and tap new holes, you can't just move the shell up one set of holes and only use the remaining 4 holes that line up, as you do on the 16" models.  If you move it up one set of holes, you only have one set left to mount the shell to.  Do-able? Possibly, weaker? definitely.

You also have to trim away plastic at the front and back of the shell, just where the four assembly screws hold the two halves of the shell together.  Weaker? definitely.  A strengthening mod would be needed, like a metal strap bolted across the gap.  Could be an opportunity to add a stand of some sort.

Edited August 10, 2018 by Smoother

[fourthewin]

Smoother, that’s about the most detailed and perfect reply I could have ever asked for. You really went above and beyond and I truly appreciate it. 

 

Judging from your description, it sounds quite labor intensive and might not be worth it to me to start a project like that. I thought it would be as simple as cutting the housing a bit. 

Again, thank you very much. 

[The Fat Unicyclist]

11 hours ago, Smoother said:

378mm diameter( or 189mm radius) as best as I can figure.  This is straight across the tire/wheel with no motor or axle in the way.  You wont be able to duplicate this unless you dismantle your motor. here's a measurement you can compare; from the outer edge of the rim to the outer edge of the tire is 54mm to my eye (i can't measure around corners).  That's for my tire, a Chao Yang H-972 14x2.5/64-254.  Ymmv. 

I suspect that the most difference you will gain in height will be around 4mm over the 2.125 tire.  That's your added pedal clearance.  

Just for comparison or confusion, the diameter of my uninflated, unmounted 2.125" is 360mm.  How this differs from mounted/inflated, I have no idea.

I have just measured a standard tyre (fitted and inflated)… The circumference along the centre of the tyre is 1150 mm, which means the diameter is 366 mm.

So assuming the riders weight causes the same amount of "flattening" for both tyres, then the height gain would be a whopping 6 mm (almost a quarter inch)!

 

11 hours ago, Smoother said:

I suspect that the most difference you will gain in height will be around 4mm over the 2.125 tire.  That's your added pedal clearance.  

  Sorry to say @Smoother - your suspicion was a massive 50% out.      

[Smoother]

On 8/5/2018 at 12:06 AM, The Fat Unicyclist said:

  Sorry to say @Smoother - your suspicion was a massive 50% out.      

wow, 50%! that's good for me.  For a WAG that was PFG.  Actually, 6mm is an appreciable difference in pedal height (if using my exact 2.5" tire, others unknown at this time).  I'd do it, @fourthewin at least on the  14s or d.  Those wheels just need cutting up like the 16 s or d.

@fourthewin you're too kind.  That's normal for this forum.  Best group of guys on the internet (myself excluded of course.)

ps. @The Fat Unicyclist thanks for doing that calculation.  I didn't think of working backwards from the circumference.  I'm no Alfred Eyensteen after all, no rocket surgeon either.

[Stefce]

Hi i am thinking of having a 2.5" on my ninebot s2 but i found that there is a 3" available also..the clerance i have from the inflated tire to the plastoc guard in hight is almost 13mm 

Can you post a photo of your tire and how it looks and your toughts on the ride difference

https://1drv.ms/u/s!Akqg7CcbDnGQygjA401IrPnJdzmW

https://1drv.ms/u/s!Akqg7CcbDnGQygmQfx8PVkhYavgf

 

https://s.click.aliexpress.com/e/By8s3XtYn

[Stefce]

I mounted a 2.5" tire..i would recomend it to anyone without skills and serious will to install it..maybe a 2.25 tire is better..

You have to trim all plastic inside..and trim the cooling of the eletronics heat sink..and it would still rub..positive side is that ride is smoother and more confortable..