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Get Fit, Stay Fit, Feel Good - 2026

Wait, I though I had the fastest set of Connies available? WFT are those!! :laughing

Sry, you are giving up ~1w at 18mph. These are what Tadej runs. šŸ˜…

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Here’s the same chart w OG Gatorskins added. Tires matter A LOT.

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For reference, on flat ground with my gravel tires it takes me ~170w to do 18mph. I suspect that’ll be ~155w with the fast Contis or 9% less. With slow tires, itd take ~200w or 17% more. Those are big percentages. Fast tires are worth 18mon of training 🤪
 
Robert, when I scrolled down to see your pic with the road tires the first words that popped into my head were, ā€œbut captain Dan, you ain’t got no legs!ā€
 
Just like motos and race cars, tire quality is king.

The tiny human horsepower output makes it even more critical to have fast gums.
i have a stock trek marlin 6 and the tires are getting worn down, does that mean that it gets more efficient as it becomes more 'slick'? What psi should i pump these bad boys to?
 
Mike, you should look into the Schwalbe G1 RS gravel tires. If you want a fast tire that’ll be your huckleberry.
I have those on PeeBee up in Oregon.

LOVE them.

I stopped by Box Dog today and scheduled a tune up for Schmoopsie. :)
 
i have a stock trek marlin 6 and the tires are getting worn down, does that mean that it gets more efficient as it becomes more 'slick'? What psi should i pump these bad boys to?

Maybe a tiny bit. The rolling resistance of the tire is mostly caused by its construction and the materials used. The knob size and shape have a smaller effect on RR, in part because fast MTB tires already don’t have big chunky knobs. The tire could get more aerodynamic as it wears. But you ā€œcan’t see aeroā€ so there’s no rule of thumb.

Tire pressure is very dependent on rider weight and tire size. You can try this calculator. I generally run a little lower than it suggests, but some ppl run a little higher.
 
Here’s the same chart w OG Gatorskins added. Tires matter A LOT.

View attachment 588779

For reference, on flat ground with my gravel tires it takes me ~170w to do 18mph. I suspect that’ll be ~155w with the fast Contis or 9% less. With slow tires, itd take ~200w or 17% more. Those are big percentages. Fast tires are worth 18mon of training 🤪
Well, damn, I didn't realize my gaterskins were so outclassed!
I still prefer them as there are a ton of spines along my route so I need the puncture resistant tires over faster.
 
Well, damn, I didn't realize my gaterskins were so outclassed!
I still prefer them as there are a ton of spines along my route so I need the puncture resistant tires over faster.
They also have a glorious ride. As soon as the tires on Schmoopsie are toast I’m getting gator skins again. I’m just having fun, not racing.
 
Maybe a tiny bit. The rolling resistance of the tire is mostly caused by its construction and the materials used. The knob size and shape have a smaller effect on RR, in part because fast MTB tires already don’t have big chunky knobs. The tire could get more aerodynamic as it wears. But you ā€œcan’t see aeroā€ so there’s no rule of thumb.

Tire pressure is very dependent on rider weight and tire size. You can try this calculator. I generally run a little lower than it suggests, but some ppl run a little higher.
it is coming up with 65/70 or so, wow that is a lot more than the 30-40 i usually set them to
 
They also have a glorious ride. As soon as the tires on Schmoopsie are toast I’m getting gator skins again. I’m just having fun, not racing.
This is perfect. When you are ready to do longer rides (2-3X whatever distance you are currently doing) consider using more efficient tires. I look at better gear as the bridge you use to cross into places you haven't been able to reach yet. You build the bridge (buy expensive tires and set em up fast) then you do the work (riding) to get yourself as high up fitness mountain as you want to go.

IHMO, your doing great if you are being consistent and having fun doing it. When "fun" means pushing out further, please think about treating yourself to some excellent tires. You will have earned them!
 
That doesn’t sound right for a MTB tire. Make sure you didn’t put your weight in lbs when it’s asking for kg.

I run my 2.4ā€ MTB tires at 16/19psi
ooh, i had left it at 'road' but i guess it should be one of the mtb options :thumbup glad i didn't go and try and blast 70psi in there :laughing
 
That doesn’t sound right for a MTB tire. Make sure you didn’t put your weight in lbs when it’s asking for kg.

I run my 2.4ā€ MTB tires at 16/19psi
Slight tangent, do you have a gauge or portable electric inflator you recommend? My ability to accurately measure my tire pressure at home and on a ride is a bit sketchier than my high dollar tires would like /shame
 
Well, damn, I didn't realize my gaterskins were so outclassed!
I still prefer them as there are a ton of spines along my route so I need the puncture resistant tires over faster.

Ya if you are still using tubes, they are still a reasonable option.

The Pirelli Cinturato Velo is the new hotness for puncture resistance. It’s more puncture resistant, more grippy, and faster than the Gatorskin. This website does a puncture test. Fast tires score in the 30s. The Gatorskin scored 89. The Cinturato scored 116.

The best way to combat goat head spikes is tubeless tires. But it’s not feasible for everyone on every bike.
 
This is perfect. When you are ready to do longer rides (2-3X whatever distance you are currently doing) consider using more efficient tires. I look at better gear as the bridge you use to cross into places you haven't been able to reach yet. You build the bridge (buy expensive tires and set em up fast) then you do the work (riding) to get yourself as high up fitness mountain as you want to go.

IHMO, you’re doing great if you are being consistent and having fun doing it. When "fun" means pushing out further, please think about treating yourself to some excellent tires. You will have earned them!
I bought a city bike so I wouldn’t have to stop riding. It’s allowed me to ride almost 78 miles since I bought it that I wouldn’t have been able to ride without it. I’m at 144 miles for the month and happy about it because that’s more than I rode all last year. (It’s got Schwalbe Marathons on it.)

PeeBee up in Oregon was a game changer. Lighter. More gears. I immediately started ramping up. Now @stangmx13 is talking to me about grand fondos and I’m like, I can do that! My goal next trip here is to get over the GGB and back (without taking the ferry!) and to achieve a 30 mile ride.
 
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