changing to a different tread tire

go for it, i'd avoid slicks though.... try something that you might find on a cross bike.. the tread is more of a cut-out than a knob, more or less they look like car tires, just a good bit narrower.... these tires should increase speed/ease of riding as well as reducing noise🙂

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by xxguitarist
go for it, i'd avoid slicks though....

Why??😕

rain/sand+slicks= questionable traction
i'm referring to completely bald tires..think specialized makes/made some, the others just seem safer to me in real-world conditions

If you only ride on paved surfaces or city streets, the standard knobblies you get on an mtb generally have unnecessarily high rolling resistance. You wouldn't want to use completely treadless slicks because they can skid easily on painted lines on the road in the wet, but I've never seen completely treadless slicks for mtb size wheels. A tyre like Schwalbe's Big Apple (http://www.schwalbe.com/index.pl?bereich=produkte&einsatzbereich=3&produktgruppe=19&produkt=116#) is fairly fast, has decent puncture resistance and won't break the bank. They take about 80psi (as opposed to around 40ish for most knobblies) so the ride will be harder, but of course this will be more or less relevant depending on the quality of roads you ride on and the suspension your mtb has (if any).

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by xxguitarist
rain/sand+slicks= questionable traction
i'm referring to completely bald tires..think specialized makes/made some, the others just seem safer to me in real-world conditions

and road tires are what?? especially they are a bit worn.

Sheldon Brown has a whole section discussing why bikes don't hydroplane ... and therefore, bald is beautiful!!!

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/tires.html

oh, yeah ... and fast.

What a great tip. On Sheldon Brown's site:

"The bending of knobs can cause discontinuities in handling; the tire grips OK for mild cornering, but as cornering force exceeds some critical value, the knobs start to bend and the traction suddenly goes to Hell in a handbasket."

This explains why I wipe out so often on my mtn bike and have never had a cornering wipeout on my road bike yet. maybe bald tires for my mtn bike might be a good idea after all....that is, when i'm not in the woods

Thread does nothing on the streets,its the rubber compound.