# Can I/Should I, put slicks on my hybrid?



## andyR00 (11 Jul 2018)

I don't know the wheel or current tire sizes, I'll look tomorrow. The current tires are fairly thin with fairly small treads. Not a huge way off being slicks themselves if I understand what slicks are.

So can I put some real slick tires on them if so do you have any recommendations, the cheaper the better.

If I do put these on I assume my bike will become more road and less hybrid. So I should avoid more off road riding even if it's light.

I generally only cycle on the road anyway with a bit of light gravel path stuff here and there. No where near real off road stuff like you would on a MTB.


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## Racing roadkill (11 Jul 2018)

Schwalbe Marathon plus, would be my recommendation.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/schwalbe-marathon-plus-smartguard-rigid-road-tyre/

In a 35 or 38 mm size.


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## andyR00 (11 Jul 2018)

Thanks. How about these tired, not sure if there just for road bikes or how it works.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/..._dm|pcrid|254158694146|pkw||pmt||prd|462220UK


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## mcshroom (11 Jul 2018)

Durano plus tyres are pretty decent. However, what have you got on there now, and why do you feel you need to change?


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## andyR00 (11 Jul 2018)

I'll check tomorrow. I'm thinking about less friction = more speed etc.

Trying this tune up my bike and get the most out of it.


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## raleighnut (12 Jul 2018)

What width tyres are on it at the moment, I run my Hybrid (Ridgeback) on 28s with the theory that a lighter tyre/rim combination spins up faster.


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## Alan O (12 Jul 2018)

I have a touring bike that is similar to hybrids in that it has room for wider tyres and works well on what seems to be called "gravel" these days - essentially dry and reasonably smooth off-road surfaces, which I ride a lot.

I had similar thoughts about tyres, and I now have two pairs of wheels for that bike - a pair with Marathon Greenguard (which have a slightly deeper tread than Marathon Plus), and a pair with Gatorskins, both 32mm. The Gatorskins are slick and they do seem to roll better on hard surfaces - longer road rides seem less tiring that on Marathons, and they just feel lighter and more comfortable. But if the surface is in any way soft, the Gatorskins slide all over the place.

So, essentially, I'll use Gatorskins on the bike during the summer when all my off-road routes are hard and dry, and on road-only routes all year. The Marathons come into their own when off-road surfaces are starting to get a bit soft, so they'll start getting used again when this hot summer ends and the rains start hitting the canal towpaths again.

Anyway, yes, if you're riding on roads or other hard surfaces, I'd go for slick tyres every time. Gatorskins aren't that cheap (and a lot of people here don't seem to like Continental tyres), and I don't have much experience of other slicks, so I won't actually recommend anything specific - but I hope this helps.

Update: Also, yes, as someone else suggested - tell us what tyres (including size) you have now if you want recommendations for something better.


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## SkipdiverJohn (12 Jul 2018)

You are kidding yourself if you think swapping a pair of treaded tyres for a pair of slicks is going to make your bike significantly faster. Depending what you have now and what you change to, it might well make a small difference, but the bike is still going to be powered by the same engine and is still going to more or less weigh the same. Whatever tyres you choose need to be tough if you ride on gravel or you will be plagued by punctures. Same goes for poor tarmac with cracking up and potholed surfaces. Cycling performance is about reliability as much as speed. "Fast" tyres are no advantage if you have to do more frequent puncture repairs. Flat bar bikes of any variety are ultimately limited in their speed potential by the upright riding position, which for general use doesn't matter, but performance favours drops. Saving a few watts in tyre drag is only going to offer a very small increase in road speed due to rapidly increasing aerodynamic drag.


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## vickster (12 Jul 2018)

andyR00 said:


> Thanks. How about these tired, not sure if there just for road bikes or how it works.
> 
> http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/..._dm|pcrid|254158694146|pkw||pmt||prd|462220UK


You can use those on any bike. I have on my CX commuter in 32mm and 28mm on my new gravel bike. Roll well on roads. However, if you have a full size bike with 700c wheels CRC don't have them. Spa do though, and possibly Merlin. You need to know what size tyres your rims can take. What bike is it? What wheels?

