MTB super skinny slicks?

[xerxes]

I have Schwalbe City Jets on my 2011 Boardman HT Pro and to be honest, i think i hate them, they have been on for 2 months now, i mainly use the hardtail for work but i simply dont enjoy riding it anymore.

@85psi they are harsh on the bike (and my hoop), and fitting them has not given me any real increase in my 10 mile trip to work, because instead of jumping off kerbs, bombing down the side banks of bridlepaths and climbing up muddy hills, i now have to go the long way around, staying on the tarmac, riding around the housing estate rather then diving down the muddy trail beside the busy dual carriageway.

I have tried to use them off road and as you would expect, its not worth it LOL

They have taken the fun out of my commute for sure, they are boring, i have now started taking the retro 98 FSR into work so i can launch off kerbs and act like a hooligan (took it today for example)

I think i am going to remove them, i promised myself i would keep them for the summer and go back to my usual Conti Mountain King Mk2`s when the poor weather returns, but damn, they make my ride crap.

Yes they roll a lot faster, but i find i just freewheel more anyway.

IIRC they are 26 x 1.5

Most of my rides include a fair amount of tarmac along with some cinder paths, tow paths and bridleways. I have semi slicks on two of my bikes.

Schwalbe Hurricane: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=51647 Inflated to around 55 psi, these roll as well as a slick on tarmac but are OK off road, unless it's really wet and muddy and to be honest I don't do a great deal of really muddy stuff.

Panaracer Mach SS: http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=53959 These don't roll quite as well on tarmac as the Hurricanes, but are a bit more grippy off road and they're a bit lighter.

 

[JamesM]

I've got some Panaracer Ribmo. In 1.25 at 95psi they roll good and fast.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Mode ... tedKingdom

You think so? I bought a set after picking up about 60 thorns during one ride on FatBoys. Most didn't puncture the tube immediately but it was still a b!tc# taking them all out to prevent future punctures.

Agree they are decently fast as long as you are absolutely upright but the pointed center design seems to rob speed during any amount of turning or leaning. The design does seem to perform well while leaning into corners but at the expense of speed I imagine.

The 'feel' just isn't as smooth as FatBoys either. I actually enjoyed taking my FatBoy's on the dirt on occasion. The RiBMo's are sketchy as hell on dirt.

I should have tried Conti Sport Contact. I think I'd prefer them to RiBMo.

Can't say I noticed any of that. Does the whole pointed centre really make any difference anyway. The bit of the tyre that's touching the road will be squashed flat anyway, whether you are upright or leaning the bike over. Not only that but most people fit skinny tyres to increase their maximum sustainable pedaling speed which is only really relevant in a striaght line and long sweeping corners. If your leaning the bike over alot then you must be trying to go fast round tight corners so you should probably stop pedaling because mtb's arent designed for such small tyres so pedal clearance is less than desirable. Stoping pedaling will lose you speed too, so in these situations a set of 2.1's would be quicker!!!

I dont ride mine on dirt. It kind of stands to reason that a tyre that grips well on dirt won't be as quick on the road!!!

Here is mine:

 

[feetabix]

interesting use of aero bars.....on the face of it the whole idea is compromised, with better ways of doing every job the bike is used for.....in reality, i love the personalisation there.....i have done similar things to loads of bikes over the years myself. i like the flexibility and comfort of a mountain bike on a road, especially in a city environment involving traffic, alleyways and kerbs......thats nice to see, any cyclist would recognise a degree of thought and attention above your average cyclist/bike......cool!

 

[Groundoggy]

Can't say I noticed any of that.

I imagine the laws of physics are suspended while your bike is using RiBMo's. Fancy that.

 

[FMJ]

I have 1.5 Bontrager Road Warrior full slicks on my SS. Was out on it yesterday. Rode on tarmac, crushed gravel, hardpack, and some sand. Never had a problem with traction.

 

[JamesM]

interesting use of aero bars.....on the face of it the whole idea is compromised, with better ways of doing every job the bike is used for.....in reality, i love the personalisation there.....i have done similar things to loads of bikes over the years myself. i like the flexibility and comfort of a mountain bike on a road, especially in a city environment involving traffic, alleyways and kerbs......thats nice to see, any cyclist would recognise a degree of thought and attention above your average cyclist/bike......cool!

My motivation for building it was a charity bike ride. I did 292 miles in 3 days in sunshine, torrential rain, on everything from A roads to badly pot holed lanes. Speed, comfort, handling, climbing and the ability to take a few hits (those pot holes) at speed, it took it all in its stride!!!

I think aerobars work well on old MTB's and IMO the gains are more than if you fitted them to a typical roadbike, I'm not saying they make this bike faster than a road bike I just don't think they add much to a drop barred road bike (discounting TT bikes here). I rode a roadbike with aerobars once and going from the drops to the aerobars brings the elbows in, but I found I was actually sitting more upright. The front end is quite low on old MTB's plus they have longer top tubes, size for size, than roadbikes, so with a long stem you can get the seat quite far forward (giving better drive) and still get a nice stretched out position. Not only that but when riding on the normal bars you're not very aero at all.

 

[JamesM]

Can't say I noticed any of that.

I imagine the laws of physics are suspended while your bike is using RiBMo's. Fancy that.

Just the ones that govern friction

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

And as you lean to the side the rolling diameter, and hence the gearing, reduces.

 

[clownfish]

my P7 has been on michelin wild run'r 1.4 for a year now. I'm very pleased with them - good value for about 14 quid.

 

[feetabix]

interesting use of aero bars.....on the face of it the whole idea is compromised, with better ways of doing every job the bike is used for.....in reality, i love the personalisation there.....i have done similar things to loads of bikes over the years myself. i like the flexibility and comfort of a mountain bike on a road, especially in a city environment involving traffic, alleyways and kerbs......thats nice to see, any cyclist would recognise a degree of thought and attention above your average cyclist/bike......cool!

My motivation for building it was a charity bike ride. I did 292 miles in 3 days in sunshine, torrential rain, on everything from A roads to badly pot holed lanes. Speed, comfort, handling, climbing and the ability to take a few hits (those pot holes) at speed, it took it all in its stride!!!

I think aerobars work well on old MTB's and IMO the gains are more than if you fitted them to a typical roadbike, I'm not saying they make this bike faster than a road bike I just don't think they add much to a drop barred road bike (discounting TT bikes here). I rode a roadbike with aerobars once and going from the drops to the aerobars brings the elbows in, but I found I was actually sitting more upright. The front end is quite low on old MTB's plus they have longer top tubes, size for size, than roadbikes, so with a long stem you can get the seat quite far forward (giving better drive) and still get a nice stretched out position. Not only that but when riding on the normal bars you're not very aero at all.

yes, that all makes perfect sense......i use aero's on my s-works road bike, but i dont feel they offer a huge performance advantage over drops in relation to aerodynamic improvment, they often feel like they reduce your lung space. their addition to a mountain bike would seem to offer a better/bigger improvment........i bet the aero's mounted on a flexstem/pothole combo gave you the odd reduction in diameter of the rear facing tea towel holder muscle though!...?...!..... :shock: