Bicycle Mechanics - Fattest 559 slicks available?

What's the widest model true slicks available for 559 (26" MTB) rims?

One model I've found is the Continental SportContact 1.6" (I normally run the 1.3" version), but are there any that are about 2" or more?

I bet the folks over on the alt-bikes forum would know.

Steve
Who has all skinny little tires

Schwalbe Big Apples are avaialble in 26" x 2.0" and 2.35". I'm not sure what you mean by "true" slick -- they have a tread pattern, but no nubs.

I mean true slicks. No pattern at all. Just smooth rubber.
Or at least as close as possible to that, like this:
http://gallery.rei.com/media/711641_321Prd.jpg

Vredestein tyres have two options for you, http://www.vredestein.com/autobanden/Index.asp?TaalID=3

There's the Perfect Moiree at 26 x 1.75 and the B-EACH tire at 26 x 2.125.

The old IRC Metro is available at 26 x 1.5 as well. EDIT: Actualy I remember that the IRC Metro's used to be available in a bigger size as well. Maybe its still around.

You've already posted a picture of the Continental option. 1.6" is pretty cushy.

Regards, Anthony

Yeah, I'm looking at the Continental, but I wanted to know if there were any larger available first... :)

The B-EACH was cool, but bright blue isn't really my colour... :D

Nope, I guess I'll give the Continentals a shot later on.

Thanks for the help!

Ask this guy what tyres his ride has, I don't think they make'em any bigger:

http://fixedgeargallery.com/2006/jan/K_2.htm

BTW, the owner is a BF member, you can find him in the single/fixed subforum (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=166495&page=1&pp=25).I'd swear I saw some Maxxis tyres like this, but the Maxis homepage doesn't mention anything of the kind.

Cool, they look like what I'm looking for.

Perhaps I should explain myself a bit...

I usually ride on 1.2" (nominally 1.3") slicks (the smaller Contis) pumped to 90-95 psi (which is as far above the recommended 85 psi as I dare go). They're great and fast, but hard tyres are never very comfortable, especially over rough surfaces such as cobbles.

I hope I'll be able to go on a bike trip to Ireland (via Denmark and the UK) this summer, and I don't feel the thin, hard tyres I have now will be very pleasant if I encounter rougher roads along the way.

Now, today, I went on my first ride on 2" studded knobbies, pumped to 40-45 psi.
What a soft and pleasant ride that was! Now, for speed, that's not what one would be looking for. But for a four-week bike tour, I'd be willing to sacrifice a slight amount of speed and cornering (st)ability to gain cushioning comfort and the ability to lower and raise pressure substantially depending on road surface conditions.
Only a fairly large-volume tyre allows me to do that, and a slick tread is a must for me for anything that's not off road or winter.

I'm not sure the larger Contis will be enough. But unless I can find a larger tyre that I can get hold of easily (I'm in Sweden), they will have to do. At least they're easy to get here and they're also fairly cheap. Plus, they don't wear very fast. I have about 3500 km on mine now, and only the rear shows any significant wear, but they're probably another 1000-1500 km from replacement.

-
Edit...
They're Ritchey Moby Bite 2.1".

Maxis Hookworms? http://www.maxxis.com/products/bicycle/product_detail.asp?id=160
Tire Size 26x2.5
TPI 60
Bead Wire
Max PSI 65
Weight 1250 g
Durometer 60a

BIG!
Members cush ride. http://home.comcast.net/~cheg01/diamondback.html

most differences in rolling resistance between true slicks and the semislicks like the conti travel contact, the conti tt2000 and the like seem to be pretty minimal.

Look at the conti town and country. available in 2.1, with an inverse tread, the only rubber touching during straight forward motion is a slick center strip.

anyway,

I've noticed little difference between the conti sport contact, the 'true' slick you mention, versus the town and country or the travel contacts, etc.....

I'm going to second the Schwalbe Big Apples suggestion - they're designed for exactly the purpose you describe.