I had one puncture with the 32s commuting, thanks to a 2cm screw which would have done for any tyre but then you'll be compromised on paths (although I'll be riding to work through a park shortly on 23mm slicks)

That said, if you want a roadbike, a roadbike would be a better option than a hybrid especially if it has suspension


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## andyR00 (12 Jul 2018)

OK the tires say, Cheng Shin tire 37- 622 (700 x 35 C) (50 - 75 PSI).

I am sure they will be the cheapest you can get. I assume they are 35mm?


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## I like Skol (12 Jul 2018)

My hybrid originally came fitted with Schwalbe roadcruisers. These had some tread but rolled well and I used a few set for commuting and some longer 100+ mile rides. 700x35 seemed plenty fast enough to me and I could ride anything except the gnarliest MTB trails or very slippy mud, but that might just be down to me......






After some quality issues with the last couple of tyres I swapped to something with a smoother tread from an alternative manufacturer. The Vittoria Randonneur II. This tyre is much more like a slick, but with some pattern. Seems quick, tough and capable. I haven't worn a set out yet so can't comment on durability but they don't seem to be made of cheese so should last a good distance (I used to get 2-3000 miles from the Schwalbes).





The Randonneurs have been abused off-road in a way I am sure they were never intended for and have always come out smiling, except the reflective sidewall tape can get snagged and start peeling. I have two sets and had to take all the tape off one set when it got too rough. I prefer the 35mm size over the 32mm set and once the 32s are worn out both hybrid and road bikes will be running on 700x35. The tyres come in wired carcass at a price of around £12ea or a more expensive folding version. The only difference seems to be weight and the fact that one folds up in a box easily. I run the folding type.

Puncture resistance is always down to personal experience and luck. I found the schwalbes to be pretty good but would get a bit vulnerable when worn (I'm talking paper thin here, almost exposed canvas!). The Vittorias seem to be even better so far, only a single puncture in a couple of thousand miles but I don't know what they will be like when worn yet.

I recommend you stick to the 35mm section tyres, there is no discernible speed benefit from downsizing, but the larger tyres are definitely more comfortable and rugged for the potholed roads so actually allow a higher speed as you are not worried about hitting the bumps in the tarmac so much.


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## T4tomo (12 Jul 2018)

Racing roadkill said:


> Schwalbe Marathon plus, would be my recommendation.
> 
> http://www.wiggle.co.uk/schwalbe-marathon-plus-smartguard-rigid-road-tyre/
> 
> In a 35 or 38 mm size.


Not if he wants to go faster. 

Op has also said cheaper the better, which is tricky as you defo need something with decent puncture protection, if you then also want less rolling resistance and presumanly lightness, that means you need to pay a bit more. 

I'd suggest something like continental 4 seasons or gatorskins in 700 x 28mm, but that won't be particularly cheap. Budget option is lifeline brand from Wiggle.


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## vickster (12 Jul 2018)

Durano raceguard

32mm https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s121p1682/SCHWALBE-Durano-HS464-wired

28mm https://www.spacycles.co.uk/m2b0s121p3574/SCHWALBE-Durano-HS464-Folding

Sigma have 32mm 4 seasons for £34 ish, the price of 2 Duranos


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## andyR00 (12 Jul 2018)

Punctures don't bother me, take a spare tube etc.

How about these two. 

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/vittoria-ra...38502&ptaid=aud-131695477502:pla-130920262382

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental...38502&ptaid=aud-131695477502:pla-304066957368


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## I like Skol (12 Jul 2018)

Racing roadkill said:


> Schwalbe Marathon plus, would be my recommendation.
> http://www.wiggle.co.uk/schwalbe-marathon-plus-smartguard-rigid-road-tyre/
> In a 35 or 38 mm size.





T4tomo said:


> Not if he wants to go faster.


I forgot to mention that! The Marathon plus is renowned for being a pig to fit (incredibly tight) and ludicrously heavy/slow in use. They are also a bit pricy at £25-30 each, but they have legendary puncture resistance status.

I will take the 'slow' claim with a pinch of salt because they seem smooth enough and speed is mostly down to the engine but I did once pick one off the rack while browsing in a bike shop and it nearly broke my arm! Strewth, it was heavy. I had to double check I hadn't mistakenly picked up a twin pack and getting that much mass up to speed in stop-start traffic is going to take some serious energy.


