I need help, not mentally, but just wanting to convert one of my bike’s into a fast commuter, not sure what slicks to fit, only temporary as will switch wheels back to knobblies for the weekends, any suggestions?

Ta

maxxis hookworms

I’ve used schwalbe city jets before on my old 26″ HT and they seemed fast rolling but still a decent volume to fill you mtb rims.

Schwalbe City Jets, 26×1.5

I used Schwalbe Kojaks for a while. I always think mtb’s look odd with small tyres and the Kojaks were fast but also gave a bit of puncture protection/volume.

Hookworms on a big bouncy beast for street gnat shredding radnezz. 😉

Schwalbe are a decent choice – IME they’re easy to fit and remove, they have good puncture protection, and they’re available with reflective sidewalls.

Cityjets…

I have used the 1.5 size, but I think 1.9’s are also available.

Conti sport contact 26x 1.3

Very fast

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=18829

even faster is the ultra gaterskin 1.125

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-ultra-gatorskin-city-mtb-tyre/

Seen a few guys turn up to popular road training ride in bristol (elites, 1st cats) on a mtb with these on

None of these are fun answers! 🙄

I’ve got Schwalbe big Apples 26×2.3 which are fast and fantastic fun!

I’ve got a set going spare if you’re interested, email me. They’re only spare as I’m mainly 29er now…

Schwalbe City Jets 1.5″ – dirt cheap and lasting well, no issues with grip, and pretty fast rolling.

Yeah go for clubbers…..A 2.3 slick means you can go fast AND still ride through stuff like a MTB.

Schwalbe City Jets. Go for the big fat ****-off 1.9’s instead of the 1.6 though, as you live in Salford.

My commute took me through Hulme and Moss Side. So the journey meant my City Jets were constantly run over a surface consisting entirely of broken crack pipes, discarded blood-stained Stanley knives, crumpled special brew cans, AIDS infected syringes and pieces of splintered human skull. I can’t recall getting any punctures. Which is just as well. The last place on earth you want to be stopping to change a tube, after dark, on your own is the Side of the Moss. Tyre choice here really is a matter of life and death 😉

can’t see a 2.3 ‘big’ apple being that fast?!

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/schwalbe-big-apple-any-body-use-them

Cheers guys, a good spread of rubber there, will check them out, thanks Clobber for the offer, may go for something a bit thinner in profile although they will be fitted to ex500 rims which are A. Overkill for the street and B. a shit to get tires on and off!

Seems your big fat 1.9’s are pretty small compared to my big apples binners….

I can’t compete, but size isn’t everything big boy 😉

The 1.9s feel chunkier and more substantial, and perform really well. Hmmmmmmmmmmmm….. Or maybe I’m just used to justifying size issues like this?

Halo Twin Rails.

Nice one binners, I’m not in the Salford area but I know what yer sayin… Dark side of the spoon!
Gonna pop down the LBS tonight and have a looksies, need to ride fast and loose in my neck of the woods too now and again.

I use Marathons myself, they’re not as fast as a road bike tyre or as fat as an Apple but they’re still good.

Another vote for Hookworms. No different to any other slick, but look cool. 8)

schwalbe supermotos for fun and potholes
schwalbe marathon racers for sensible compromise
marathon plus for ultimate protection
conti sports for good rolling feel.

Schwalbe supermotos in 2.3 here, roll fast, grip well, light and still feel right…. They are no slower than skinny 1.5s I had before and feel loads better

Anyone else using Kojaks? Hadn’t noticed them before but they’re stupidly light…

I have always favoured Specialized Fat Boys for this purpose. They’re excellent, very fast and resilient.

marathon plus here, I actually went a step further and bought a spare set of QR wheels, it can cause chain wear and gear slip issues though.

As above used sport contact 1.3 with 90 psi super quick an unpopable and wear well, wot else would u need. Ah they are tight though so need some metal type tyre levers to go with em.

Another vote for Hookworms.

You sure? I’ve a friend who’s running hookworms on his commuter because he reckons they’re bloody heavy and thus ideal for building the Thighs of Steel.

With Fat Franks 2.35’s Took a bit of effort to get them up to speed, but great fun, and quite fast rolling when pumped up high. Nice comfy bike this what with the CC Thudbuster and all!

Have put Kenda K-west 1.5’s on Crests now and they spin up much quicker. Not as much fun tho.

Alright, so, Supermoto fans… I’ve used the cheap, heavy Big Apples and I liked them but they did feel sluggish. How much difference in pace/effort do you reckon there is between a Supermoto and a typical 23-or-thereabouts road tyre (Pro3s in my case?)

Cheers!

i use Panaracer Mach semi slicks. they’re 1.95’s so dont look odd on an mtb. they’re super light and are pretty fast rolling especially when pumped up to 65psi. only downside is that because of the thin tyre casing
they’re very prone to punctures!! to solve this you’d have to use puncture proof strips. i’ve toyed with the possibility of gong to a thinner tyre say a 1.5 but i’m worried they wont be wide enough to fit on my rims properly as the rims are 34mm wide. the hookworms look good though…

I’m currently using Maxxis Holy Rollers 2.2 and I like them a lot! Very gripy on tarmac and good for dry off road too, weigh in at 735g a tyre though and take 65psi max.

As for the Hookworms, they look nice, but are one of the heaviest balloon tyres around – 1250g each! Way too heavy for my liking.

Next tyres I’ll be buying for the commute will be Kenda Small Block 8’s – nice and light (2.1 is 520g) and should roll well whilst being good for trail centres, dry trails (I keep dreaming) and having fun in urban areas.