Which Tyres?

[mtbcommuter]

I've started using my MTB to get to work. It is currently fitted with knobby mtb tyres which are fine off road but are a pain on the roads to work as they are noisy, bad handling and from reading on here inefficient for road use.

So I'd like to choose a tyre which will have better road characteristics but still retain some off-road capability as I like to ride cross country too. Yes, I realise that they will be a compromise but I'm fine with that, I only really ride light trails, nothing hardcore. I suppose I could switch back to knobby tyres if I'm going anywhere specific...

I've spotted a couple at good ol' Halfords which caught my eye:

Conti Travel Contact semi slick with knobby shoulders

Conti Double Fighter bit less of a slick

I was leaning towards the Double Fighter, the former seems geared more towards road/towpath use? But I'm not sure so I finally decided to de-lurk and ask the question.

I've read the trye descriptions on the Halfords website but I'm taking comments like 'great performance on and off road' with a pinch of salt tbh, hooping some of you can give a proper comment!

Any other suggestions btw?

 

[byegad]

I rode my Dahon Matrix-V (A folding 26" wheel MTB look-a-like, on 26x1.3??? Kenda Quests which are cheap and cheerful semi slicks.

The bike was geared with a 99" top gear and a 19" bottom and was the fastest bike in my fleet of 9. Even though I had more road orientated bikes with narrower tyres. It coped on loose surfaced cycle paths as well as the road with no issues.

I'm constantly amazed at the number of MTBs you see rigged for the road with luggage and mudguards and still on knobblies.

 

[mtbcommuter]

I rode my Dahon Matrix-V (A folding 26" wheel MTB look-a-like, on 26x1.3??? Kenda Quests which are cheap and cheerful semi slicks.

The bike was geared with a 99" top gear and a 19" bottom and was the fastest bike in my fleet of 9. Even though I had more road orientated bikes with narrower tyres. It coped on loose surfaced cycle paths as well as the road with no issues.

I'm constantly amazed at the number of MTBs you see rigged for the road with luggage and mudguards and still on knobblies.

Quite! seems like you're just fighting yourself instead of helping yourself...

I was getting some strange links when I googled them tyres, until I realised I'd typed 'Kendra Quest' lol They look a bit *too* slick for what I want them for maybe

 

[VamP]

I have the Double Fighter II on my Spesh Rockhopper, and find it allows good road speed (16.5 mph average on my commute vs 19.3 mph average on my road bike), while still letting me get reasonable traction off road. The only surface they don't seem too happy on is loose sand, but then what is happy with loose sand, eh?


I would buy them again.

 

[Kestevan]

I've previously recommended Schwalbe Land Cruisers for this type of mixed use.
2 years on and I see no reason to change my mind. They are pretty much the dogs dangly bits, although they don't like thick mud.

 

[eldudino]

I run Conti Travel Contacts on my MTB/Hybrid and they're pretty quick tyres for the size of them. They're good on hardpack but not so great in mud if you're trying to go fast. I bought them as I use the bike mainly for taking my daughter to the park and wanted something that is a do-anything tyre. Shame you didn't post yesterday, there was a 1-day-sale on them on one of the bike shop websites (see "Found a bargain" post) and they were £25 a pair - a lot more than I paid for them!

 

[sabian92]

Schwalbe Marathon Plus.

You'll never need another tyre unless you do some serious offroading or riding on ice.