Best Tires for Bike

[Elliot]

Is it really all that bad to have a bike with "skinny tires" on the Playa?

Yes. Smooth good. Skinny bad. Buy a cheap cruiser.

[gyre]

There are wider tires for road bikes.
Even some specialty widths.

I modified mine for the street before i ever got on it, but wider is better.

[SnowBlind]

I would think fat tires are better too, but I've had two friends use road bikes with super skinny tires on the playa, and they were OK with it. Just as an alternate data point.

[Eric]

I would think fat tires are better too, but I've had two friends use road bikes with super skinny tires on the playa, and they were OK with it. Just as an alternate data point.

Skinny tires on soft playa make your bike just about useless. I had them one year and almost spilled every time I hit a dune. This year my wide-ish tires probably aren't wide enough so I'm trying to come up with some alternatives on the cheap. Plan for riding on a beach made of talcum powder...

[BBadger]

Damn mountain bike tires didn't do squat in the dunes. Where do people get those extremely fat tires?

[gyre]

Surly has the widest, though there are some smaller ones for standard bikes.

You can aim for the puddles with the big Surlys.
I've tried it.

Most mountain bikes can use the Surly front fork and wheel.
Adapting the rear wheel is more work.


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[FeetOfClay]

Smooth good. Skinny bad.

Honey, don't I know it! That's why I stay oh-so-smooth, and definitely-not-skinny!

Just kiddin. Skinny girls are cool too. No hatin' here. Just couldn't resist. Isn't there are rule that all threads must drift at least a little after about 5 or 6 posts?

[theCryptofishist]

You're talking about the alternative TOS. Problem is those rules are only available completely and consistently to those eplayans who are also members of the illuminati. We don't know who the illuminaty on this board are (although I suspect Simon and dragonpilot are on the list). The rest of us must piece these together from hints, fragments, revelatory dreams, sig lines, and cereal packets. So, I htink you're right, but cannot give you a definitive answer.

[FeetOfClay]

thanks for all the bike tips: i am borrowing a cruiser bike from my mom (she knows and accepts that the playa will kill it),
so i will be riding in style with wide tires and a comfy seat

[gyre]

Clean and lube it and it will be fine.

[cpart]

My bike has a soft seat with a groove cut out the center for comfort.

I find that a harder seat is less of a pain in the ass.

[daft]

bring a pump so when soft you let air out and when you go hard u pump it up. Follow the paths of motorized vehicles and let them compress it for you.

[bluesbob]

I have an aluminum-framed Electra cruiser. The tires aren't knobbies, just slicks. It gliiiiiiiides across the playa. Love it.

[Nipple]

If I had the cash to just dole out, I would get some Surly clown shoe rims (100MM wide!) and mount from Big Fat Larry (4.7" wide!) tires on them. They do require a LOT of clearance in the fork and chainstay.

Here's a picture of a bunch of them built up on Surly "Moonlander" frames:


I ride a unicycle out there with a Larry tire (a sad mere 4" wide) and it is the perfect mix of smooth/tred for the playa.

Also, that tire can go down to a 5psi. Like riding on a big gooey dream.