Mountain bike like tyres on a racer

jwof2006

Is this possible, im not interested in high speed and would like safer tyres.:D

thehamo

not really. depends on what size tyre your bike will allow. You may be able to get a tourer tyre on. I have one on my bike and is a 28c tyre but dont think it would go much further. See the pic attached.

VictorRomeo

Cyclocross tyres are the nearest thing.... I use Conti...

Raam

jwof2006 wrote: »

Is this possible, im not interested in high speed and would like safer tyres.:D

Safer from what?

cormie

Also interested in the answer to this for the purpose of going offroad with my road bike, no crazy downhills or anything, but maybe for a spin through the likes of a forest park on woodland, gravel type paths. The road tyres I'm sure would be punctured within 5 minutes. There's also the lack of suspension. Would it be a danger to the bike even with suitable tyres?

This is my bike: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=54153524 (I bought it). So not sure if it's even possible with such a bike? If so, any recommendations on a set of tyres to get?

The tax man

Raam wrote: »

Safer from what?

All those broken bottles you missed.:pac:

Chips Lovell

If the bike has caliper brakes, then no, you can't. 28c is the best you can hope for and a lot of bikes won't even have the clearance for that.

kenmc

Raam wrote: »

Safer from what?

I too am curious.... do tell OP, please.

reallyunique

Don't know about MTB tyres being safer. Knobblies don't feel great on the road and their grip levels are neither as high nor as predictable as racing tyres. A touring tyre can give decent levels of grip and some tread for the sort of gravel and muck I sometimes find myself on.

@Cormie: Velouria said this about mild off-roading on skinny tyres. Personally, I'm unconvinced as her handling skills and reactions are better than mine but if I find myself near some roots and mud I might just give it a go if I were feeling brave. You should definitely try it

Popoutman

Having an MTB and a road bike, I can safely say that in my experience, that I get more grip and more predictable handling on both wet and dry tarmac with the road bike tyres. I've got the rather expensive Continental GP4000s on the road bike and it's taken me a while to learn to trust them as I've taken a few spills on the MTB when I have been cycling on the road. The MTB tyres are Maxxis Advantages which are very very good tyres offroad but they don't have as good grip on the road as the road tyres. The slicks are good at biting through the water to get to the road surface, and the compound itself is grippy (on tarmac) compared to the off-road tires. Now on muddy tarmac, all of the tyres I have used have low grip but the MTB tyres give up earlier but are smoother when sliding. It's odd!

To better answer the question, what type of surfaces do you expect to cycle on and why do you feel unsafe with the slicks on?

cormie

reallyunique wrote: »

Don't know about MTB tyres being safer. Knobblies don't feel great on the road and their grip levels are neither as high nor as predictable as racing tyres. A touring tyre can give decent levels of grip and some tread for the sort of gravel and muck I sometimes find myself on.

@Cormie: Velouria said this about mild off-roading on skinny tyres. Personally, I'm unconvinced as her handling skills and reactions are better than mine but if I find myself near some roots and mud I might just give it a go if I were feeling brave. You should definitely try it

Thanks a lot, have you any idea whether the bike I linked to would be compatible with more off road tyres? I'm not really sure what to measure and how to tell? Any recommendations on a set of tyres for dirt trails offroad too?

blorg

cormie wrote: »

Thanks a lot, have you any idea whether the bike I linked to would be compatible with more off road tyres? I'm not really sure what to measure and how to tell? Any recommendations on a set of tyres for dirt trails offroad too?

You *might* squeeze 28s on that but certainly not any wider. You won't get cross tyres on it. There are few bikes in the world that are less suitable for off road riding; I really wouldn't recommend it. If you were just talking about a dirt path that was a shortcut on a commute, or a short section of an adventure race, then sure, it should handle it, but I wouldn't go taking it off road for fun (unless your idea of fun is loss of control and crashing.)

cormie

Thanks Blorg, I was more thinking just not being limited to tarmac and paved roads and being able to take it on the likes of the Greenway cycle route in Mayo.

blorg

cormie wrote: »

Thanks Blorg, I was more thinking just not being limited to tarmac and paved roads and being able to take it on the likes of the Greenway cycle route in Mayo.

