solveg

What do you guys think of Nashbar brand tires for general use? I found a lugged chromoly Bridgestone MB-4 in our pole barn and thought I would bring it to Kansas so I didn't have to lug the Atlantis back and forth. The tires will need to endure lots of gravel. It has good 1.5" 26" tires on it now, but they're extremely knobby. I'd like slicks, like my big apples.

The Big Apples are about $35 each, and the Nashbar ones are on sale now for $10 with an additional 15% off at checkout.

staehpj1

If you mean these (or do they make a wider slick):
https://www.nashbar.com/profile.cfm?c...to%2026x1%2E75

They are pretty skinny for gravel. A WAY different beast than Big Apples.

They are OK tires, but I doubt they suit your purposes.

buddyp

I've never used used Nashbar tires but I have used Performance tires a lot. They may be made by the same companies since Nashbar and Performance are owned by the same parent.

At any rate I've had good luck with Performance tires. I have a pair of their kevlar belted fast city st/k on my commuter bike (26x1.25) and I really like them a lot. Way better than the avocet cross I used to use. I also have a set of their cheap 700x28s on my heavy road wheels. I put about 1200 miles on them over the winter and while I can tell the difference between them and the tires on my good wheels, they aren't terrible, which about all I'd expect from a tire that cost a whole $7.

solveg

Yeah, those were them. But now I notice they're .25" too narrow. I need 1.5". I guess I'll spring for the Big Apples. There's no benefit to deep tread on gravel, is there?

n4zou

Nashbar simply contracts a production run of parts with there brand name from an OEM manufacturer. If you remember Peanut Butter from a Georgia plant was removed from the shelves do to contamination. Something like 12 different brands of Peanut Butter ranging from expensive brand name to cheaper store brands were effected, all with the exact same product in the containers. Same thing with bike parts.

Tom Bombadil

I think tread is at least a bit useful on gravel & dirt. When cars race on asphalt tracks, they use slicks. When cars race on dirt & gravel, they use tires with some tread on them. Same for motorcycles.

BSLeVan

+1 Tread on smooth surfaces has very little value, but on loose surfaces it can help create some bite for traction.

wrk101

I have the Nashbar 1.25 slicks on my mountain bike, but would only use them on the road. If you are doing gravel or similar, I would look for a wider tire. I bought a set of Kenda Kross's 26 x 1.95 for about $5 each from Niagara. I just checked and they have raised the price to a little over $8 each, still a pretty good deal.


www.niagaracycle.com

solveg

I'm really ignorant about mountain bikes. Can you put any width tire on one? It's not like road bikes where you have to stay in a range or it won't fit? I was going to stay with the 1.5 and 2.0" widths on there because I didn't know if I could change.

BluesDawg

I'm running 700cX23mm Nashbar tires on my RB-1. I paid about $8 each on sale. They have performed very well with no problems. Made by Cheng Shin.

BlazingPedals

I'd keep the knobs for gravel.

Tom Bombadil

You could try something like this one:
https://www.biketiresdirect.com/produ...il.asp?p=MICTR

Or this one:
https://www.biketiresdirect.com/produ...il.asp?p=MICOG

BluesDawg

https://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_ID=5425

skiph

^^^^ Ditto.

Use these cheap tires on the winter 'rain' bike. Had only 1 flat last November, and that was on the rear tire from the winter/spring before I was trying to stretch for a few more miles. Picked up 2 more late last fall and then 1 more in early spring. I'll be able to run them again next fall/winter. They supposedly have a kevlar belt under the tread.

solveg

Wow! Those are all great tires to choose from. Thanks. But, Skiph, let me get this straight....you used BluesDawg's tires on a bike you only rode in the rain, and you had to replace them in a year?

BluesDawg

I have about 2500 miles on mine and the rear tire is about worn enough to start thinking about replacement. I consider that plenty of life for a skinny $8 tire.

Camilo

I have the 1.25 " performance tires (Fast City?) on my MTB turned commuter. I replaced 2" (or maybe larger) full-on knobby MTB tires. You won't have any problem width wise.

As far as suitability for gravel, I ride them on gravel all the time. I live on a gravel road. No problem, but all I'm doing is riding along the road, uphill, downhill, around normal road corners. None of the messy, quick turning, stopping, starting, quick maneuvering, muddy stuff that knobby mtb tires are used for.

Think in terms of a vehicle: would you run aggressive tread tires on your car just because you live on a gravel road? Of course not, you'd simply use your normal all season or highway type tires. If you're going off road, in the mud, etc (like mountain biking), or driving in the snow, then you'd buy more aggressive tires for your vehicle. For "just riding" on gravel, a city type bike tire will be just fine. If you're doing a lot of technical stuff, or riding in mud, you might want to get somethign with a tread.

On my tandem I have a set of, I think, 1.4" "Tom Slicks" (Ritchey?) I also bought from Performance. Very similar type of tread as the Fast City, just a little wider. Also very happy with them.

Both of these tires were pretty cheap at Performance, and a good value, I think.

There are, however, many tires with a virtually smooth center section and very mild tread on the sides. I've never used them, but they might be a good compromise. But I dont' think you need it for recreational riding on gravel.

wrk101

I'm really ignorant about mountain bikes. Can you put any width tire on one? It's not like road bikes where you have to stay in a range or it won't fit? I was going to stay with the 1.5 and 2.0" widths on there because I didn't know if I could change.

