Slicks on MTB

[MontyVeda]

If you choose fat slicks (say 1.5" - 2.0") you will probably find both speed and comfort will be improved, on the road. Knobblies aren't particularly comfy on tarmac.

I switched to the mahoosive Shwalbe Big Apple's (2.35") and i love them. Quick compared to knobblies, comfy because they're fat, don't look out of place on an MTB, and had one thorn puncture when i first got them but none since (it's been about 8 years!)... I'll certainly be replacing them with something similar when they need replacing

 

[MontyVeda]

Yeahbut don't fat slicks sort of defeat the purpose? In so far as you're not getting narrower lighter but a thicker heavier one. You do get more comfort though I guess and certainly better than knoblies on the road.

it depends on the purpose? Trying to turn an MTB into a road bike by just changing tyres defeats 'a' purpose... just change the bike. Shifting away from knobblies because the terrain doesn't justify them, then go for fatter rather than thinner on an MTB. As you say, there will be a marked improvement on road.

 

[MichaelW2]

Yeahbut don't fat slicks sort of defeat the purpose? In so far as you're not getting narrower lighter but a thicker heavier one. You do get more comfort though I guess and certainly better than knoblies on the road.

Fat slicks can have a thin, flexible, lightweight construction. At a price.

 

[battered]

Go for it, don't discount semi slicks for light on and off road use. I use Schwalbe CX pro on a knockabout bike, they handle greasy set towpaths, roads and similar.

 

[kayakerles]

I have been using Schwalbe City Jet (26 x 1.50) on my MTB for the summer on road/ track/forest path. Very impressed even in the wet, though I don`t take too many chances - old bones don`t bounce! Just swapped them for Duro Raider (26 x 1.75) for the winter/mud/snow(?)

I have Schwalbe 26 x 1.5” too, Crossfire , but ones with a bit of tread. Schwalbe marathons, I believe. I will NEVER have anything else on my 1997 old school Bianchi MTB, k4lim, and I ride it mostly on street, and trails too whenever I want. On road it's like using 1-2 lower gears. Nothing “stupid looking” about it, and rides wonderful.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Thanks for the thoughts on this, I was wondering the same question myself and went for these: Schwalbe Marathon Plus MTB.

Not slicks but seemed a good compromise.

 

[kayakerles]

Same here, WD, I think you'll love them. Let us know. Now you'll have a bike that really will do most everything you could want them to. Except crazy mountain blasting requiring fatter knobbier tires. Enjoy the miles.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

Schwalbe Marathon Greenguard 700 x 38c would be my tyre of choice for the intended use. Very tough and hardwearing tyres, fit and forget.
I run Schwalbes in both 35 and 38mm widths on my Raleigh hybrids and either size will do the job at a push - but I would go for the widest 38mm option on a wide MTB rim so it fits better.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I have Marathons on my ebike - mostly used for routes that are roads then canal paths and tracks

they work fine - just very little tread (in fact I think the tread is more for marketing than function!) so slippy sloped paths can get 'interesting', especially a few inches from a canal but that's OK
on the roads they role along pretty well - no obvious resistance - and yes I know it is an ebike - but I do ride it with the motor off at times!!!!

 

[fossyant]

I'll just add in the Schwalbe Land Cruisers - centre tread for tarmac, knobbles when rough. Seem to roll OK and are quiet on tarmac, no buzz.

 

[bonzobanana]

I have Schwalbe Fat Franks on my main bike I'm using at the moment which I guess are slicks with a water dispersing tread pattern but twice I've been caught out when I went over some wet mud just to the side of a concrete path in order to avoid people and at one point I was sitting on park bench with my bike parked next to me and I set off again with grass underneath before I joined the concrete path again and the bike slipped to the side and I fell off. Despite the fat franks being 2.35" wide they have very little grip on anything other than hard surfaces. I'm definitely thinking semi-slicks next time just to give me a little bit more versatility. The type of tyre that has a smoother tread pattern in the middle but knobbly's on the side just to give some grip in mud etc. On a mountain bike mainly used on the road but still the option to go over some grass and mud I would go with semi-slicks. If you are definitely exclusively on the road then slicks is a good option but then you think if you are exclusively on the road why are you on a mountain bike. The joy of mountain bikes is taking little shortcuts through rougher ground or going through parks etc having that extra versatility which I feel is maximised with semi-slicks. In the past I used some Schwalbe City Jets which to be honest I found rubbish. They were only something like 26"x1.5 and as well as having poor grip on some surfaces the sidewalls perished quite quickly (I'm a heavy person). I think I got 3x as long out of some Kenda tyres that were less than half the price although admittedly heavier tyres. I definitely feel wider tyres are better on a mountain bike either off-road or on road.

 

[Electric_Andy]

I put slicks on my Carrera and it was a lot faster. I had no problems with punctures but I seem to be very lucky. BTW me fitting slicks to my MTB was the first step in me chnaging to a road bike!

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

I'll just add in the Schwalbe Land Cruisers - centre tread for tarmac, knobbles when rough. Seem to roll OK and are quiet on tarmac, no buzz.

I have a 2" Land Cruiser on the rear of my Raleigh Highlander MTB, and a 1.75" Schwalbe Silento on the front. This works well on non-extreme woods dirt tracks etc, and is also tarmac-friendly. I ended up with this combo after I first bought a pair of good secondhand LC's for £4 then found the Silento on a scrap 26" MTB wheel dumped in a skip!
No visits from the Fairy yet, but the puncture protection of both these tyres is one step down from a Marathon Greenguard, and two down from a M+.

 

[fossyant]

I have a 2" Land Cruiser on the rear of my Raleigh Highlander MTB, and a 1.75" Schwalbe Silento on the front. This works well on non-extreme woods dirt tracks etc, and is also tarmac-friendly. I ended up with this combo after I first bought a pair of good secondhand LC's for £4 then found the Silento on a scrap 26" MTB wheel dumped in a skip!
No visits from the Fairy yet, but the puncture protection of both these tyres is one step down from a Marathon Greenguard, and two down from a M+.

I noticed that with the protection, so fitted some B-Twin 'tyre tape'. It was the best tyre for the commute though - rolls OK with some decent grip, although wet winter cobbles are a different issue.