ahson

Hello! Sorry if this has been asked before but I tried to search but not able to find exactly what I am looking for.
I am currently running 26x1.95 semi-slick tire on my hybrid. I mainly ride on pavement and thinking. to upgrade my current tire setup to gain some more speed. ex, 26x1.25 semi-slick.

Questions:

-Some people told me I might need to change the tube as the current tube is for larger size tire, is that true?
-Wheel, do I need to change the wheel to fit smaller, thinner tire?



Thank you

nahh

you might notice a speed difference

you need a tube that's the right size.

wheel will fit the smaller tires

yes.

JeffS

Asking too many questions in one post tends to turn people off.


The brand/model of tire is just as important as the width. The theory is that a narrow tire would be faster, though that is not always the case.

You don't have to use a tube that's exactly the right size. You don't want to get to far away. In your case, you may have a hard time getting the larger tube you have now inside the smaller tire without pinching it. If you do manage to get it in there correctly it should work fine. Buying a smaller tube to go with your smaller tire would make things easier.

It is possible to have a rim that is too wide for a tire. That's probably not the case here, but we can't say without any info.

Of course. Why wouldn't it be?

ahson

Apologize for asking too much in one post.

When you say narrow tire will be faster, does it actually have a big difference compared to my current 26x1.95?

CB HI

The smaller tire will not give you much extra speed, but if it is lighter, over a long ride it will save you a great deal of energy (effort) in keeping your wheels turning.

In other words - You will not tired on a long ride with the smaller (lighter) tire.

fatboy cycling

The less tread you have on the road the less friction you overcome. Your speed will increase and require less effort. A reduction of nearly 3/4 per inch per tire should yield a noticable difference.

barturtle

Interestingly, a smaller tire is slower at the same cadence in the same gear. This is caused by the reduced rolling diameter reducing the overall drive ratio. However, assuming you aren't already spinning out your highest gear, you should be able to push a higher gear than you would have before. The biggest change when going to a smaller tire is that it is much lighter and therefore easier to accelerate. The reduced rotating mass will also help to make the handling of the bike more responsive, as it will take less user input to overcome the centrifugal force created by the spinning tire (this also makes the bike a bit less stable; for example riding with no hands, the bike will feel a bit twitchier).

Yes, I would recommend buying tubes that match (and remember 26x1.25" is not the same as 26x1-1/4"...not in the world of bicycle tires anyway)

ahson

Can someone recommended which brand/model I should look for when shopping for semi-slick 26x1.25, also the tube?

daredevil

I've got some cheapie Nashbar 1.25 slicks and they work fine. Tubes can be found there as well.

https://nashbar.com

tatfiend 

Lots of tires available in that size range, 32 to 35mm wide. Choice depends on several factors including cost, puncture resistance wanted and rolling resistance. I have a set of Schwalbe Marathon Plus 26 x 1.35" tires on one bike as I wanted maximum puncture resistance along with narrower than stock tires. I have noticed they are also better rolling than the original Kendas too as an added benefit.

exile

I have the Specialized Fatboys on my commuterized mountain bike. They are 26x1.25 and run at 100psi. Since my LBS is a Specialized dealer they also carry the tubes also.

CCrew

Panaracer Urban Max are cheap and roll well. Performance sells them. Finding 26x1.25 Schrader tubes can be fun.

jonathan180iq

For what it's worth, way back when, my 9 mile commute used to take me just a minute or two over an hour with the standard 26x1.95 MTB tire. Switching over to cheap slick ATB tires from Wal-Mart, made by Bell, yielded an immediate difference in my overall speed. Instead of 1 hour, it took me 45 minutes to get home. It absolutely blew my mind but the change was consistent and the route stayed the same. (These changes occred on a $58 Roadmaster Mt. Fury.)

We've since moved and my commute now isn't nearly as long, but I still swear by putting smoother and thinner tires on any bike I have.

Still, by contrast, my road bike with 700/23 tires is only 1 or 2 MPH faster (AVG speed) than my Schwinn Moab with 26x1.5" tires, over 4.5 miles.
Overall top speed is significantly better with the road bike. But, overall, not so much.

ahson

I just ordered a set of the Nashbar Streetwise 120tpi tire, 26x1.25. Need tubes for them and wondering what do I really need to look at when buying tubes beside the size measurement?

jeph

+1 on the fatboys for a MTB wheel. They're a bit of a ***** to get on and off, at least the one's I put on my GF's bike as they had a wire bead. The higher the pressure=less rolling resistance=harsher ride. I did the Death ride, 130mile ride in no calif. on these tires on a hardtail mountain bike and they worked fine. Not as good as a road bike w/ 120psi tires. They do roll very well IMHO. I have never ridden 1.95 street tires but I am guessing they are 65psi max. I think a 1.5 or so 100psi tire would do much better then the lower pressure tires.

also, these tires seem to be pretty good at avoiding flats.

