Originally Posted by
RubeRad
My frequent recommendation is Nashbar Slicky City tires, 26"x1.5". Super bald, they look funny on a MTB at first, but you get used to it. They are very well reviewed, cheap (especially on sale), grippy, and they roll fast.
Putting these on a MTB are literally what reminded me after 20+ years of what I loved about biking, and turned me back into a cyclist.
I've used the Performance versions of these for over 5 years, and putting them on after taking off the Continental Town and Countries did the same for me as they did for RubeRad. The Continentals were good tires, but not the right ones for me. I did get one flat on the slicks while riding, and that was due to running over some clear glass one dark, cold, wet night. The other flats I've got with them was due to the tube failing, one due to Performance not installing the rim strip when they sold me a new rear wheel and switched the cassette and tire over for me, and the other tube failed due to fatigue at the stem hole - neither of those had anything to do with the quality of the tire and happened when I wasn't riding.
These made me faster by a gear or two, and allowed me to ride further than I'd been able to before I put them on. You're still going to have to pedal and deal with the wind and hills, but it's going to be noticeably easier with them on. There are a number of us that use these on rigid mountain bikes, and I'm one of the ones who plans on using them until something better comes along.