Mountain Biking - what kind of tires to get?

i currently have a 10 yrs old rockhopper. it's equiped with mtb tires. but i want to be able to ride it faster by changing it to more of a street slick or the type of tires where it's half slick and still good for trailing on some gravel. also, i was thinking about if it would be possible to make the tires narrower without changing the rims?

What size tyres do you currently have? The thinnest I'd go for streetable yet respectable XC tyres is around 1.8" with semi-aggressive tread. I'm running the 2.1 Panaracer Fire XC Pros. You can get the same tyres in 1.8" but I've heard they're not as good respectively in that size as to other tyres in the same footprint. Anything thinner is going restrict you to fairly tame trails although that might be good enough for your gravel riding. If that suits you then you might be able to drop down to 1.5" Specialized Nimbus Armadillos.

What size tyres do you currently have? The thinnest I'd go for streetable yet respectable XC tyres is around 1.8" with semi-aggressive tread. I'm running the 2.1 Panaracer Fire XC Pros. You can get the same tyres in 1.8" but I've heard they're not as good respectively in that size as to other tyres in the same footprint. Anything thinner is going restrict you to fairly tame trails although that might be good enough for your gravel riding. If that suits you then you might be able to drop down to 1.5" Specialized Nimbus Armadillos.

right now i got some crappy CHENG brand nylon tires. it's 26x1.95 size. i bought the bike used.. so when i bought it.. my co-worker replaced it with new tires.. which i later found out was some heavey tires.

yeah i'll probably go something near 1.8, not sure if the 1.5 will fit on my rim. is there anyway to check the rim to see if it will fit??

panaracer trailblaster is a light tire that is a FAST roller on or off road with good reliability for me.its the only tire i will use anymore for ANY condition.i use 2.1 and they roll like a much smaller tire.good grip for me,good cornering for me etc.

I have a set of 1.8 Trailblasters and I think they suck. The only worthwhile characteristics they have are that they're light and fast. Traction sucks balls though, especially during cornering.

i hear that that is why i said for me.it may be my style of riding,my weight ,my whatever but they hookup great for me in corners,mud, braking,any adverse riding has been no problem.im on my 2nd set.they sound like a 4x4 on pavement though.i have 2.1s.i run the same rims,brakes and hubs as you Jim311 on your jekyll but on a mongoose fs monoque frame.i weigh 200+pounds.that may help them grab better too LOL.maybe that howl on pavement is them screaming for mercy from this fat man on them.since going "stans"the traction is even better. i do not say "you must buy them " but i will be getting more when these wear out this summer or maybe try some of the new cinders too cuz we're in another dry spell here so hardpack is back

for the 2.1, i am sure it will provide better cornering and handling. however, i was looking into something around 26x1.75 or 26x1.85. so is there any kind of tires that will fit in that range and will be good for street and light trailing?

for the 2.1, i am sure it will provide better cornering and handling. however, i was looking into something around 26x1.75 or 26x1.85. so is there any kind of tires that will fit in that range and will be good for street and light trailing?
The panaracer FireXC and the Trailblaster are both done in 1.8, Fire xc is my choice for off road, most of the year, except in winter when I use the MudPro in 1.8. The Mud pro is as it says, For mud. The Fire Xc is for soft to medium, but does work on hardpack, but with some drag until it gets worn into a semi- slick. Then it doesn't work in soft soil. The Trailblaster is for Hard pack down to loose soil. It does not like wet clay, damp chalk or deep loose soil. Take your choice from these two, bit another good Offroad to tarmac tyre is Conti's Cross country in 1.5. I use this as a winter mud tyre and as a Commuting tyre, but pump up hard to stop snakebites.

The panaracer FireXC and the Trailblaster are both done in 1.8, Fire xc is my choice for off road, most of the year, except in winter when I use the MudPro in 1.8. The Mud pro is as it says, For mud. The Fire Xc is for soft to medium, but does work on hardpack, but with some drag until it gets worn into a semi- slick. Then it doesn't work in soft soil. The Trailblaster is for Hard pack down to loose soil. It does not like wet clay, damp chalk or deep loose soil. Take your choice from these two, bit another good Offroad to tarmac tyre is Conti's Cross country in 1.5. I use this as a winter mud tyre and as a Commuting tyre, but pump up hard to stop snakebites.

humm... thanks.. i'll check out the fire XC and see...