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## Alan O (12 Jul 2018)

andyR00 said:


> OK the tires say, Cheng Shin tire 37- 622 (700 x 35 C) (50 - 75 PSI).
> 
> I am sure they will be the cheapest you can get. I assume they are 35mm?


The "37-622"suggests 37mm but the "700 x 35 C" suggests 35mm. But yes, probably the cheapest tyres the makers could find.

Actually, maybe not, Cheng Shin seems like a big company and apparently owns the Maxxis brand -
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheng_Shin_Rubber


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## Alan O (12 Jul 2018)

I like Skol said:


> I forgot to mention that! The Marathon plus is renowned for being a pig to fit (incredibly tight) and ludicrously heavy/slow in use. They are also a bit pricy at £25-30 each, but they have legendary puncture resistance status.
> 
> I will take the 'slow' claim with a pinch of salt because they seem smooth enough and speed is mostly down to the engine but I did once pick one off the rack while browsing in a bike shop and it nearly broke my arm! Strewth, it was heavy. I had to double check I hadn't mistakenly picked up a twin pack and getting that much mass up to speed in stop-start traffic is going to take some serious energy.


I have Marathon Greenguard rather than Marathon Plus, but they're similarly quite heavy. But the biggest difference to me, I think, is their thicker and more rigid sidewalls. They're great for puncture protection, but the thinner walls of my Gatorskins seem to make the ride more comfortable and less tiring even with the Gatorskins at higher pressures.


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## vickster (12 Jul 2018)

andyR00 said:


> Punctures don't bother me, take a spare tube etc.
> 
> How about these two.
> 
> ...



They will if you get Marathon Plus and you happen to get one


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## vickster (12 Jul 2018)

andyR00 said:


> Punctures don't bother me, take a spare tube etc.
> 
> How about these two.
> 
> ...


Ultra sport poor puncture protection and longevity. Randonneur popular with touring cyclists as someone posted above

I’d get the Duranos for £16


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## I like Skol (12 Jul 2018)

andyR00 said:


> How about these two.


The Randonneur is bang on the money, sjscycles seem to have the 35mm version at the same price (possibly plus P&P?)

I would avoid the Continentals like the plague unless you want to be fixing punctures every few days..... I gave my set away in the end.


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## andyR00 (12 Jul 2018)

It's difficult to decide when you have no experience. I'm fancying 28mm though, 30mm don't seem to be a thing or are a rare size. Certainly didn't see any of in the several tires I looked at. Tread wise, very light, not pure slicks though. Some traction. 

My bike has front suspension which I can lock on or off which makes any off road stuff a lot easier.


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## vickster (12 Jul 2018)

[QUOTE 5310354, member: 45"]I've run several different sets of Contis for years without a single puncture.[/QUOTE]
Including the Ultrasports?


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## vickster (12 Jul 2018)

andyR00 said:


> It's difficult to decide when you have no experience. I'm fancying 28mm though, 30mm don't seem to be a thing or are a rare size. Certainly didn't see any of in the several tires I looked at. Tread wise, very light, not pure slicks though. Some traction.
> 
> My bike has front suspension which I can lock on or off which makes any off road stuff a lot easier.


You’ll see little difference between 32 and 28s. The 32s will be more comfortable on rough surfaces and will probably look better on your bike than skinnies

Tyres are consumables, not that costly and can be replaced easily enough if you want to go smaller or larger down the line


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## Alan O (12 Jul 2018)

[QUOTE 5310380, member: 45"]It does depend on the tyre. I've had 32s that looked and rode more like 28s, and 32s that felt like 35s. I think it's trial and error, but I change tyres so rarely that I can never remember the comparisons.[/QUOTE]
Yep, I think differences in tyre wall thickness/stiffness can make a bigger difference than 1 or 2mm in width.


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## I like Skol (12 Jul 2018)

[QUOTE 5310380, member: 45"]It does depend on the tyre. I've had 32s that looked and rode more like 28s, and 32s that felt like 35s. I think it's trial and error, but I change tyres so rarely that I can never remember the comparisons.[/QUOTE]
My 32mm Randonneurs seemed to be dimensionally very close to the 28mm Conti's they replaced, while the 35mm Randonneurs seem slose to the old 35mm Shwalbes (which are actually 37mm). Go figure?