CCrew

Pretty much just whether they're schrader or presta

Kojak

A 26 x 1.25 will work if your rim is a 17c or 19c (rim width, bead hook to bead hook). By our our specs, these are the only two rim widths that will safely seat both a 1.25 and a 1.95. Other widths may seem to work, but you could be pushing your luck. If this is not marked somewhere on the rim (it should be), take a caliper and measure the inside width of the rim. If it's a 21mm or wider rim, you may run the risk of blowing a narrower tire off the rim.

As for whether it's faster or slower is really dependent on several factors. A wider tire actually rolls better, however at a certain point wind resistance becomes a much more significant factor than rolling resistance. As you increase speed, wind resistance increases fairly dramatically (See Chart).

https://www.schwalbetires.com/tech_in...ing_resistance

As for a tire that one might suggest, there are so many options in so many price ranges, with features that may or may not be important to you, it's difficult to just throw out some suggestions.

Is speed more important? Puncture Protection? Does weight matter? How much are you looking to spend? All of these factors represent some positives and some trade-offs depending on what is most important to you.

We have a Kojak and a Durano in this size, both are what I would call "slicks". The Durano has a minimal tread pattern that I'd call mostly cosmetic. Unless you do significant off-road riding, a tread pattern is meaningless

(From Sheldon Brown)
Tread for on-road use
If Puncture Protection is very important, we have the Marathon Plus; our most bombproof tire.

I will say that all premium tire manufacturers will have some tire that will suit your needs. I can only ask that you give ours a look.

gb

nahh

I run 26 1 1/8 Gatorskins. they are skinnier (...obviously) than 1.25, but I like them.

Schwalbe Marathon Plus weigh more...so i'd go for the Gatorskins, since both are a pretty bombproof tire.

the only place I can find tubes that fit the 1 1/8s is Nashbar, none of the local shops carry them. It's a pretty strange sizing.

wunderkind

If your bike's knobbies have a centre continous thread, you may be able to just pump the tires up to max pressure and ride on it. that centre steamline thread helps for fast rolling rides. Try it. Some knobbies have that thread design.

Kojak

I can honestly say that the Ultra Gatorskin is a very nice tire. I've run them in the past myself, but they are very different than the Schwalbe Marathon Plus tires, and the two tires are difficult to compare.

The Ultra Gatorskin is a training/racing tire. The Schwalbe Marathon Plus is a touring/commuting tire. Its purpose is very high mileage with very low risk for failure. The Smartguard Puncture Protection is second to none. However, unless your racing in the "Broken Bottle 100" road race, you will never want to race on these tires. Yes, they are heavy.

Schwalbe makes this size tube in either presta or schrader, and you or your local bike shop should be able to order it. (Tube size 12A).

ahson

I just looked at my rim and it says 26x1.75 on it. Does it means 26x1.75 tire is the smallest size it can take?! Hope not...

Kojak

Look for another number that will be configured something like:

19-559

or

559-17

These are ETRTO (European Tire and Rim Technical Organization) measurements, and are above all else, the most important numbers associated with marrying up rims and tires.

559 is the ETRTO number for what is commonly referred to as a 26" rim/tire.

Kojak

I just popped out and took a quick look at my road bike. The number on the rim was configured:

622x15

622 is the ETRTO number for a 700c wheel. In this case it is 15mm wide (inside measurement).

ahson

I can't find anything other than 26x1.75 and the manufacturer on the rim. Though I see 50-559 on my current tire. Does this helps? Thanks

Kojak

Not really, that's the ETRTO number for the tire that confirms that it is a 26x2.00 (in you case 26x1.95 ; close enough.)

If the markings are there (on the rim), they'll be pretty small, maybe 3/16 - 1/4 inch high, and most commonly near the valve hole in the rim (but sometimes printed on the rim label decals). At times this marking is even inside the rim which isn't especially helpful.

I'm pretty sure you're ok. Most commonly spec'd mountain bike rims are going to be 17mm or 19mm. If the ETRTO markings are not there, but you want to be sure, use a caliper, or just take a ruler with mm markings and measure the inside width of your rim.