mtb slicks

[david1701]

at the moment my bike (heavy yellow front sus mtb) runs 26"x2" 'all terrain' tyres and its a bitch to ride up hills, I live in the hilliest part of the world and if I want to ride more than a mile or two need to cope with at least 1 steep climb (and I'm shockingly unfit)

so I'm thinking the biggest cheapest change I can make is buying it some slicks/road tyres but looking at them on wiggle is just nuts there are 60 different types

I'm thinking criteria are cheap (saving for an actual road bike) as slim as poss and low rolling resistance.

Guess I need to avoid anything too slick as my lane gets proper muddy (woooo farmers), does anyone have any recommendations?

 

[ColinJ]

I don't think that tread would help you much on a slurry-covered lane.

If the mud is thick enough and hard enough for knobblies to bite into, then okay, they would help keep you upright but then you'd have the much higher rolling resistance.

I'd go for narrow slicks and take care on the mud.

And of course - save up for a road bike!

 

[mcshroom]

Mus shouldn't be a real problem (I've got very slick sport contacts on currently and my commute is covered in mud). Something like a Schwalbe City Jet would be a good (and cheap option) in 26X1.5

I'f you are worried about how slick they are, then you could try something like a land cruiser

Whatever tyres you use, remember to pump them up close to the tyre maximum as they roll better when fully inflated. Also if you can, lock out any suspension on the bike, as on the road all it does is sap energy.

 

[david1701]

lush so narrowest and slickest looking I can find, I say mud its about 50:50 mud:cow shoot

I've gotten out of the mindset that anything spent on the mtb is wasted because I've realised I want a good road bike and that will take some time

 

[david1701]

can't lock the front sus, but if I see a cheap rigid fork for disks I might grab it

they look pretty tough and smooth, and at 12 quid each are on budget

 

[mcshroom]

Slick yes. Narrow not quite so important. What you get with narrower tyres is a little less weight and a chance to pump the pressure up a bit higher. The wider tyres are a little quicker on bad surfaces and more comfy but also heavier and slightly lower pressure.

As for the mud, I ride through two farmyards and an underpass shared with cows walking too and from the milking parlour. I'm just glad I have mudguards

 

[david1701]

oh ok I was just thinking wider=more rolling resistance, which I know to not be true

 

[Bornagaincyclist]

I fitted Schwelbe Marathons (26 x 1.75) after I had a puncture on MTB tyres and aslo got fed up pedaling downhill - work well for me -!
Not too much cow dung in my part of Bristol though (plenty of potholes though).
Regards Gordon

 

[Steve H]

+1 for Schwalbe City Jets 26x1.5. I've used these on my mtb for commuting and they are pretty good for reasonable cost

 

[wheeliebin]

+1 for Schwalbe City Jets 26x1.5. I've used these on my mtb for commuting and they are pretty good for reasonable cost

I've been thinking about city jets to replace the knobblies on my bike, as you say they are a good price - but I was thinking the 26x1.5s might look a bit strange on a chunky-framed MTB?

My knobblies are 26x1.95, which I think is the only alternative size in city jets, but I guess might not be as good weight/pressure wise?

But then again perhaps I shouldn't worry as I suspect the rack, panniers and comfy saddle probably finish me off, street cred-wise.

 

[mcshroom]

If you want an idea what 26x1.5s look lie on a mtb, Norm posted some pics recently here

 

[buddha]

I put 26x1.0 tyres on my mtb (Specialized All Condition Pro 2 IIRC) - mainly because they could be pumped up to 120psi to make hills easier.

They do look weird, and the bike did handle strangely at first, as well as having a pedal clearance issue. But it is fast

However, in hindsight, I'd go for 1.5's mainly because the inner tubes are easier to come by

edit: having said that, I only rode that bike twice (since conversion) and it's been in the shed gathering dust for 6 months

 

[david1701]

cheers guys

 

[Steve H]

Yes - 1.5's do look a but strange on a mtb at first especially when your eyes are used to meaty knobblies. But after a couple of weeks your eyes adjust and the but of extra pace is worth it

 

[Steve H]

Yes - 1.5's do look a but strange on a mtb at first especially when your eyes are used to meaty knobblies. But after a couple of weeks your eyes adjust and the but of extra pace is worth it