What kind of tires should you get for a Schwinn Road bike?

Answer 1

The first thing is to figure out the correct diameter.

Best is if you can find a size written in millimeters (the ETRTO standard) somewhere, as it's more reliable than anything written in inches.

There were several different methods of measuring used for inches, so it's harder to pick the right tire.

If it's a new-ish bike, it probably has 28", or 622 mm ETRTO, or 700C size tires.

If it's an older bike, it might have 27", or 630 mm ETRTO tires.

Next, you figure out the width, preferably by reading on the current tires.

If you think you want wider tires, check how much space you have by the fork crown, between the chain stays by the bottom bracket, and by the brake bridge, and try to judge from there how much bigger a tire can be and still fit the frame.

I'll post a link that'll tell you how to judge what tire width will safely work on your rim.

Narrow tires are faster under certain conditions, but wider can be more comfortable and less likely to suffer punctures.

Then you'll have to choose of you want folding tires or steel bead.

Steel bead tires are cheaper, heavier and harder to carry as spares. Folding tires has Kevlar, or some other strong synthetic fiber instead of steel in the bead. They're lighter, more expensive and usually easier to get on/off the rim. No real difference once they're on the bike.

Then it's pretty much down to make & model. Make, I can't help you with, there are several trusted manufacturers available. Schwalbe, Continental, Kenda, just to mention a few.

If you're gonna be staying on roads, stick with slicks, or very light threads. Bikes can't hydroplane, so they'll give best performance. '

If you're likely to do a bit of riding on soft surfaces (grass, sand, etc) go for a tire with some pattern.