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## OneArmedBandit (12 Jul 2018)

OP are you after cheap as possible up front, or long term?

If you get Gatorskins or Marathon Pluses they are more expensive up front than a cheaper tyre, but with a much better compound so they will last a long time. You also should enjoy the tyre more, and the puncture resistant comes are less likely to get a cut or sidewall failure. My rear Gatorskins probably last 7- months of 300k-ish a week cycling on road, trails and glass strewn cycle paths. Front about twice as long. Pull them off when they start to puncture, by which time they look like a dart board.

They may be £25-ish up front, but if they last much longer money well spent IMO. You could always look on eBay for part worns, there are usually a few nearly new from people who tried and didn't like.

They are a love/hate thing though.


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## andyR00 (12 Jul 2018)

My goal is triathlons next year. So train on this bike for a few months then upgrade to a road bike next year.

Punctures aren't really an issue I repaired one a couple of days ago.

I am after speed and power consumption. Trying to squeeze the max out of my old bike. That will entail;

Clean it up, degrease and oil chain/detailer.

Fit bar ends.

Thinner/slicker tires.

Adjust brakes and gears.

Optimise saddle and handlebars.

Fit a LCD speedometer.

Remove paniers.

Fit clipless pedals.

I believe you can even replace the wheel bearings and fill them up 3/4 with decent grease etc. I doubt I will get round to that however.

It's kind of a hobby and this good weather has brought on a bit of OCD. Whether it will last though...

I went for a swim last week, first time in years and forgot how enjoyable it is.


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## the snail (12 Jul 2018)

If you want something quicker rolling, I'd try the voyager hypers from planet x
https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TYVIVOHY/vittoria-voyager-hyper-folding-tyre


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## andyR00 (12 Jul 2018)

the snail said:


> If you want something quicker rolling, I'd try the voyager hypers from planet x
> https://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/TYVIVOHY/vittoria-voyager-hyper-folding-tyre



They do look good however 35mm is a bit thick. If they came in 32 then these look the best I've seen.


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## I like Skol (12 Jul 2018)

andyR00 said:


> My goal is triathlons next year. So train on this bike for a few months then upgrade to a road bike next year.


Put on the heaviest, draggiest tyres you can find then get out there and train. Once you have spent the winter pulling around on those you will be STRONG and will fly on the new bike.

No need to thank me for dispensing this invaluable advice so freely


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## the snail (13 Jul 2018)

I like Skol said:


> Put on the heaviest, draggiest tyres you can find then get out there and train. Once you have spent the winter pulling around on those you will be STRONG and will fly on the new bike.
> 
> No need to thank me for dispensing this invaluable advice so freely


Indeed, and put a couple of bricks in the panniers.


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## andyR00 (13 Jul 2018)

^Rocky style. Maybe your right. Build a turbo trainer out of washing machine parts. Which pro did that again, Obree?


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## Nebulous (13 Jul 2018)

andyR00 said:


> ^Rocky style. Maybe your right. Build a turbo trainer out of washing machine parts. Which pro did that again, Obree?



He built his bottom bracket on his bike from a washing machine bearing if I remember correctly! 

There isn't nearly as much difference as you would think in bikes, parts, tyres etc. I've a cheap cross bike for commuting with pannier racks, flat pedals, 35mm marathon (not plus) tyres. I also have a decent roadbike with an aggressive position, spd-sl pedals and 25 mm grand-prix ii tyres. 

Generally the cross bike is only used for short distances, but when I'm working away I'll take it on the roof of my car and go out for a ride in the evening or early morning. I can jolly it along and while there might be a 1mph average difference over a 35 mile ride I don't think there would be more than that. 

It does feel good going back to the best bike after having done a ride on the commuter though.


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## Vantage (13 Jul 2018)

andyR00 said:


> They do look good however 35mm is a bit thick. If they came in 32 then these look the best I've seen.