I don't know how bad that is but you can certainly do unpaved roads. I even used to tour, heavily loaded (as I carried all my girlfriend's stuff as well as my own) on 25s, including on Italian Strada Bianchi. But I wouldn't do it out of choice. You have a much higher risk of pinch flats on a bad surface.

cormie

That's good to hear. Do you reckon any oul road tyres will be good? If you remember this thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055247087 you'll see I've 23 wheels and it says I need 23 or 25 tyres, and there's a suggestion to use continental ultra gator skins or Specialized armilidos. I believe I have 2 Continental Sport 1000 700 x 23c Wire - Black/Red on at the moment.

blorg

cormie wrote: »

That's good to hear. Do you reckon any oul road tyres will be good? If you remember this thread: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055247087 you'll see I've 23 wheels and it says I need 23 or 25 tyres, and there's a suggestion to use continental ultra gator skins or Specialized armilidos. I believe I have 2 Continental Sport 1000 700 x 23c Wire - Black/Red on at the moment.

25 will be much better. You might get 28 on even if out of spec. I prefer Gatorskins to Armadillos. Make sure to inflate as puncture protection does nothing against pinch flats.

cormie

Thanks again blorg! There's quite a few tyre results for gatorskins on wiggle here: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/?s=gatorskins but only the top 3 seem to be available in 25/700. Any particular one I should go for or would they all be the same I wonder?

cdaly_

Any of them should do.

I have a similar vintage giant FCR3 and I have run 28mm tyres on it in the past. They're a pretty tight fit though, I had to do some hacking on my mudguards. I'm currently running 25mm gators and have taken it off road (accidentally) through some forest trails. Tyres coped well enough taking it easy. Only had one or two spots where I lost grip and otherwise it was fine.

petethedrummer

If you have long reach brakes and alot of frame clearance you can get more than 28mm on. I had 32mm touring tyres on my roadbike before.

Cyclepath

blorg wrote: »

25 will be much better. You might get 28 on even if out of spec. I prefer Gatorskins to Armadillos. Make sure to inflate as puncture protection does nothing against pinch flats.

With winter coming in, I'd go with Gatorskins - much better in the wet. I never had a puncture with Armadillos but I had a few slides! Even taking off from the lights, they sometimes slip a bit...

Raam

I've never been a fan of either Gatorskins or Armadillos. For me, Conti GP4000s are fine through winter. Everyone has their own preference though.

cormie

Thanks again folks, might just stick with the 25 incase the 28 don't fit. Not sure how to tell if I have long reach brakes or if the 28's would fit without buying them first.

petethedrummer

cormie wrote: »

Thanks again folks, might just stick with the 25 incase the 28 don't fit. Not sure how to tell if I have long reach brakes or if the 28's would fit without buying them first.

Most roadbikes don't have long reach brakes but some Giants do. What bike do you have?

SetOverSet

Another tire worth considering are Conti GP 4 Season, not as puncture resistant as Armadillos or Gatorskins, but pretty close and much more grip. Also available up to 28s AFAIK

Edit: Wiggle have 2 folding 4 Season + tubes for ~€84 atm

cormie

petethedrummer wrote: »

Most roadbikes don't have long reach brakes but some Giants do. What bike do you have?

Giant SCR 3.0, this one here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055247087 (picture of it at the bottom)

petethedrummer

cormie wrote: »

Giant SCR 3.0, this one here: http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055247087 (picture of it at the bottom)

Well if all SCRs are made the same then you should be able to get 32's on, definitely 28's.

I have 28's on my SCR at the moment in time. I'll probably put a 32 on the rear for a loaded trip to EP at the weekend. My wheel rims are sized for 18-28mm tyres but I never had any trouble with the 32's.

cormie

Cool, I'll go with 28's of the gatorskins, what's the difference between folding and wire bead? wire bead sounds stronger?

hardCopy

Another vote for Gatorskin 25's. Good enough for the Great Western Greenway, Gaelforce and touring on loose hardcore.

cormie

That's great to heard hardCopy, so 28 should be even better.

