Wanting to avoid pitfalls of modern tyres on 90's Trek

[el_Pedr0]

Hi all,

Looking for feedback on tyre choices to revive my early '90s rigid Trek 930 MTB. It's got the original 26" rims which are narrow and the width between the forks and rear wheel stays seem to be quite narrow by modern standards. So I'm seeking advice in an effort to avoid any pitfalls with choosing tyres which these days seem to be designed with slightly diffferent bike geometries in mind.

My riding is casual UK Trail/Light Trail: bridleways (often muddy), forest singletrack (roots/rocks), and gravel tracks. Often interspersed with tarmac in order to access the trails.

Need an all-rounder, fix and forget that's good in mud and durable.

Current thought (Schwalbe 26"):

Front: Magic Mary 2.35" Super Trail TLE Addix Soft
Rear: Nobby Nic 2.25" - Addix Speedgrip

Why this combo? MM for max front grip in wet/tech, NN for durable rear traction and rolling speed. Front fork spacing: 77mm (so ~8.5mm clearance either side), rear frame spacing 68mm (so ~5.5mm clearance either side).

Questions:
* Does this combo make sense for my riding?
* I'm running the original Matrix rims, which have an inner rim width of only 16mm! Will such a narrow rim present any problems?
* Will the 5.5mm rear clearance get clogged as soon as I hit mud?
* Is the Magic Mary Addix Soft going to wear really quickly on the gravel/tarmac?
* Alternative 26" tyre combos (Schwalbe/Maxxis etc.) for my needs?

Cheers!

 

[Repacker]

An early 90s frame would likely have been made for narrower tyres than 2.35 / 2.25 - so you risk either tyre getting clogged up. Mid 90s tyres were still mostly 2 inch max.

 

[Markybeau]

An early 90s frame would likely have been made for narrower tyres than 2.35 / 2.25 - so you risk either tyre getting clogged up. Mid 90s tyres were still mostly 2 inch max.

Agreed. I would say any bigger than 2.1 and you are going to struggle.

IRC Mythos £20 per hoop. Bargain

https://www.bananaindustries.co.uk/...c-26x2-10-folding?_pos=4&_fid=3490422d3&_ss=c

Company owner is an rb member

 

[Gtpulse]

Fit and forget, good on trails as well as road - Schwalbe Marathon or some variant of. They don’t look very trendy but they really work. My riding buddy only just changed his first set of about 10 years old, thousands of miles on forest trails/bridleways/fields and roads, only 2 punctures in all that time. They don’t clog like many of the tyres that are “good for mud”.

You’re not going to win any XC competitions with them but in terms of getting out and enjoying the ride without having to think about the tyres they tick a lot of boxes.

 

[db95]

Before basically going full roadie at the start of this year I'd put near enough 2000 miles on Schwalbe's Billy Bonkers and found them to be a pretty solid all rounder. Bit divisive due to the tan/amber/bronze? walls alongside how common they are especially in the instagram/youtube world of sprucing up 90s bikes, however at 20 quid per tyre for the wire bead versions and being a decent all rounder I think they're worth it. My riding at the time was very similar to yours; bridleways, singletrack, some cyclepaths, gravel farm paths and a small amount of roads/tarmac inbetween. The only time they really faltered was December/January time boggy/washed out bridleways although I think most tires would've struggled in those conditions. Always gonna have to compromise somewhere.

Maxxis DTH and Halo's H-Block were the other two I looked at before buying the Schwalbe's although the Halo's might be a good shout as they're more of a dirtjump tyre so fast rolling etc but have some knobblies on them for grip.

 

[Frankenorange]

I would definitely be looking at tyres between 1.75 and 1.95

 

[el_Pedr0]

Thanks all. I'll check out your recommendations. The original tyres were 2inch. Reluctantly I guess I need to accept that I'm limited to 2 or 2.1 - not because I particularly sought fat tyres, but because it rules out a surprising amount of the modern market.

 

[Attempted Mustache]

Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1 would be my recommendation, a good all-rounder in all seasons and easily available in both folding (recommended) and wire bead. I've used them on both old-school narrow rims and more modern width ones without issue. Shop around and you can find folders for as low as £22 a tyre at the moment.

Alternatively, if you want something more trendy and spendy / Gravel-orientated, Sim Works have just issued a new colour of 'The Homage', itself a reissue of the Panaracer Mach SS, available in 26x1.95.

 

[GT-TJR]

I second the Panaracer Fire, although they are quite draggy on tarmac.

Another good (budget) option is Schwalbe Black Jacks, quite light for a wire bead, fast on road and gravel due to the solid knobs down the centre and adequate in wet and mud.

Available in 1.9 & 2.1 for as little as a tenner each. I personally wouldn't go larger than a 2.1. Looks out of proportion on an old frame, especially skinny steel skinny tubes and narrow rims.

 

[Titiritero]

If your Trek is one of the early 90's lugged ones, you would be surprised at the tire clearance. I don't think you would have problems to run 2.25" front and rear, specially if keeping the original rims which will make the actual width narrower.

A do-it-all that I like is the Schwalbe Smart Sam. Very good at nothing, but not bad at anything, will let you go fast enough on tarmac while being decent offroad. Heavy but cheap, there's 2.1" and 2.25" options, and even a heavier one with extra puncture protection (Smart Sam Plus).