Check the sheldon brown web site, he has a good recap on what size tires you can fit on various rims. Basically, there is a lot of flexibility on tire width.

https://sheldonbrown.com/tire-sizing.html

stapfam

In general- You can fit any tyre between a 1.0 to a 2.1 on any mountain bike wheel- although the Narrow 1.0 on a wide rim may not be everyones choice. Wider than 2.1 and you may be running into frame hitting problems so check on the clearance for wider tyres. One problem with Knobblies is that they will pick up mud and a nominal 2.0 tyre will grow.

From my experience- In winter I run a 1.8 mud tyre. And in summer I run a 1.8 tyre. Any wider than that and I get the mud collection in winter and drag in the summer. That is for offroad- but the slicks I use on the MTB are 1.3's. And there are two types of MTB slicks. Those that take pressures in excess of 100psi and those that don't. For road use-I prefer the High pressure tyres because I need all the help I can get. Less Drag = less effort.

And on cheap tyres- There is a reason for them being cheap. I go to the other extreme and use high quality slicks. I get less drag- Don't have a problem with punctures and get long life out of them.

BluesDawg

Yes. They cost less. They don't have to support a big advertising budget. In many cases they are tires made to be sold at higher prices, but there was excess inventory of an older model that gets sold off at a fraction of original cost.

There may be a good argument for top level tires for very high performance applications, but very good tires don't have to be expensive.

stapfam

Take it to the Extreme and the Tandem---Doesn't matter what tyre I put on that thing- In my local terrain I will not get more than 400 miles before the tyre is scrap. But- I use Panaracer Fire XC's on both the Tandem and the solo. First of all it is the best "Grip" tyre on our terrain- plenty of hardpack, plenty of chalk that is like ice when wet and plenty of Flints that are slippery at the best of times. The Fire XC also has a carcass design that helps to eliminate Pinch flats. We get those all the time on the Tandem with Other makes of tyres but NEVER had one yet with the Fire XC's.

The Fire XC is one of the higher priced tyres over here and even more so as I always use the Kevlar bead. I also look out for them on "Offer" where I can get around 20% off but at my LBS- I can get the Offer price all the time.

So I like Panaracer Fire XC's. But I also have a set of Kendas. No name on them as the Logo has peeled off. Half the price of the FireXC's but they have one disadvantage. They are a dry weather tyre. In the dry they are as good as the FireXC's but show them a bit of damp chalk uphill and they don't work. Show them mud and they are terrible. But once we get back onto Tarmac on the way home- They roll.

And I hate to say it- But within my limited experience on the road- I will be staying with one tyre. Michelin PR2/3's. Have a pair Of Michelin Lithions but they should be called Lethal-ions in the wet. Mich Kryliums are supposedly a long lasting tyre but I wore them out in around 1500 miles and puncture resistance was not there after about 500 miles.

I suppose it is what you are used to but once I have found a tyre I like and it works in all conditions- I will stay with it. It is just that the tyres I have found that I like- are the higher end price tyres- and I will be staying with them.

alicestrong

Hey Solveg I have different Nashbar tires on several of my bikes (including 700X38's and slicks).

I've found them to be a really good value.

Ranger63

but would never again own a pair of Forte` tires (performance)
The casing seperated from the (wire) bead at 70psi.
First time that has happened on any tire I've ever owned.

maddmaxx 

https://www.pricepoint.com/detail/132...II-XC-Tire.htm

I ride a lot on gravel and this is an excellent compromise tire that also takes well to asphault. Runs pressure from 45psi for soft ground to 80psi for an all pavement day.

seeker333

Me too. My Forte 26x1.5 slicks (actually 26x1.35-1.4") have ~3,000 miles pavement use, no problems. Paid $14 for a pair on sale, even got a third for spare, all for twenty bucks. Can't beat that.

Perf/Nash branded goods are a hit or miss affair IMO. Some don't work/fit right from the very beginning, some exceed your expectations. I prefer consistent, predictable performance, but am swayed by low price.

I got some Hutchinson tires from Nashbar once that last only a couple hundred miles before they started bulging in several places. The cords had failed. They were brittle, I could hear them cracking when first started riding.

Nashbar sells a lot of goods that are more suited for the recycle bin. I got a defective Selle Italia saddle from them once - the rails were not bent at the proper 73deg angle, didn't have enough adjustment range in the seatpost clamp to mount the saddle flat. So, perfectly good $70 saddle rendered useless by manufacturing defect. And Nashbar knew it, since they were selling them for $19.95.

I wouldn't mind trying the odd defect good now and then, if only Nashbar would accurately disclose the defect. Then again, they may not have anyone there smart/concerned enough to know better. I spoke to their Tech Service guy recently over an obvious erroneous description of a drop handlebar. The guy insisted the bar "drop" was 70mm (they're normally 120-150mm). I pointed out to him that it was a 22mm diameter bar, leaving less than 50mm air gap for the drop. That 50mm/2" dimension never turned on the light bulb in that guy's head.

Ok, thanks, goodbye.