Hi all,
I got my bike last May and I've enjoyed it so far. It has seemed to be a great bike. However, lately I've been seeing people with thinner wheels passing me up on the roads. Not that I care - its not about being faster, but I can't help but think about how much farther I could bike or if it's a more satisfying experience to have a bike with thinner wheels. I don't know much about such things - can you tell me the difference other than the obvious that these thicker tires can take more of a beating on less than ideal roads.
Like, I was recently on 2nd avenue and the road was recently worked on and not finished. The man hole covers and things stuck out like sore thumbs and it was bumpy and I couldn't help but think that if I had thinner wheels I would be in trouble.
Is it possible to change tire size on a bike or is that not possible? Just want some general comments here. Thanks!
Ps: this is my bike: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/68780?feat=5480-GN2&attrValue_0=Pewter&productId=1121829
The advantages of thin tires is most noticeable when climbing up big / steep hills.
No you cant go from 26" to 700. The rims are too different in size. You can switch from 27" to 700 without much difficulty.
Also it is possible to by slightly thinner 26" tires with smooth tread. That might help a bit.
Thinner tires could make you go faster. It would make it feel faster, for sure.
It would also mean increased rate of flats, less tolerance to low tire pressure ("I'm in a rush, but my tires are low!"), and the occasional problem with any off-road use.
You can get thinner tires, I wouldn't though. Your bike is meant for comfortable rides, keep it that way. If you want something a little thinner try out an old road bike for a while and see if it's for you. The thinner tires will feel faster and harsher, if that sounds your pace go for it.
If your bike has the tires in the picture, they are a bit "knobby" so you may get some benefit to switching to more "slick" tires. As long as they take a reasonable PSI (say 75+) the width isn't really important. 1.25" is 32mm which is what I use on my bike, 1.5" is 38mm.
RIBMOs come in a variety of 26" sizes: http://www.panaracer.com/urban.php#ribmo_pt or Michelin City tires are another option: http://www.michelinbicycletire.com/michelinbicycle/index.cfm?event=city.view
Hmm, so my recent conquering of greenfield ave is even more impressive with thick tires 
Thanks all, it's not that I dislike my bike at all but I can't help feeling I'm missing out. I don't see a lot of commuters or road cyclists with thick wheels.
you could ride downtown and rent a road bike from golden triangle for and hour or two to get a feel for a differet bike altogether. Also, come to the Try-A-Bike jamboree August 12 during bike fest.
My commuting bike is an old mtn bike I rearranged, very similar to yours but with a rigid fork. I put on the Michelin City tires in 26 x 1 1/4, love them. It is my most useful and fun bike. I can go 25 mph with traffic on W. Carson then jump a curb and ride crappy cratered sidewalk in one fell swoop. Highly recommend.
Another thing you might want to consider, as your fitness improves you might want to swap in slightly lower handlebars, those stock ones look seriously high. Even a slight adjustment in forward lean will let you put more power into the pedals and balance out the bike better.
I put some Forte Gotham tires on my Mt bike commuter. They resist flats very well and I've had them on most of the singletrack in Frick with no problem (as long as it is dry). I did notice a slight feeling of increased speed when I swapped out my knobby tires, nothing huge though. I weigh about 150lbs and I run them around 40-45psi. I feel this pressure gives me the right balance of small bump compliance and pinch-flat resistance.
Depending on how heavy your tires are, the weight could be a factor too. I don't really care about the overall weight of my bike, but even as a fairly inexperienced cyclist, I totally notice rotational weight, at least when it's a big difference like the difference between my regular tires and my winter tires on my hybrid. The regular ones are only a bit narrower (32s vs. 35s), but I feel so much faster with the regular tires due to the lower weight and smoother tread. Not saying you need super-lightweight race tires, but if your current ones are on the heavy end, you could probably find a pair of tires that are slick and light enough to make some difference, and like others have said, you might not need/want to actually go narrower.
So I could go lighter, not necessarily thinner.
Sure. You don't wanna go so light that you get tires that can't handle Pittsburgh's really excellent road maintenance and start getting flats all the time, but there is a variety of lightweight, sturdy tires out there. (They aren't always the cheapest, but they exist.)
I swapped out standard knobbies for slicks on my original MTB commuter, and the difference was delicious. Now I have a cross bike and use cross tires - the thing I noticed the most was the change in diameter of the wheel (but that takes a new bike, not new wheels).
I'd try slicks. They can run pretty cheap, and are easy to swap back for whatever reason. At least my impression is that tires are cheaper than wheels, I may be wrong.
And you're not missing out. If you were behind a steering wheel you'd be missing out. On your bike, you're winning.
I commute on a Giant 29er MTB, and recently switched from the knobbies that came with the bike to a lighter, smoother tire. Noticeable difference, I would have to agree with "delicious." I have resolved myself to going slower than I might like when I commute, but then making up for it when I ride my carbon road bike on the weekends. Best of both worlds!
ItalianBlend ...it's not that I dislike my bike at all but I can't help feeling I'm missing ou
GAS -gear acquisition syndrome.
Some bike stores make a fortune on that feeling.
You might or might not do better with a different bike.
For the riding I do, for example, I'm far happier with my Clydesdale-friendly comfort bike than I would be with a fancy carbon racer that doesn't have a rack, nor anything like my 3 lowest gears.
I would most likely be happier with your Acadia, if I put fenders and a rack on it, than I would be with many fanicer bikes.
I looked carefully at what I coudl see on the Bean site about your bike. I can't tell, for example how big your smallest chain rings is.
With a 34 tooth cog, your lowest gear is probably good.
But the next cog seems so much smaller. I'd guess you spend a lot of time wishing you had a gear between your lowest and the next lowest. Just a guess.
26" vs 700c really doesn't matter imho, in a lot of ways 26" is better (unless you are over 6' tall). 26" is stronger, more versatile (fatter tires for trails/bad weather), are hypothetically faster when you go from stop-to-go, are more widely available (you can by replacement tubes and rubber at Mall*Wart)... lots of benefits.
I prefer 700c, personally, but they aren't by any means "better."
I do think that some 1.5" +/- 1/4" is ideal, even for most trails with shale, sand-stone, etc. Over 2" is only beneficial if you are riding in the woods or for (excessive imho) comfort.
Anyways, the tires that came with it (judging by the picture) aren't knobby, appear to be under 2" wide, and are clearly made for a mix of urban and trail riding. I wouldn't bother to change them until they are worn out.
I am 5'6" so perhaps 26 is the best for my tiny height