I've used those very same tyres for a couple years. They're so light and supple that their sizing makes very little difference in performance terms but the bigger you go the more comfy they are.
I eventually moved on to the 38mm versions for that reason and in the 8 months I had them I never had a single puncture. A great portion of my riding is off road canal paths, dirt trails through the moors and the occasional glass minefield through council estates. Very rarely did they lose traction. Only slippery mud, deep gravel and snow/ice were a problem for them. 
You'll not find a better tyre imo.
I wish they did a 26" version for my new bike.


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## DCBassman (13 Jul 2018)

[QUOTE 5310644, member: 45"]My son has an MTB and a charity ride on Sunday. I've just bought a pair of Schwalbe City Ride tyres from Halfords. £13 less 20% C2W discount. Mrs P has had them on one of her bikes for years. Cheap, light and no punctures.[/QUOTE]
I have 26x1.5" gumwall City Jets on my old Trek MTB. Great tyres.


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## Vantage (13 Jul 2018)

DCBassman said:


> I have 26x1.5" gumwall City Jets on my old Trek MTB. Great tyres.



I hate you. 
Been trying to get those for my bike since I bought the frame. Now have two sets of the blackwall versions. Grrr.


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## Alan O (13 Jul 2018)

Nebulous said:


> He built his bottom bracket on his bike from a washing machine bearing if I remember correctly!
> 
> There isn't nearly as much difference as you would think in bikes, parts, tyres etc. I've a cheap cross bike for commuting with pannier racks, flat pedals, 35mm marathon (not plus) tyres. I also have a decent roadbike with an aggressive position, spd-sl pedals and 25 mm grand-prix ii tyres.
> 
> ...


I think there's a lot of truth in that.

I have a "road" bike in 531c steel tubing, with 25mm GP4000sII tyres, no rack, no baggage.

I also have a touring bike in 531ST (which is stiffer and heavier), with 32mm Gatorskins (sometimes with mudguards), rack and bag for carrying my food for the ride and an assortment of tools, more upright bar position...

And my speed with the two is not noticeably different. I mostly use the touring bike for practical reasons, but the road bike feels great for shorter rides.

I also have a hardtail MTB, currently wearing minimal-tread Sport Contact tyres for summer use on hard-ish surfaces, and my speed on that is only a couple of mph slower. The real difference with this is that I feel tired earlier, and around 40-50 miles is probably my limit with that bike when I can manage up to 100 on the tourer.

The bottom line for me is that for most recreational cyclists, there's far less practical difference between different bikes than the marketing business wants us to think. My last group ride, for example, included people on cyclocross, hybrid, my "city" MTB, full-on knobbly MTBs, and a Brompton. And we had a great day out.


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## andyR00 (13 Jul 2018)

Have a look at this. There is also one, flat pedals vs clipless and conclusion is again not much difference though these tests are brief.


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## MichaelW2 (13 Jul 2018)

In the olden days, thin slick tyres were better, faster, lighter than commuter and touring sized rubber. Now you can get high quality slicks in wider sizes.
Thin tyres are lighter in weight so accelerate and climb better. They have less air resistance so can go very quick with less effort.
Wider tyres deform less so have better rolling resistance and are more comfortable.

In practice, road racers are now using wider tyres, eg 25mm instead of 23mm.
For everday riding 28-35mm is good.
Your rims may limit the thinnest and thickest tyre.
A 28 or 32mm slick is often made to the same quality as a racing slick so you benefit from the construction and materials.
Tougher tyres such and Marathon and esp Marathon Plus will be more sluggish than a slick of the same width.


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## SkipdiverJohn (13 Jul 2018)

Let's not get carried away on this idea that somehow hybrids are slow, low performance utility machines, and road bikes are therefore automatically much faster. A rigid hybrid is not that far removed from a drop bar tourer at all, the main difference is the riding position.
When Raleigh built their first hybrid model that was marketed as such, the Gemini, what they essentially did is took a Reynolds 531 touring frame, and fitted it with a triple front chainring and 35mm wide tyres, rather than the double chainring and 28 or 32mm ones you might otherwise expect. These bikes were a slight adaptation of an existing style of bike, the Lightweight Tourist, that was typically a 10 or 12 speed derailleur touring bike but fitted with flat bars rather than drops. a lightweight rigid framed hybrid can easily be converted into a "road" bike by simply swapping the flat bars for drops.
If you look at the B'Twin Triban models sold by Decathlon they are available in both flat bar and drop bar options, but are otherwise essentially the same bikes.


