Whoodie

Over the weekend I changed my tires from 26x2.125 to 26x1.5 and boy was there a change. Infact, I find the bike so light. The minimum gear I used was 48/17 and this was to climb a hill (essentially I used to climb this hill on a 38/17).

stapfam

Going to a narrower tyre will also decrease the circumferece, hence the higher gearing that can be pulled. A narrower tyre will also have less drag so once again a higher gear to be pulled. Problem may come about in that on hardpack or tarmac, you may run out of gears, but as there is less drag and less effort, you will be able to go longer before fatigue sets in. Disadvantages are less grip on slippery surfaces, not as much much tyre "suspension" and increased tyre wear. You will also find that higher pressures are required to stop snakebites, so 1.5,s are not for the heavier riders or aggressive downhillers.

Jamis

i ride a 1.9 maxxis high roller on the rear and i have no grip what so every?

Trey

narrow tires (anything less than a 1.95 IMO) will also not protect the rim and you will find that rocks will ding and bent the rim edges a good bit

legalize_it

sounds like you're running your pressure too high

Dave Moulton

Narrow tires on MTBs is something I have always advocated. Narrow tires make the bike easier to ride. Period. You can ride higher gears therefore more speed; higher gears also translate into more traction on soft ground again more speed. More speed means the bike has less time to sink in the mud, making for even more speed. Get the picture.

I admit the narrow tire will not take the abuse of wider tires, but it simply calls for riding with a little more finesse. Ride over banks, not jump over. Also wide tires are too heavy and too strong for the frame, which lead to breakages in the early days, which lead to heavier frames and suspension. With lighter narrow tires you can use a lighter frame without suspension.

Go to my website, (Link below) Click on Bicycles, Page 7 for more on this. Also my first thread on this forum upset a lot of people, but some of the stuff may stand re-reading.https://www.bikeforums.net/general-cycling-discussion/60319-thank-you.html

Remember I am out of the bike business now so I am not trying to sell anyone anything. Just putting forward an opinion that is based on a little experience.

This is me riding over a near vertical bank on narrow tires. It can be done.

Whoodie

For those who have worried about my weight am in the feather weight, am just 40kg. You still advocate for the 2.125.

Trey

You weight 88 pounds? You'll grow into a bigger tire. Regardless of weight the rim is too exposed with even a 1.8.

I'd run at least a 1.95

ssmaniac

I ran 1.8s for a long time and never had any problems

Trey

I suppose that does bring up a good question. What sort of terrain does one ride. Hardpack, clay, mud without rocks isn't as prone to this problem. We have a lot of loose rock and rock gardens here. If that isn't the case the 1.8's we used were good tires.

bmexican

narrow tires will also slow yu down in muddy areas. The larger distance covered by a wider tire will keep your wheel out of the mudd. It will also improve traction so you wont get stuck in mudd.

trekkie820

The 2.1 Bontrager Jones ACx I use are perfect for everything that I ran into on Monday. Ladder bridges, power climbs, 30+ mph hardpack downhills, ass-on-tire scary technical downhills, swampy mud, rock gardens and creek crossings. I think that a narrower tire wold have been a hinderance in the stupid tough rock gardens that I ran into, and might not be the best idea for casual riding over many different types of terrain.

Dannihilator

Bah, give me my 2.5 tires any day.

Dave Moulton

It all depends if you have the strength to turn a big gear through the mud. I have witnessed top European Cyclo-cross riders going though deep sloppy mud using a 15 x 52 gear, on tires a little over an inch wide. I know there are those who will say this is a whole different sport, but it's still a bicycle propelled buy muscle power.

Fat tires are for motor cycles, and there is too much motor cycle influence in the MTB design. Think bicycle, human power, low revs with a lot of instant tourque. If you can get a big gear turning you will reach a speed where you just skim over the mud. You are not in one spot long enough to sink in, but it does take a lot of strength and stamina.

Higher gears do translate into better traction. If you are ever stuck in the mud in your car or truck, if it happens to be a stick-shift; put it in a high gear, 3rd or 4th rev the engine and let the clutch slip. If you use a low gear your wheels will just spin in the mud, and if it’s an automatic, you’re sh*t out of luck.

redfooj

for what its worth, ive run 1.5" city SLICKS, 1.85" xc tires, and 2.4" tires on the same trail (one of the most rocky/technical) in austin and didnt think much about it

justsomeguy

As with most generalizations, your comments have a kernal of truth.

The fact is that narrow tires on technical and rocky terrain, despite a great deal of finesse, simply don't work as well as larger volume tires.

EDIT: Just read the link that you posted and it's obvious that you are incredibly out of touch with "mountain biking" as discussed in this forum. Nevermind.

six6one

Thank you, I'm glad someone else thinks this way too.

hooligan

Damn straight!

CChaves

Why stop at 2.5? I've ridden 3.0" , they're tanks but a little overkill in most situations

Jamis

Hey 2.5's wont fit my xc bike so i need something treadier than the highrollers.

40KG?

seely

Best combo I've used so far is a 2.4" Mutanoraptor up front with a 1.95" Kenda semi slick in back. The back really carves and the front sticks like glue. Very fast combo.

Jamis

For down hill that is. Im saving for my new giant AC2 do u think maxxis swamp thing are a good chicoe for gravel and climbing grip?

jeff williams

1.95 rear, 2.10 fronts my choice. thin tires die on logs, rocks...
You screw up> off the trail hell ride and you kiss that big fat old tire when the shakin' stops.

trekkie820

Why?

stapfam

How deep the mud, and how sticky? A wide tyre will skim over the surface , not allowing traction, and collecting mud between the treads, hence giving you no traction and if the mud is sticky enough collecting up against the frame and forks, giving you full on braking effect and a mud bath

A narrow tyre will cut through the mud down to the firmer surface below, where you can get grip. It also allows more space between the tyre and frame, so there is is less chance of blocking up.
Both these facts are dependant on tyre type, pressure and riders weight but as an example-- my winter tyres are conti XC's in 1.5 run at 45 psi or Panaracer Mud Pros in 1.8 at 35psi. My weight is 70Kgs. The contis are where mixed terrain of hard pack, tarmac, mud, roots and green chalk are expected. The Mud pros are for mud, mud and then more mud. The wear a bit rapidly on firmer surfaces. At these pressures, these tyres are not for the heavier rider, or for those that will not have the finesse to protect their bike and rims from the abuse that could be given to them. But then in this type of conditions, you will have to ride thinking of your bike and the lines to take.