Total old/noob questions...

[tjd1960s]

I'm having the local bike shop do some work on an older '87 Fuji rigid Mtn/Hybrid bike. It's my first time back into the bike world in many many years. I'm leaving it as an 18 speed due to the varied elevations I'll have to ride on, plus the gearing will help me since it's been so long since I've ridden anything. I've changed the ride style with a decent comfort seat, North Road bars, and I'm planning new tires. I see lots written on the newer fatter sizes and I see more and more being used 2" and above. I am not really sure those are for me. I want form and functional-function. I'm needing to keep more active now that I'm approaching 60 and fresh back into the saddle, so I don't want a harder to pedal slow old beast (like me). I also don't want anything close to a road bike, even though I will be primarily plodding along the roadways around town. I've got Araya 26x1.50 rims. I went ahead and ordered the Mich. Country Rock 26 x 1.75's. This I did because of seeing pretty good reviews, they're not too spendy, they seem to hold a decent amount PSI-wise, tread type matches where I'll ride them, and I thought they looked good size wise.

Seems the shop is having a problem getting them in. He will, but there's a delay. This has been a bad thing for me... Now I'm second guessing my research... seeing fatter stuff... and wondering if I've made a mistake with the Michelins. I guess my perception of the fatter sizes is that they may be harder to pedal and slower rolling. Considering the bike I'm fixing up, have I made a bad choice? The bigger tire thing has really got me scratching my head. To my knowledge, these choices were just not around when I was last riding. Help?

 

[RustyGold]

I have a MonoCog that I usually have Nevegal 2.2" tires that I run around 45-50psi. I currently have 700c 35s at 75psi on it. I can tell you that I don't feel that the somewhat decreased rolling resistance is worth the beating I get from the rock hard street/gravel tires on pavement. The various road cracks, drops...and, please help me no, potholes are nothing with the Nevegals on...painful with the 35s. So, for comfort, wide and soft are better.

Have fun,
Jason

...oh, and welcome to the forums!

 

[Fv2]

I guess my answer to your question is it depends on what you're looking for in a ride.
I understand the worry about rolling resistance, but I don't think you'll notice much difference between a 1.75 and a 2.0 or even 2.25.
With the bigger tire you can adjust air pressure to add a suspension like feel, so you don't feel every bump in the road. With the skinnier tire you might seem to go faster, but you're gonna feel the ride.

 

[horsefarmer]

I built a hard tail Klunker out of various bits and pieces including front suspension fork, 26" wheels and tires from a Schwinn mountain bike.
http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/orbo-heavy-duti-rocket.96626/

My real world riding is mostly on road with some pretty rough pavement and some gravel. After riding around the completed bike for a few months, I changed out the original knobbies for Duro Beach Bum tires in 26 x 2.215 size.
http://www.niagaracycle.com/categories/duro-db-1012-beach-bum-tire-26-x-2-215-wire-bead-black-wall

What a difference! I just roll over everything and the suspension effect @ 40 psi is great! best thing is loosing the knobbies also got rid of lots of vibration and buzzing noises.

Used to sound like a bunch of bees were behind me. Now just smooth and quiet!

 

[OddJob]

I built a hard tail Klunker out of various bits and pieces including front suspension fork, 26" wheels and tires from a Schwinn mountain bike.
http://ratrodbikes.com/forum/index.php?threads/orbo-heavy-duti-rocket.96626/

My real world riding is mostly on road with some pretty rough pavement and some gravel. After riding around the completed bike for a few months, I changed out the original knobbies for Duro Beach Bum tires in 26 x 2.215 size.
http://www.niagaracycle.com/categories/duro-db-1012-beach-bum-tire-26-x-2-215-wire-bead-black-wall

What a difference! I just roll over everything and the suspension effect @ 40 psi is great! best thing is loosing the knobbies also got rid of lots of vibration and buzzing noises.

Used to sound like a bunch of bees were behind me. Now just smooth and quiet!

Most suv's don't run full-on off-road tires, and for good reason! A good deeply siped highway tread is better riding, and will provide plenty of traction (unless you are rock crawling or mudding) in most every situation. Same applies to the bicycle. For a number of years now, the go-to tread for mountain bikes is a low-profile, small knobbed tire that has a flexible sidewall, grippy tread, and low rolling resistance. A far cry from the John Tomac autographed "Farmer John" tractor tires we used to run in the '80s!

Tomac Farmer John

Today's Tomac signature....Smallblock 8 tire...

 

[tjd1960s]

Thanks for the replies (very much).... The wait for the Mich tires was just too much (also weird), so I drove down to the shop and had them show me everything in stock that was a good fit for what I have planned for the bike. I liked the Kendas that AZMATHYS's Campground Cruiser is sporting in the build-off. The LBS had them in 26x1.95, so that's what I told them to mount. I see this bike becoming a fishing buddy, and it's mostly roads and then paths to where I'll park it. These should work fine. And when I'm just out on the paved road for fitness (fitness large pizza to go on my rear rack ) they should also be cool.