Need advice on tires

J

Jason27

10 kW
Joined
Apr 17, 2011
Messages
643
Location
San Francisco, CA
Hi everyone,

I am in need of some advice of tires. I'm working on a new ebike build and a looking to put on the best tires out there because I ride basically everyday. I'm looking preferably for 26x 1.75 size. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
 
Wider rims, bigger tires.
 
Without knowing more about you and the way you ride and your bike and experiences...
A good start: Rims and Tires Reference

Good hunting, KF
 
I do all city street riding. No offroading.
 
1.75 wide is too narrow for heavy bikes IMO. 2.125-2.5 is a good feel and ride but you must be careful fitting between your swingarm/forks. Heavily dished wheels can create even more fitment troubles.

CST Cyclops, Panaracer UfDa, Maxxis Hookworms, to name a few of my favorite brands/models often marketed as "urban" tread design.
 
Don't think you can find a better tire for twice as much.
http://www.amazon.com/CST-Cyclops-Tire-2-4-BLK/dp/B002SG53RE/ref=sr_1_20
 
I would not go with 26"x1.75" on an e-bike either. I do as the above posters have advised. But,if for some reason ( like clearance ) you choose to go to that size,have a look at schwalabetires.com They have a line of tires that are called e-bike tires,with several models in that size.
 
Schwalbe marathon pluses are nearly invulnerable to all road going hazards that may ail you.
 
You know of a better value?
 
It's often tough to tell if you'll have clearance issues with wide 2.25-2.5" tires. Recently, I wished to install a 2.4" Cyclops on my newest Cannondale V900 - I already use that tire on my other V900 but the swingarm is slightly different. The result is that the Cyclops will fit one bike but not the other. Luckily, I had 2.3" wide Panaracer UfDa handy and it just clears the slightly narrower swingarm.

26" x 2.5" Hookworms simply will not fit any bike I've owned to date.

But yeah, CST Cyclops are simply a "steal" price but be advised over the past 2 years that I've paid attention they run out-of-stock at many outlets by summer end.

BTW, grab a 2.5mm thick, extra width downhill tube for the motor wheel while you're at it. I don't like thick tubes on front non-motor wheels but for the rear hub wheel - defintitely nice to be sitting on extra thick rubber.
 
wesnewell said:
Don't think you can find a better tire for twice as much.
http://www.amazon.com/CST-Cyclops-Tire-2-4-BLK/dp/B002SG53RE/ref=sr_1_20
Click to expand...

That's my opinion too. I have yet to encounter a better tire for the money, in any size. The fact that the Cyclops's generous size makes it a good choice for a heavy, fast bike is just a happy coincidence.

The Schwalbe Big Apple is a nice tire available in 26x2.35" and 26x2.0", but it costs a lot compared to the Cyclops, Panaracer Uff Da, and Tioga FS100.
 
I was hoping to use 1.75 size just because my last bike has 2.25 size schwalbe and it seems to run over more glass and have more resistance. I'm hoping for thinner tire. 1.75 or something close to it.
 
Jason27 said:
I was hoping to use 1.75 size just because my last bike has 2.25 size schwalbe and it seems to run over more glass and have more resistance. I'm hoping for thinner tire. 1.75 or something close to it.
Click to expand...

Check out the Panaracer RiBMo 26x2.0, then. It's a very tough tire, but quite fast, with a strange triangular cross-section that puts a narrower than normal contact patch on the ground when running in a straight line. It steers like a skinnier tire until you get it laid over on its side. Nice cushy ride, too. The RiBMo (in 700c sizes) is what I use on my fast bikes. My wife's e-bike has the 26x2.0 kind on the front hub motor because it is so flat resistant without being sluggish.

Schwalbe Marathon Plus comes in a 1.75 size, and so does the much less expensive CST Salvo, but both those tires are heavy and slow due to their thick puncture protection.
 
Chalo said:
wesnewell said:
Don't think you can find a better tire for twice as much.
http://www.amazon.com/CST-Cyclops-Tire-2-4-BLK/dp/B002SG53RE/ref=sr_1_20
Click to expand...

That's my opinion too. I have yet to encounter a better tire for the money, in any size. The fact that the Cyclops's generous size makes it a good choice for a heavy, fast bike is just a happy coincidence.

The Schwalbe Big Apple is a nice tire available in 26x2.35" and 26x2.0", but it costs a lot compared to the Cyclops, Panaracer Uff Da, and Tioga FS100.
Click to expand...


Aparently, the "Cyclops Pro tires have 60 tpi casing and a lightweight puncture-resistant layer between the tread and the rubber casing"
quoted from Niagra Cycle Works Amazon Store. The Pro's are about $1 more :)

Tommy L sends....
mosh.gif
 
Tommy L said:
Chalo said:
wesnewell said:
Don't think you can find a better tire for twice as much.
http://www.amazon.com/CST-Cyclops-Tire-2-4-BLK/dp/B002SG53RE/ref=sr_1_20
Click to expand...

That's my opinion too. I have yet to encounter a better tire for the money, in any size. The fact that the Cyclops's generous size makes it a good choice for a heavy, fast bike is just a happy coincidence.

