Tires, brakes & seatpost selection 4 hybrid or MB

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I've ridden racing/road bikes for yrs & now I'm looking at MB's and
hybrids and have some questions. While a hybrid will more than likely
take care of most of my biking needs, having a MB will guarantee I can
do both street and off road (no rocky or very rough terrain, just loose
dirt/grass). But I'm not sure which tires I should choose if at least
60% of the time I'll probably be riding on the street? Strictly street
tires, a compromise tire or trail tires?

Is there that much of a difference in "rolling resistance" and
"handling" among the different possibilities for tire selection? Perhaps
it would help to say my ride could consist of 14 miles (round trip) on
asphalt roads to get to a local park and then have endless dirt and
grass trails once there. So I'm thinking that a compromise might be
better than choosing strictly a road or off road tire. (I'm not looking
to do long distance road rides at this time)

I've read some comments on mechanical disc vs. hydraulic vs.
conventional brakes and keep hearing the same thing, the disc's are less
prone to foul weather. If so, are the hydraulics that much better? In
what way? I'm used to conventional brakes but would welcome any
improvement in braking or safety. I do bike in the rain, doesn't bother
me, and you never really know when you'll get caught in a storm, worth
spending the extra $$$ for hydraulics?

I also want to outfit the bike w/the most comfortable seatpost (lower
back ache) to help smooth the ride. Haven't looked into this yet but the
shop said I can simply upgrade the MB seatpost to a suspension post. I
do like the ones on some of the hybrid bikes I've tested, very
comfortable. Just curious to hear about what is out there from those
who've used the suspension types, TIA. - Louis

On Tue, 17 Jun 2008 18:39:38 GMT, Spokes Man
<1234567890@0987654321.com> wrote:



Tires - Schwalbe Marathon Cross:

http://www.schwalbetires.com/node/1326

If you order off their site and you'll be using schraeder-drilled
rims, try their tubes, too. The valve's threaded with a knurled nut,
as on a presta.

Brakes - Kool-Stop Salmon pads on alloy rims can grip well enough in
rain or snow to toss you over the bar. If you don't feel the need for
bling, the Avid Single Digit 7 Ti is a nice v-brake; vibration
resistant, with a clamp that won't slaughter your cables, and a unique
noodle that releases more easily than others.

On Jun 17, 11:39 am, Spokes Man <1234567...@0987654321.com> wrote:
> I've ridden racing/road bikes for yrs & now I'm looking at MB's and
> hybrids and have some questions. While a hybrid will more than likely
> take care of most of my biking needs, having a MB will guarantee I can
> do both street and off road (no rocky or very rough terrain, just loose
> dirt/grass). But I'm not sure which tires I should choose if at least
> 60% of the time I'll probably be riding on the street? Strictly street
> tires, a compromise tire or trail tires?
>
> Is there that much of a difference in "rolling resistance" and
> "handling" among the different possibilities for tire selection? Perhaps
> it would help to say my ride could consist of 14 miles (round trip) on
> asphalt roads to get to a local park and then have endless dirt and
> grass trails once there. So I'm thinking that a compromise might be
> better than choosing strictly a road or off road tire. (I'm not looking
> to do long distance road rides at this time)

http://bike.terrymorse.com/rolres.html

There are some 'cross' tires and some knobbies in that mixup; there
doesn't seem to be huge difference in rolling resistance between
types. At worst you're talking about a difference that's small enough
to be erased by just running the knobby at a higher pressure. IMO
hybrid tires give up more dirt performance than they gain in quieter
(not necessarily faster) rolling on road. Since the point of your
proposed ride to and from the park is presumably to have some fun in
the park, I'd go with the knobbies.

I've run some semislicks (of the type where the middle is slick but
the side is knobbed) and found them to be worse in handling than
either full slicks or knobbies -- knobs and cuts on the sides mean you
can't take corners on road as hard as the smooth rolling in the middle
might lead you to expect; on dirt you get poor feedback leading to
sudden washouts.

>
> I've read some comments on mechanical disc vs. hydraulic vs.
> conventional brakes and keep hearing the same thing, the disc's are less
> prone to foul weather. If so, are the hydraulics that much better? In
> what way? I'm used to conventional brakes but would welcome any
> improvement in braking or safety. I do bike in the rain, doesn't bother
> me, and you never really know when you'll get caught in a storm, worth
> spending the extra $$$ for hydraulics?

I concur with trying Kool Stop salmon pads before spending for disc
brakes.

-pm