Mountain bike, how much more efficient are road wheels?

[KingGheedora]

I have a mountain bike with the thick mountain biking tires. How much faster would I go with road wheels, given the same effort?

Any recommendations on tires to get? Or maybe I should just get a road bike. I ride on the streets & parks in New York, so I go over a lot of potholes, and bumps and curbs.

 

[MrBond]

Sounds like you'd be better off with a hybrid bike. Trek makes a bunch of them:

http://www2.trekbikes.com/bikes/subcategory.php?c=4&s=18

That's what I ride and it's a great all-around bike.

 

[Safeway]

Get Maxxis Hookworms.

 

[skyking]

How much faster would I go with road wheels, given the same effort?

It's a dramatic change. The big part is how much better you coast at lower speeds, the knobbies really eat up energy.

 

[fuzzybabybunny]

Originally posted by: skyking

How much faster would I go with road wheels, given the same effort?

It's a dramatic change. The big part is how much better you coast at lower speeds, the knobbies really eat up energy.

Yup Yup. It'll be extremely dramatic, especially with skinnier, smoother tires.

 

[DrPizza]

On my road bike with nice thin tires, I can smoke any of my friends who are in better shape, but have mountain bikes. They foolishly think that I'm the one in better shape.

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

It will be a big change... no question about that. I don't have specific numbers, but if you're on the road, you will definitely enjoy having them more than the previous tires. This is one of those things I can strongly just say that you won't regret buying and that it'll have been worth every penny to get them.

 

[Koing]

Just get smooth tyres and see if that makes a big difference.

Whats your current bike?

I have smooth wheels on my F1000 left and it moves!

Koing

 

[Biggerhammer]

Originally posted by: Safeway
Get Maxxis Hookworms.

I'm looking at these for my front tires- how are they in rain/sand?

 

[Jahee]

Looking at the tread, or lack of.. I'd say not too hot.

 

[Homerboy]

its not the "knobs" its the air-pressure in the tires.
it makes a large difference. You're wheels are still only 26" though, not 700c as a road bike would be so you will still be slower than a road bike.
I suggest.... you know... going to a bike store and talking to experts.

 

[Gibson486]

I just bought a new mountain bike. My gf has a hybrid and not only is it smooother, but it also takes less effort to get going. Tires make a pretty big difference. I'd get a hrybrid, but most of them have an upright position which I do not like.

 

[Jahee]

Originally posted by: Homerboy
its not the "knobs" its the air-pressure in the tires.
it makes a large difference. You're wheels are still only 26" though, not 700c as a road bike would be so you will still be slower than a road bike.
I suggest.... you know... going to a bike store and talking to experts.

Rubbish.. You take a proper offroad tire with an aggressive tread pattern and a near slick road tire and inflate them to the same air pressure and then tell me which one creates most drag on the road. You can even hear the resistance created by the tread! lol

 

[mercanucaribe]

Originally posted by: MrBond
Sounds like you'd be better off with a hybrid bike. Trek makes a bunch of them:

http://www2.trekbikes.com/bikes/subcategory.php?c=4&s=18

That's what I ride and it's a great all-around bike.

Riding a hybrid makes you look old.

 

[mercanucaribe]

I like this http://www.performancebike.com/product_images/250/50-6623-026-TREAD.jpg

 

[JulesMaximus]

You can't fit road wheels on a mtb.

Slicks will be much more efficient on your mtb though. That sloppy assed mtb frame and the completely useless supsension will suck up your energy on the road. If you're going to ride the streets a road bike is the only way to go.

 

[mercanucaribe]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
You can't fit road wheels on a mtb.

Slicks will be much more efficient on your mtb though. That sloppy assed mtb frame and the completely useless supsension will suck up your energy on the road. If you're going to ride the streets a road bike is the only way to go.

How can a frame be sloppy?

 

[Ronstang]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
You can't fit road wheels on a mtb.

Slicks will be much more efficient on your mtb though. That sloppy assed mtb frame and the completely useless supsension will suck up your energy on the road. If you're going to ride the streets a road bike is the only way to go.

How can a frame be sloppy?

Articulated rear swing arm instead of a fixed frame and shocks on the front forks. I prefer to ride my mountain bike because I am exercising and where I have to ride tears up a road bike but on the road bike I can make much better time.....but like I said I am exercising so that is not my goal.

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
You can't fit road wheels on a mtb.

Slicks will be much more efficient on your mtb though. That sloppy assed mtb frame and the completely useless supsension will suck up your energy on the road. If you're going to ride the streets a road bike is the only way to go.

How can a frame be sloppy?