The Schwalbe Big Apple is a nice tire available in 26x2.35" and 26x2.0", but it costs a lot compared to the Cyclops, Panaracer Uff Da, and Tioga FS100.
Click to expand...


Aparently, the "Cyclops Pro tires have 60 tpi casing and a lightweight puncture-resistant layer between the tread and the rubber casing"
quoted from Niagra Cycle Works Amazon Store. The Pro's are about $1 more :)

Tommy L sends....
mosh.gif
Click to expand...

Not sure what's up with that but the weight given is the same for both tire listings. I just ordered the cheaper ones.
 
Probably already known, but worth a mention. Make sure you tire PSI is set more firm/higher so sharp objects get deflected away from the tire. Also, as much as the engineering into flat prevention goes into a tire, it's still not 100%. A week after purchasing Big Apples, I rode through a neighborhood getting renovations and rode right over some industrial staples, which found it's way through to the tube. I now learn to go around areas like that. :wink:
 
melodious said:
Probably already known, but worth a mention. Make sure you tire PSI is set more firm/higher so sharp objects get deflected away from the tire. Also, as much as the engineering into flat prevention goes into a tire, it's still not 100%. A week after purchasing Big Apples, I rode through a neighborhood getting renovations and rode right over some industrial staples, which found it's way through to the tube. I now learn to go around areas like that. :wink:
Click to expand...
A couple of years ago some nasty arse threw nails out onto the bikeway parallel to I-90 across Lake-Washington and a bunch of us rode right into them, so I know how you feel. Better is to add an additional layer, like Stop Flats 2 or Panaracer FlatAway. On top of that I dope the tube with Slime.

The tire I prefer is the dual-ply Hookworm made for DH. Unfortunately it is no longer available. Nearly all of my 2WD miles (except for last winter when I had studs) are on the same pair of Hookworms - and I'll still be getting another season out of them. The Big Apples just do not compare. I think once they go I'll have to move over to DOT-rated - like a Pirelli. Hmmm, now that I'm thinking about it... I better start planning :wink:

Other than the incident mentioned above - the last flat tire was about a month before on August 9th, 2012
Safe travels, KF
 
melodious said:
Probably already known, but worth a mention. Make sure you tire PSI is set more firm/higher so sharp objects get deflected away from the tire.
Click to expand...

I find that high pressures make it more likely that glass or metal pieces will penetrate into the tire and get picked up, where a soft tire doesn't push as hard and rolls unaffected over some stuff that might otherwise become a problem. I've even had railroad ballast rocks tear through my tire because it was inflated very hard, when at a lower pressure it pretty clearly would have rolled over without harm.

On the other hand, goatheads get picked up whenever they get touched, so the narrower contact patch of a hard tire probably improves your odds of avoiding those. And fat tires inflated to full pressure almost never get pinch flats.

I used to use the highest pressures I thought I could get away with, but between my tastes changing and relatively fast fat street tires becoming better and more widely available, lately I often use the lowest pressures I think I can get away with. My 29 x 2.35" Big Apples I set as low as 22psi front/29 rear, and my 26 x 3.0" Kenda Kraze slicks I set as low as 15psi front/18 rear. I never pump the Big Apples higher than 40psi anymore, even when I want to maximize efficiency. I suffer fewer punctures per mile now than ever-- but there are surely a lot of factors involved, including dumb luck.
 
I gotto agree, Chalo and all. I recently went back to 16" (305 the real thing) because my 20" fronts were falling apart. Maybe narrow Bitex hubs are, well, too narrow for a 300+# trike. Anyhoo I am about to put a Walmart 16" white (gulp) tire opposite my 16" Big Apple and see if it makes a diff.
Contrary to popular belief the 16" tires ride better than the 20". They also lower the C/G 2" which saved me recently during one of my "off road excursions". I thought I was going over but Not, I stayed upright. Low tire pressures seem to really help the ride and, of course, lower C/G helps everyone. I use about 30 psi on my 16"' fronts.
 
Had two flats yesterday on my way to work, but keeping the same tires so I can't test those new ones. :x Got new tubes at LBS. The guy at the tire store offered to put nitrogen in for me next week. Hope this works to keep the pressure up. Both tubes were over 3 years old. I guess I'll take a chance and be the guinea pig to see if the nitrogen helps.
 
Ykick said:
It's often tough to tell if you'll have clearance issues with wide 2.25-2.5" tires. Recently, I wished to install a 2.4" Cyclops on my newest Cannondale V900 - I already use that tire on my other V900 but the swingarm is slightly different. The result is that the Cyclops will fit one bike but not the other. Luckily, I had 2.3" wide Panaracer UfDa handy and it just clears the slightly narrower swingarm.
Click to expand...

I'm on the fence about ordering a set of Cyclops or a set of 26x2.00 RibMos as the clearance may be to tight depending on how big the Cyclops are really. How do you like the UfDa? How much smaller is the UfDa? If you don't mind, could you measure the Cyclops or UfDa width as well as the rim width it is mounted on and post it?
 
I rode the Panaracer Uff Da for a while. It's a solid tire and wears well. It's 2.3" compared to Cyclops 2.4". I wouldn't hesitate using them again.
 
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