Tires Tires for friction drive

[f3if3i]

Currently I'm awaiting my bmp and eho35 engine kit to arrive and in the mean time i like to get the right tire for my bike which right now has a lot of tread (I read it doesn't work well with FD)

I have already search the forum on this but just like some advice because buying these tires at a very low price on ebay and Im thinking its way too good to be true?

On biketiresdirect the kenda K847 tires are like $17 for one but this guy on ebay is selling one for like $9

http://cgi.ebay.com/MOUNTAIN- BIKE-MTB-CITY-ROAD-TIRE-F-R-BICYCLE-26-x-1-95-/290418911284?pt=Cycling_Parts_Accessories&hash=item439e50e834

Should I go ahead and buy it? I'm just thinking why its so cheap since I have a mindset you get what you pay for you know...

 

[Porkchop]

Just got to Walmart, K-Mart, your local bike shop etc. Any road tire with a pretty smooth tread should be sufficient. I’m sure some name brands are better than others, but I have a Bell tire (from Walmart) on my bike and have had no issues with it. You’ll figure out how much pressure to put in the tire and how much pressure between the drive roller and the tire. Just keep an eye on the tire for wear and thin spots. Should not be a big deal.

 

[Richard H.]

That seller is charging $9 for the tire and $17 for the shipping, lol. Probably how he makes up the low price, too many on fleabay do that.

Here's that tire for 9.99 and 6.50 shipping:

http://www.amazon.com/Kenda-Kross-P...68MWQU&s=sporting-goods&qid=1285366830&sr=1-2

I've bought a ton of tires from this vendor and would highly recommend them.

BTW, you sure you want a cross tire tire?

 

[Esteban]

A very good tire for friction drive .

http://www.amazon.com/Geax-Street-Runner-26x1-6-Tire/dp/B0011YFAKO

 

[pbeggs]

i used that same exact tire on my friction drive it has 1500 miles on it with no issues,.... i always ran the max for air pressure.

 

[loquin]

Generally, for bike tires on asphalt, the slicker the better. (Tread is worse than useless for bike tires.)

For a wider tire, the Innova Swiftor is very nice - it has a very 'grippy,' smooth ride. It corners well, and continues to grip smoothly no matter how far you lean in a turn. It also seems to have low rolling friction; I can get another MPH or two more speed from it. (1st photo, below.) And, it's low-cost.

It IS a soft rubber though, and can be susceptible to thorns, so a good liner is recommended.

I'm currently running the Continental Town & Country, and like it a lot, too.

It's a harder rubber, and more resistant to thorns. With the continuous strip of treadless rubber in the center of the tire, it also is smooth running. But, it doesn't corner as well as the Innova (you can feel the gaps in the tread when cornering,) and it doesn't grip as well. It could be run off-road though, with it's inverted tread. (2nd photo.) However, it IS more expensive.

The Kenda's you mention (third photo) would be fine on the straight-away, but if you corner hard on the street, you're more likely to lose control... (I hate it when I leave those skin-colored skid marks...)

 

[Slackbiker]

I use those Kendas on tour, though i never corner hard. I also put a lot of miles on non-asphalt roads and shoulders, so i like that they are a bit knobby on the edges.

 

[Whizzerd]

Good tubes are important too. The thorn resistant tubes are thick and seem to hold up well. Slime tubes are pretty much worthless at sealing a puncture is my experience.

 

[Esteban]

One tip.
Learn to ride a friction drive bike, correctly. Trying to " hotrod it, revving, fast starts, etc., etc. is NOT the way to go. People will tell you that a friction drive " eats " the tires. If you ride it like mentioned above, yes, it will. " It won't,,,, if you don't ! "
I like to say " feathering " the throttle. Easing up to speed , no revving while the drive roller is sitting on the tire, a little extra pedalling here & there , & you will see it works much better.

 

[Whizzerd]

AMEN, Esteban! You got that right on! Roller alignment is important too. Easily acheived when installing the unit. This other myth of 'useless when wet' is one I don't get. A LITTLE more pressure into the tire if roller is properly aligned, proper tire pressure, perhaps an additional 1/8-3/16" and getting caught in the rain wasn't a problem for me. In fact I was WOT for over a mile since it was lightning fairly close. No slippage on the BMP, only the front v-brakes. It was a driving, pouring rain.