These are the only ones available in 28 actually: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-ultra-gatorskin-road-tyre/

hardCopy

cormie wrote: »

That's great to heard hardCopy, so 28 should be even better.

These are the only ones available in 28 actually: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-ultra-gatorskin-road-tyre/

I have a 2008 SCR 1.5 and find the 25's just barely squeeze between the callipers when I take the front wheel off, not sure I'd manage with 28's. But I do take the wheel off a lot, as in several times a week.

If you were to get them in an LBS they may fit them on the spot and you'd know for sure before buying.

smacl

Mayo greenway is mostly very fine loose gravel from memory. You could handle it ok on any tyres, but be prepared for the odd skid. Loads of cattle grids. I use 25mm Durano plus tyres which have stayed puncture free so far touch wood. You're also running at slightly lower pressure on the wide tyres, which gives some more comfort on crap surfaces.

petethedrummer

hardCopy wrote: »

I have a 2008 SCR 1.5 and find the 25's just barely squeeze between the callipers when I take the front wheel off, not sure I'd manage with 28's. But I do take the wheel off a lot, as in several times a week.

If you were to get them in an LBS they may fit them on the spot and you'd know for sure before buying.

Inflate the tyres after you push them between the brakes. There is loads of room for 28's. You'd get mudguards in there as well.

cdaly_

cormie wrote: »

Cool, I'll go with 28's of the gatorskins, what's the difference between folding and wire bead? wire bead sounds stronger?

AIUI, folding is handy if you want to carry a spare tyre (touring / long distance). It may also be lighter. I don't think there's a strength issue (the bead locates the tyre on the wheel but it's the air pressure that keeps it in place.

cormie wrote: »

That's great to heard hardCopy, so 28 should be even better.

These are the only ones available in 28 actually: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-ultra-gatorskin-road-tyre/

"Sorry - this product is no longer available"

Unless you feel the need to be able to run a lower pressure tyre, I'd suggest that the 25 would be fine.

hardCopy wrote: »

I have a 2008 SCR 1.5 and find the 25's just barely squeeze between the callipers when I take the front wheel off, not sure I'd manage with 28's. But I do take the wheel off a lot, as in several times a week.

Are you opening the caliper release lever before taking the wheel off/on?

hardCopy

petethedrummer wrote: »

Inflate the tyres after you push them between the brakes. There is loads of room for 28's. You'd get mudguards in there as well.

Ah yeah, but that takes the 'quick' out of 'quick release'. It wouldn't be a problem for everyone but I need to take the wheel off fairly frequently and would wreck my head.

cormie

Thanks again everyone. Might just go with the 28's anyway and if I'm not happy or have any fitting issues, will drop to 25.

The link is working for me: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-ultra-gatorskin-road-tyre/

they are the only ones in 28 from Gatorskin on wiggle as far as I can see.

cormie

Still not quite sure which to order

There's a "set" with tubes for £48 here: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-ultra-gatorskin-road-tyre-and-tube-set/

compared to £21 for what appears to be just one tyre here: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-ultra-gatorskin-road-tyre/

both available in 28. I assume with the set you get 2 tyres, 2 tubes and with the other, you just get 1 tyre.

Both would be suitable for the use described I guess? Would the tubes be any more resistant than regular ones I wonder?

cormie

little bump for the above query

cormie

Popped a mail off to Wiggle RE the above Q, but another important question I forgot...

The actual wheels that came with my Giant SCR3.0 are worth about €400 for the pair, would I be crazy to use these on the trail routes even with the Gatorskins and would it be better to get a cheaper paiir, or would it be fine and the tyres will absorb the rougher impact?

blorg

cormie wrote: »

Popped a mail off to Wiggle RE the above Q, but another important question I forgot...

The actual wheels that came with my Giant SCR3.0 are worth about €400 for the pair, would I be crazy to use these on the trail routes even with the Gatorskins and would it be better to get a cheaper paiir, or would it be fine and the tyres will absorb the rougher impact?

