stapfam

My Mountain bike uses a Mavic 717 rim. This takes tyre size up to 2.3 if required but I also ran the Conti Grand Prix slick on the same rim. This is the Road slick that is as narrow as a Road tyre. Probably 23 to 25 sizing and they worked well enough with no rim problems till the tyres wore out.

I also run an offroad tandem with 26" wheels with Mavic EX729 rims. These are a wide rim and for road use I use a 1.3 tyre on it. Won't go any narrower as I dont think a thinner tyre would take the 400lbs all up weight of the team.

As you are thinking of new tyres and wheels then you have the chance to get something like the Mavic 717 rim onto an XT hub. The old standard that means a good wheel. For tyres then the Grand Prix is a high pressure tyre that I "Could" recommend. I say could as they used to annoy me as the sidewalls have a habit of fraying the cords and after a short while they look scruffy- but for a lightweight tyre that performs- they are good.


Edit
Some have mentioned gearing and we run a 48/36/24 crank with 11/32 cassette on the "T". At a cadence of 100 in 48/11 and the 1.3 tyres that is 30mph. On the flat achievable (Just about) but any higher speed and we would be pointing downhill and coasting.