Tyres

[Nick Young]

Hello,
I want to treat my 1938 350 NH Red Hunter to a set of brand new tyres.
Does anyone have any recommendations of which ones are best to buy and fit?
Also am I correct in that the front wheel is 20" and the rear is 19"?
Many thanks in anticipation,
Nick

[Dave.Barkshire]

20 and 19 is what I have on mine.

I use the following. The rear profile is fairly 'round' and is a huge improvement on the old square as a brick tyres. Tyre pressures are somewhat higher than the old tyres (24psi works for me, other opinions exist).

Front : Avon Speedmaster Ribbed
Rear : Avon SM MkII

https://www.vintagetyres.com/

[dave.owen]

Sm ribbed is about all you can get in 20" .

[Simon.Gardiner]

Might be worth checking what size the front wheel actually is - it's not unknown for the 20 to be changed to 19 in order to get a better selection of rubber.

SG

[paul.jameson]

I wholeheartedly recommend Avon Roadriders, having them on all my bikes. On my 1937 Red Hunter, a change from Avon SM types to Michelin M38 types gave a major improvement in handling sometime in the 1990s. There was a similar major improvement in handling when the Michelin M38 types were replaced with Avon Roadriders.

[nevhunter]

I've never had great faith in the ribbed front 20" tire myself. It might be part psychological and there's certainly little choice in 20".. I tend to go a bit bigger in tire section and use wider rims and slightly lower tire pressures for more comfort. Old tires go too hard and could be dynamite in the wet. Nev

[volker.halbach]

Besides the ribbed Avon, the only other 20" tyre I found was the Ensign Universal with block profile.

[Nick Young]

Thanks to all for replying.
Can concur with the "old tires go too hard and could be dynamite in the wet" comment. Particularly after a long dry southern summer. As that was what bought about the realisation to change them, after a very scary skid. Thankfully managed to keep control, with no harm done.
Have ordered a set of Avon's from Vintage Tyres.
Nick.