ShadowGray

https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=5430

Anyone have any experiences with these? With slicks in general? Are slicks more fragile than regular knobbies, or do they hold up equally well over rough pavement/terrain?

lns55

I have a pair of Forte City ST 26 x 1.5 on my Kona Smoke. They are very smooth and comfortable riding tires. I put them on in March and so far so good - no flats either. I bought them at Performance on sale and yes I would recommend them.

probable556

They're not bad but they wear out fast. Consider Ritchey Tom Slicks instead.

ShadowGray

Hmm, how do they handle crappy conditions compared to knobbies? I don't mean sand or gravel but I do go over grass and uneven pavement often.

envane

You run slicks on pavement, period. Knobbies are inefficient and handle badly on streets.

Slicks are not "fragile", they hold up according to their quality. There are kevlar-lined, puncture resistant tires out there that are practically bomb-proof but they will cost you. If you buy cheaper tires, they might wear out sooner, or leave you more likely to get flats. Its a trade-off.

The lower the psi of your tires, the smoother the ride, but the higher the rolling resistance, and the less efficient you will be. Personally for roads, I like an 80 psi minimum, but that is up to you.

JeffS

A relatively large number of people have used them at one time or another. They obviously have the price thing going for them. For some, that's enough.

For me, the thickness of the tread and casing turned me off. I wouldn't consider buying them again unless I absolutely had to have a tire, and only had $7 or so in the bank.


I could start to name some tires I like better, but honestly, prettymuch everything will be better. I doubt ANY of them would be cheaper though...

envane

I've run 1.5", 80 psi slicks over grass for short distances. Doesn't work great but its do-able. They will absorb small constant pavement irregularities just fine. For big ones, just get your butt off the seat before they hit.

ShadowGray

https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=5430

Are these technically slicks? Anyone have experience with these as well?

Thing is, I don't want to go too thin... I like the looks of big fat squishy tires. Just not their ride.

lns55

They are not "technically" slicks at least not the ones I've ridden. The slicks in the 26 x 1.5 tires usually pump up to 80-85 P.S.I. These Forte City ST tires only hold 60 P.S.I. I kind of **** them because they offer a more forgiving ride. Most of my riding is inner city on a lot of bad pavement and I really like the ride they give me. I have'nt had them long enough to know how long they will last. I typically ride a bike with 700 x 23 tires 125 P.S.I. and the ride can be somewhat harsh. However when I ride the Kona with the Forte City ST I relly enjoy the smooth ride especially over bumps.

ShadowGray

Well if they're not technically slicks what would they be considered as? Will they offer the same ride as a "real" slick?

Right now my choices are between the cheapo Forte and these... everything else is 1.25 and under.

lns55

Iwould probably go for those Geax Street Runners they are plenty beefy enough plus they probably roll a lot faster than the Forte tire does. I only like that Forte tire because of the soft ride. The Geax tire would definitely be a better everyday commuting type of tire. It also appears to have plenty of tread for stability.

envane

Technically, anything without any tread is a slick.

Non-technically, anything that doesn't have knobs is a "slick". This is what most people here mean when they call something a slick.

Here is the secret: in bicycling, treads don't do squat. they put treads on cars to prevent hydroplaning, but you can't hydroplane a bike. They put superficial treads on bikes to make people feel they are "safe".

RT

I've never tried 'em, but for city tires, I got some Michelin TransWorld City for my MTB - awesome durability, great in rain. Were on sale at Performance.

geeknerd99

On ROAD, quite true.

Tread design and choice is a major factor in mountain bike performance though. At least in my experience.

wahoonc

Those are good tires...I use them in the 700c size on a couple of bikes. On my MTB Expedition Tour bike I use the Forte Gotham's they have a enough tread to handle a bit of light off roading, mud, etc.

Aaron

no motor?

I put a set of 26x1.5s on a few weeks ago, and like them so far. I went from 26x1.95 Town and Countries and was noticeably faster, and have been ok on the grass the few times I've been on it. Most of my riding is on (mostly smooth) pavement, but there are a few places in my commute where the route goes across grass and dirt and I don't expect to use them for anything where I'd need a knobie. I bought them for their size and because of the price (on sale for around $7 each) and figure if they don't last to long I wont be unhappy.

mkoso

I threw a set on my bike last Sept. and I've been running them ever since. Not a bad tire but not as good as some of the more upper end tires but, a great value. Comfy, better rolling resistance than a knobby and I've taken mine over grass and gravel with no problems. For that price you really can't ask for anything else, can you?

daredevil

I've got 26X1.25's on one of my commuters. I'm usually on pavement but they have worked fine on packed rail trails I've been on.

littlewaywelt

I have that tire on my commuter. I put 'em on last spring, I think.
They're a great deal for the money and ride just fine.
Big thumbs up.

gazer

I've used the Kevlar version for years. Great tire for the money! In fact, I think unbeatable for the money!

They're fine on the occasional off-road that one may encounter on a commute - packed dirt, grass, semi-packed gravel...

The only place the tires have "failed" me are when I took 'em into pretty slick mud. Knobbies would have helped there.

biknbrian

I used the 1.5 Fortes for about a year and 1300 miles. No flats at all until the back wore thin and had 2 in a week. I run the 1.25 Fortes now. For the price go ahead and try them yourself.