Mountain Biking - Slicks for Mountain Bikes

I currently ride an Specialized Enduro SL and I am considering buying road slicks. I have some great road riding around my house and would like to take that in also. With all of the different brands out there, which seams to have the best results? Oh, I am not dead set on putting them on the Enduro, but I really like the feel of that bike over my FSR XC.
Thanks

Try the Continental Town & Country tires. They have a smooth center line on the tire with inverted tread to the sides. There is both a 1.9" and 2.1" version of the tire.

http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/de/en/continental/bicycle/themes/tires/city/town_country/town_country_en.html

Here they are on my Bike:

http://gallery.photo.net/photo/6428170-lg.jpg

Get a road bike. Not like you can't afford it.
I don't know how that answers the question. I recently got out of motorcross and find a mountain bike more comfortable than a road bike. Chances are if I am not comfortable on the bike, I won't ride it. That makes sense to me, how about you?

Try the Continental Town & Country tires. They have a smooth center line on the tire with inverted tread to the sides. There is both a 1.9" and 2.1" version of the tire.

http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/de/en/continental/bicycle/themes/tires/city/town_country/town_country_en.html

Here they are on my Bike:

http://gallery.photo.net/photo/6428170-lg.jpg

These are what i run on 2 of my 3 mtbs. They are absolutely the best tire for being flat proof and the rolling resistance is good to. I've tried them all, and these were the winners.

Boy, they come in some wide widths, how much did they cost you?

If sized properly, you shouldn't experience discomfort on a road bike, especially if you wear cycling shorts/underwear.

The Enduro's suspension and weight can easily offset its comfort by tiring you out.

You're really turning into an obnoxious piss.

If he wants to put slicks on his dually, what do you care? Pull your freakin' "cycling shorts/underwear" back over your head and stop derailing the thread.



Upstate: Check out the Kenda K-Rad. It's kinda like an "aggressive" slick. Kendausa.com It comes in wider sizes and would fit nicely on your Enduro for paved riding. It's even offered in a 2.5"...a little big for your SL, I'd say. Maybe a 2.3" would be schweet, sir.

http://kendausa.com/_DOWNLOADS/images/model/07krad.jpg

Boy, they come in some wide widths, how much did they cost you?

They run $27.99 each.

http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=955&category=179

You're really turning into an obnoxious piss.

If he wants to put slicks on his dually, what do you care? Pull your freakin' "cycling shorts/underwear" back over your head and stop derailing the thread.



Upstate: Check out the Kenda K-Rad. It's kinda like an "aggressive" slick. Kendausa.com It comes in wider sizes and would fit nicely on your Enduro for paved riding. It's even offered in a 2.5"...a little big for your SL, I'd say. Maybe a 2.3" would be schweet, sir.

http://kendausa.com/_DOWNLOADS/images/model/07krad.jpg

Those look nice and even cost less than the Continental tires.
http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=8637&category=189

Has anyone tried the Kenda K841 Komfort Tire? They look nice too. And price is great too.

Another interesting tire is the Kenda Kwest Hi Pressure Tire, 100psi for a mountain bike (26" x 1.5").
http://www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=7564&category=189

while zumba was kind of rude about it, I agree with him.

road bikes are better for riding on the road. theres nothing that says you need to have your bars 10'' below your seat like a pro. If you can afford a road bike, I highly recommend it. It will be about 10 pounds lighter than your enduro, have more hand positions for comfort and will be sooooo much more efficient.

Heck, you might even start wearing spandex and shaving your legs!

while zumba was kind of rude about it, I agree with him.

road bikes are better for riding on the road. theres nothing that says you need to have your bars 10'' below your seat like a pro. If you can afford a road bike, I highly recommend it. It will be about 10 pounds lighter than your enduro, have more hand positions for comfort and will be sooooo much more efficient.

Heck, you might even start wearing spandex and shaving your legs!

Sure, road bikes are better for road. But who's to say that this fellow didn't spend all of his money on his new Enduro SL and can't afford a new bike? Maybe he just loves his bike, but only hits the dirt once in a great while and would like slix for the rest of the time.

It seems as if people ask for help with something and 95% of the time they get suggestions that are waaay outside of what the OP was even inquiring about.


He was asking about tires...something that costs $50 or so. He gets a freakin' suggestion to buy a whole new bike.

Sure, road bikes are better for road. But who's to say that this fellow didn't spend all of his money on his new Enduro SL and can't afford a new bike? Maybe he just loves his bike, but only hits the dirt once in a great while and would like slix for the rest of the time.

