Maxxis Hookworms for Commuting?
 

Based on the 100% over-the-top positive reviews I've read of these tires, they seem to be great for something, but I'm not sure it's commuting. I love the look, the potential comfort, and the reported durability of these 26" X 2.5" steel-bead/single-ply tires and I'm ready to pull the trigger on them for $34/each on Amazon. It appears they will fit the frame of my 1996 GT Outpost Mountain Bike, which is what I ride to work in fair weather.

The two negative things I've read are that the tires are heavy, which is not a big deal to me, as I'm not concerned with speed; and that they don't handle wet roads very well, which also doesn't matter much, as I don't really ride much in the rain. In addition to my daily 6-mile (rt) commute, I use this bike for one or two 40 or 50-mile "credit card" tours per year on mostly flat roads.

Can anybody think of any other reason I shouldn't buy these for myself for Christmas?

They seem to get good reviews. I personally would want something a bit skinnier, but for a 6 mile rt I think those would be a good choice. I say go for it!

Search BF for one of the many places that sixty-fiver talks about Schwalbe Hurricanes. He made me wish I hadn't splurged on Marathon Supremes. Then again, Hurricanes are probably in the same ballpark as the price you're looking at for the Hookworms.

Doubt any Puncture resistant features at that Price, but if you dont get flats then may your Luck Hold.

LBS only gets them in 406 for the BMX bikes .. Maxxis site doesn't show any 26" 'hookworms' so the stock in the shop is the Finito.

My 26" wheel [Non Studded tire] Bike has Marathon Plus on them.. want fat & slicker.. ? big apple 559- 60 wide perhaps?

For instance here...

I've used maxxis hookworms a couple of years ago, I still have them in my closet and will ride them occasionally just for fun... They are big and heavy, no problem if you have a short commute. No puncture protection belt but the rubber and tread is very thick. Make sure your frame has enough clearance because they are big tires.
With those tires you never have to worry about potholes, cracks in the pavement or sewer grates, they will ride over almost anything. Traction is very good and if you run them at a little lower pressure they stick to pavement like glue.

I have 29" hookworms and those tires are fantastic. While you mention that they don't do well in rain, I found the exact opposite to be true. Rain or shine, they get very good traction. I run these tires during the wet season, when the trails are always muddy and I'm not riding singletrack.

The tires are heavy, but if you're loaded down for touring then I'm sure you aren't counting grams. As a Krampus owner, I'm definitely not a weight weenie, and I love my hookworms. There are probably tougher tires out there with better puncture resistance, but the hookworm is still a good buy for its price.

1250 grams? :eek: I thought my Crossroads were clunky.

I'd do some measuring before ordering,those are really fat tires. My old 1x1 came with 2.35" tires which filled the frame pretty well,and just cleared the V brakes' noodles. Remember,wider tires are also taller.

>>>>Remember,wider tires are also taller.<<<<<

I hadn't thought of that. All the other measurements seem to suggest that they would fit on my GT Outpost. Thanks for the heads-up.

And I haven't ever bought a Schwalbe because I thought that they were heavy.

Silly, me.:p

I had tires with asymmetrical grooves like that. forget what they were. urban commuters or something. I found those to be unpredictable in cornering. I finally settled on slicks.

From the OP: Today was the day I ran out of patience and decided I was going to buy SOMETHING. The only set of two tires I could put together at any of the local stores was a set of Schwalbe Big Apples (26" X 2.35"). To the minute I plunked down my credit card, I was still drooling for a set of Maxxis Hookworms, but the LBS owner did a great job of convincing me these would be better for commuting and light touring, and that the 2.5" Hookworms probably wouldn't fit my frame. I had committed to supporting one of the bike retailers in my area (rather than an online seller), so I decided to reward this guy, even though I think I paid too much for them ($43.50 each).

I got them on the bike just fine. They fit the frame of my 1996 GT Outpost with no problems (except for a minor adjustment to my rear rack support system) and I didn't experience any struggle to get them on my existing rims. I'm disappointed that they are not as robust as they look in all the photos, but I guess looks are not what I was supposed to have wanted them for. More importantly, I'm really not that impressed with the ride they provided on my test drive around the neighborhood. All the stuff I'd heard about how cushy and comfortable they would make the bike didn't really come to life for me.

Overall, I'm not too happy to have spent $90 on these, but they are dirty now, and the LBS won't take them back. Can anybody convince me that I will learn to like them better?

1st world Problems :popcorn

Yeah, I sure sound like a whiner, don't I?

I guess I'll just shut up and ride the damned things.

What pressure are you running? If you have them maxed out,they feel like any other tire.

You could probably get away with riding with some shockingly low pressure. Try 30 psi, maybe less.

Maybe that's the problem. They felt squishy at 35-40 psi, so I pushed them to 50! You don't think I'll be changing flats every few miles at 30?

From the makers site.

They list the recommended range for your tire to be 30-55.:)

don't sweat it, you might switch to a road bike down the road anyway. at least I did after trying new tires on my MTB

Nah. I've been using this GT Outpost as my main bike since 1996 and I have no interest in switching to a road bike. I had a classic Peugot road bike many years ago and gave it away. I'm an MTB guy, and I've always had a pair of slicks to swap out. I've just never owned such a fat pair.

What's the difference between "squishy" and "cushy and comfortable?"

Anyways, try out my 15% tire drop formula, since the famous worksheet doesn't handle tires this wide. That should give you a starting point.

I had a similar experience to you. I spent $138 for my pair of Schwalbe Marathon Supreme, they ride fine (not life-changing), are plenty flat resistant, but afterwards I learned about Schwalbe Hurricane and if I had known about them before I would have gotten them instead; they're half the price and look way more badass. But since I paid the price, I'll be living with the Supremes for the next 5-10 years, or until I can justify the amortized price.

If you just wanted slicks, I would have recommended Nashbar slick city tires, which is what I use to put slicks on MTBs. Cheap, bald, sticky, fast, and well-reviewed.

"Cushy and comfortable," to me, means bump-absorbing and easy on the back without pushing the line on flat resistance. When I used the word "squishy," I was referring to how the tire felt when I pinched it. I should have clarified that. "Squishy," to me, means grossly under-inflated, but perhaps I've just entered into a new realm of understanding about acceptable tire inflations. I am very interested in any other input regarding the experimenting others have done with lower psi.

Regarding the purchase itself, I was sold on the Hookworms before I walked into the store and I should have just stuck with that instinct. The downside of dealing face-to-face with a bike shop owner (rather than an invisible online dealer) is that all the weaknesses in your being come out and you're suddenly dealing with feeling guilty that the person spent so much time with you, or self-conscious that he/she will think you're a jerk if you then walk out of the store without buying anything. So I got "hooked" into the Schwalbes and I knew I wasn't happy before I even got home with them.

Like you, my tires last a long time, mainly because I tend to swap slicks for knobbies several times throughout the year. These were intended to be year-round tires, but I doubt that I will keep them on all the time, which means I, too, am stuck with them for several years -- unless I have a windfall and can afford to eat them and buy a set of Hookworms instead. OR, unless somebody wants to buy a set of very gently used Big Apples right now!

Now that you've bought them, the time to complain about the price has passed. Try to enjoy them. If you can't, sell them.

It sounds like the salesmanship is souring you on the tires, which doesn't seem fair to the tires. The other brand wouldn't have been any different. Big soft tires are supposed to be run at low pressure to give you a soft ride. That's how they work and what they're for. But because of that they'll also give you vague handling. The carcass distends a lot, not just up and down but also side to side and turning. Think of it like shoes. You just bought Crocs.