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PLANAR
Posts: 122 7/20/07 9:18 A
The Rockhopper is a great bike, I owned the original model back in the 1980's and have own nothing but Specialized MTB since.
I just picked up a brand new second set of wheels off ebay for my Epic. I have some Maxxis Zenith 26x1.5 tires that I will mount on them for street riding. The Maxxis tire is a full slick and works well even in wet conditions. I have owned Specialized and Bontrager 26" road tires in the past, the Specialized with Armadillo Flat protection is by far the best combination of speed and durability.
Life is a storm, my young friend. You will bask in the sunlight one moment, be shattered on the rocks the next. What makes you a man is what you do when that storm comes. Count of Monte Cristo
DRC2205
Posts: 8,845 7/17/07 10:27 A
When I put slicks on my cyclocross, I went to my LBS for new tires. I kept the rims that I had and they mounted new tires and tubes. I kept the cyclocross tires, so I can always switch back if I want. Then a few years later I moved on to my road bike, when I could afford what I wanted.
MAGELLAN1
Posts: 550 7/11/07 9:03 P
my boyfriend has slicks on his mountian bike, he has his mtb rims (look at photo on my page, red trek, notice the disc brakes, so those are his mtb rims)the wheels will be a little lower as the slicks aren't as large as the mtb tires. i remember the first time he rode it like that he was turning around in the parking lot and scraped a pedal on the ground and went down because the bike sits lower.
he has several bikes so that bike is the designated metro-bike for around town and paved bike trails. sometimes he will ride that and i will ride my road bike that way we both get a good work out and he doesnt get too far ahead of me. he really likes it.
Edited by: MAGELLAN1 at: 7/11/2007 (21:29)
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FALCONFLEWAWAY
Posts: 133 7/11/07 6:31 P
Tires come with instructions that say they have to be used on a certain diameter and width rim.
If the diameter is wrong, you actually won't have a problem because you'll never get the tire mounted anyway - if the tire's too small, it'll never go on and if it's too big, it'll sit so loose on the wheel that the tube will pop out with any amount of air pumped in.
Width is another matter. If a tire is too narrow for a rim, it will be stretched from bead to bead and it won't take much to dislodge it. Pumping might do it. If it doesn't then any bump in the road could.
If the tire is too wide for the rim, then the sidewalls will be at 38 mm spread or so and the tire at 23. The tire will rock sideways on any corner and these forces could take the tire off the rim. Again, it might just pop off during inflation.
If in doubt, ask the experts at your LBS.
JOEL_CORY
Posts: 14 7/11/07 2:22 P
They usually have a lower PSI rating. ~60 psi. As a tire increases in width, 1 inch vs. 1.6 inch, the pressure lowers. For example my road bike has 23c tires that can be inflated to 120 PSI. By Cyclocross bike has 38c tires that can be inflated to 80 psi. The lower rating keeps the tire from blowing off the rim.
2007 Bike Outside Challenge: 2600 miles. Miles done: 1092
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KJEANNE
SparkPoints: (29,196)
Fitness Minutes: (20,797) Posts: 1,843 7/11/07 11:08 A
If you put slick road tires on a mountain bike would you inflate them to 120 psi like I do for my road tires?
Do not look where you fell, but where you slipped. African proverb
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DYMONDY2K
Posts: 1,717 7/11/07 1:03 A
Thanx Joel.. I didn't know what they called the 'road' tires for Mountain Bikes.
Ah yes, this is the info I was looking for. Two incompatible sizes. I'll head back to the bike shop where I bought my bike soon. They're very helpful there and totally professional...but at least now I'll know the right thing to say.
Thanks!
JOEL_CORY
Posts: 14 7/9/07 7:10 P
Wheel width do vary, but you might be able to find a match at your local shop... Take your wheels in they can measure them and find a match for your road set.
2007 Bike Outside Challenge: 2600 miles. Miles done: 1092
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JOEL_CORY
Posts: 14 7/9/07 7:08 P
Unfortunately road bikes are usually 700C wheels, and mountain Bikes are 26 inch, two incompatible sizes. So my suggestion is to get a nice set of slicks for your mountain bike and enjoy the smooth rolling, and more sure-footed cornering that a slick will offer over knobbies on the road. Here are a few ideas for tires: Continental town and country http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=14384&subcategory_ID=5425
2007 Bike Outside Challenge: 2600 miles. Miles done: 1092
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GOOGRL
Posts: 22 7/9/07 7:03 P
Oh yes...sorry, when I was saying "tires", i meant the entire wheel...rim, rubber, tubes and all! Get a set of road wheels for the MTB (I have the quick releases) that I could just pop on/off each day depending on if I'm going on paved roads or trails.
The feasability of this is what I'm researching....
DYMONDY2K
Posts: 1,717 7/9/07 6:52 P
Off the top of my head the two concerns you would have with that is rim width and cassette compatibility. The rims on road bikes are thinner and it might affect your braking. The other is making sure the rear hub cassette on the road tires would work with the dérailleur you have now.
Could you possibly pick up some cheap MTB rims and put on road tires? I've seen them where they are designed more like a road tire with no knobbies etc but made for a larger rim.
Hey all, I have a Specialized Rockhopper and am really loving it. Since I live near a paved bike path, I'm doing the weekday exercise on the road more so than on trails. I can't afford to buy a road bike just yet (although I eventually will) but want to get a set of road tires that will better suit my concrete riding (not super skinny racing tires...just good ol' road tires). I'm sure there's a myriad of options here (I don't know much about the gear yet):
1) Get a set of road tires, then when I buy a road bike would those same tires switch back and forth to the MTB?
2) Get a set of road tires for the MTB and later get a complete road bike with it's own tires (maybe they wouldn't fit the same on both frames)?
3)Silly rabbit, there aren't any road tires suited for MTB's....just tough it out on the MTB tires and save for that road bike.
Any insight?? Thanks, ~Leslie
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