Narrower tyres for XC on a 26" HT MTB - Gravelesque duties

daniel_b

Afternoon all,

I have a 2006 Marin Palisades HT, which I took out for the first time in several years a few weekends ago, and would like to use it for some not very technical 'gravel' rides in my local area.

Several of the guys I would ride with may be using proper drop bar 700c gravel bikes, but this is an old school mtb with 26" wheels, and chunky tyres.

Can anyone recommend a narrower tyre that would give me a bit more speed (Especialy on road sections), but also be fairly fairy resistant and capable on multiple surfaces - OR am I looking for a mythical beast?

What kind of width should I look to go down to to still make it a capable XCer?

Thanks

alan_sherman

I'm looking at semi slick tyres for my hard tail. It's the tread more than the width that drags on road. My sons frog bike has kenda 8 tyres that might be good for you. I'm after something with a smooth centre ridge for my commute which should be faster on road though.

daniel_b

alan sherman wrote:

I'm looking at semi slick tyres for my hard tail. It's the tread more than the width that drags on road. My sons frog bike has kenda 8 tyres that might be good for you. I'm after something with a smooth centre ridge for my commute which should be faster on road though.

Thanks Alan, will look that up.

This seems to get good reviews: https://www.halfords.com/cycling/bike-parts/bike-tyres/continental-travel-contact-bike-tyre-26x1-75

w00dster

Hi Daniel - firstly depends on what you call a capable XCer.
For example, my XC bike has just had its winter tyres put on. Maxxis Shorty front and a Minnion DHR rear (29er). But where I ride it gets sloppy, lots of muddy slippy hills, rooty, loamy etc, so I'm happy to lose speed for grip.
If you're talking about XC being just gravel and the odd wooded route (but not genuine singletrack in the winter) - then something like the Continental Double Fighter would be an option or the Specialized Rhythm.
But need to face the fact that these tyres will not shed mud and will not provide any grip on a XC route in the winter. Summer riding and semi slick is a really good tyre for covering loads of options - but the winter is a different beast altogether. I ride MTB a lot and have done a lot of XC gravel rides, but being honest I wouldn't use a slick at this time of year.
If you genuinely mean XC, then you should look at a Racing Ralph or a Vittoria Mezcal on the front as a minimum, then maybe a semi slick rear.

Matthewfalle

I've just bought a pair of 1.40 Michelin slicks from CRC for use as i'm converting my Ridgeback Storm (26") to drop bar gravel duties.

i used Fatboys for years on gravel tracks with no dramas but can't find them.

the michelins were something like £9 each from CRC in the sale.