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Slick tires on a mountain bike, big diff on road?

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avikoren1

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Discussion starter · #1 ·
Greetings,
I am about to participate in a couple of road events (including a triathlon) and only have a mountain bike (actually two of them). I have tires with knobbies, etc. I was wondering if road biking with something like the Ritchie slicks or any other type of commuter tire would make a noticeable difference. This is only a temporary solution as I plan on eventually getting a road bike (assuming i keep doing tri's and other road events) so i am not looking to spend too much money. Also if the slicks make a considerable diff, can someone recommend a good type to get, most bang for the buck.
Thanks in advance.
 
#3 ·
Yes, they make a huge difference on the road - no tread, high pressure and they weigh a lot less than a regular knobby.

Look for a high pressure slick that can be pumped up hard - 100psi or thereabouts. A 1.5" mounts up pretty easy on a regular MTB rim.
 
Discussion starter · #4 ·
Any recommendations. Looking for a low cost solution. These tires will only be used for two events and road training. Afterwards, if all goes well I am selling one mountain bike and buying a road bike. So this is a short term solution, ie iam looking for a nice improvement for low cost.
 
#6 · (Edited)
probably 10-15% faster top speed on a very small stretch of road ( around 200 - 300 meters) from a standing start.

Also, average speed was faster without being as tiring over a 30km stretch. Maybe cos the tires are a lot lighter than the knoobies that I was using before.

Tires tested were michelin city 1.4 ( quite heavy for what they are since it is wire beaded).

This was all done on a hardtail, not sure if a mtb with full suspension would show the same result.
 
#7 ·
It'll make a bigger difference if you get the narrowest tires that can be pumped up to even higher pressure. More pressure means that you have a smaller contact patch which means that they provide even less rolling resistance. I used to run the inexpensive Performance branded slicks, the 1.25" ones, at 115 PSI despite them being rated at like 75PSI. I think the Ritchey 1.0" tires would offer less rolling resistance and can be pumped up to higher pressures but I have never tried them.

Proper road bike tires pumped up to 125PSI have even less rolling resistance since they have a larger rolling diameter, are narrower, and can be pumped up to even higher pressures. They also are a lot lighter with thinner casings and kevlar beads.
 
#8 ·
Get some super-cheap walmart tires-I think mine were like 1.75 or so, road-bike style tread (shallow grooves). Don't go too skinny as it might not set in the bead of your mt bike rims properly. I liked my 1.75s pumped up to 60 psi or so.

Watch out first time you try to wheelie with slick tires on pavement-you may end up on your butt-that is how much of a difference in acceleration. As for sustained speeds over long distances... you will start to feel like superman.
 
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#9 ·
They for shore make a big difference on the road, I don't even ride my knobbies on the road for short trips anymore, cause I feel like there's too much resistance.
 
#11 ·
Yes, they will help.
Get a decent quality tire, either 60tpi or 120tpi casing, since they will roll faster and smoother (at the same psi) than cheap tires (33tpi or less).

Prices vary on location, but here anyway the Ritchie Tom Slick and Tioga City Slicker are both quite inexpensive, <$20cdn ea at MEC.

Conti Contacts are not cheap but very good.
Specialized makes some light slicks too, some with 120tpi casings I think.
 
#12 ·
Some riders have just one bike and either commute or do cardio rides with full slicks or low rolling resistance knobbies. A second wheelset dedicated to slicks and light weight would be ideal in this situation. Or just change out to slicks as needed on what you have.
I tried to get into road biking (on a decent road bike) but ended up doing the slicks on the MTB myself. Now the road bike just sits and collects dust.
 
#13 ·
You can also get some tires that are a combination of both smooth/knobby to use for both, and save yourself the hassle of changing tires every time you want to ride somewhere else.

I rode on a set of Kenda Kwick tires on my 26er for awhile, and they worked awesome for commuting, and also rolled like crazy on the trails. They're also relatively inexpensive at $40 for a set and come in different widths and even a 29er/700c version.

Just another option :thumbsup:
 
#15 ·
The only time my knobbies hit the streets is when I'm riding to the trail. If I'm riding road otherwise, I run the 2.0 Schwalbe Big Apples @ 60 psi. They ride very smoothly and they're FAST. They are heavy, so they take a bit to get moving. Once you're up to speed, it's like a giant set of flywheels. You just keep going.
 
Discussion starter · #17 ·
One more question. How badly am I wearing down the knoobies on the road. I have kenda nevgals, will say, 300 road miles wear them down or is 300 road miles not that meaningful in terms of wear on the tire.
 
#20 ·
avikoren1 said:
One more question. How badly am I wearing down the knoobies on the road. I have kenda nevgals, will say, 300 road miles wear them down or is 300 road miles not that meaningful in terms of wear on the tire.
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Road riding is VERY hard on knobies. 300 miles, especially on the rear is pretty significant in terms of wear on a tire like the nevegal. If it is the stick-e compound, you will likely kill a brand new stick-e in the rear in 300 road miles. Even a DTC would take a big hit in the rear, maybe even wear it out. The front will fair better, but I think you would still notice some wear.

From a financial point of view, I would say that new slicks will pay for themselves on a 300 mile road ride.
 
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