It's not really about rolling resistance, it's about predictability when cornering. I've experienced "walking" behaviour with non-slicks a couple of times.

It's not really about rolling resistance, it's about predictability when cornering. I've experienced "walking" behaviour with non-slicks a couple of times.

Squirmy feel when leaning over in a corner?

Well, yes, and it seemed the tyres "side-stepped" out of the path. Hard to explain. But doesn't happen with my slicks.

Sounds like you just didn't have grippy-enough knobbies...

I'd go with those hookworms. They're pretty heavy, but all that rubber will add up to some decent puncture resistance on foreign roads.

Well, yes, and it seemed the tyres "side-stepped" out of the path. Hard to explain. But doesn't happen with my slicks.

Mine skip if something on the ground moves.
http://www.serfas.com/tires/VSSK-F.shtml
http://www.serfas.com/tires/VSSK-R.shtml

My rear semi-slick. No squirm. XC rounder profile tires with even spaced knobbies tend to roll off the centerline better.
Flatter profile mud\hucking tires have re-inforced sidewalls and are run lower psi more on the center.
Kobbies that join at the treads edge squirm often, the rear usually in the Front\Rear\different tread designs. Reverse the tires and the squirm is front.
XC tends to have a more uniform roundness and knob spacing =better cornering.

The Serfas Vermins pretty good -higher psi speed tire for offroad\works really good as an asphalt tire as well in wet too. Mine says Kevlar mat and was about 3/5 the price of IRC Kevlar XC tires.
I also find most rolling resistance ir rear so I use a smaller 1.95 rear high psi and 2.3 xc lower psi knobbed front.
So I have a smooth front\grippy and a fast\tight tracking rear.
I have a lot of tires, I wreck tires...the Serfas is holding up reasonably well, a good tire for a economical price really, and the closest to a road\offroad tread design I've ridden.

I notice they have several slicks, I've not used other than what i'm recommending.
http://www.serfas.com/tires/tires_cruiser_all.shtml
http://www.serfas.com/tires/CTR-15.shtml Hmm.

Sounds like you just didn't have grippy-enough knobbies...

I only ride on hard roads/streets. No loose surfaces for me. Well, none that I try to corner hard on anyway...
:D

Oh, I forgot about another reason to ride with pure slicks...
They hardly throw up any dirt at all. Even the slightest tread pattern seems to worsen that.
But that's only a bonus, not a major factor.

Oh, I forgot about another reason to ride with pure slicks...
They hardly throw up any dirt at all. Even the slightest tread pattern seems to worsen that.
But that's only a bonus, not a major factor.

Knobbies throw up less water. :D

Don't you find the slicks a bit squirrely when the road is wet?I also like bike minimal tread tires for the nice soft ride.Our roads-New Orleans-are crummy,potholed POS because of the crummy soil they are built on.
I happened to eyeball those Big Apple 2 x26 tires last week-the tread is minimal-just enough to give you a bit of wet traction.Slicks are-slick-on wet roads.Isn't Ireland kinda wet?It must have plenty of rain to get that green(like New Orleans,except we have to good sense to cool our beer).
There must have been something wrong with your tire-wheel combo that caused the unsure footing you noticed with treaded tires-pressure off-rim too narrow;old dry tire-or just a crummy tire.
schang-I didn't know those Big Apples came in a 2.35X26;any idea who carries them?They would be perfect for taking the "loosen your fillings" jaring out of our roads.
Those hookworms look promising,but 1200 grams-plus a bigger heavy tube-would be noticeable.Thanks.Charlie

Big Apples!
I'm using them because they make my bike handle MUCH better than the slicks they replaced.
The tread is thin. They will not squirm unless you put them on narrow rims at very low pressure. At 30 psi they are noticably faster than the super stiff Hookworms at 100 psi. Not to mention putting much less stress on the rims.

