Commuter tires for an old mountain bike
07-22-18, 03:37 PM
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Commuter tires for an old mountain bike
Recently got a GT Ridgeline mountain bike, looks like early 90s. Would like to make into more of a commuter/fitness type bike. It currently has
26x1.95 tires. Anyone know how narrow I could go and still get the tires on the rim? Any tire models that stand out as both cheap and good?
Want the sort of tread seen on hybrid/commuter/fitness type bikes--not bald, but not knobby either.
26x1.95 tires. Anyone know how narrow I could go and still get the tires on the rim? Any tire models that stand out as both cheap and good?
Want the sort of tread seen on hybrid/commuter/fitness type bikes--not bald, but not knobby either.
07-22-18, 03:47 PM
#2
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The Panaracer Pasela tires are popular as are the Schwalbe Marathons. Both come in 26x1.5" size which is a good size for commuting. I prefer them in 1.75"or 2" width.
07-22-18, 05:18 PM
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Thanks had some Panaracers on another bike, though not Paselas. Things never ever went flat though.
Do you think 26x1.5 would stay on the rim/be safe to use?
Do you think 26x1.5 would stay on the rim/be safe to use?
07-22-18, 07:31 PM
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I have a pair of 1.5" Paselas and they fit fine on my 1992 Trek 950 mountain bike. I don't have your GT, but I doubt there would be an issue.
07-23-18, 10:27 AM
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https://www.performancebike.com/shop...t-tire-50-3477
These are both cheap and good. They should fit your bike too, many of us have used them on similar bikes in the past.
These are both cheap and good. They should fit your bike too, many of us have used them on similar bikes in the past.
07-23-18, 09:48 PM
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I vote Marathons in 37 size
07-24-18, 09:27 AM
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I just put Michelin Wild Run'R tires on my tandem bike. I've barely ridden them so far, but they seem even perfecter for commuting than for tandeming, so I'll recommend them. They're narrow (for MTB), light, and slick.
I got them here.
I got them here.
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07-24-18, 11:19 AM
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Unless you have some crazy wide rim, a 1.5" should do just fine. You won't find much narrower than that, anyhow.
For something with a little more tread and volume, the Forte Gotham from Performance is a good budget buy. I've got Forte's on a couple of my bikes, and while they're basic, (no kevlar belts or reflective sidewalls) they're a good value for price and performance.
I hop a lot of curbs on my commute, so i stayed with a 1.95" for the air volume. (Plus my commuter's an old Cannondale, and it just looks funny with skinny tires and fat frame tubes)
For something with a little more tread and volume, the Forte Gotham from Performance is a good budget buy. I've got Forte's on a couple of my bikes, and while they're basic, (no kevlar belts or reflective sidewalls) they're a good value for price and performance.
I hop a lot of curbs on my commute, so i stayed with a 1.95" for the air volume. (Plus my commuter's an old Cannondale, and it just looks funny with skinny tires and fat frame tubes)
07-24-18, 05:30 PM
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fwiw, when I was commuting on a traditional MTB I found big fat slicks to be the most fun & efficient. I think these were "Innova Swifter" tires
Last edited by rumrunn6; 07-24-18 at 05:46 PM.
07-26-18, 10:03 AM
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Almost certainly yes. It's less a matter of safety and more a matter of comfort. An cheaper mountain bike frame that was designed for fatter tires typically gets less and less comfortable with skinnier and skinnier tires. You hit bump in the road and you feel it in your arms more and more the skinnier the tire.
1.50" is the minimum I would go for that reason.
1.50" is the minimum I would go for that reason.