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## si_c (13 Jul 2018)

For a hybrid bike I wouldn't want to be using tyres smaller than a 32c simply because it will look very odd, besides which there are a several of factors at play with respect to tyres, and the width of the tire probably has the lowest impact on riding speed and comfort than other factors. 

Your most important considerations are the TPI of the carcass (more is generally better - makes the tyre deform better, meaning it's more comfortable and ultimately faster too), and the rubber compound being used. A lot of cheap tyres (perhaps including your current set judging from the brand name) use a very hardwearing and cheap rubber, meaning they are not particularly grippy and they are heavier as well as being slower.

A good quality 32 or 35c tyre will do wonders, the Vittoria Randos will be a good choice, but I'd also suggest looking at the Vittoria Zaffiro Pro tyres in a 32c. There are a lot of options out there though, and being realistic anything by Vittoria, Schwalbe and Continental will serve you well, albeit different people get on better with different brands.

Having said all that @I like Skol's advice is probably the best, stick with the heaviest, least comfortable tyres and ride as hard as you can all of the time, then when you get a road bike, put the best tyres you can on it and you'll feel like you are flying.


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## Richard A Thackeray (26 Jul 2018)

I've ridden quite a few surfaces that may not be considered suitable for 'slicks'
Technique, gearing, letting the front end 'drift' slightly helps

So, yes, they are viable for most surfaces

Eg;
Probasbly about 1 in 8?


You can see the tyre-tracks here, I was defeated by the terrain, maybe a wider tyre (than my '28' would have offered flotation?


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## User66445 (26 Jul 2018)

I currently use Mavic Yksion pro road bike tyres on my Bianci hybrid, 700x23. Seems fine, but I don't go off road with it. Will be putting on Hutchinson Fusion 5s at 28mm when these wear out, or I get sick of fixing punctures. If you're riding mostly on tarmac I wouldn't see the need for Marathons, fine tyre though they undoubtedly are.

By the way, I swapped the Marathons out on my Brompton and replaced them with Kojaks, primarily because Marathons are pigs to get off if you do get a puncture. Can't say I notice a heap of difference.


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## andyR00 (27 Jul 2018)

This is the bike. 
Dawes 401 discovery 1992. Still a decent bike?

What weight do you recon it is?


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## raleighnut (27 Jul 2018)

andyR00 said:


> This is the bike.
> Dawes 401 discovery 1992. Still a decent bike?
> 
> What weight do you recon it is?
> ...


Well the fork will add a bit, is the frame steel (4130 or similar) or Aluminium.

BTW CrMo (4130/520/525) is good.


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## Alan O (27 Jul 2018)

andyR00 said:


> What weight do you recon it is?
> View attachment 421298


Stand on a scale on your own, them again holding the bike, and subtract


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## mikeymustard (2 Aug 2018)

andyR00 said:


> This is the bike.
> Dawes 401 discovery 1992. Still a decent bike?
> 
> What weight do you recon it is?
> ...


is there a prize? Whether steel or ally (and being a dawes of that age I'd guess steel) it's gotta be around 16kg?


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## andyR00 (2 Aug 2018)

I'm going to buy a luggage weigher(sp?).

Wow that's heavy, no wonder I'm slow.


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## freiston (3 Aug 2018)

Don't get too hung up on weight and tyres. Locking your fork suspension when on roads will most likely make the biggest difference. Those tyres look "smooth" enough for roads and weight will mostly affect acceleration (rather than top speed) and climbing. If you plan on getting a road bike later, then don't waste money trying to make your current bike more "road" - to me it doesn't look like it needs it. As others have said, making the bike faster will not aid training. imho, you won't make much difference to this bike by upgrading the tyres or throwing other money at it.

Use the bike to learn how to maintain it - depending on the state of the bike, you might make a significant difference overhauling the drivetrain and wheel bearings.

For what it's worth, I ride on 32mm Vittoria Randonneur tyres (not the ones mentioned earlier but the 'mk 1s') which are renowned for being sluggish, my bike weighs about 13 or 14 kilos but it's plenty 'fast' enough for me and I regularly exceed 30mph on downhill bits. I am not fit.