I think sloppy is the wrong word.....

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
You can't fit road wheels on a mtb.

Slicks will be much more efficient on your mtb though. That sloppy assed mtb frame and the completely useless supsension will suck up your energy on the road. If you're going to ride the streets a road bike is the only way to go.

How can a frame be sloppy?

Go ride a mtb for 20 miles on the street and then ride a road bike on the same route. Then you'll know what I mean.

 

[NoShangriLa]

Thin slicks can offer up to 20-25% less rolling resistant than the knobbiest of knobbies.

It would be better to get a hybrid because most could be interchange with road bike 700C rims/tires that offer up to 140-150 PSI @ 18mm thick, while the thinness of MTB wheels (if I recall correctly) is 26x1" (or about 23mm thick) that tend to take 100 PSI (some can take up to 120 PSI). A hybrid is great for city riding because it wheels are design for city trail riding purposes, and it can take wheels up to 48mm thick (about 1.9") @ 30 PSI for comfort/muddy trail if their is the need to do so (standard MTB tires is around 2-2.5" thick).

 

[JulesMaximus]

Originally posted by: NoShangriLa

Thin slicks can offer up to 20-25% less rolling resistant than the knobbiest of knobbies.

It would be better to get a hybrid because most could be interchange with road bike 700C rims/tires that offer up to 140-150 PSI @ 18mm thick, while the thinness of MTB wheels (if I recall correctly) is 26x1" (or about 23mm thick) that tend to take 100 PSI (some can take up to 120 PSI). A hybrid is great for city riding because it wheels are design for city trail riding purposes, and it can take wheels up to 48mm thick (about 1.9") @ 30 PSI for comfort/muddy trail if their is the need to do so (standard MTB tires is around 2-2.5" thick).

Or you could just buy a road bike... Seriously, road bikes are best for riding on the...road.

 

[NoShangriLa]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
You can't fit road wheels on a mtb.

Slicks will be much more efficient on your mtb though. That sloppy assed mtb frame and the completely useless supsension will suck up your energy on the road. If you're going to ride the streets a road bike is the only way to go.

How can a frame be sloppy?

Go ride a mtb for 20 miles on the street and then ride a road bike on the same route. Then you'll know what I mean.

Street bike doesn't offer the commanding ride that a MTB or hybrid offer, and the 1-2 minutes saving that the road bike offer over that or a hybrid isn't worth the discomfort/visibility.

<-- Roadie 5 years (CAT1 for a year), and raced MTB 2 years (late 80s to early 90s).

 

[NoShangriLa]

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: NoShangriLa

Thin slicks can offer up to 20-25% less rolling resistant than the knobbiest of knobbies.

It would be better to get a hybrid because most could be interchange with road bike 700C rims/tires that offer up to 140-150 PSI @ 18mm thick, while the thinness of MTB wheels (if I recall correctly) is 26x1" (or about 23mm thick) that tend to take 100 PSI (some can take up to 120 PSI). A hybrid is great for city riding because it wheels are design for city trail riding purposes, and it can take wheels up to 48mm thick (about 1.9") @ 30 PSI for comfort/muddy trail if their is the need to do so (standard MTB tires is around 2-2.5" thick).

Or you could just buy a road bike... Seriously, road bikes are best for riding on the...road.

<-- Own all three type of frames & 8 sets for rims/tires for every situation.

 

[Gibson486]

Originally posted by: NoShangriLa

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus

Originally posted by: mercanucaribe

Originally posted by: JulesMaximus
You can't fit road wheels on a mtb.

Slicks will be much more efficient on your mtb though. That sloppy assed mtb frame and the completely useless supsension will suck up your energy on the road. If you're going to ride the streets a road bike is the only way to go.

How can a frame be sloppy?

Go ride a mtb for 20 miles on the street and then ride a road bike on the same route. Then you'll know what I mean.

Street bike doesn't offer the commanding ride that a MTB or hybrid offer, and the 1-2 minutes saving that the road bike offer over that or a hybrid isn't worth the discomfort/visibility.

<-- Roadie 5 years (CAT1 for a year), and raced MTB 2 years (late 80s to early 90s).

That's the reason why i did not get a road bike. I got on one and I felt to uncomfy on it. i was gonna get a hybrid, but i really did not like the upright position and the hyrbrids with the straight bars cost around $600 (I only wanted to spend around 350). My question now is what does it mean when you are biking and one of your knees starts hurting? I have had knee problems in the past, but i am not sure if that attributes to it. I asked around at the shop I bought my bike and they siad that I am putting to much pressure on my knees. how do i fix that?