When on Road, do you switch tires?
 

Just curious. When I'm planning to ride my mtn bike on the road. (I commute to work on nice days) I usually swap out my tires to road slicks. Does anyone else? Even though it's a P.I.T.A. to do, the lower rolling resistance is significant. Now, if only I were a bit smoother, so jumping curbs and launching drive way aprons weren't so harsh using tires with 90 p.s.i.

I own and do ride (occasionally) a road bike, but I'm more comfortable commuting on my mtn bike. I guess it's the sense of security that if I have to bail off the road, I'm not gonna taco a wheel like I would w/the roadie. Plus, the route I take forces me to ride a few sections of sidewalk. This is dreadful with a road bike, and kinda fun w/the mtn bike.

Anyone else commute? Switch Tires? ....etc.

L8R

BTW, my Intense looks stupid funny with slicks mounted on my D321's!

I switch for the road. I do a lot of road miles during the week when I don't have time to get to a trail. It's not a huge pain doing it once a week, but I wouldn't want to do it much more :)

I'm kicking around the idea of buying a cheap wheelset/cassette for the road. That way I can just swap the wheels and go.

For road tires I run Conti Grand Prix's, by the way. Definitely check 'em out :) wery wery light...My bike looks funny as well, but with a fairly light wheelset and 200 gram tires, it accelerates like my road bike :)

Edit: A few sections of sidewalk? I have 2 miles of rough dirt road to get to pavement that I bomb down on my Litespeed...700x23's, aluminum/carbon frame :o

I'd probably be lazy and go out and buy another set of wheels and mount the slicks on them. And isn't it time you treated yourself to a new set of spanky wheels, anyway?

A couple of years ago, I resigned myself to the fact that my MTB saw much more pavement than dirt, so I switched to slicks. On the rare occasion that I do bring the bike off road, I switch over to the knobbies, but this happens only a few times a year.

Slicks are so much better for commuting, I can't believe I used to ride everyday on the knobbies. And, yes, the look of my MTB with 1.5" slicks took a little getting used to, but now I think it actually looks kind of cool...sort of urban assualt.

I use Specialized Armadillo Hemisphere for road riding. It's an 1.95 tire, so it doesn't look that bad on my Fisher Tassajara. Noticeable improvements in both speed and noise department. Switching to knobbies once or twice a week to give my fingers some serious workout.

I got a flat a couple of days ago. I felt cheated because the Armadillo was supposed to be puncture-resistant, y'know. But upon inspection, I found out that the puncture was caused by this huge staple stabbing my tire. That's OK, I guess. If it was a thorn, I'd be really mad :)

Nope, switching tires out on my MTB is to much trouble, spends more time on the dirt than anywhere else. I run my fixed gear road bike w/ 700x35 Avocet Cross tires or my one speed utility bike w/ slicks.

The utility bike. An old Specialized saved from the garbage heap. Perfect for getting around town.

I have two wheel sets, I picked up a pair of $35 LX wheels with cassete from a buddy when he upgraded to XT. Much easyer then changing the tire, it takes all of 3 minutes to change wheels.

I don't but really you can get anywhere in Whistler without ever being on concrete. Rather unique situation :)

usually the mtb only sees the road on the way to a trail. The road bike is used to seeing potholes, train tracks, jumping gutters etc. and I have only just gone to 700x23 up from my old 700x18 conti's. sooo much more comfy :)

It's been several years since I've even had MTB tires on my bike... went through 2 and a half sets of Tioga street slicks before just now going to the specialized armadillos and the nimbus armadillos on the front.
Doug

I run semislicks, but I usually don't change my tires often. I'm no pansy :D

I would never go to that much trouble unless i was only gonna ride dirt once or twice a year. And even then, i must say that the nobbies don't bother me on the street at all. Been a street rider for years, and having just got my first MTB you'd think i'd be bothered by the nobbies after years of street tires. But no so !! Don't know why, but it just doesn't bother me.

But the point is moot to me anyway because i'll likely be doing an equal amount of both, or somewhere thereabouts. But i really like my stumpjumper on the street oddly enough !

I switch sometimes to slicks. I have an extra set of wheels so it's no big deal. I use Specialized Nimbus EX Armadillos, although I think the next set will be the 2" IRC Metros. I like the softer ride of a 2" tire and quite often just leave my knobbies on and I haven't really noticed an appreciable difference.
:D

before when i only had one main MTB i owned high-pressure slicks, but only changed them for LONG tours b/c it was such a PITA - i think i mounted them a total of 2 times in 3 years...

i was planning to buy an extra wheel-set b/c it is just SUCH a pain to change often, but i ended up buying another bike instead -- so now i have 4 bikes so there's not so much need...

on my commuter/winter MTB (old MTB hardtail):
* in summer i run semi-slicks
* in the winter nonagressive "semi-"studded tires (studs and knobbies on the outside, mild tread in the middle so decent rolling resistance but only 50psi)

so my new FSR always has knobbies and my road bike of course always has slicks, and my commuter is good enough for road and off/road while still being good for curbs and rought stuff (i don't like commuting on the road bike so much b/c of more flat-potential and not as ideal for cutting curbs or bunny hops stuff or whatever)

i'd recommend either semi-slicks or an extra wheel-set

I commute to work 3 or 4 days a week. Couldn't live without my 85psi 1.25" tires. I used to switch out knobbies for the trail which I didn't mind. Good practice for the eventual flat. Now I'm building up another bike for offroad only and will have two sets of wheels. My aging Raleigh can only handle commuter duties these days.

i use the slicks for road riding once in a while. i'm running the Panaracer Pasela's 1.25 and they're stinking light. superfast tires compared to running a semislick (which i do occasionally on the rear). i don't find it too troublesome to mount the slicks on. just takes 5 minutes. and my bike looks really funny w/ the slicks on. the 1.25" is pretty much the same width as my rim. (but they save so much weight!! sub21lbs!!!)
:beer:

I have slicks for my hybrid Trek, but I rarely use them. For me, I feel like I have less control with the slicks. Definitely a different feel and turning circumference....I seem to hold the road better with the knobbies...but I am sacrificing speed, that's for sure. I've used the slicks for century road rides, etc., and the difference in rolling resistance is huge. My plan was to get a spare wheel set....haven't gotten it yet!

Mary Ann

On the road I ride Panaracer Trailblaster 2.1's... I can't stand small skinny tires. If I am going a long way, I'll switch to my Tioga City Slickers. 2.1" and no studs... nice tread though, similar to a motorcycle tire.

Joe