That's my opinion.


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## SkipdiverJohn (4 Aug 2018)

The OP's machine looks like a practical everyday runabout to me. I don't like suspension forks, so would run it locked out, but there's nothing to be gained by changing any parts on it. Any bike built to be fairly rugged and practical, with sensibly wide tyres is going to come in around the 30lb mark in weight, maybe even slightly more. That doesn't make it a "heavy" bike. Ignore all the shock horror reaction from the roadies who think that any bike that isn't super-expensive carbon everything is "heavy" and remember a bike built to be rugged will outlast any flimsy one built to be as light as possible but not take punishment.


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## Blue Hills (4 Aug 2018)

[QUOTE 5310354, member: 45"]I've run several different sets of Contis for years without a single puncture.[/QUOTE]
I always liked Continental Top Touring 28mm for general cycling. Discontinued - for no good reason that I could fathom. Someone feel free to remind me what their closest conti tyre is now. Very very few punctures but then I'm careful with my tyres, despite running them into the ground.


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## jowwy (5 Aug 2018)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> The OP's machine looks like a practical everyday runabout to me. I don't like suspension forks, so would run it locked out, but there's nothing to be gained by changing any parts on it. Any bike built to be fairly rugged and practical, with sensibly wide tyres is going to come in around the 30lb mark in weight, maybe even slightly more. That doesn't make it a "heavy" bike. Ignore all the shock horror reaction from the roadies who think that any bike that isn't super-expensive carbon everything is "heavy" and remember a bike built to be rugged will outlast any flimsy one built to be as light as possible but not take punishment.


Is there anything you do like???


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## Blue Hills (5 Aug 2018)

Read his statement again. It's rather positive if only you could see.

For general not flying down a rocky mountainside trail (not my thing) I also prefer bikes without suspension. In many cases pointless in my opinion. I have had/still have in a broken down (by me) state a very nice fast city bike with suspension. Won't bore you with its spec, details, issues.


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## nickAKA (7 Aug 2018)

I've changed the gravel tyres on the hybrid for road tyres purely because that's where I do most of my riding, and gone down to 32 from 42 width - duranos seemed best value all round as I don't do that many miles on it - but I do the mile-munching on my road bike which is stripped down for speed & weight. The hybrid offers a more comfortable riding position for pottering around but isn't necessarily more comfortable; I'd much rather do 40+ miles on the road bike. Biggest factor in outright pace is riding position I find. Getting down on the drops wherever possible adds about 1mph average speed. Long term plan is to turn the hybrid into a rough & ready tourer for winter rides in the hope that I'll feel the benefit when the road bike comes out...


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## si_c (9 Oct 2018)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> Any bike built to be fairly rugged and practical, with sensibly wide tyres is going to come in around the 30lb mark in weight, maybe even slightly more.


Not even remotely true. I have a steel road bike with 32c tyres, which weighs in at around 22lb with full length mudguards. That'll last forever, is perfectly rugged and is very practical.


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## SkipdiverJohn (9 Oct 2018)

si_c said:


> Not even remotely true. I have a steel road bike with 32c tyres, which weighs in at around 22lb with full length mudguards. That'll last forever, is perfectly rugged and is very practical.



Is this a fully-equipped multi-geared bike not a SS? Must be a very expensive steel one with lightweight components if so. My 531 Dawes weighs about 24 lb on 28c tyres, without mudguards fitted. 531 Raleigh hybrid is 29/30 lb with guards and rack on 35c tyres.


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## SkipdiverJohn (9 Oct 2018)

duplicated post.


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## Grant Fondo (9 Oct 2018)

I'm a bit lost with all the imperial weights... Is everyone here from the U.S?
Back to question... I swapped 2.3in Ritchey Megabytes to 1.5in slicks on rigid mtb.. Massive difference. Dunno what metric tyre dims are.. Soz


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## SkipdiverJohn (9 Oct 2018)

Grant Fondo said:


> I'm a bit lost with all the imperial weights... Is everyone here from the U.S?



