worth fitting narrower tires on cheap hybrid?

txom

hi,
i bought a ridgeback motion a while ago when i thought I'd only use it for trips round the park or up the towpath with my son on the back. I've now started commuting on it (12 miles each way) and was wondering whether fitting narrower tires would speed me up at all, or if it would be a waste of money on this bike?

I currently have 700 x 35C marathons, does anyone know the ridegback motion and have any idea how much narrower I could go on the existing rims? How much would new wheels and tires start at?

I can't justify getting a new bike while this one is still in decent nick, but could spend a bit on new bits and pieces if I'd definitely notice the difference.

thanks very much

il_principe

txom wrote:

hi,
i bought a ridgeback motion a while ago when i thought I'd only use it for trips round the park or up the towpath with my son on the back. I've now started commuting on it (12 miles each way) and was wondering whether fitting narrower tires would speed me up at all, or if it would be a waste of money on this bike?

I currently have 700 x 35C marathons, does anyone know the ridegback motion and have any idea how much narrower I could go on the existing rims? How much would new wheels and tires start at?

I can't justify getting a new bike while this one is still in decent nick, but could spend a bit on new bits and pieces if I'd definitely notice the difference.

thanks very much

I'd imagine you could get a fair bit narrower, at least to 28. Make sure the new tires are decent and keep the pressure topped up and you should see a difference.

Edit: New wheels would be a waste of money IME.

txom

thanks, hopefully a combination of new tires and trying to carry fewer clothes back and forth to work will do the trick!

Roastie

Like IP said, 28c should be fine. But also, don't fixate on the tyre width as much as the quality of the tyre. For example, a cheap 28c tyre with a highly inflexible carcass will roll worse than a quality, supple 32c tyre. A good guide is tyre weight (lighter tyres will make a big difference to feel) and the TPI (threads per inch, i.e. the fineness of the fabric used to make the casing). Higher TPI >> Lower TPI.

txom

I've done a bit of searching and it looks like replacing the marathons with marathon supremes might be worth doing.

artaxerxes

When I had a hybrid I had standard 32C Marathons on the rear and 30C Marathon Racers on the front.

Stevo_666

I would just keep what you have size-wise. I upped the tyre size (and quality on my hybrid from 28c Maxxis detonators (very aptly named) to 37c Conti sports. They roll well with some decent pressure and give a bit of cushioning for my butt (I'm a mountain biker at heart and can't yet get the hang of this no suspension lark.....)

dilemna

What width are the rims? It should be stamped on them somewhere. Should be something like 16mm? If so I'd fit 25C tyres. I had 32C tyres on one of my hybrids and then 28C but now run 23/25C depending on how I am feeling. No probs what so ever. The bike is a lot lighter and more manouevrable, handles a lot better and faster.
Tyres - Specialised Armadillo Pros or Vittoria Rubino Pros. Cheap but not too cheap, puncture proof and good handling and grip.

txom

rims say 622 x 20 x 700 on them, so I'm guessing 20mm? Maybe too wide for 25C tires? Sounds like I should go a bit smaller than my current 35C marathons and something a bit lighter that roll better.

thanks for all the help

MonkeyMonster

Not sure what width my rims are exactly but roughly the same width as these.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec018213?

Which are - as Roastie will agree - extremely good tyres. Suggest taking the bike in to lbs if possible and double check. But they have very good rolling resistance and cornering is ace.

Clever Pun

Il Principe wrote:

txom wrote:

hi,
i bought a ridgeback motion a while ago when i thought I'd only use it for trips round the park or up the towpath with my son on the back. I've now started commuting on it (12 miles each way) and was wondering whether fitting narrower tires would speed me up at all, or if it would be a waste of money on this bike?

I currently have 700 x 35C marathons, does anyone know the ridegback motion and have any idea how much narrower I could go on the existing rims? How much would new wheels and tires start at?

I can't justify getting a new bike while this one is still in decent nick, but could spend a bit on new bits and pieces if I'd definitely notice the difference.

thanks very much

I'd imagine you could get a fair bit narrower, at least to 28. Make sure the new tires are decent and keep the pressure topped up and you should see a difference.

Edit: New wheels would be a waste of money IME.

yet a carbon fibre seatpost will make you shitoff quick

Roastie

MonkeyMonster wrote:

Not sure what width my rims are exactly but roughly the same width as these.

http://www.evanscycles.com/products/spe ... e-ec018213?

Which are - as Roastie will agree - extremely good tyres. Suggest taking the bike in to lbs if possible and double check. But they have very good rolling resistance and cornering is ace.

Yep, good rubber.

markp2

Try 28mm Continental Sport Contact tyres. Added about 10% more speed to my old Saracen hybrid when compared with the 35mm tyres it came with.

dilemna

txom wrote:

rims say 622 x 20 x 700 on them, so I'm guessing 20mm? Maybe too wide for 25C tires? Sounds like I should go a bit smaller than my current 35C marathons and something a bit lighter that roll better.

thanks for all the help

Yep maybe too wide for 25C. I would say 28C min. What make are they? Go onto the manufacturer's website to see if they specify a tyre size range for that rim? Most manufacturers do.

Continental Travel Contacts are good. If the tyre or tube fails within the year take it back to whom ever you bought it from for a replacement. That is Continental's warranty on the tyres. So after 11 months ride through a bramble patch get a few punctures, take tyre back and get a new replacement .

txom

They are Alex Z1000 rims - http://www.alexrims.com/product_detail.asp?btn=5&cat=6&id=119

No specific info on the website about what size tires will fit them but you can submit questions online so I'll see what they say and take it from there.

I guess the other option is a new bike which is 1) faster and 2) very similar looking to the ridgeback so I can claim it's still the same bike!

MonkeyMonster

they look like they'd be fine with the spez ones. If you really want to test what they might like I have my old ones still in the house somewhere - for some reason. You will be able to get an idea of what they are like that from that. Which does make me think - what do people do with their old tyres?