So I got myself a mountain bike and I would like to use it for commuting and general road use. The easiest way to make this more enjoyable is of course change the current (26 x 1.95") knobby tires to thinner slicks. The trouble is I don't know how thin I can go. And for what I thought would be a simple question after much searching I can't seem to find a definitive answer.
The rims are marked 559x18 which I presumed 18 is the internal rim width in mm.
According to the chart here
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tire_sizing.html the thinnest I can go with 18 mm rim is 28 mm or about 1.1 inch. Does this sound about right to people and does it agree with your experience? 1.1 inch is the thinnest I've seen advertised for 26" wheels. Obviously if I go that thin I'll have to change the tubes over as well.
Other than that, can anyone suggest a good thin, slick and durable tire for commuting? (I hate flats).