Mud guards

[KDean]

What are the largest tires you can get onto a Nomad MK2 with the standard mudguards ?  &  has anyone taken off the mudguards & fitted other designs enabling a wider tire fit ,Thanks

[mickeg]

I often use 57mm tires on my Nomad Mk II.  The fenders were bought over a decade ago, they were on clearance at a Trek store, Bontrager brand.

I just calipered the fenders, they are 65mm wide.  The stays are quite close to the tires, that is the fender size limiting factor.

The front fork crown is the limiting factor on the front, chainstay clearance is the limiting factor for tire size in rear.  In the rear I have small spacers between the fender and the chainstay bridge and the seatstay bridge.

I do not think you can gain much tire size with other fenders. 

Around home I use some 57mm Hutchinson mountain bike tires, touring I use some Schwalbe Marathon Extremes in 57mm.  But right now I have 50mm Marathon Winters on the bike.  Rims are Andra 30.

[UKTony]

This is according to Thorn marketing literature about the Thorn Mk2 Nomad which I think backs up Mickeg’s experience.
The basic spec description says max 2.4” rear and 2.25” front but doesn’t actually say if this is with or without MGs. However in view of the following two quotes from the literature I think one can assume that this means with MGs.

In short I think if you want the same size tyres front and back with standard mudguards, it appears that you’re limited by the front Nomad fork ie to 2.25” (57mm?)


“Without mudguards, the Ultimate Expedition Spec Nomad can be fitted with knobbly tyres up to 2.4" and be taken anywhere an MTB can go - and”

and
this quote comes from a page with photo of a Mk 2 Nomad made up with mudguards:-

“The wheels are built with super long lasting and expedition strength Rigida Andra 30 CSS rims. The tyres are 2.25” Schwalbe marathon EX...[treme?] but we’d prefer to see Schwalbe Mondial 2.15” tyres fitted for real expedition use. SKS P65 Guards are fitted.”

[martinf]

I usually use 50 x 559 tyres on my Raven Tour with the P65 mudguards, but 26" x 2.15" (55 x 559) Marathon Mondials will just fit.

So it seems reasonable be able to fit at least as big on the Nomad, which has greater frame and fork clearance than the Raven Tour, although, as Mickeg says, the mudguards may be the limiting factor.

But be careful, the advertised sizes of tyres do not always correspond to their true dimensions. So the true size can vary between makes and models of tyre even if they have the same advertised size.

My Nokian Hakkapeliitta W240 spike tyres, advertised as being 26" x 1.9 (47 x 559) are actually slightly bigger than the Schwalbe Supreme 26" x 2.0 (50 x 559) that I use on most of my 26" wheel bikes.