It seems as if people ask for help with something and 95% of the time they get suggestions that are waaay outside of what the OP was even inquiring about.


He was asking about tires...something that costs $50 or so. He gets a freakin' suggestion to buy a whole new bike.

I agree. There are some on this planet that are not comfortable with a road bike. I love my GT... I have never been comfortable riding road bikes. Thanks for keeping the thread on track.

maxxis holy rollers.

maxxis holy rollers.
I didn't see them in 26" on web site. Did I miss something?

Upstate, are you on maxima.org?

I'm gonna put these on my 07 stumpjumper pro for commuting.

Continental City Contact.
http://www.biketiresdirect.com/productdetail.asp?p=COCIT

I love the Schwalbe Hurricanes on my Kuwahara Cascade fixed gear... they run at fairly high pressure (75 psi) and speed and at lower pressures (35 psi) have some amazing traction that works for the rooty dry singletrack I like to ride.

The mileage on the Schwalbes is amazing... one tire on my bike has more than 2000 km on it and other is new and you can't tell the difference between them.

I just fitted Kenda Kwest tires to my new Kuwahara 3 spd conversion and am also liking these tires although they are pretty much street only slicks.

Both of these bikes see more street use than trail.

Upstate, are you on maxima.org? I didn't know they had a site on maximas, but why not? Hell, there is a site on gm full size trucks, why not a maxima? Acutally, I was never really a forum guy until my wife got into motorcross / riding. I wanted to find as much info on women riders do and don'ts and there isn't alot of spoken information out there on that. So I turned to the forum called "thumpertalk" for that. Now that we are riding mountain bikes in lieu of motorcross, I am here. A postive progression for my body I might add.

I love the Schwalbe Hurricanes on my Kuwahara Cascade fixed gear... they run at fairly high pressure (75 psi) and speed and at lower pressures (35 psi) have some amazing traction that works for the rooty dry singletrack I like to ride.

The mileage on the Schwalbes is amazing... one tire on my bike has more than 2000 km on it and other is new and you can't tell the difference between them.

I just fitted Kenda Kwest tires to my new Kuwahara 3 spd conversion and am also liking these tires although they are pretty much street only slicks.

Both of these bikes see more street use than trail.
Do they come in a 26"?

I like the k-rads. They come in decent widths for not getting caught in sewers/grating and are dirt cheap. Also have some tread for when you decide to take shortcuts. Maxxis hookworms seem nice, but pricey.

Do they come in a 26"?

Upstate - The Hurricane comes in a 26 and 700:40 size and the 26 inch size comes in both wire bead and folding version which is a tad lighter and has increased puncture protection although I have never flatted while running the wired Hurricanes.

http://www.schwalbetires.com/node/107/ok

I almost went with a 700:40 Hurricane for my cross bike but opted for the Schwalbe CX Compe in a 700:35 which I am also really happy with.

Upstate - The Hurricane comes in a 26 and 700:40 size and the 26 inch size comes in both wire bead and folding version which is a tad lighter and has increased puncture protection although I have never flatted while running the wired Hurricanes.

http://www.schwalbetires.com/node/107/ok

I almost went with a 700:40 Hurricane for my cross bike but opted for the Schwalbe CX Compe in a 700:35 which I am also really happy with.
I like it! Also, the super moto is cool. Thanks to everyone for their insight. I might try out a couple different tires that everyone had listed. Luckily my wife, my daughter and myself use the same size frame. So I bought my daughter a nice hardtail with 4" travel upfront, my wife a full suspension 4" and myself a 6". Now that I am semi broke, and enjoy the feel of a mountain bike, slicks seem like the right answer for the road.

Back in the old days when I only had one bike I had a set of Hurricanes set up on another set of wheels so I could swap them with the knobbies on my Trek 6700 and use the bike for commuting.

I discovered how good the Hurricanes were one afternoon when I was riding in the river valley and was at the entrance to some excellent singletrack and met a few young guys on hardtails... one told me I'd never make it through with those tires (I also had my paniers on) and took off.

I finally ended up having to ask these guys to let me pass them as they kept stalling on the climbs and sometimes I think I am on a mission from (insert deity of your choice) to school these young fellas.

:D

I didn't know they had a site on maximas, but why not? Hell, there is a site on gm full size trucks, why not a maxima? Acutally, I was never really a forum guy until my wife got into motorcross / riding. I wanted to find as much info on women riders do and don'ts and there isn't alot of spoken information out there on that. So I turned to the forum called "thumpertalk" for that. Now that we are riding mountain bikes in lieu of motorcross, I am here. A postive progression for my body I might add.

