chexmix

I bought a redline conquest sport as a first bike and left it stock. The tires it came with have tread on it, not mountain bike treads but some tread. I commute 7-10 miles to work. Would slick tires make that much of a difference it terms of time and energy spent getting there?

andrelam

Please tell us the exact tire that you have on the bike. That way people can give more specific assistance.

In my instance:
On my hybrid the difference between my Nokia W106 Studded winter tires (700c*35) vs. the OEM Bontrager Invert Select (also 700C*35) is quite dramatic. My average speed is at least 2 MPH faster with the much smoother ride. When I finally got rid of the Invert Select and replaced them with Bontrager Race Lite Hard Case (700c*32) I noticed almost no difference in speed. What I did feel was a much smoother ride. The Invert select as some tread, but it is pretty shallow. I didn't like the Inert selects as the tread tended to pickup and hold road grit. As the tire aged and wore down a bit this allowed the grit to push through and cause lots of flats. The smooth (slick) Rate Lite tires, don't have this problem. I am very happy with them. Even if the slicks don't make me much faster, they make the ride more enjoyable.

Happy riding,
André

meanwhile

Good ones almost certainly would. Rolling resistance depends primarily on the rubber compound used for the tyres and its ability to minimize hysteresis energy; this compound isn't used in the crappy trail tyres you seem to be describing. Good slicks will also give you improved cornering and braking. About the best are Rubinos and Conti Sports Contacts. Spec Fatboys are fast, but lose grip too much in the wet - still worth considering if you live in a rainless zone. Latex tube will also give you a slight speed increase, because again they minimize hysteresis energy.

(If you live in a rain zone, consider changing your brake pads to Koolstop Salmon too - your stock pads will almost certainly be awful!)

CCrew

Kenda K-197 Hybrid tires in 700x30 ? I'd drop to a Conti Gatorskin in 28.

chexmix

kenda eurotrex 700x32 is what i have

Rushtrack

Continental Gatorskins 700x25. They're a bit thin but awesome in terms of flats.

TempeRider

+1 on the gatorskins.

But, to answer your question, tred in general slows ya down - especially if you can hear tire noise while riding.

Three things to look for

1) smooth / limited tread
2) high pressure (90 PSI or more)
3) high thread count casing - more supple, less energy taken to flex the tire while rolling
4) OK, I lied, ... Flat avoidance. Your speed while fixing a flat is always 0 MPH

wunderkind

what type of terrain do you ride on? All paved roads? Then go slick. If your trail consists of some light trail and paved roads like my route, then slick tires can be dangerous.

meanwhile

...And a really bad choice for anyone who isn't a light rider on a smooth road.

The OP should probably read Sheldon Brown and Rivendell's guide to tyre choice.

Kojak

Anything with raised lugs of any kind is going to cause some loss in efficiency with regard to wind resistance. A slick (or a relatively slick tire) will cut through the wind much more effectively. A slick tire is likely going to roll more efficiently too.

As for the best tire, one would have to know a lot more information as to your preferences and concerns. For some speed is all that matters. For others, they NEVER want to get a flat. There are trade-offs for either extreme, and compromises can be made on either end. Almost all quality tire manufacturers will have something to fill your needs (including us if are so inclined to take a look at our line of tires).

Hope this helps.

gb

TheDL

There's gotta be more threads than I have fingers already covering this topic.

tim24k

For commuting I've used cheap Kenda Kwest 100 psi tires. And got over 7,000 miles on the first set.

Continental Gatorskins are better (not as long lasting though) but I’d use 700x28 or better 700x32. I have them on two old Bridgestone bikes and run a set of 700x28 on a Santana Team Scandium tandem. A lot of higher end road tandems seam to use them.

If you want the best puncture protection tire money can buy I’d buy a set of Schwale Marathon Plus https://www.schwalbetires.com/marathon_plus

I just bought a set of them in 700x28 and I like them a lot! But, they are pricey and very heavy .

SSP

+1 for Schwalbe Marathon Plus. They are heavy, but they are nearly flatproof, and have a reflective sidewall for enhanced nighttime visibility.

I've used the 700x28's on my daily 15 mile round trip commute for the last 2 years, fitted with some heavy "thorn-proof" tubes, and only had one flat in about 5000 miles (a big nail that would have flatted a car tire).

They're definitely not as fast as the Michelin Pro Race 3's on my race bike, but for commuting I'm more interested in getting there and back without having to worry about flats, glass, potholes, etc.

JeffS

This has obviously turned into the "shill your tire" thread again. The OP asked about a faster tire.

Tabor

Personally, I like Continental. Right now I am running the Ultra Gatorskin 700x28c, but you should also consider one of their other tires in 700x32c if you think you would appreciate the added cushion that 4mm would bring.

SSP

Since the beginning of this year, I've averaged 15.5 mph on my flattish (23 feet of climbing per mile), 18 mile round trip commute. That's on a Surly Long Haul Trucker, with panniers (total weight is around 40 lbs).

For commuting, I think that's pretty reasonable.

Could I go faster with 700x23 Michelin Pro Race 3's? Probably...perhaps by 1-2 mph. But then I'd also have to be much more careful about dodging glass, stones, etc.

nashcommguy

Yes, they would, but pretty minimal. For commuting the main idea idea is 'getting there and back' w/a minimum of issues of ANY variety. My Motobecane Fantom CX is, virtually the same bike as yours. Comps aren't as good, but very similar. I've got a compact double instead of a triple, etc. I use Schwalbe Marathon Plus(700x28mm) for a 35mi rt commute w/rolling terrain and 500 ft of climbing w/one hill @ 18% grade for 0.5 mi. I've, also got a 1x8 rb conversion w/700x25mm SMPs. It's MUCH faster than my primary commuter, but it's got a seatpost rack/trunkbag combo instead of rack/panniers, so it's lighter, too.

Any of the flat resistant brands would be better than a slick in THAT regard, but slightly slower. I believe my #1 commuter would be faster w/25mm SMPs, but tougher on the spokes, rims, etc. The 28mm provides just a little more cushioning, etc. a/t cost of some speed. Currently, I've got over 8000 miles on these tires(700x28mm) w/one flat and one slow leak. Plenty of tread left.


The upshot of all this is that there're tradeoffs for whatever tire you select. I'm sharing what works for ME for MY commute. My 3 commuters are all equipped w/SMPs for minimal 'flat stress' because I HATE getting flats and I ride the homeward leg at night...which is uphill, generally. Good luck w/whatever tire you decide to get.

BTW, nice choice of rides. Next year I'm definately going to consider one of those when I upgrade.

ghettocruiser

The tires are not dangerous.

Going too fast with tires that don't match the trail conditions can be dangerous.

But it's not hard to slow down a bit on the rough sections, and get the speed back on the pavement.