New Tyres for Repco Radical MTB

[Wendy]

I've just been given a Repco Radical MTB. It needs new tyres on it
but I have no idea what sized tyre to buy. I think that they are 26"
but they also seem to be different widths. Could someone pls let me
know what I need.

thanks

 

[Resound]

"Wendy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I've just been given a Repco Radical MTB. It needs new tyres on it
> but I have no idea what sized tyre to buy. I think that they are 26"
> but they also seem to be different widths. Could someone pls let me
> know what I need.
>
> thanks

MTBs are almost all 26" the width of tyre you buys would be dictated by the
type of use you're going to put it to. If you're going to be riding on paved
surfaces most or all of the time, then you don't want wide chunky treaded
tyres; 1½" wide slicks would probaby be appropriate. If you're *really*
going to see a fair amount of time on dirt then get wider, more aggressively
treaded tyres. Be honest with yourself on the type of use. Wide, heavily
treaded tyres produce a LOT more rolling friction so if you're not going to
make use of them, don't get them. Talk to your LBS (local bike shop).

 

[bear]

Wendy wrote:
> I've just been given a Repco Radical MTB. It needs new tyres on it
> but I have no idea what sized tyre to buy. I think that they are 26"
> but they also seem to be different widths. Could someone pls let me
> know what I need.

Depends on you, the type of ridding you are going to do and the surface
you are going to encounter.

As an exercise, try going around your local bicycle shops and asking
them the same question. Then compare their answers.

Personally, I'd suggest 1.75" with minimal knobblies but a centre ridge
for general street riding.

Slicks are for peeps who like gravel rash.
Knobbies are for mud riding and noisy, hard on road.

 

[Random Data]

On Sat, 25 Mar 2006 11:31:29 +1100, bear wrote:

> Slicks are for peeps who like gravel rash.

On a solid surface slicks provide more grip than any other tyre. On gravel
it all depends on how thick the gravel is. I happily corner hard on both
slicks and knobbies on gravel, and don't come off.

Slicks are for people who want to go fast, and aren't likely to ride far
on loose surfaces.

--
Dave Hughes | [email protected]
"Please do not ask us to provide anything illegal, since
a report to your national security service often offends."
- Security Policy, http://www.ribbands.co.uk

 

[tony f]

"Random Data" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news[email protected]...
> On Sat, 25 Mar 2006 11:31:29 +1100, bear wrote:
>
> > Slicks are for peeps who like gravel rash.
>
> On a solid surface slicks provide more grip than any other tyre. On gravel
> it all depends on how thick the gravel is. I happily corner hard on both
> slicks and knobbies on gravel, and don't come off.

Well, not because of your tyres, anyway... ;^P
>
> Slicks are for people who want to go fast, and aren't likely to ride far
> on loose surfaces.

Go and ask your local bike shop. mtb knobbies typically range from 1.75
upwards - if you're heading off road regularly, you'll want bigger sizes, if
more on road, skinnier tyres will be fine. 2.1 is a common off road size.
There's slicks, semi slicks, full knobbies, knobbies with a slick strip
around the middle (for when you're on the road), etc, etc.

Tony F
who pinchflatted yesterday and discovered that *both* spare tubes had
pre-existing punctures...

 

[Peter Signorini]

"tony f" wrote:

> Go and ask your local bike shop. mtb knobbies typically range from 1.75
> upwards - if you're heading off road regularly, you'll want bigger sizes,
> if
> more on road, skinnier tyres will be fine. 2.1 is a common off road size.
> There's slicks, semi slicks, full knobbies, knobbies with a slick strip
> around the middle (for when you're on the road), etc, etc.

When shopping for 26" tyres it's important to be very clear what you intend
to use them for. There's a world of difference between a 2.1" knobby and a
1.5" slick running at 100psi. Knobbies ar great for off-road and rough
gravel roads, conditions where you will encounter lots of sand, mud, ruts,
big rocky drops. I'm not taliking about the local gravel bike path or good
rural gravel road, more like the 4WD tracks in the forests. If you're mainly
riding around town on tarmac with the occasional foray into the bush on
gravel roads (even occasional rough stuff) you'll be better with a road
tyre.

One thing with knobbies to be aware of is that many are biult to be light,
so the casing is quite thin. I found this out on a tour across the Bogong
High Plains and Omeo Hwy. On a rocky gravel section of the Omeo Hwy I
punctured, caused by a sharp stone punching through the casing between the
knobs. On inspection it turned out the casing here was very thin, much less
robust than a good slick or road tyre. Tyres designed for road use on the
other hand will have a tougher casing, often with a puncture-proof layer in
the tread.

For road 26" tyres I can recommend: Vittoria Randoneur Cross, Schwalbe
Marathon (any of their several varieties), IRC Metro Duro (a high pressure
slick), or some of the Continental tyres - City contact, Travel Contact or
the Top Turing 2000. All of these have a puncture protection layer of some
sort. I have found the Vittorias to be excellent - 2 years with no
punctures.

For knobbies the range is huge as Tony has mentioned. If you really are
riding off-road on single-track or rough fire trails, talk to other MTBers,
or your bike shop about their favourite tyres.

Happy cycling.

--
Cheers
Peter

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