adam12

For awhile I've been commuting with my KM set up with 700x42 hutchinson globetrotters. In the spirit of Ntl. bike month I decided to take the mountain turtle's advice, and ride to my trail ride. That lead to my dilemma. Ride the trail with the globetrotters, take the nanos, and switch out for the trail then switch back for the ride home, or switch to the nanos and just ride out there, and ride. That was on the 5th. I've been commuting on the nanos since pumped up to 60 psi, I like it much better than the hutchinsons. Before


And after

DataJunkie

Make it simple. Ride to the trail on whatever tire you are going to ride on the trail with.

I've been commuting on 2.1 inch wide knobby tires. Optimal or not you can ride on the roads with any tire made out of rubber.

RT

I've been using the Forte VersaTrac for four years now. You get the best of both worlds, with a center bead for smooth road riding and knobbies for the trails. They're heavy, but you get used to it.

TXChick

I used to commute on a MTB with standard-issue knobbies. I recently replaced the slicks on my Giant Cypress with Bontrager Connections. Much happier on knobbies over here.

mike

The only time I commute with a mountain bike is in winter when the snow and ice on the roads requires the additional traction.

Mountain biking takes a lot more time in the saddle and it takes a lot more enery to do it.

Still, commuting on a mountain bike adds a certain flair of adventure. I also often find myself jumping curbs and stuff just for fun when I am on the mountain bike.

RT

I ran over a small pothole today that would have killed my road bike, which is why I prefer my 30 lb beast. Plus, it makes my road bike feel light as a feather when I ride it!

stevetone

Do you have to have obscenities on your bike?

Radfahrer

I use Performance FasTracs and find them to be ideal for the mix of city and trail riding that makes up my commute. Kevlar cuts down on flats, too.

sickmtbnutcase

+1 on those. Swap to those on my MTB for when I'm stuck riding gravel or pavement. Really, not a bad tire for occasional XC riding either. I find that they corner better in mud than my knobby XC tires as well. Add in the price and they're hard to beat.

adebrunner

Not really on topic...but what's that on the seatpost?

Andy_K 

I swapped out the stock Maxxis Locust CX 700x35c tires on my Kona Jake for a pair of 700x25c Gatorskins before I ever put it on the road. I wanted to do some trail riding with it over the weekend, so last week I swapped the Locust CX's back in. Two observations: (1) it's noticeably slower with Locusts, (2) it's noticeably more comfortable with the Locusts. These observations both agree with theory.

It wouldn't surprise me if you didn't notice a big difference between those huge Hutchinsons and MTB tires, but if you ever put some skinny road tires on it you might find that it flies. Of course, if you're going to be riding on trails, you don't want skinny road tires.

adam12

Well I think they are funny. So yes I do. I have edited the obscenity so as to not offend anyone.

Port

I just bought a Novara Safari over the weekend to use as a tourer, commuter, and exploring bike. It is replacing my Trek 1000 for commuting purposes. I ran my Trek 1000 on 700x25 tires at 125 PSI. The Safari is running Continental Town and Countries at 26x1.9" and 65 PSI. My commute takes an extra five minutes each way (35 vs. 30 minutes), but the comfort level has been more than doubled.

The Safari is a point-and-shoot bike with these tires. Just point it at your destination and start pedaling. The Trek took far too much finesse to get to work without hitting massive bumps and gravel.

adam12

That's Ok. It is a mount for a trail a bike thing. So my daughter can go on rides with me.

stevetone

So you're OK with your daughter seeing the f-word on your bike?

(covered up in the photo after flagged to moderator)

Jonahhobbes

Riding a lot of tarmac will wear down knobby bits on fat tires quite surprisingly quickly. As posted by sickmtbnutcase there are tires out there that can handle a lot of trails and the road also. If you can get them in States I would go for GEAX Evolutions https://www.geax.com/vedit/pagina.asp~pagina~1901 the finest semi slicks known to humanity.

Guess it depends on how narley the trail is.

RT

I use the FasTracs on my road bike - agreed. Great tire. Super grippy.

EDIT: P.S. for the OP. Where did you get that cool brown and rust colored bar tape? That would match my Raleigh perfectly!

Bikepacker67

Ahh jesuzz... take a f'n chillpill, eh Stevie?

DataJunkie

or two. Jeeze.... prudes.

I wonder where the OP got that sticker? I want one for my new bike.

Jonahhobbes

Think I've seen it on sites like Cars R Coffins, but could be wrong.

DataJunkie

That site has a One #'ing speed sticker. That would apply to my new fixed gear. lol
Not the other one in the OP.

cccorlew

My wife commutes fat tire. She says she might as well as her commute is just over 5 miles and wants a workout. On the plus side, her tires last forever and she never flats.

Artkansas 

When the center 5 miles of a 7 mile commute were through a wild life preserve, I rode on knobbies. When I was given my current commuter, it was a Specialized Hard Rock with old knobbies. Being poor at the time, I ran them till the threads on the sidewalls were breaking and then swapped out some street slicks.

adam12

I don't have a problem with it. She understands that we as people use language to express ourselves, and that occasionally when expressing ourselves we use profanity. She understands that it is not appropriate for her to use it. But adults who understand what the word means use it sometimes. Rather than shelter her from the world I try to prepare her for it. Good and Bad. I have edited the photo because it offended you, and I am not about offending people. My post was merely trying to share my excitement over some new bike schwag I got for my birthday.

Toddorado

Soma is where I got the bar tape. I love it so far. Thick and Zesty!

DataJunkie

Urban Velo is where I got that wonderfully offensive sticker. It was started by 2 guys from Dirtrag magazine. It has alot of cool things in it. It is free to download as well

Juha

+1.

If there's further interest in discussing sheltering children vs. preparing them when it comes to vulgar language, please take that discussion to a fresh thread in Foo, for example. Thank you.

--Juha, a Forum Mod