Road tyres vs “Street” tyres for charity ride on MTB Tandem
Variation on a question that's been asked a few times.
For reasons, we have signed up to do a charity ride of ~80 miles on our super-cheap Viking Saratoga tandem. I've already made a few upgrades, mainly ergonomic, but was wondering whether I should bother changing the tyres.
I realise conventional wisdom dictates "slicks" rather than "knobblies" for riding a MTB on the road, but the tyres currently fitted are Kenda Kiniptions in 26 X 2.3", which the manufacturer describes as:
Excellent tire for urban assault or skate park use; equally versatile on hardpack race courses
Diamond shaped knob design wraps from bead to bead for sidewall protection and grip from all angles
We run these pumped all the way up to the recommended maximum of 80psi.
Now, I'm all for "marginal gains", but the bike is already pretty heavy, so I'm not sure that lighter weight tyres would make things much easier - I think any potential improvement would be in rolling resistance.
Is there any tire around that would be a useful upgrade in speed? The rims are drilled for Schrader, so if Presta tubes (to allow higher pressure) were part of the solution, I imagine this would require some fiddly adapters.
tire
asked 1 hour ago
Gavin CampbellGavin Campbell
1083
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Variation on a question that's been asked a few times.
For reasons, we have signed up to do a charity ride of ~80 miles on our super-cheap Viking Saratoga tandem. I've already made a few upgrades, mainly ergonomic, but was wondering whether I should bother changing the tyres.
I realise conventional wisdom dictates "slicks" rather than "knobblies" for riding a MTB on the road, but the tyres currently fitted are Kenda Kiniptions in 26 X 2.3", which the manufacturer describes as:
Excellent tire for urban assault or skate park use; equally versatile on hardpack race courses
Diamond shaped knob design wraps from bead to bead for sidewall protection and grip from all angles
We run these pumped all the way up to the recommended maximum of 80psi.
Now, I'm all for "marginal gains", but the bike is already pretty heavy, so I'm not sure that lighter weight tyres would make things much easier - I think any potential improvement would be in rolling resistance.
Is there any tire around that would be a useful upgrade in speed? The rims are drilled for Schrader, so if Presta tubes (to allow higher pressure) were part of the solution, I imagine this would require some fiddly adapters.
tire
asked 1 hour ago
Gavin CampbellGavin Campbell
1083
New contributor
Gavin Campbell is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Yeah, the only obvious improvement would be to get tires that are less "knobby", as that is a major factor in rolling resistance. But the Kiniption looks like a reasonably decent compromise. However, if the bike and rims will take it, a wider tire might be better, to handle the weight of a tandem better. And, if the roads are smooth, you might consider running a hair above 80psi -- most decent quality tires are good to 10-20 psi over their sidewall rating, and higher pressure reduces rolling resistance (but increases tooth rattling).
– Daniel R Hicks
42 mins ago
All this confirms my suspicion that I may as well leave the current tyres on for now. And yes, I have considered pumping them up a bit harder!
– Gavin Campbell
40 mins ago
add a comment |
Variation on a question that's been asked a few times.
For reasons, we have signed up to do a charity ride of ~80 miles on our super-cheap Viking Saratoga tandem. I've already made a few upgrades, mainly ergonomic, but was wondering whether I should bother changing the tyres.
I realise conventional wisdom dictates "slicks" rather than "knobblies" for riding a MTB on the road, but the tyres currently fitted are Kenda Kiniptions in 26 X 2.3", which the manufacturer describes as:
Excellent tire for urban assault or skate park use; equally versatile on hardpack race courses
Diamond shaped knob design wraps from bead to bead for sidewall protection and grip from all angles
We run these pumped all the way up to the recommended maximum of 80psi.
Now, I'm all for "marginal gains", but the bike is already pretty heavy, so I'm not sure that lighter weight tyres would make things much easier - I think any potential improvement would be in rolling resistance.
Is there any tire around that would be a useful upgrade in speed? The rims are drilled for Schrader, so if Presta tubes (to allow higher pressure) were part of the solution, I imagine this would require some fiddly adapters.
tire
asked 1 hour ago
Gavin CampbellGavin Campbell
1083
New contributor
Gavin Campbell is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Variation on a question that's been asked a few times.
For reasons, we have signed up to do a charity ride of ~80 miles on our super-cheap Viking Saratoga tandem. I've already made a few upgrades, mainly ergonomic, but was wondering whether I should bother changing the tyres.
