More Mountain Bike Talk (Tires)

[GhostDakota]

So I've decided to keep my Schwinn s9[six]. It's from about 1997, but has treated me well. It's in need of new paint (I beat the heck out of it), new tires, new tubes (if I don't go tubeless), and a good soaking of the chain and sprockets in oil.

First is first, I need new tires/tubes . The sidewalls on my rear tire are pretty much shot. It sucks too as there is plenty of tread left. The front seems okay, but I don't want to risk anything so I will be replacing that as well. The tires on there now are Continental Traction tires. They measure 26x2.1":

I need a new set, but it doesn't look like they make these same ones anymore. I do 85% trail riding, and maybe 15% pavement that connects trails. The trails are loose gravel (small rocks), dirt, minor sand, as well as some puddles, minor mud, etc. I don't do "downhill racing" or uphill climbs, just the down/up hill stuff that a typical trail has on it. What would you all recommend brand/style wise?

Any help on the tire selection is much appreciated.

 

[tbburg]

I do about 75% pavement, 25% trails. I run Kenda 50-559s in 26 X 1.95 They have a pretty aggressive lugged sidewall and an almost flat center. They work great on pavement and hard pack. Light mud, puddles etc: no problem, but they suck in sand. The advantage is greatly reduced rolling resistance on any hard surface. A friend and I were on a closed highway, and I coasted past him on a down-hill while he was peddling like mad. You might want to consider one for the front and get something more aggressive for the rear.

 

[Bryan C.]

I run about 30% trail, and 70% street. My old set of Bontrager Jones lasted about 500 miles before I cut a sidewall. I am now running the Panaracer Fire XC Pro folding style tire. I didn't like them in red, but I found them with a grey sidewall at my local Performance Bicycle and bought them on the spot. Good tires for the trails I am on, not so good for street. I have about 50 miles on them so far. I run slime tubes, they work pretty well for thorns and small punctures, but not so good for blown out sidewalls. :smsoap:

 

[GhostDakota]

Thanks guys. I like the idea of a slightly less aggressive front tire as well as the Slime tubes. I do, however, want something very aggressive, or at least similar to my front tire shown in the cell phone photo in post #1. I'm stopping by a local "Bike Line" as well as "Exton Bicycles" tomorrow during lunch or after work to see what they have.

I went over the bike pretty thoroughly today. I cleaned it up nicely. I aired up the tires, only to have the rear lose air after a 2 min ride around the parking lot.

I also noticed that my front rim is slightly bent. Is it cheaper to have this fixed, or just purchase a whole new assembly?

Also, I found some Panaracer Fire XC Pro Kevlar Tire 60 TPI for a killer deal (under $20/tire) and figured I'd go that route. Anything special I need to know when buying these? They are $40/tire at my local bike shop!

 

[gradon]

I'm a big fan of Maxxis tires. My Gemini 2K came with the Mobsters and I bought the Hookworms for the street--both very good quality and wear well. I recommend the high roller ss for the mostly street riding/occasional off-roading.

 

[planefixer]

Another vote for the Panaracer Fire XC Pro.

 

[GhostDakota]

I just purchased some red Panaracer Fire XC Pro Kevlar's for $19.98/tire, got new tubes as well:

Can't wait to try 'em when they arrive on Thurs. What TPI are you guys using/used? I went with the 60 TPI, but I did see a 127 TPI version. Reviews on both seemed fine. I need to buy a chain locally too. How do I find out what chains work with my bike? Do I just go to a local bike shop and tell them what I have?

 

[Tdad]

I'm late to this thread, but I'm a big Panaracer fan, especially for PA terrain. The FireXCs are good tires but I found them a little too "rounded" for my tastes. I prefer a more square-shouldered tread. For an older bike like yours (and mine) a 2.1" is about all that will fit. I'm riding the classic Smoke/Dart set up and see no reason to switch - I find them very predictable in corners and sure footed over rocks/roots.

As for a chain, get the SRAM PC-870 (formerly Sachs-Sedis). Figure about $20-25 for one. It has a removable master link in case you ever need to take it off. PM me if you need directions on how to install it (it will need to be shortened). They are the only chain I'd run.

