Originally Posted by trapjaw
What are people's thoughts on the best 26" tires for commuting on a mountain bike? I used to commute with a road bike but that was retired and now I have MTB. In terms punture resistance, weight, cost what do people recommend? Also does the width matter? I've found slicks from 1.0 to 1.95. If you are trying to be as fast as possible (which I am) wouldn't you go for a narrower tire as opposed to something wider? Thanks for any input you may have.
I have used 1.25" 95 psi slicks, and they have been great. I think one of the pairs are the IRC metro clincher, and the second is the performance brand slick. I got both of them on sale from a catalog, about $10 each.
I think you are right skinnier tires are best for speed. You also want to run fairly hi pressure, and true slicks work great for traction and speed.
The roads I commute on have narrow broken shoulders, and the 1.25" tires perform very well.
Enjoy your commute.