So I have a Mtn bike and I recently started to use it as an everyday commuter and not just a trail bike and I kinda want to grab better suited tires for a city enviroment since I currently have soft rubber knobby tires made for dirt and trails (also I have had three flats in the last week, 2 within an hour of each other).. So the other day I went to a bike shop to grab replacement tubes because they were trashed and the guy working there said it may be a good idea to change the tire to a street tire and it may help reduce flats.. After talking to my brother quite a bit I think it's not a necessary thing to do but I also wouldn't mind getting something easier to get around on and low PSI knobby ass tires make you work for it.. So I started to look around and found a few and was wonder if anyone had anything to say about any of them, These two are the main ones I am looking at

Forté Gotham Road and MTB Tires
These caught my eye because they still have tread (inverted) so they won't likely be too bad on wet terrain or loose ground but also not knobby and a higher PSI (70) to make it easier on me to get around..

Ritchey Tom Slick
These are the ones my brother used when he borrowed my bike for a while and has since been using them on his own bike.. He loves them and says they are great tires.. They have some form of tread but I think for something like sand covered pavement they won't help much at all.. The PSI is high (100) which should make it ALOT easier to get around town on..

Both these are very cheap from Performance at the moment (Gotham for $9.99 & Tom for $14.99) which is good because I am rather poor as hell at the moment, and as much as I wouldn't mind spending more on tires I just have to do this on the cheap end for now.. Now I had either thought about getting a set of either or maybe throwing the Tom Slick on the read and Gotham on the front... Has anyone had much experience with either of these tires or companies? (I think Forte is Performances house brand?) Also if anyone else has a good recommendation on a good city tire that has low rolling resistance and good puncture resistance but also would run me around or less then $20 that could also work.. BTW my rims are 26" x 1.50 so I need something close enough to fit that..

I'm riding on Ritchy tires right now and I dig them as a good compromise -- they suit me fine for riding daily on streets plus every weekend on the trail. The thing about knobbies on the road is that they give less surface contact, so it won't be hard to wipe out on slick asphalt next time you corner in the rain. Generally, the smoother the tire, the better for the street (since it increases surface-area in contact).

As for the flats, you might consider lining your tires with old (dumpstered) inner-tubes for an extra layer of protection. Some people like to put talcum powder in their tires too, because it eliminates friction to stop pinch-flats.

i have maxxis tires and love them......

Posted by Reverend Hearse i have maxxis tires and love them......

Me too, on my road bike. They can easily take 130psi.

what kind of Maxxis tires do you two have? I was looking at the Xenith personally although the PSI on them seems insanely low (65psi)...

For commuting you really cannot beat the flat-proofity of the Specialized Armadillos. They run a bit more (about $45) but are all but flat proof. I'm an assistant manager at Rochester's largest bicycle store and have heard nothing but rave reviews on them. They actually have a kevlar casing in them!



If you can't quite spring for em, try out some Serfas Drifters. At about $25 they are the next best thing as far as flat protection is concerned.