Good stuff, they got sites on everything these days! Maxima.org is a pretty big community, within the top 20 as far as automotive boards go. Nevermind though, I know of an upstatemax on maxima.org and saw a few of his posts which had to do with cycling, so I just assumed that.

I just ordered a set of specialized compound pros today (2.2"). They are new for '08. I will put them on my enduro sl. I think I will also order the hurricanes for the FSR. http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=26518
I will let you know when I get them how I make out.

Don't touch K Rads with a ten foot stick. They're alright for road riding, but they suck for everything else.

I think that you will be really pleased with the Schwalbes... the guys at the LBS figure they are some of the fastest rolling tyres they sell and often have trouble keeping them stocked.

I have road bike, but its not really suitable as a winter bike. As such, I run slicks on my MTB (litespeed hardtail)

Two basic kinds of slicks: the hybrids like the Town and Country's and the true 100psi slicks.

If you are riding around town for your own pleasure or commuting, I recommend the T&C's. They are comfortable, wear like iron and are pretty fast.

If you are going to chase roadies, then get the true 100psi slicks. You will be damn near as fast as a road bike.

On a side note, I strongly recommend getting a second wheel set, even if its a $150 Performance cheapie. Makes the switch much easier. I run a road cluster (11-23) on my road wheels. Make sure you have the 11 as its VERY easy to spin a MTB with a 44 or some such thing on the front.

Good luck and have fun. There is MUCH joy in smoking roadies on a mountain bike.

-Z

I don't like running 11 tooth cogs as you lose a lot of efficiency when you drop below 12 or 13 rear teeth and the smoothness of the drive is also often wanting since you can't engage as many teeth on an 11 tooth cog.

I usually customize my cassettes (if they run an 11) so the lowest cog is a 12 or 13 as runnig a 44:11 gearing (104 gear inches) is usually too steep for much except downhill runs on a mountain bike.

The 46:12 (99 gear inches) on my Rocky Mountain Hammer is a gearing I can really fly on and the drive is as smooth as buttah which also contributes to keeping a hgher spin and maintaining road speed...especially when you run tires like my much favoured Schwalbes or other slicks.

Everyone's mileage varies when it comes to gearing so a 44:11 might work for some but I never liked running this gearing.

I have never had any issues with my 11's, but I understand the concepts you are talking about.

As for the 46 x 12. That's all great when you are by yourself or with other similarly geared bikes, but like I said, if one is going to be riding with fast roadies, you better bring some bigger gears.

Have fun...

-Z

Anyone have any actual pictures of the Schwalbe Hurricanes ?
I can't stand the drawings on the Schwalbe site.....

You think they'd run quiet inflated to 70psi on rollers ???
I'm looking for a dual purpose tire now that lack of daylight is limiting my weekday before work rides...
Like you Sixty Fiver I ride much more on the road but still want a tire with some off road capability...

Thanks,

Joe


I love the Schwalbe Hurricanes on my Kuwahara Cascade fixed gear... they run at fairly high pressure (75 psi) and speed and at lower pressures (35 psi) have some amazing traction that works for the rooty dry singletrack I like to ride.

The mileage on the Schwalbes is amazing... one tire on my bike has more than 2000 km on it and other is new and you can't tell the difference between them.

I just fitted Kenda Kwest tires to my new Kuwahara 3 spd conversion and am also liking these tires although they are pretty much street only slicks.

Both of these bikes see more street use than trail.

that bike gets me all wet.

She's spoken for... :mad::mad:

j/k :D

that looks like a custom built bike. how much? $1500? it also looks brand new / never ridden, like off the show room floor. wtf gives?

i got a fat lop of a friend who has, sadly, pretty much given up on life at the ripe old age of 35. he has a ~primo~ condition Giant (something) hardtail. oversized aluminum tube frame. decen components. he paid $900 at the lbs. i am trying to get him to sell it to me as he NEVER EVER ****ING RIDES IT. ever. never.

it kinda reminds me of your getup. well, his has (superfluous) multiple chain rings. basically, i am looking for a ht mtn bike type frame, low standover 9 speed setup. it'll see moderate XC, with lots of hits.

