Bicycle Help - I Know Nothing

[bigcheez2k3]

Looking to put new tyres and tubes on my bike soon so today I took a look at what was on there to know what size I need to buy. Currently 26x2.1.

However I'm completely clueless as to what ones are any good and whether I can go bigger too. It gets used to ride on road, up and down kerbs, at like a spastic then maybe some light off road stuff.

This thread will probably be used once I start messing with it as I'm a n00b with bicycle maintenance.

[7057sam]

On my voodoo hoo hardtail I have some Maxxis Ardent 2.25 which are great off road and still ok on road,used to do a 14 mile a day work commute and where bearable.Top speed was nt great.

Think they about £19 each

forgot to add I also run 26" rims aswell.

[Poodle]

Well you'll need to keep the 26 bit. 2.1 is plenty big enough for what you're doing, i'd be inclined to downsize if you're mostly riding on the road, make life easier for yourself. Not up to date so much any more, but i ride continental traffics which are perfect for commuting/fair weather xc. When you say off-road, do you mean xc or jumps or bsx, downhill, freeride, etc?

[Dum-Dum]

You need to keep 26" and I'd keep the 2.1 but too or close to it.

Get yourself on chain reaction cycles and have a look through the tyres on there for a bargain. You'll be looking for something relatively smooth in the middle for good speed on the road and a bit knobbly on the edges for off road.

DMR Moto RT tyres were good for the road and light off road work as long as it wasn't muddy.

I've got a 2.5" Michelin Wild Grip R on the front and a 2.4" Continental Baron on the back and they are horrific on the road even fully pumped up.

[welshpug]

sounds like you'll be better off with some 26x1.75 semi slicks and swap them fot the knobblies if you want to go off road.

[mattsrallye]

sounds like you'll be better off with some 26x1.75 semi slicks and swap them fot the knobblies if you want to go off road.

This, but if you don't want to be swapping tyres then I've been surprised by how good these are:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/dmr-m...-prod11538

Obv not great in mud, but everything else they are a lot better than expected and still roll reasonably well on the road

[bigcheez2k3]

Well you'll need to keep the 26 bit. 2.1 is plenty big enough for what you're doing, i'd be inclined to downsize if you're mostly riding on the road, make life easier for yourself. Not up to date so much any more, but i ride continental traffics which are perfect for commuting/fair weather xc. When you say off-road, do you mean xc or jumps or bsx, downhill, freeride, etc?

But I can put 16" on my cyclones so why not 24" on my bike

By off road I meant a dirt path people walk along with their dogs I didn't know how to word it other than light off road. Not much chance of anything serious round here.

sounds like you'll be better off with some 26x1.75 semi slicks and swap them fot the knobblies if you want to go off road.

Don't want to mess about with switching, one set that will stay on there is what I am after.

[welshpug]

riding tyres like that on tarmac.

1, they'll wear out fast.

2, they're really fooking slow.

3, sod all puncture resistance.

I'm a bike mechanic BTW.

[Poodle]

Did nobody else who tried the motos find them sketchy as f*ck on anything besides warm, dry hardpack/tarmac? Mine were shocking enough that i binned them only half-worn, and anyone who knows me will tell you how much that must have pained me.

[Dum-Dum]

My DMR Moto RT's were really good on everything I tried them on but never used them in proper mud

[bigcheez2k3]

How about this one? http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/miche...p-prod8547

I took the advice that I want something smooth in the middle for tarmac which is 99%, usually only on mud to cut through some woods to a different road, always on the path that the dog walkers use too so nothing loose. It is only 1.75" instead of the current 2.1" though.

Going to look at innertubes too, I assume those are fairly standard.

EDIT: Or this? http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/halo-...prod123305

[Slam Wagon]

Any old tubes will do, wilko i think is the cheapest. Those tyres will be fine for you.

[Dum-Dum]

As Ian says, wilko inner tubes FTMFW


The halo twin rail is the better tyre and supposedly very fast rolling on hard surfaces and will be a fair bit better than the other one off road although it is not an off road tyre.

[bigcheez2k3]

Thanks guys Going for the Halo's and some Conti tubes from Chain Reaction. Looked at Wilko ones, 50p cheaper but I never go near one so I'll stomach the extra £1 over 2 tubes.

Will probably have other simple questions to ask once I start messing around with the thing.

[Dum-Dum]

Thanks guys Going for the Halo's and some Conti tubes from Chain Reaction. Looked at Wilko ones, 50p cheaper but I never go near one so I'll stomach the extra £1 over 2 tubes.

Will probably have other simple questions to ask once I start messing around with the thing.

No worries mate, If you ever need help or want parts there's loads of us here who are massively into our bikes.

[John1.4]

just seen this, was going to suggest tioga factory 3's, had them a few times, fab off road, and did hundreds of miles on the roads with them, although if it's mostly roads, then those halo's are probably better, wonder what they're like in the wet?

[Slam Wagon]

Twin rails are an alright tyre, used to use them on my jump bike. Should grip ok on the slight off road stuff you plan on doing.

Mind you ive ridden forest of dean downhill on a fully rigid jump bike with street tyres and one brake in torential rain. Anything is possible, who cares if its not perfect for the job.

[daddyfixit]

place called tredz; join their club and get 10% off first order you make.......im renewing conti tyres on mine when the weather changes !!

[Poodle]

840g! I didn't realise halo made their tyres out of pig iron too.

That michelin looks ideal to me, can't say i've tried them personally though.

[Dum-Dum]

840g! I didn't realise halo made their tyres out of pig iron too.

That michelin looks ideal to me, can't say I've tried them personally though.

LOL I didn't think that looked too bad weight wise.
My front tyre is 1300g and my rear is 980g

Front http://bike.michelin.co.uk/tyres/micheli...y-duty#dim
Rear http://www.conti-tyres.co.uk/conticycle/...aron.shtml

[bigcheez2k3]

Is there much to consider when looking at grips?

Having a look right now and seems to be all the same, roughly, and it's more what you like the look of.

[Pete]

I run Maxxis Minion DHF/R 2.35 (Roll faster that the old High rollers I used to swear by) on the Five and Bontrager XR4 2.3 on the Crush, the Bonty's roll faster on tarmac I've found but have a soft sidewall so need to run decent PSI to avoid pinch flats IMO. As said though 2.1 hybrid-esqe tyre will probably do for you though. Though about some myself as all the decent local stuff has turned to slop this time of year. I recommend Continental tubes can get them on ebay 5 for about £20. CRC/Bike-discount.de are good for cheap rubber

[Dum-Dum]

Is there much to consider when looking at grips?

Having a look right now and seems to be all the same, roughly, and it's more what you like the look of.

The lock on ones are very good at staying in place but all seem to wear very quickly


I like the ODI or similar single density BMX style ones like these
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/ODI-Longneck-S...2c5f2254d8

If you don't like the flange on the ends they are easy to cut off.

[bigcheez2k3]

So, it's all back together now, been out to test it and the wheels didn't fall off and it stopped when I wanted it to.

I do have a question though regarding shifters and dérailleurs. I have SRAM x3 shifters, which are 7 speed, as I have 7 gears on the back. However, it seems the dérailleur is an x4 which I believe is for an 8 speed. Would this cause issues?

I can get all the gears, just not as easily as I'd like but I don't know whether that is the problem or I just don't know what I'm doing

[Dum-Dum]

I don't think it should too much as the deraiuler moves according to how much it's pulled by the shifter cable. no cable and it has a smooth movement through it's range of travel.