No, in Britain we also measure journeys by miles, speeds in mph, and drink beer in pints. All that metric rubbish is an unwanted import from the EU, like all the other crap that emanates from the EU.


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## ColinJ (9 Oct 2018)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> No, in Britain we also measure journeys by miles, speeds in mph, and drink beer in pints. All that metric rubbish is an unwanted import from the EU, like all the other crap that emanates from the EU.


Speak for yourself - I am perfectly happy with the far more sensible metric system. 'Metric rubbish' was not imported from the EU (or Common Market as it was when we joined). The UK joined the CM in 1975 but I was already being taught exclusively in the metric system way back in 1967, 8 years before that! That is over half a century ago - it is time you joined the 20th century and then perhaps you could move on and catch up with the 21st! 

Are you incredibly old? I am 62 and you sound like my (very) late grandfather!


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## SkipdiverJohn (10 Oct 2018)

I was taught mostly in metric, but I mostly measure in Imperial. Metric is easier for some stuff that involves calculations, since it is a decimal system, but for everyday use, Imperial units are generally a more convenient size. Why would I want to order 568ml of beer when I can just ask for 1 pint instead? It's the same with weights; a KG is too big a unit to just round up or down to the nearest whole one, but a Pound is small enough.


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## si_c (10 Oct 2018)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> Is this a fully-equipped multi-geared bike not a SS? Must be a very expensive steel one with lightweight components if so. My 531 Dawes weighs about 24 lb on 28c tyres, without mudguards fitted. 531 Raleigh hybrid is 29/30 lb with guards and rack on 35c tyres.


1972 Peugeot ae-08 which was a £50 eBay find for the frame. Added the rest of the components myself, along with wheels I built. It weighs less than my alloy road bike.


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## nickyboy (10 Oct 2018)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> I was taught mostly in metric, but I mostly measure in Imperial. Metric is easier for some stuff that involves calculations, since it is a decimal system, but for everyday use, Imperial units are generally a more convenient size. Why would I want to order 568ml of beer when I can just ask for 1 pint instead? It's the same with weights; a KG is too big a unit to just round up or down to the nearest whole one, but a Pound is small enough.


You can use the same argument for centimetres over inches, kilometres over miles, grams over ounces


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## alecstilleyedye (16 Oct 2018)

i use 32mm vittoria randoneurs. had them since may and they've been doing the 4x68km a week commute and still look as good as new...


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## Profpointy (16 Oct 2018)

SkipdiverJohn said:


> You are kidding yourself if you think swapping a pair of treaded tyres for a pair of slicks is going to make your bike significantly faster. Depending what you have now and what you change to, it might well make a small difference, but the bike is still going to be powered by the same engine and is still going to more or less weigh the same. Whatever tyres you choose need to be tough if you ride on gravel or you will be plagued by punctures. Same goes for poor tarmac with cracking up and potholed surfaces. Cycling performance is about reliability as much as speed. "Fast" tyres are no advantage if you have to do more frequent puncture repairs. Flat bar bikes of any variety are ultimately limited in their speed potential by the upright riding position, which for general use doesn't matter, but performance favours drops. Saving a few watts in tyre drag is only going to offer a very small increase in road speed due to rapidly increasing aerodynamic drag.



Don't agree with that. I bought treaded tyres for my old tourer / road bike thing it would be better on tracks and such but f-me it was bloody hard work on tarmac. Made a huge difference and I bought some slick tyres PDQ despite the treaded ones having loads of life in 'em.


Schwalbe duranos or conti gatorskins have been fine, albeit limited expeirence of much else


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## nickAKA (18 Oct 2018)

Did


Profpointy said:


> Don't agree with that. I bought treaded tyres for my old tourer / road bike thing it would be better on tracks and such but f-me it was bloody hard work on tarmac. Made a huge difference and I bought some slick tyres PDQ despite the treaded ones having loads of life in 'em.
> 
> 
> Schwalbe duranos or conti gatorskins have been fine, albeit limited expeirence of much else



Did the same road ride 2 days apart on my gravel bike, first time on kenda gravel tyres, second time on gatorskins (albeit 32mm!)
Took over a minute off my previous PB on the uphill segment on the gravel tyres, for a ride of about 25 minutes. Weirdly, I was about the same coming back downhill...


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