It was a showroom bike that I have upgraded almost everything it came with. In the middle of the upgrades I had to have emergency hernia surgery and cannot ride it until later this month. I let my two teenage boys ride it up and down the block once to test it out. As far as $$ goes The Phil Wood hubs pushed it over that... I will have to ease into riding once I am allowed. It will see much off road, dirt, mud and more. The bike weighs in at 30.5lbs and is very responsive.

Try the Continental Town & Country tires. They have a smooth center line on the tire with inverted tread to the sides. There is both a 1.9" and 2.1" version of the tire.

http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/de/en/continental/bicycle/themes/tires/city/town_country/town_country_en.html

Here they are on my Bike:

http://gallery.photo.net/photo/6428170-lg.jpg

+1

I overpay for these at my LBS.

these Continental Town & Country tires are on sale for $19.95 here:

http://www.biketiresdirect.com/productdetail.asp?p=COTAC

these Continental Town & Country tires are on sale for $19.95 here:

http://www.biketiresdirect.com/productdetail.asp?p=COTAC

+1 These guys are local for me and no shipping. $40 for a pair of T&C's!

They don't offer these in a folding model ?


+1 These guys are local for me and no shipping. $40 for a pair of T&C's!

If you want a road-specific tire for your Enduro, look at the Ritchey Tom Slicks. They come as narrow as 1", though you need really narrow rims to pull that off. They also have a 1.4" variant that rolls fast.

And I've had really great luck running Performance's Forté City ST and ST-K series on my Marin. The 1.25" City ST-K is a really durable tire, with a kevlar liner and really good handling. And given that they usually run $10-12 a piece, they're also quite affordable.

The Continental Town & Country is a great tire, for sure: it's the choice of many law enforcement agencies for its durability and go-anywhere personality. But it's also really heavy, and all the rotational weight is a hassle if you're gonna do time on the roads.

Good luck!

The Continental Town & Country is a great tire, for sure: it's the choice of many law enforcement agencies for its durability and go-anywhere personality. But it's also really heavy, and all the rotational weight is a hassle if you're gonna do time on the roads.

I don't care too much about weight.....I myself am looking for a tire with a smooth center section so that I can ride my rollers without waking up the whole house at 5:30 in the morning.....

I've ran 100psi 1.5 Kenda Kwests before, they're a nice tire...although Specialized Fat Boys @ 1.25 are the fastest, lightest tire I've ever run on my MTB. However, I never really cared for the look of a small, skinny tire on an MTB....and I no longer care about sandbagging roadies either....I just want something that'll be quiet on my rollers during the winter months while still letting me get out on the roads on the weekends...and looks good on my bike. ;)

I just ordered a set of 2.1 Conti Town & Countrys....I'll post pics when I get them mounted...:)

If weight is not a concern and you will be running a second set of wheels as well you could get a set of Maxxis Hookworms. They are a bit wider at 26x2.5 but they roll nicely.

DBD

If weight is not a concern and you will be running a second set of wheels as well you could get a set of Maxxis Hookworms. They are a bit wider at 26x2.5 but they roll nicely.

DBD



I agree with you but the second set of wheels will have to wait another year.....$$$$ :mad:

...but since we're on the topic.....I'm running a 9 spd drivetrain with Avid BB5 brakes and an 11-34 cassette. How much, roughly, would a second set of wheels run me ??? I don't want crap but I don't want to break the bank either......:rolleyes:

My Safari came with T&C's. They roll really well,and even did good in the snow,but I ditched them after five flats(2f,3r). Apparently,they changed the design to reduce the price. Serfas makes almost the same tire(Drifter) in 1.5 and 1.9" with puncture protection.

Replaced the T&C's with 1.75" Vittoria Adventures for $18 a pop. A touch heavy for their size,but they roll well,zero flats,and have reflective sidewalls. I used 1.5" Specialized Nimbus Fak Jackets on my last commuter in the summer and really liked them. Fast and also zero flats. Used Michelin Transworld Citys in 1.95" for the winter;they we only ok in snow,and not too fast,but no flats and also had reflective sidewalls. I've also heard good things about Conti Sport Contacts in 1.3 and 1.6",as well as Panaracer T-Servs.

I just ordered a set of specialized compound pros today (2.2"). They are new for '08. I will put them on my enduro sl. I think I will also order the hurricanes for the FSR. http://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=26518
I will let you know when I get them how I make out.
Well, I got a week on the compound pros, not having tried the hurricanes yet, I really can't compare the two, so this is what I see.
The compound pros use a harder compound in the center of the tire compared to the tread on the sides. The tread actually continues to the bead of the tire. Very stiff sidewall and definitely heavier than the resolution pros. Fast rolling, handles loose stones, gravel, deep sand and appears to be very happy landing. So far, I will say that I found a enjoyable fit for me currently. They seem to handle a lot of abuse and go down the road with ease. Tread is very comparable to a supermoto tire.

