Originally Posted by
Jon Miller
Touring/expedition-26" I want some speed and ease of distance on the pavement, but want to be able to go on dirt paths also.
Do I want tread and how much? Do I want high pressure? Slim stuff? How wide do I want to go? What are some tire names and companies to look for?
Thanks-please send me to another thread if there is one-I could'nt find it.
speed and easy rolling=high pressure without deep lugs
"able to go on dirt paths"= is too broad of a criteria without specifying in more detail what kind of path, elevation, conditions. Big difference between packed dirt and loose gravel, wet clay, dust, inclines, etc.
Tire pressure could make up a big part of the difference with one tire covering road and dirt but you have to specify total load on the tires.
Can you specify by percentage what kind of surface you'll be riding on and with what weight? In other words a 1.5" tire might suffice or 2.0" would be minimum, it really helps to be more specific.
I did a tour on 27"x1/4" tires that was 95% on road and 5% on dirt roads, worked great. Now I'm lots fatter and I'd go with the 26"x1.6" Schwalbe Supreme for the same conditions but if it was more on dirt or heavier loads I'd consider something a bit fatter.
Everytire company has something to fit your needs, just specify them a bit more.
ps. there's no reason to have the same tire on the rear as the front. Simply putting a larger tire on the front can make riding on rough roads more pleasant with adjusting the tire pressure providing the difference between dirt and road.