Freedom ThickSlick tires.

[ihategeeks]

http://shop.freedombicycle.com/thickslick.html

I have the 26 in 2.0 tire.

Unexpectedly, the spokes on my 9c were lose , all of them. I was running the stock knob tire on my diamondback and decided that while I had the wheel off to tighten spokes I should switch to a highly durable road tire.
So I went to my friendly neighborhood bikerman, and picked up one of these, along with thicker rim tape and an massively puncture resistance inner tube. (also, after dis assembly/ reassembly I understand why everyone hates flats now)
It is very thick and hard in the contact surface, and not as thick in the sidewall. There is slick, and then there is nothing, I'd classify this as nothing, completely smooth. I thought it was an airless inner tube at first look.
My primary concerns were traction and ride quality. I have not ridden it in wet conditions, but on dry pavement I felt like I had more grip than my mountain knobbies. It also rolls more effortlessly and absorbs the shock of bumps more effectively (that might also be the new inner tube though). A major improvement over the stock tire. My concern for holes in the road has gone from mortal fear to mild annoyance. It is hard to describe. but the bike just rolls smoother, it rides more like it belongs on the road and less like some cobbled together Frankenstein. I'm thinking I should get a matching one up front too.

 

[Ykick]

Nice, looks like something more for road bikes but certainly big improvement over knobbies on pavement.

Many of us using 26" wheels prefer some form of 2.25-2.5" wide "urban assault" smooth tread and 2.5mm thick tubes. Hookworms, CST Cyclops, Panaracer UfDa, etc.

But if I were building an eRoadie I'd defintitely give these a long, hard look.

 

[bowlofsalad]

Slicks do ride smoother than ' knob tires'. But aside from that, your concerns for riding in the rain, especially compared to knob tires, are the opposite. Knob tires have less surface area to grip flat surfaces with, and they roll more slowly (higher rolling resistance), they are great for digging through sand and other loose surfaces, but not so great on other surfaces. If you ride on primarily flat roads, I'd use slicks.