My personal favorite are the no-tread kind. Smooth-like-a-baby's-ass tires rolls fast, clings to the road like nothing else. And don't believe the urban legend that they're no good in the rain -- they are.

I recently installed a pair of Bontrager "Road Warrior"s on my girlfriend's MTB. They come in various widths, from 1.25" for high speed rolling, to 2.1" for that cushy limousine feeling.
I was told they're quite hard to find, though, not sure why. Maybe they're only sold in certain countries? If you can't find them, Schwalbe Kojaks looks nice, and comes in 26".

I have road bike, but its not really suitable as a winter bike. As such, I run slicks on my MTB (litespeed hardtail)

Two basic kinds of slicks: the hybrids like the Town and Country's and the true 100psi slicks.

If you are riding around town for your own pleasure or commuting, I recommend the T&C's. They are comfortable, wear like iron and are pretty fast.

If you are going to chase roadies, then get the true 100psi slicks. You will be damn near as fast as a road bike.

On a side note, I strongly recommend getting a second wheel set, even if its a $150 Performance cheapie. Makes the switch much easier. I run a road cluster (11-23) on my road wheels. Make sure you have the 11 as its VERY easy to spin a MTB with a 44 or some such thing on the front.

Good luck and have fun. There is MUCH joy in smoking roadies on a mountain bike.

-Z
Yeah, my friend runs fully slick Specialized tyres on his hardtail, and he loves it on roads. Means he can only use his bike for commuting though. If anythng, I would go for the T&c's, as I couldn't bare to be locked into road riding only.

Well, I got a week on the compound pros, not having tried the hurricanes yet, I really can't compare the two, so this is what I see.
The compound pros use a harder compound in the center of the tire compared to the tread on the sides. The tread actually continues to the bead of the tire. Very stiff sidewall and definitely heavier than the resolution pros. Fast rolling, handles loose stones, gravel, deep sand and appears to be very happy landing. So far, I will say that I found a enjoyable fit for me currently. They seem to handle a lot of abuse and go down the road with ease. Tread is very comparable to a supermoto tire.

I like the thread pattern on those Compound Pros. Do you have a pic of it on? I ended up with the T&C but I'm looking for something a little wider like the Compound Pros.

I like the thread pattern on those Compound Pros. Do you have a pic of it on? I ended up with the T&C but I'm looking for something a little wider like the Compound Pros.

Not yet, I will post one before this weekend.

Try the Continental Town & Country tires. They have a smooth center line on the tire with inverted tread to the sides. There is both a 1.9" and 2.1" version of the tire.

http://www.conti-online.com/generator/www/de/en/continental/bicycle/themes/tires/city/town_country/town_country_en.html

Here they are on my Bike:

http://gallery.photo.net/photo/6428170-lg.jpg

What size are those - 1.9 or 2.1?

I am going to get a set of the T&C's I think . . . for my forthcoming new MTB.

As to the comments on getting a roadie . . .
People should ride what they want first and foremost.

Second . . . I have a very nice road bike and I consider myself a roadie. Well, I am a tri guy and I ride with the local club 1-2 times a week. That said, I will use my MTB with semi-slicks on some road riding as well.
#1 winter. When the adverse weather comes i will ride this on my weekly group night ride. We do not ride in snow or ice or anything, but truth is Mid-west winters can be tough on roads. There is a lot of salt and grime on the road and there are a lot more pot holes. In the winter my tuesday night ride is 100% in the dark, and quite honestly I think I will be more comfy on a MTB hardtail with front suspension and wider tires.

I will also ride it more on my recreational rides - like when i ride to work (I admit is not all that often) or ride with my family or ride to an event (like I alway ride down to the Indy 500 and Brickyard 400 to see my family and friends that are tailgating, then I ride home when the race starts).

What size are those - 1.9 or 2.1?

They are the 2.1" tires.

Very informative thread, thanks for the opinions on road tires guys!

I have an important question though. Would a 26x1.5 road slick fit on my 2008 Hardrock wheel? I have an older GT hardtail with thinner rims that I know they would fit on but I'd love to train on the hills with my newer bike.

Here's the rim spec: Specialized/Alex HRD 26, double wall disc"