goodwin

I just bought a new trek 4300 and I really enjoy biking, however I can only get to trails on weekends. I realize I would have to work a lot harder than I would on a mtb than I would on a road bike if I was to ride on the street, but if I am really itching to ride, is there any damage that would be done to my trek if i were to ride say 15 miles on pavement? I am busy during the week and have no time to drive to trails (although I wish I did).

mx_599

your bike should be able to withstand the rigors of road use

Namenda

Damage? No, of course not. Just keep in mind that your tires aren't designed to provide good traction on paved roads, especially very smooth roads.

Ngchen

There shouldn't be any problem with riding an MTB on the street. Your efficiency would suffer some relative to riding with a road bike or hybrid, but the bike will be OK.

clifford_bgrddg

your tires will wear down much much faster on pavement. if you ride alot on the road in between trails, maybe consider slick tires and even a new wheel set to go with them so you dont have to change tires every week.

SquatchCO

+1 on the wheelset advice

they are surprisingly easy to change once you get the hang of it

Flak

Are there good intermediate tires that provide decent grip off road, but are still ok for the pavement? Something a little less knobby perhaps? Different compound maybe?

SquatchCO

You'll generally find it on low-end mountain bikes, with a directional tread that is a little better on the road. Actually, the OP's bike probably has this, so there shouldn't be too much to worry about, tread-wise. A lot of speed will be gained by switching to slicks for road use, though.

Raiyn

There are several types availiable, but I generally don't recommend "compromise tires" as while they can be used for both on and off road terrain they excel at neither. My suggestion is to get a good set of slicks such as the Specialized Nimbus and either buy a second wheelset or learn to change tires quickly. I have a set of Nimbus EX's that I've used on my commuter for the last 4+ years with ZERO complaints.

If you absolutely HAVE to have a "compromise tire" I'd suggest the Specialized Crossroads line. I tried these before I bought the Nimbus tires and I wasn't overly impressed with them. They were adequate for both road and trail, but the loss of offroad traction was palpable and the speed gain on road was minimal at best.

Flak

Thanks for the tip.

I think a second wheelset is going to be a must. I was planning on getting a better one eventually anyway. But then the question becomes - which tire gets the better wheelset? Slicks or knobbies?

Raiyn

Which is the priority? For an MTB generally the better set goes for the fun stuff rather than the "gointawork" life. For the on road stuff I like to use a road cassette as you don't need the deep gear range, but the tighter ratios do help you find a comfortable rhythm

Jonathan1987

i have a 4300 and i have done some street rides before i got my roadbike and that bike is very scary above 50 mph

jz19

Depending on the terrain you ride during your weekend rides you could try semi-slicks. These tires are a compromise so they will not be the perfect tire for either application but could be a good solution for you. Compared to knobbies you will have less performance off road but a smoother ride on pavement. Here are some for you to check out:

Ritchey Speedmax
Kenda Kross Plus
Panaracer Mach SS
Kenda Kwick
Tioga Factory XC Slick
IRC Mythos XC Slick
Michelin Jet S