Roadies_Rok

I just snagged a Specialized Crossroads XC Pro at an absolutely INSANE price and am looking forward to riding it. As with most people and their bikes I have to do a few things to it to make it viable for me. The first thing on my list is a new saddle. I went for a 10 mile ride this afternoon and it felt like someone was using a baseball bat on my rear end and not in a good or enjoyable way. Next on the list is new tires and this is why we are talking.

My bike now currently has 622 x 18 rims per the tag on the rim. The current tires are Specialized Armadillo 700 x 38 again as per the label on the tire. These tires are as heavy as what I would expect to see on a semi-truck and IMO have got to go. I would like to put a Continental Ultra Sport tire in size 700 x 28 but I am not sure if this would work so I am putting it out here. Any ideas, suggestions, opinions??

hokiefyd 

Yes, that will work (a 28mm tire). You'll really have to inflate those puppies (depending on your weight) compared with the 38mm tires, so you'll be going in the opposite direction with regard to comfort. But they will definitely work. If comfort is your priority, or at least one of them, then I'd suggest a larger tire, not a smaller one. Continental make a tire called the SpeedRide that is only 420 grams. It's labeled a 42mm tire, but will inflate up to about 38-39mm on a 16mm rim. I own a set of these tires, and I highly recommend them. Their name doesn't lie -- they're fast.

sw686blue

I'll keep an eye on this thread as I'm looking for tires to put on my bike. I had not heard of these Speed Rides. They seem to have good reviews and are priced right.

hokiefyd 

They have very good reviews, both on the internet at large and here on BikeForums. They're light, they're foldable, they're relatively supple and comfortable, and they're inexpensive. I will say that the price you pay for the light weight is puncture protection. As the saying goes, there is no free lunch. Light tires will have thin puncture protection. Tires with thick puncture protection will generally be heavier and won't feel quite as nice on a ride. If you like comfort (from a larger tire with more air volume) but don't want to sacrifice speed, especially at the price you'll pay for these, then these are your tires. That seemed to be what the OP is after, but these tires won't be for everyone. Choose based on your priorities.

sw686blue

Thanks for the info. I've been reading the reviews and they are well rated. I think I found my new tires!

Would you know if the 42 mm tires are truly 42 mm?

hokiefyd 

I would know...and they are not 42mm. On 16-18mm rims (typical for a hybrid bike), and with typical inflation pressure (30-60 psi depending on your weight and riding environment), they'll inflate up to about 38-39mm. So if you're limited by frame clearance or fenders, and hoping to squeeze in a 42mm tire, then these should work fine. If you're hoping for something in the 42-45mm range, these will be a little undersized.

sw686blue

Thank you for your reply. I have plenty of room to fit these. I think that these will work very well for me. I plan to mostly ride on paved roads, some wooded trails and small crushed stone trails.

Roadies_Rok

Well Folks, I think I have figured out which tires I am going to put on my bike. I have been doing my research and have narrowed it to the Continental Speed Ride or the Schwalbe Spicer, or the Panracer Pasela Commuting. To be honest the Speed Ride looks like a good tire but I am leaning towards the Schwalbe Spicer due to it being more of a "slick" tire and having a more comfortable ride.

One thing I absolutely have to do right now is get a new saddle for my bike. I went for another ride today and was in agony. I took a close look at the saddle that is on the bike now and the plastic shell that the foam is stretched over is is broken in several places and has totally collapsed. As usual the **** LBS's here where I live have nothing in my price range and absolutely nothing I want so I have to mail order a saddle and wait for it to be delivered to me. I ordered a WTB Volt Comp saddle from Amazon and if I get lucky and Amazon has it in one of their local warehouses I may get it by this weekend and if not I will have to wait until next week. It is a continual source of annoyment to me that LBS's carry what THEY want people to buy and NOT what people want to buy or need but that's not on me.

To be honest I may hold off on buying the tires. The Specialized Crossroads tires on my bike now aren't that bad so I may let them go for a while. When I put the new tires on I'll update everyone. Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

sw686blue

hokiefyd , what are you using for tubes for these tires?

hokiefyd 

Just standard 700x35 tubes. I like the Specialized brand tubes that have threaded Schrader valve stems and come with the little nut similar to those with Presta valves.

sw686blue

Thank you.