Running low pressures means you aren't pushing the rubber against the glass etc. with much force. After a season of mostly urban riding I don't have any little cuts in my tread. I'd recommend 30 PSI with 50-559 or 25 psi with 60-559. They are not at all slow at these pressures. Besides, you don't have to slow down for nuthin'.

The only large slick I know of that didn't have a thick, slow tread was the original Conti Avenue 1.75". Not a bad tire, but I much prefer the Apples.

Europeans are much more savvy about these things, as evidenced by the ever increasing mumber of sizes of the Apple and variations on the theme.

The most interesting is the Super Moto
http://www.schwalbe.com/index.pl?bereich=produkte&einsatzbereich=3&produktgruppe=40&produkt=116
A 559-60 (2.35") it has a kevlar bead and grippier racing rubber. It's 7 ounces lighter than the Apple with the same tread pattern. Looks like just the thing for hardpack or the Slickrock of Moab.

Other Euro based tire outfits are geting on the "Fat but Supple" bandwagon, but I don't know of any that are distributed here.

The Hookworms would be fine with light 2.1 tubes I bet.
And you don't need thorn tubes or liners etc.
The whole tires thick, not just a mat, you can ride over glass and crap on the sidewalls.

Well, 2" is about the limit of my frame, so anything beyond that won't even fit.
The more I think about it, the better the 1.6" Contis seem. :)
Come to think of it, the fenders won't clear more than about 2" either.

And to phoebeisis...
No, Ireland isn't particularly wet. It rains often but not much. Well, depending on where in Ireland you are, of course, but down in Cork, you regularly had 10-20 minutes of rain, then 5-10 minutes later, a clear blue sky for half an hour or an hour, then another quick shower... And so on through the day.
Where I live now, in western Sweden, it doesn't rain as often, but when it rains, the damn thing stays for many days, dripping and dripping, with a lead sky above. Depressing...
Anyway, slicks are no worse on wet asphalt than patterned treads.

For touring, I'd definitely go with the 1,6 (or 1,3)Contis. Well tested, widely used and a good middle ground size-wise. 2" is just silly big for any practical purposes. Add some tyre liners in the rear and you're good to go.

Tyre liners? For punctures?
Not a problem. I've run over glass hundreds of times with my Contis and no punctures at all so far.

Now you said it you'll get 10 flats in 100 miles :roflmao:

I have punctured my 1,3 Conti SportContact once or twice in 1000 miles or so. Not bad at all, but it's worth carrying an extra 100g to avoid it.

Nah. I won't be bothering with anything like that.
It's a right mess getting those tyres on without having another loose item to deal with.

Hmm, one thing though, I'm curious why you suggested only having one in the rear tyre...? :)

Hmm, one thing though, I'm curious why you suggested only having one in the rear tyre...? :)

Not sure of LoFarkas reasons, but I do that as well.
I flat 2wice as much rear, I guessed the weight, and I lift and turn to avoid sharps, but the rear sometimes tracks to the side of the turn\over the crap.

Also I run a smaller rear tire, I used heavy byutal tubes as more rubber feels better on the bumps, less of a 'bang' on the potholes with a higher psi.

Yep, most of the weight is on the rear, so it won't "roll over" glass without picking it up like the front might. And it's easier to steer around/hop over debris with the front as well, so it's much less likely to flat (most of the time, if you steer around something with the front, the rear rolls right through it as it runs on tighter line in corners).
So rear liner is my compromise between weight and puncture resistance (or it was, 'cos I use my Vittoria Rubinos sans belt on the road bike)

Sounds like you just didn't have grippy-enough knobbies...

Nope, just the opposite. The tall knobs deform and "squirm" when you make a hard turn on pavement. I doubt it's really dangerous but it definitely feels disconcerting.

Schwalbe Super Moto. $40 at Pricepoint. Go to Schwalbe's page and read up about it - I bet you will buy a pair straightaway.

They're 2.35" wide. My frame only handles up to 2.1" (and barely that). :)
But thanks anyway.