Mountain bikers sometimes like to veer off the trail and use their knobby-treaded machines for other uses, such as commuting on roads or taking a long bike trip. They like the comfort their mountain bike provides in terms of stability and shock absorption. But one thing many choose to do when they make this switch is to remove their mountain bike tires and replace them with road bike tires.
Step 1
Purchase smooth road tires that will fit your mountain bike wheel rims, which are wider than normal road bike tires. Most mountain bike tires are 26 inches round and about 1.5 inches wide. The new tires can be narrower than your existing mountain bike tires, but they will still be wider than the tires on a regular road bike. Smooth mountain bike tires are often called "slicks," even though most have some tread on them.
Step 2
Remove both tires from your mountain bike. Deflate your old mountain bike tires as much as possible by sticking the hook of your tire lever on the center pin of the tire valve and releasing all the air.
Step 3
Remove your old mountain bike tires with the tire levers, being careful not to pinch the tube inside. Insert the curved end of one lever under the bead (outer edge) of the tire and slowly press down until you can hook the other end of the lever into a spoke. Take a second lever and insert its curved end under the tire bead at a spot about four inches from the first lever. Slowly work the bead of the tire loose by gently sliding the levers away from each other.
Step 4
Remove the tube from your old tire and inflate it slightly. Set it aside. Position one side of the new tire inside the rim of the wheel, leaving the other wall outside the rim.
Step 5
Slip the valve stem through the valve hole of the wheel and slowly work your way around the wheel, tucking the tube from your old tire into the new tire. Once it's inside, press the outside bead of the new tire into the wheel rim, using just your fingers so you can avoid pinching the tube and poking a hole in it.
Step 6
Slowly inflate the tube, making sure the new tire is properly seated in the rim. Look for bulges or flat spots; if you spot one, deflate the tire and reseat it. Inflate the tire to its full pressure. Repeat the previous steps on the second tire.
Tips and Warnings
- Bring your wheel with you when purchasing slicks to make sure you get the right size. Usually you can reinflate the tire before putting it back on the bike, but some brakes require that the tire be deflated before the wheel can be put on.
- Mountain bikes are not as much fun to ride on pavement as they are on trails, even with slick tires. They tend to be slower and the suspension makes them less efficient.
Things You'll Need
- Pump
- Tire levers
- 2 high-pressure, smooth-tread tires
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