Narrow/Smooth 24 inch MTB Tire?
02-29-20, 08:42 AM
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Thrifty Bill
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Narrow/Smooth 24 inch MTB Tire?
I recently picked up this 1988+/- Shogun Prairie Breaker, Team Issue. I would like to make it more road efficient. I'll probably either convert to drops or North Roads. Anyway, I have a pile of suitable 26 tires in either 1.25 or 1.5 width, but this bike has a 24 inch front and a 26 inch rear.
That was a "thing" back in the day. I know Cannondale did it.
This is a nice model, full Deore XT components plus Tange Prestige main frame. Made in Japan. Looking for a light weight, narrow tire.
1988 Shogun Prairie Breaker by wrk101, on Flickr
That was a "thing" back in the day. I know Cannondale did it.
This is a nice model, full Deore XT components plus Tange Prestige main frame. Made in Japan. Looking for a light weight, narrow tire.
1988 Shogun Prairie Breaker by wrk101, on Flickr
02-29-20, 09:50 AM
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Shoot, the two that come to my mind are Panaracer RiBMo 1.25 and Ritchey Tom Slick 1.4, but alas, neither comes in a 24.
Sweet ride! The smaller front wheel was perfect for allowing shorter riders to ride "full size" bikes, and avoid toe strike.
Sweet ride! The smaller front wheel was perfect for allowing shorter riders to ride "full size" bikes, and avoid toe strike.
02-29-20, 10:13 AM
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I recently picked up this 1988+/- Shogun Prairie Breaker, Team Issue. I would like to make it more road efficient. I'll probably either convert to drops or North Roads. Anyway, I have a pile of suitable 26 tires in either 1.25 or 1.5 width, but this bike has a 24 inch front and a 26 inch rear.
That was a "thing" back in the day. I know Cannondale did it.
That was a "thing" back in the day. I know Cannondale did it.
Cannondale put a 24” on the rear to help with climbing...smaller wheel, lower gearing. But that was never really a “thing”. Not many others followed their lead. Your bike is following the Terry model of using a smaller front wheel to make the bike fit smaller women better. It seems a little large for that design, however. Terry’s design works very well for people who are around 5’ tall. Your bike looks like a 15” which means it’s sized for someone who is 5’4” to 5’6”. There’s less advantage to the smaller front wheel for someone that tall.
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Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
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Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
02-29-20, 10:44 AM
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To make my mountain bike more efficient (it's a 1986 Cannondale with the 24" rear wheel, coincidentally), I installed clip-on TT/aero bars 20 years ago. It's been my main bad weather training and all-around do-everything bike ever since.
Decent TT bars start under $50, and installing them is much less complicated than swapping handlebars (plus brake levers and shifters, maybe). You get all the advantages of the flat-bar setup combined with the aerodynamics (and comfort) of aero bars.
02-29-20, 10:59 AM
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The bike looks pristine. Great find.
To make my mountain bike more efficient (it's a 1986 Cannondale with the 24" rear wheel, coincidentally), I installed clip-on TT/aero bars 20 years ago. It's been my main bad weather training and all-around do-everything bike ever since.
Decent TT bars start under $50, and installing them is much less complicated than swapping handlebars (plus brake levers and shifters, maybe). You get all the advantages of the flat-bar setup combined with the aerodynamics (and comfort) of aero bars.
To make my mountain bike more efficient (it's a 1986 Cannondale with the 24" rear wheel, coincidentally), I installed clip-on TT/aero bars 20 years ago. It's been my main bad weather training and all-around do-everything bike ever since.
Decent TT bars start under $50, and installing them is much less complicated than swapping handlebars (plus brake levers and shifters, maybe). You get all the advantages of the flat-bar setup combined with the aerodynamics (and comfort) of aero bars.
Did you use a short-reaching stem with some rise to it? Did you choose a frame that would normally be small or large for you?
02-29-20, 11:42 AM
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Maxxis DTH 24 x 1.75
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/...e/rp-prod31274
That's a nice tire. I've been thinking of getting a set in 26 x 2.15 for a '92 stumpjumper I plan on converting to drops this summer.
https://www.chainreactioncycles.com/...e/rp-prod31274
That's a nice tire. I've been thinking of getting a set in 26 x 2.15 for a '92 stumpjumper I plan on converting to drops this summer.
