what should I know before buying a set of slick tires for my MTB to ride around town?
size?
tread pattern?
thanks!
size?
tread pattern?
thanks!
Slicks
- Thread starter MtnBikerChk
- Start date
FOR RIDING AROUND TOWN. PAVEMENT. WHERE CARS GO.
:eviltongu
If you'll only ever be on pavement, and no snow or gravel roads get a specialized fatboy or ritchey tom slick (or similar completely slick tire) in about 1.5"-1.75". They're wicked fast and corner like nobody's business. If you'll hit snow or gravel, get a cross tire like this Avocets with the inverse tread design, same size as above. If you don't care about weight, get somethiing with a kevlar belt (it's for puncture resistance and different than kevlar bead).
However, a good compromise is pretty much ANY semi slick on the market in a 1.85" - 1.95", which will roll pretty nicely and are perfectly trail-rideable in the late summer and fall on dry trails. I had a pair of old Maxxis wormdrives, and they worked great for commuting and trailriding, until I put together my SS commuter.
from what i have read most slicks have good grip even if they dont have a tread pattern.i have a set of michelin wildgrapper city tires which have the same tread pattern as the ones i had on my motorcycle and thats why i got them and they have been great tires for running around the washington dc area.im now looking at the conti grand prix's.there 1.0 and hopefully a lot faster than the 1.5's i have now,i just need to find someone who has them.
the hutchinson top slicks are a reallllly nice set of slicks. to be honest you might want to even go w/ a smaller size then a 1.7 or a 1.5. there are some realllllly nice 1.0's that FLYYYYYYYYYY, but still hold there own in corners. if you go w/ a smaller size then 1.7 you'll need to get smaller tubes too.
If your rims are wider than 25 mm do not go with a 26 x 1.0 slick. I used to run a Specialized Turbo S in that size on a Mavic PSP 231 rim, but any wider rim and it would have been a problem.
In general I like the fatter slicks for pavement pounding on a mountain bike. The skinniest ones are lighter and faster, but unless you are doing time trial work or trying to hang with roadies and can't afford another bike it is better to go with the comfort and durability of the bigger meats.
If you can find a long twisty steep bumpy paved descent that is too tight to run wide-open on a road bike try it on a mountain bike with some big slicks on it. Better control, better grip and you can leave the roadies behind.
In general I like the fatter slicks for pavement pounding on a mountain bike. The skinniest ones are lighter and faster, but unless you are doing time trial work or trying to hang with roadies and can't afford another bike it is better to go with the comfort and durability of the bigger meats.
If you can find a long twisty steep bumpy paved descent that is too tight to run wide-open on a road bike try it on a mountain bike with some big slicks on it. Better control, better grip and you can leave the roadies behind.
Servus!
Since we're on the topic - anyone hear word about when Maxxxis is going to release those Hookworm slicks?
MBC - do yourself a favor and get a new wheelset with the road tires. It beats having to change your tires three or four times a week - just swap wheels and go. The road wheels don't need to be the best money can buy, merely funtional.
Since we're on the topic - anyone hear word about when Maxxxis is going to release those Hookworm slicks?
MBC - do yourself a favor and get a new wheelset with the road tires. It beats having to change your tires three or four times a week - just swap wheels and go. The road wheels don't need to be the best money can buy, merely funtional.
I got a thang for Schwalbe, they never failed me.
Although I haven't used these ones I am sure they
will do just fine. The Schwalbe Big Apple (26x2.00).
(http://www.schwalbe.de/index.pl?lang=e_)
Although I haven't used these ones I am sure they
will do just fine. The Schwalbe Big Apple (26x2.00).
(http://www.schwalbe.de/index.pl?lang=e_)
I have an older bike that I don't use much. I was just going to use that one
Originally posted by Acadian
sorry MBC....I don't have any of those!
are you looking for a semi slick or a street tire, b/c if you are looking for a street tire then that isn't what you want. it would roll better then a knobbie but not nearly as fast as a true slick would. i wouldn't get them if i were you, for the type of riding you will be doing in new england i wouldn't recommend a semi slick unless you are going to be doing a good bit of racing...
Thanks IB. I need to place a Pricepoint order so I thought if I could get away with it, I'd get them there too.
....I'll keep looking!
....I'll keep looking!
I'm going in a couple days to my LBS to get some comfort road tires basicaly cheap fat slick tires so i can put them on my Trek 6700 which i never use for MTBing anymore so that way i can use it on the road for training.
Your LBS will definently have some instock and they're cheap!
Your LBS will definently have some instock and they're cheap!
For pavement riding, the slicker, the better. The little sipes (grooves) on most 'slick' tires really are cosmetic (most people won't buy a completely smooth tire) and will tend to reduce traction on the road slightly, wet or dry.
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/bicycles-faq/part3/section-9.html
I use 1.25" Specialized Fat Boys. If I was getting 1.5's, I'd probably go for the Avocet Fasgrip or similar.
http://www.faqs.org/faqs/bicycles-faq/part3/section-9.html
I use 1.25" Specialized Fat Boys. If I was getting 1.5's, I'd probably go for the Avocet Fasgrip or similar.
the s works fat boys are really nice and i highly recommend those. if the hutchinson site was working i'd show you a pic of the top slicks but it's not so i can't...those are also really nice. there's a tire that conti makes that i can't remember the name of and i the athens twiligh on those tires and liked those a LOT. they were a really smokin set of tires.