I realise conventional wisdom dictates "slicks" rather than "knobblies" for riding a MTB on the road, but the tyres currently fitted are Kenda Kiniptions in 26 X 2.3", which the manufacturer describes as:
Excellent tire for urban assault or skate park use; equally versatile on hardpack race courses
Diamond shaped knob design wraps from bead to bead for sidewall protection and grip from all angles
We run these pumped all the way up to the recommended maximum of 80psi.
Now, I'm all for "marginal gains", but the bike is already pretty heavy, so I'm not sure that lighter weight tyres would make things much easier - I think any potential improvement would be in rolling resistance.
Is there any tire around that would be a useful upgrade in speed? The rims are drilled for Schrader, so if Presta tubes (to allow higher pressure) were part of the solution, I imagine this would require some fiddly adapters.
tire
tire
asked 1 hour ago
Gavin CampbellGavin Campbell
1083
New contributor
Gavin Campbell is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 1 hour ago
Gavin CampbellGavin Campbell
1083
New contributor
Gavin Campbell is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 1 hour ago
Gavin CampbellGavin Campbell
1083
New contributor
Gavin Campbell is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
asked 1 hour ago
Gavin CampbellGavin Campbell
1083
asked 1 hour ago
Gavin CampbellGavin Campbell
1083
1083
New contributor
Gavin Campbell is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
New contributor
Gavin Campbell is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
Gavin Campbell is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.
1
Yeah, the only obvious improvement would be to get tires that are less "knobby", as that is a major factor in rolling resistance. But the Kiniption looks like a reasonably decent compromise. However, if the bike and rims will take it, a wider tire might be better, to handle the weight of a tandem better. And, if the roads are smooth, you might consider running a hair above 80psi -- most decent quality tires are good to 10-20 psi over their sidewall rating, and higher pressure reduces rolling resistance (but increases tooth rattling).
– Daniel R Hicks
42 mins ago
All this confirms my suspicion that I may as well leave the current tyres on for now. And yes, I have considered pumping them up a bit harder!
– Gavin Campbell
40 mins ago
add a comment |
1
Yeah, the only obvious improvement would be to get tires that are less "knobby", as that is a major factor in rolling resistance. But the Kiniption looks like a reasonably decent compromise. However, if the bike and rims will take it, a wider tire might be better, to handle the weight of a tandem better. And, if the roads are smooth, you might consider running a hair above 80psi -- most decent quality tires are good to 10-20 psi over their sidewall rating, and higher pressure reduces rolling resistance (but increases tooth rattling).
– Daniel R Hicks
42 mins ago
All this confirms my suspicion that I may as well leave the current tyres on for now. And yes, I have considered pumping them up a bit harder!
– Gavin Campbell
40 mins ago
1
1
Yeah, the only obvious improvement would be to get tires that are less "knobby", as that is a major factor in rolling resistance. But the Kiniption looks like a reasonably decent compromise. However, if the bike and rims will take it, a wider tire might be better, to handle the weight of a tandem better. And, if the roads are smooth, you might consider running a hair above 80psi -- most decent quality tires are good to 10-20 psi over their sidewall rating, and higher pressure reduces rolling resistance (but increases tooth rattling).
– Daniel R Hicks
42 mins ago
Yeah, the only obvious improvement would be to get tires that are less "knobby", as that is a major factor in rolling resistance. But the Kiniption looks like a reasonably decent compromise. However, if the bike and rims will take it, a wider tire might be better, to handle the weight of a tandem better. And, if the roads are smooth, you might consider running a hair above 80psi -- most decent quality tires are good to 10-20 psi over their sidewall rating, and higher pressure reduces rolling resistance (but increases tooth rattling).
– Daniel R Hicks
42 mins ago
All this confirms my suspicion that I may as well leave the current tyres on for now. And yes, I have considered pumping them up a bit harder!
– Gavin Campbell
40 mins ago
All this confirms my suspicion that I may as well leave the current tyres on for now. And yes, I have considered pumping them up a bit harder!
– Gavin Campbell
40 mins ago
add a comment |
1 Answer
1
active
oldest
votes
It's not the weight of knobblies that's the issue, but how much effort you have to put into deforming them with every rotation - the rolling resistance. The tyres you've got are certainly going to be slower than a wide semi-slick, like many touring tyres, but they'll be a lot faster than tyres designed for muddy trails. The ones you've got don't actually look too bad for road use.
If you're going to make a habit of riding this bike on roads for decent distances, a tyre upgrade might be in order - you could gain puncture protection as well. As it's a tandem, note the weight recommendations on potential new tyres.
Overall I suggest you run with what you've got, and if you think "that was good but I'd like to be a bit quicker next time" consider an upgrade.
