rickyhmltn

My wife has a Cannondale Badgirl 3 with Kojack 700 x 28 smooth tires. No tread at all It's an "urban" bike. She's wanting to take it on a packed limestone bike trail. Can I get knobby tires for it for this instance? Can I get wider tires? Possibly 700x32 or 700x35

Would she actually even need different tires for loos gravel road?

https://www.kyrailtrail.org/gallery/a...up_dawkins.jpg
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5469/9...4b21350d_o.jpg
https://parks.ky.gov/parks/recreationparks/dawkins-line/


Thanks in advance.

Rick

https://www.cannondale.com/bad-girl-3-20129

ThermionicScott 

I would just get bigger slicks, or something with very subtle tread, like Panaracer Pasela 700x32/35 -- crushed limestone isn't all that demanding.

rickyhmltn

I wouldn't have to do anything special? No need to switch rims/wheels? Just get the new tire and appropriate sized inner tune and it should fit?

dabac

First order of business is to check how much clearance she has in the frame and fork.
Her rims can most likely take tires that are quite a bit wider, and the current tubes will just stretch and fill whatever space they're given (although the more a tube is required to stretch, the more prone it becomes to get punctured, and slow leaks) - neither of which does you the tiniest bit of good if the frame/fork hasn't got enough clearance.

The rest is down to how hard she wants to hit it.
For all-out riding, look at CX(cyclocross) tires for dry conditions.
For casually pootling along a few miles while taking in the scenery, ride it as-is. But bring the flat-fixing kit.

dsbrantjr

I'm with ThermionicScott regarding semi-slicks. I have had good luck with Michelin City Tires; they have a "Protek Plus" layer against flats and they roll nicely on pavment as well as gravel or packed dirt, similar to your photos (nice scenery, BTW). They come in 28 through 47mm in 700c size so you should be able to find something which fits her frame.

A downside to knobby tires is that unless you need them they will needlessly slow you down a lot on smoother surfaces as well as being squirrely going around corners.

HillRider

Crushed limestone Rail Trails aren't very demanding and I have ridden them adequately on 700-23 road tires. So 700-28 (if they are really 28's) should be fine unless the trail is very soft and wet.

rhenning

The other thing you should think about is your wife will hate the knobbies the first time she road rides with them. She will hate the bumpy ride she will now have. Roger

fietsbob

+ tread block squirm eats up energy... So the rolling resistance rises.

a switch from WTB 32 'Allterrainasaurus' to Jack Brown 33.3 slicks really lowered it.

ThermionicScott 

Same rims, you might even get away with reusing the tubes if they're the 700x28-32 type. I test whether larger tires will fit a bike by using Allen wrenches as feeler gauges, trying them in between the tire and chainstays, fork blades, brake bridges, and brake calipers (if installed). 32mm tires will need an extra 2mm clearance on each side and 4mm on top than 700x28s. A little extra clearance is always good.

Retro Grouch 

I live 2 miles from the Katy Trail so I ride on crushed limestone a lot. I don't think that tread makes very much, if any, difference. I'd prefer a little wider tire than 28 mm, but I've ridden the Katy on 23 mm slick tires so I wouldn't be afraid of riding the Katy on 28 mm slicks.

dsbrantjr

"in between the tire and chainstays, fork blades, brake bridges, and brake calipers "

Check for clearance ALL around your tires; I have one bike where the front derailleur mechanism is the choke point for the rear tire.

ThermionicScott 

Can't believe I forgot to mention that one -- I slapped 700x30 tires onto my road bike right before Ragbrai a couple years ago, and found out on the trip that I couldn't shift into the big ring.

sreten

Hi,

Loose (and wet gravel) will need different tyres. Hard packed limestone will be fine with slicks.

The 28mm Kojaks could go on a road bike as a good training tyre. I'd say your choice a),
fit the biggest tyres that will fit, b) the compromise between on and off road performance.

+1 on the Michelin City tyres, they are a good compromise. Run them at the right pressure
for the tyre width and rider weight, with the front say 15% lower. Run them harder when
only used for the road, and softer off road. The wider they are the better off road.

I found mine at quite a discounted price, so a great tyre for the price. FWIW they
are not that light, but are tough and hardwearing, and do roll well on the road
hard as well as giving more than decent grip off road when run a little softer.
Puncture protection and safety reflective sidewalls.

rgds, sreten.