Question about road tyres for MTB

[RobynE]

My cousin did the 94.7 road race on her MTB, and finished. Bloody well done considering it was eleventy hundred degrees, she’s been cycling for less than a year, and did it on on her Rockhopper with Spez Ground Control without changing anything about how she runs the bike for MTB 😯 

 

She only has one bike and will only have one bike, but has entered for the Argus and will probably do Race to the Sun and others. 
 

Is it simply a matter of getting a second set of wheels and road-ish tyres? 
 

I guess my question is:

 

Do we look for a set of 29” wheels and fit specific 29” semi-slick type tyres? Or 700c rims and gravel tyres? 
 

To train she has to leave our area via 2km of sometimes gnarly dirt road, so pure road tread isn’t going to work. 
 

Bike is 2x10 (SRAM XO). 
 

I have no clue about this and would appreciate some brainpower 😊 

 

I honestly couldn’t fathom doing a road race on my carbon XTC with Maxxis Ardent and Forekaster - for any road or gravel races I do it will be my hybrid bike with its 700c Cinturato Ms. 

[ChrisF]

29" and 700 is the same size.

 

You may be able to fit 30C up to 50C.

 

 

I am using 700C 50 on my hardtail for Argus 👍

[guidodg]

get some Pirelli Cinturato gravel H in a 45mm 

[RobertWhitehead]

If memory serves, I think she has the same config as this set: 

 

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/mountain-bike-wheels/685162/29er-wheelset but yeah, the easiest will be to get an additional set although bear in mind that you will have to get an additional 10 speed cassette as well 

[V18]

I went through this exercise when setting up my initial commuter. 

Skinny tyres are fast but puncture easy and and are tough to set up and keep tubeless. (all relative to mtb tyres). 

For my first commuter setup, I went with schwalbe g-one big balloon (29x2.35) tyres. At slightly more than mtb pressure, they roll insanely well. They keep tubeless seal and can be plugged without loosing too much pressure if there is a small puncture that won't seal. 

I only took them off as there was just too many goatheads and glass on my route. 

They have such low rolling resistance. You'll spin out on anything less than a 5 percent hill. 

Edited November 24, 2023 by V18

[NC_lurker]

1 hour ago, RobertWhitehead said:

If memory serves, I think she has the same config as this set: 

 

https://bikehub.co.za/classifieds/item/mountain-bike-wheels/685162/29er-wheelset but yeah, the easiest will be to get an additional set although bear in mind that you will have to get an additional 10 speed cassette as well 

The seller of those wheels also has some 37C gravel tyres, buy both and setup as tubeless and you're good to go. Then all you need to find is a road cassette.

[Zebra]

I did a bit of riding, HB around the Point and back to HB, on smoothish ‘road’ tyres on 2 different MTB’s (a 26’er and a 29’er), and the performance gains were MARKED.

Sometimes rode a gravel 2km stretch in the Reserve, and it was not too bad, but it was not ‘gnarly…

My 5c says IF she could ride the 2km with something road-biased, but a BIT of tread, she may love the experience!
 (I had 2 sets of inexpensive wheels, for the win).

Chris

 

Edited November 24, 2023 by Zebra
Wrong pic

[Super Sywurm]

https://www.sportsmanswarehouse.co.za/product/chaoyang-viper-700-x-35c-29-x-1-50-tyre/

[MORNE]

8 hours ago, guidodg said:

get some Pirelli Cinturato gravel H in a 45mm 

This or Panaracer 40-50c.

Pirelli are just much easier to set up tubeless (and look way nicer)

You can run them around 3bar or even less and they keep up with roadie groups in races (if your bike is geared properly of course) just fine.

i also rode a set of panaracers bold without ever puncturing them once. 
 

BUT.

its a mountainbike, ive ridden many a road event on 29x2.6 offroad rubber and have done so on the Cycle tour more than once.
Sure the rolling resistance makes a difference…but depending on how strong you are…gearing will hold you back the most. pump those mtb tires 3 bar and just ride.  You can only go so fast with a 32T ring up front anyway. Lots of people dont bother and ‘run what they brung’. A decent XC mtb tyre also rolls pretty good on tar. 
 

and i mean on a offroad tyre you can really piss them roadies off and pass them on the gravel shoulder 👀😅.

 

Edited November 25, 2023 by MORNE

[buckstopper]

Specialized pathfinders 42mm pumped to around 2 bar. Fast on tar but comfortable  if you ride where the tar is bumpy like at the cradle.  You could also go to road tyres but I wouldn't go less than 32 to 35mm. A good quality flexible tyre is worth an extra few rand. 

[Robbie Stewart]

As @MORNE says, I've done the Argus on 29 x 2.60 Spez Butcher and Eliminator rubber. No biggie. Of course, I was participating the the fun ride, not the race.