Your current wheels should be fine, the main thing is wider tyres. If they are the stock wheels on a SCR3 no way are they worth €400 either; in fact it would be quite difficult to find cheaper wheels than the stock wheels on a SCR3. If they are aftermarket, I'd use them unless they were crazy light or otherwise showed evidence of not being the strongest.

cormie

Thanks blorg, they aren't stock, they are Ksyrium Mavic Elites I think, there is a sticker that says "Serie 6000 622x13" too.

petethedrummer

cormie wrote: »

Both would be suitable for the use described I guess?

I'm probably in the minority but I'm not entirely sold on the lasting powers of Gatorskins.

If puncture resistance is your ultimate aim I would go for something a little tougher. But with toughness you lose speed and comfort(if there is sidewall protection). At the minute I have continental sports contacts on my bike for commuting and training. I can't notice any loss in speed and they are more puncture resistant than the Gatorskins.

I have had continental touring plus tyres on there, they are noticeably slower but they are very puncture resistant. I use them soley for touring now.

You will have to weigh up what you intend do with the bike or buy a few different types of tyre and change them as per your intended use. I may be wrong but I don't think rough trails would be fun on an SCR.

cormie wrote: »

Would the tubes be any more resistant than regular ones I wonder?

No, the tubes will be standard.

Lumen

I've cycled off-road on slick-tyres road bikes a decent amount, mostly on rooty forest trails. It's great fun even on 23mm tyres.

The main problem is my Planet-X ultralight brakes clogging up with mud, but this doesn't happen on my wife's bike (Campag Veloce brakes).

Really rough roads are a different story. Judging by reports written by people doing that strada bianche sportive thing, those roads are not fun at all.

cormie

Thanks for the input guys. Given the amount of positive words for the Gatorskins, I'll probably just go with them, in 28's, for the first try. If I have problems with punctures and stuff, I'll try the Conti's. About to spend over €700 on Conti's for one of my vans, spend another €700 or so on the other van just a few weeks ago and I did my research with Conti's coming up trumps. A lot more expensive for van tyres though

cormie

Aghh, turns out the ones I wanted to order are no longer in stock or shipping to IRE.

Have been suggested these instead so: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-gatorhardshell-road-tyre/

I get confused when there's so much selection, these are more expensive per tyre, so maybe are better, or maybe just have a different application and don't suit what I intended to use them for. This I don't know...

Also, any suggestions on a front and rear light set for less than €35 delivered?:cool:

fenris

Lumen wrote: »

I've cycled off-road on slick-tyres road bikes a decent amount, mostly on rooty forest trails. It's great fun even on 23mm tyres.

I particularly enjoyed the expressions on the faces of riders on full sus bikes in Ticknock as you trundled down the lower MTB track on your "racer" :cool:

petethedrummer

cormie wrote: »

Have been suggested these instead so: http://www.wiggle.co.uk/continental-gatorhardshell-road-tyre/

I get confused when there's so much selection, these are more expensive per tyre, so maybe are better, or maybe just have a different application and don't suit what I intended to use them for. This I don't know...

They are the new version of the Gatorskin. Supposed to be a bit more puncture resistant than the last type. No idea if that's true.

cormie

Cool thanks a lot Pete,

I actually got this mail back from Wiggle... anyone ever used them?

I can confirm that all the GatorHardshell or Gatorskin tyres provide a high level of puncture protection.

However if you are looking for a tyre that will be suitable for cycle paths and trails I would recommend the below;

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/schwalbe-marathon-plus-london-wired-tyre/

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/schwalbe-marathon-original-greenguard-rigid-road-city-tyre/

Due to the tread design these tyre would be more suitable for the conditions.

cormie

Just had a read of this thread: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/636969-Schwalbe-Marathon-Plus-vs-Conti-Ultra-Gatorskins


and it seems the Schwalbe Marathon Plus are definitely the ones to go for if off road/trails are to be taken on so I'll be ordering a pair of them for sure