I'd forget about the Slime tubes - you don't need them in PA. They just add weight and make your wheels harder to accelerate. Just keep a decent amount of air in your tires and you'll be fine.

If your rim has a side to side wobble when you spin it, it can be trued by adjusting spoke tension. Take it to the shop and they should be able to do it in a couple minutes for not much $. If it has a dent like you slammed a rock, it might need to be replaced.

 

[GhostDakota]

Thanks! I read about 300 reviews of these tires and people seemed to love 'em. It's amusing. Out of those 300 people, 3 of them hated the tires and said they were trash or the worst tire they've run. The other 297 liked/loved them. So I think I will be happy with them. I did see some people running the Smoke/Dart combo and that'd be what I switch to if I am not happy with these. I see no reason for that though as I was happy with those Continental Tractions for what I ride.

It seems like 7 rear sprocket bikes are old, eh? Everyone seems to have 8 or 9 now. Oh well. Is that chain good for the 7 setup?

I will be taking the rim to a local bike shop. It isn't dented, it's just not completely straight. I'm low on cash unless I sell my bumper lol, so I have to cut back on spending $ on this bike for a little bit.

 

[Bryan C.]

I just purchased some red Panaracer Fire XC Pro Kevlar's for $19.98/tire, got new tubes as well:

Can't wait to try 'em when they arrive on Thurs. What TPI are you guys using/used? I went with the 60 TPI, but I did see a 127 TPI version. Reviews on both seemed fine. I need to buy a chain locally too. How do I find out what chains work with my bike? Do I just go to a local bike shop and tell them what I have?

I noticed the different prices too. Perf. Bike sells both the folding style, and the wire bead style. Folding, $40, wire bead, $20, not sure what the difference is other than possibly the TPI you posted. I opted for the folding style so I can easily carry a spare tire on longer rides. Overall I'm happy with them.


Someone brought up Maxxis tires, I've been wanting to try a set of their Holy Rollers. I want a set of 2.1's, but all I can find locally is the 2.4's. They look like they should work well for my type of riding.

 

[Zeroack]

I've worn out a set of fire xc pro's and replaced with the same. Love the feel and love the look. Great tires.

Zero

 

[GhostDakota]

Just installed 'em today and rode around the parking lot. They seem good aired up to 40 psi on the pavement. Can't wait to get 'em in the dirt... maybe this weekend?

 

[Tdad]

I noticed the different prices too. Perf. Bike sells both the folding style, and the wire bead style. Folding, $40, wire bead, $20, not sure what the difference is other than possibly the TPI you posted. I opted for the folding style so I can easily carry a spare tire on longer rides.

the main difference is weight. A steel bead vs. kevlar. The folding tire might also have a higher thread count casing, but not necessarily. The folding tires are also easier to get off/on the rim with your bare hands.

I can't imagine a scenario where you'd need to carry a spare tire with you. As long as you have a tube and a patch kit (and a pump) you'll be fine for 99.9% of any tire mishaps. Even a sidewall gash a couple inches long can be fixed by making a "boot" from a small piece of an old tire, a dollar bill, or even a Powerbar wrapper.

 

[GhostDakota]

It was very easy to seat the bead on my Kevlar ones. It was a pain to get the steel Continental ones off. I like how the Panaracers came all wound up and small. It would be great to carry in a backpack or what not.

 

[GhostDakota]

Went helmet shopping today. I tried on a bunch of helmets at a local bike shop. Pretending that price was not an option, I ended up picking a Trek Vapor helmet. It's the most comfortable, light weight helmet I've worn. It was $40+ tax and is a great fit for my head as well:

We'll see how it feels this weekend after wearing it for a few hours on the trails if I can get out there!

 

[aparke4]

wow good looking lid at a killer price!

oh Hollyrollers are THE BEST street, urban and dirt tire - anyting XC is going to need more bite - i highly rec. the 2.4 version

oh and i had a partial maxxis sponsership back in the day so i am bias towards their stuff - i think the best tire for the buck and perform just as good if not better than any tire out there (all models)