BTW Presta tubes don't inherently allow higher pressure, though they're more common on rims rated to higher pressure. Adapting is easy with a grommet but of no benefit to you.
answered 1 hour ago
Chris HChris H
24.4k138108
add a comment |
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It's not the weight of knobblies that's the issue, but how much effort you have to put into deforming them with every rotation - the rolling resistance. The tyres you've got are certainly going to be slower than a wide semi-slick, like many touring tyres, but they'll be a lot faster than tyres designed for muddy trails. The ones you've got don't actually look too bad for road use.
If you're going to make a habit of riding this bike on roads for decent distances, a tyre upgrade might be in order - you could gain puncture protection as well. As it's a tandem, note the weight recommendations on potential new tyres.
Overall I suggest you run with what you've got, and if you think "that was good but I'd like to be a bit quicker next time" consider an upgrade.
BTW Presta tubes don't inherently allow higher pressure, though they're more common on rims rated to higher pressure. Adapting is easy with a grommet but of no benefit to you.
answered 1 hour ago
Chris HChris H
24.4k138108
add a comment |
It's not the weight of knobblies that's the issue, but how much effort you have to put into deforming them with every rotation - the rolling resistance. The tyres you've got are certainly going to be slower than a wide semi-slick, like many touring tyres, but they'll be a lot faster than tyres designed for muddy trails. The ones you've got don't actually look too bad for road use.
If you're going to make a habit of riding this bike on roads for decent distances, a tyre upgrade might be in order - you could gain puncture protection as well. As it's a tandem, note the weight recommendations on potential new tyres.
Overall I suggest you run with what you've got, and if you think "that was good but I'd like to be a bit quicker next time" consider an upgrade.
BTW Presta tubes don't inherently allow higher pressure, though they're more common on rims rated to higher pressure. Adapting is easy with a grommet but of no benefit to you.
answered 1 hour ago
Chris HChris H
24.4k138108
add a comment |
It's not the weight of knobblies that's the issue, but how much effort you have to put into deforming them with every rotation - the rolling resistance. The tyres you've got are certainly going to be slower than a wide semi-slick, like many touring tyres, but they'll be a lot faster than tyres designed for muddy trails. The ones you've got don't actually look too bad for road use.
If you're going to make a habit of riding this bike on roads for decent distances, a tyre upgrade might be in order - you could gain puncture protection as well. As it's a tandem, note the weight recommendations on potential new tyres.
Overall I suggest you run with what you've got, and if you think "that was good but I'd like to be a bit quicker next time" consider an upgrade.
BTW Presta tubes don't inherently allow higher pressure, though they're more common on rims rated to higher pressure. Adapting is easy with a grommet but of no benefit to you.
answered 1 hour ago
Chris HChris H
24.4k138108
It's not the weight of knobblies that's the issue, but how much effort you have to put into deforming them with every rotation - the rolling resistance. The tyres you've got are certainly going to be slower than a wide semi-slick, like many touring tyres, but they'll be a lot faster than tyres designed for muddy trails. The ones you've got don't actually look too bad for road use.
If you're going to make a habit of riding this bike on roads for decent distances, a tyre upgrade might be in order - you could gain puncture protection as well. As it's a tandem, note the weight recommendations on potential new tyres.
Overall I suggest you run with what you've got, and if you think "that was good but I'd like to be a bit quicker next time" consider an upgrade.
BTW Presta tubes don't inherently allow higher pressure, though they're more common on rims rated to higher pressure. Adapting is easy with a grommet but of no benefit to you.
answered 1 hour ago
Chris HChris H
24.4k138108
answered 1 hour ago
Chris HChris H
24.4k138108
answered 1 hour ago
Chris HChris H
24.4k138108
answered 1 hour ago
Chris HChris H
24.4k138108
24.4k138108
add a comment |
add a comment |
Gavin Campbell is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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Gavin Campbell is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
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1
Yeah, the only obvious improvement would be to get tires that are less "knobby", as that is a major factor in rolling resistance. But the Kiniption looks like a reasonably decent compromise. However, if the bike and rims will take it, a wider tire might be better, to handle the weight of a tandem better. And, if the roads are smooth, you might consider running a hair above 80psi -- most decent quality tires are good to 10-20 psi over their sidewall rating, and higher pressure reduces rolling resistance (but increases tooth rattling).
– Daniel R Hicks
42 mins ago
All this confirms my suspicion that I may as well leave the current tyres on for now. And yes, I have considered pumping them up a bit harder!
– Gavin Campbell
40 mins ago