Last edited by bikemig; 02-29-20 at 11:48 AM.
02-29-20, 11:49 AM
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^^^^ That, or the Torch, which is a little smoother tread. But I'm thinking the OP wants something even smoother, and probably narrower.
02-29-20, 01:05 PM
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Why narrow? The 26x2" cruiser tires on my converted mtb ride great.
02-29-20, 01:07 PM
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Get thee to a bike shop! Ask if they have a JBI account or a Quality Bicycle Products (aka QBP) account. There are numerous tires you can get for 24” wheels...assuming that the ISO diameter is 507mm. Check the sidewall to make sure. Kenda, Maxxis, Schwalbe, and others make many tires in both the 507mm and 559mm (“26 inch”) sizes.
02-29-20, 02:03 PM
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^^^ It would provide a lot more options.
02-29-20, 08:28 PM
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Thrifty Bill
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I typically use 1.25 or 1.5 on my MTB conversions. I find I can save quite a bit of weight. And I’ve got a pile of 1.25 and 1.5 in the 26 size. So it’s convenience too. If I get a black wall with very little tread, then the 26rs will be a decent match.
Really not sure what I am going to do with this bike. I’m bringing back eight bikes this trip....
Really not sure what I am going to do with this bike. I’m bringing back eight bikes this trip....
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03-01-20, 09:05 AM
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I Fell Your Pain
I had the same problem finding smooth(er) 26/24 tire for my '84 Cannondale SM600. I don't ride hard off-road, but wanted something with at least some tread; (I have a road bike for road-riding). My search was compounded since I wanted them to be matching "models" and tanwall ! When I realized that wasn't happening, I opted to compromise (and go "cheap" with a Kenda KRad 24" rear. It's 1.95", but the knobs are shallow and very closely-spaced. It's not 100% what I want, but it works for my needs and gets me on the bike! I wound up with a Kenda Kross 26" on the front which does have a smooth center section with side-knobs. If anyone knows of someone who makes a matched set of 26/24 quality tires with the Kross-type smooth-center tread pattern, tanwall, Kevlar bead like I thought I could find, please let me know! Until then, I'll be riding these and more realistically searching for the Grail.
03-01-20, 10:04 AM
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Thinking of doing this bike for my wife. Love the chrome, Prestige tubing and XT bits. If it fits I’d retire one of her other bikes.
ill need to get the tape measure out when I get home from this trip out west. Reassemble it and see if it fits her. Right now it’s fully disassembled to fit in the truck with the other 8 bikes I found...
ill need to get the tape measure out when I get home from this trip out west. Reassemble it and see if it fits her. Right now it’s fully disassembled to fit in the truck with the other 8 bikes I found...
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Please don't confuse ebay "asking" prices with "selling" prices. Many sellers never get their ask price. some are far from it. Value is determined once an item actually SELLS. Its easy enough to check SOLD prices.
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03-01-20, 10:28 AM
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I had the same problem finding smooth(er) 26/24 tire for my '84 Cannondale SM600. I don't ride hard off-road, but wanted something with at least some tread; (I have a road bike for road-riding). My search was compounded since I wanted them to be matching "models" and tanwall ! When I realized that wasn't happening, I opted to compromise (and go "cheap" with a Kenda KRad 24" rear. It's 1.95", but the knobs are shallow and very closely-spaced. It's not 100% what I want, but it works for my needs and gets me on the bike! I wound up with a Kenda Kross 26" on the front which does have a smooth center section with side-knobs. If anyone knows of someone who makes a matched set of 26/24 quality tires with the Kross-type smooth-center tread pattern, tanwall, Kevlar bead like I thought I could find, please let me know! Until then, I'll be riding these and more realistically searching for the Grail.
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Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!
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03-01-20, 10:55 AM
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I hadn't seen a Terry style MTB. That's interesting.
There are a few brands right now trying mismatched wheels. UCI allowed it in DH and Enduro for 2019
There are a few brands right now trying mismatched wheels. UCI allowed it in DH and Enduro for 2019
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Genesis 49:16-17
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