Tyre question

[pepecat]

Just collected a cheapo mountain bike I bought on ebay - description said the tyres were a bit cracked, which they are, so that's fine, but they're also starting to get a bit brittle, co think I shall replace them. Tyre on the bike are 26 x 1.75. Do i have to get the same ones? Or can I stick pretty much anything on as long as it's 26 inch (and not a road tyre, obviously, cos it'll be too narrow). I'd like to get some hybrid tyres rather than out and out mountain bike tyres.

Second question - what's the best way to get rust off a chain and front chainrings? Back ones are fine, but for some reason, front ones and chain are a bit rusty.

Ta

 

[the_mikey]

A heavy duty sotchbrite pad will scrub the rust off the chain rings, don't try it on the chain though.

 

[gbb]

Replace the tyres Pepe..i brought a singlespeed off ebay, similar circumstances with the tyres. I rode with them for a while, but when i pumped them well up, i got an alarming bulge on one side. You dont want a blowout either at speed, in traffic, or miles away from home.

The tyre sizes are not fixed, you could go narrower.

Soak the chain in WD and as mickey says, a scotchbrite pad works well, then a good oiling. I resurected a completely solid chain (couldn't even flex it, it was rock solid) on a Dawes 3 speed that way. Its worked fine ever since, even if it doesn't look 100% clean.

 

[Ivan Ardon]

I'm impressed with these:
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=45458
on my commuted-up MTB.

Only a tenner each and are coping with my mixed road / towpath commute admirably. Comfy too.

 

[pepecat]

Oooo! They're the cheapest I've seen so far. I only paid £40 for the bike so don't want to spend huge amounts of money on it. Plus it's only going to be used for city riding (roads/canal paths etc) and being generally battered about so a tenner each for tyres would be great. The front one already bulges a bit - i think the beading has come away from the rim, so it's going to need to be replaced.

*edit* But they are 29 x 2.0.... will they be too wide for my wheels...current ones are 1.95 (not 1.75 like I originally said...)

I'll get on to the chain and chainrings with WD and the pad!

 

[Cheule]

For all intents and purposes, 2.0 are virtually identical to 1.95's