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Fast switching between slicks and stubs on my MTB

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Fast switching between slicks and stubs on my MTB

Old 08-20-19, 08:54 AM
  #1  
dreitman
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Fast switching between slicks and stubs on my MTB

So I've recently started using my MTB to commute to work. Traditionally my bike saw mostly trail use with occasional road use during family rides so the need for different tires wasn't warranted. But now I'm logging around 100mi a week commuting to work with occasional trail use and would like to switch to street tires. This seems simple enough but i still want my trail tires quickly available especially because my commute starts at a state park with some nice trails.


I was wondering if anyone has experience running two sets of quick release wheels (one with road tires, the other with trail tires). I would need the same size cassette on both the rear tires. My biggest concern would be the high/low stop points and the shift points on the rear derailleur. Are bike wheels generally manufactured to a tight enough tolerance that i could simple pull one set off and put the other set on and not have any issues? Or would i need to buy two new sets of wheels to make sure they match (my current set are 20 years old)?
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Old 08-22-19, 09:46 AM
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cooker
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Any problem with having two bikes? A new commuter bike would quickly pay for itself in the gas costs or transit fare you are saving by commuting, and might give you a more comfortable ride, and you could carry your gear on a rack to avoid backpack-induced back sweat. You could also get fenders to extend your commuting into light rain. When I was working full time I rode 140 days a year and took public transit the other days for about $5/day. That's $700/year in savings by riding - enough to get a good second hand commuter bike two or three time a year if I wanted to!
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Old 08-22-19, 09:51 PM
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JoeyBike
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There are unlimited choices in tires with raised slick centers. Pump them up firm - you have a "road" bike. Bleed some air out so the tire flattens out a bit to engage the knobbys - you have a "mountain" bike. There are so many choices that I even hesitate to offer examples.

This is one of the cheaper models: https://www.biketiresdirect.com/prod...s-26-inch-tire

You can find this style of tire in every conceivable configuration. More knobs, fewer knobs with more slick, very skinny center ridge as compared to my link, etc. Two tires in one! This is my suggestion.
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Old 08-22-19, 10:34 PM
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I'd have a second bike. OR, a gravel bike.
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Old 08-23-19, 05:35 AM
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Originally Posted by dreitman
I was wondering if anyone has experience running two sets of quick release wheels?
Sure. My commuter has two sets of wheels, summer slicks and winter studs.

My "nice" MTB has three sets. Dry, muddy, icy.

Originally Posted by dreitman
My biggest concern would be the high/low stop points and the shift points on the rear derailleur. Are bike wheels generally manufactured to a tight enough tolerance that i could simple pull one set off and put the other set on and not have any issues?
The commuter has two different flavors of Shimano. They interchange entirely w/o issues. Can't vouch for how it'd work "generally". Haven't tried that many.

Originally Posted by dreitman
Or would I need to buy two new sets of wheels to make sure they match?
Depends on your luck and skill.
The wheelsets for the MTB is more of a mixed bag.
One even has reground cones.
Two of them have been matched by adding shims under the locknut on one wheel.
The latest pair to be integrated was a tad wider, there, I've settled for a twist on the barrel adjuster instead of reshimming the others.
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Old 08-23-19, 12:15 PM
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Originally Posted by dreitman
So I've recently started using my MTB to commute to work. Traditionally my bike saw mostly trail use with occasional road use during family rides so the need for different tires wasn't warranted. But now I'm logging around 100mi a week commuting to work with occasional trail use and would like to switch to street tires. This seems simple enough but i still want my trail tires quickly available especially because my commute starts at a state park with some nice trails.


I was wondering if anyone has experience running two sets of quick release wheels (one with road tires, the other with trail tires). I would need the same size cassette on both the rear tires. My biggest concern would be the high/low stop points and the shift points on the rear derailleur. Are bike wheels generally manufactured to a tight enough tolerance that i could simple pull one set off and put the other set on and not have any issues? Or would i need to buy two new sets of wheels to make sure they match (my current set are 20 years old)?
It's a real slick setup if you can get everything to work together. I did this on my hybrid, a Trek Multitrack. Bought a spare set of wheels for like $40 off craigslist - three differences between the two sets of wheels, (1) rim width was slightly different so a slight brake adjustment when switching, (2) one rear was cassette and one was freewheel but they were both 7 speed and indexed fine without fiddling, and (3) the gearing was different, 11-28 (cassette) vs 14-34 (FW). I used one set for street tires and one set for ice studs, kept me from having to ride studded tires 24 miles/day 5 days/wk, so it was worth the hassle. Settled on the 14-34 for studs (and later for knobbies) as top speed was naturally lower on icy roads and off-road. It was actually really nice to have that extra versatility in a bike that was already quite versatile.
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Old 08-23-19, 08:01 PM
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...what the others have said already. In general, you almost always end up having to make some small tweaks unless the wheels, rims, and cassette are identical. If nothing else, you usually need to adjust the rear derailleur to get it to properly index, because it won't sit in the same position unless the hubs are really close.

But there's no reason you can't have two identical stets of wheels. Racers do this wheel switching all the time and seem to come out of it OK.
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Old 08-26-19, 07:05 PM
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i find that i don't really need a knobby tire for dirt/gravel/off road, as long as the tire is high enough volume. i'm currently using these $30 eastern tires on my 26er everywhere drop bar mountain bike thing and they kill it on asphalt, single track, gravel, dirt, everything i've tried so far. even on loose, steep climbs they have plenty of traction.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1




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Old 08-28-19, 01:33 AM
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Tulok
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I agree with this:
Originally Posted by t_e_r_r_y
i find that i don't really need a knobby tire for dirt/gravel/off road, as long as the tire is high enough volume. i'm currently using these $30 eastern tires on my 26er everywhere drop bar mountain bike thing and they kill it on asphalt, single track, gravel, dirt, everything i've tried so far. even on loose, steep climbs they have plenty of traction.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/...?ie=UTF8&psc=1


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