I have been roped into doing the BHF London to Brighton road ride in June. I ride a custom built 2012 Kona Abra Cadabra and can’t afford to get a road bike just for this ride. The bike is easily light enough for an all day xc ride but I just wondered whether anyone could recommend some suitable road tyres or just something lighter with less rolling resistance that I could use for a day on the road?!!! I run DT 5.1D rims so they aren’t massively wide.

29/27.5/26″? I’m not familiar with the bike….

If 26″ I would just get some cheap City Jet tyres from Halfords or somewhere.

I used to use them on my Stumpjumper FSR on a spare set of wheels for ‘training’ road rides when I only had the one bike.

Decent puncture protection, roll very well & cheap…just remember to buy a smaller tube to take as a spare in case you do puncture. Mine were 1.5s and larger volume tubes were a pain.

People ride all sorts on the London to Brighton, you won’t have the weirdest bike there. You might find the gearing a bit limiting depending on what size chainring you have, but the hills will be easy! Can you lock out the rear shock?

It’s on 26 inch wheels so the city jets might be a good option then – thanks for the advice.

Yes, it has an Fox Float RP23 rear shock which can effectively be locked out. It also uses the love or hate (I’m a fan!) Kona Magic Link G2 geometry with a secondary aux air shock so there is minimal pedal bob anyway.

For one ride just get the cheapest thing you can. Have a look on CRC there are always cheap tyres on there.

If you want it to look ok then fatter tyres are probably nicer. Schwalbe Big apples or Maxxis Hookworms (if they still make them).

Buy some semi-decent s/h 26×1.5 tyres on ebay, flog them again after. Net cost will only a couple of quid.

can’t afford to get a road bike just for this ride

Can you afford to buy one if you ride it more? I smell an excuse forming for a new bike.