MTB Based Slick Tyred couriers

[velomaniac]

Back in 1995 I was walking down Princes Street in Edinburgh and U-locked to a railing was a rigid mtb with narrow totally slick 26er tyres obviously belonging to a cycle messenger/courier. Wow I thought that looks very cool, I want one

So after scouring the bike shops I found some Nokian 1.5" wide slick 26er tyres. I fitted them to my black Townsend (I was young and foolish) and hit the roads. That was amazing, bead to bead traction, super acceleration due to low gears and great brakes, the ultimate city bike.
Later I fitted Specialized fatboy 1.25" totally slick tyres to my alloy Saracen Dirttrax, that was even more amazing right up to the moment I hit spilt deisel entering a roundabout :x

Now courier style bikes are commonplace such as Edinburgh Bikes Revolution Courier or Canondales Badboy (nice). I however dont have one and that has to change as afterall Retrobike is about nostalgia. I feel another build coming on

Anybody else go this route now or BITD ?

 

[doctor-bond]

Ran my Stumpjumper on 1" slicks as a commuter at University in the mid 90s: you're right about the speed and acceleration, and I have a soft spot for the outrageous looks of a small & skinny wheeled urban mtb.

I've got a hazy plan revolving round getting one of those way-light True Temper or Genius frames like a KHS, Fuji or Peugeot and then going skinny dipping. 19 or 20lbs should be easy.

 

[Tad]

I've got some Hutchinson 1" slicks somewhere.

Lethal things, no tread on them what so ever.

 

[velomaniac]

Hutchinson 1" slicks, aaah I remember them well and had a pair, they were in retrospect taking the idea too far. Too narrow for my rims and required too much air pressure for my then pump. Mine had blue sidewalls and gave a very harsh ride, very suspect handling in the wet :roll: I'll stick to 1.25" as my optimum and Fatboys as my preference which I'm pleased to see are still available

 

[doctor-bond]

I think I used Specializeds. Hariest moment was when, coming down a long steep hill, I got a hideous wheel shimmy ("tank slaper") and only just managed to stay on (fast, steep and terrifying: getting some bodyweight further forward seemed to calm it).

Back home, I checked the front wheel and it was marginally out of true: I'm no scientist, but I'm inclined t think that the shimmy was worsened due to low centrifugal force created by the small light tyre. Still fun though.

 

[velomaniac]

I will confess many of my best crashes (ones I've walked away from pumped full of adrenaline) were on slick tyred mtbs. Deisel on roundabout was 30mph to standstill on my side, still have the scars. Slid out on dusty tarmac corners and very wet roads as well. Despite this I keep getting back on, very addictive form of cycling

 

[michael franks]

I had some Maxxis Xeniths 1.5" which were OK but could provide some 'interesting' moments in the wet. Things got safer with a lower pressure.

 

[feetabix]

I do loads of road riding on 1.25 slick tyres mtbs......I love the combo of punchy efficiency with the seating position, gearing and general coolness of a mountain bike........cruising the country lanes on a nice set of bar ends is a pleasure!......

 

[Jimmy oldskool]

I'm just about to go this route with one of my current builds.

Building a 2004 Marin Palisades trail into a Cannondale Bad Boy esque redway/tow path cruiser!

Still a bit twitchy about going full slick though! :?

 

[feetabix]

I don't do too much in the wet but a road bike is less predictable than a slick shod mtb.......on a dry road a knobbed tyre is worse than a slick......try it!....