| Mountain bike tires and what they are made to do, | | | | This is what distinguishes such a bike from a road |
| basically, is allow a rider of a bike to take on the | | | | bike, which is completely unable to be ridden with any |
| roughest of trails and environments that a person | | | | confidence on mountain-bike trails or technical |
| riding a well-built mountain-bike might envision taking | | | | singletrack. In fact, it would be a very foolish road |
| on. These tires are much different looking in terms of | | | | cyclist indeed who attempted to go out for a ride on |
| tread, weight and width than classic road bike tires | | | | the trails using his very light and very |
| and they aren't interchangeable with a road bike | | | | unsuited-to-the-trails road bike. Mountain bikes are |
| wheel and tire set. | | | | able to handle such environments with relative ease. |
| Really, the two bicycles (road bike and mountain | | | | Part of what gives the mountain-bike its ability to |
| bike) are similar only in that they are two-wheeled | | | | climb like a mountain goat and descend like that same |
| bicycles. After that, their missions diverge and they | | | | goat are a good set of mountain bike tires. Most |
| are ridden using different styles and for different | | | | quality tires that go onto mountain-bike wheels are |
| purposes. Practically everyone of a certain age can | | | | made of better quality rubber, have a number of |
| remember growing up with a so-called "10 speed" | | | | layers -- or plies -- and also have treads that can |
| bicycle with two chain rings up front and five cogs, | | | | resemble what one might see on a monster truck or |
| or sprockets, in the back. | | | | a serious 4x4. |
| A mountain bike, though, is a far sturdier-looking | | | | These kinds of tires are usually more flat-resistant |
| machine, and may have as many as three chain rings | | | | than road bike tires, most of which are fairly easily |
| up front and 10 cogs or sprockets in the back. This | | | | penetrated by pieces of glass or other items on the |
| extreme gearing is what helps to enable a cyclist | | | | road. Mountain bike tires are able to power through |
| riding such a bike to get up and then down any | | | | sharp rocks, severe dips and drop-offs on the trail |
| number of very steep and very technically difficult | | | | and come out the other end still inflated and ready to |
| mountain trails. That environment is completely | | | | take more abuse. This is as long as they are properly |
| unwelcoming to a typical road bike. | | | | inflated, so keep that in mind. |
| Road bikes are still popular these days but the | | | | Remember that road bikes belong on the road -- and |
| number of mountain bikes -- many of which are | | | | shouldn't be ridden on the trails -- but that mountain |
| never even put onto a classic mountain-bike trail or | | | | bikes can be ridden on the roads and generally rule |
| even ridden off-road -- are far greater around the | | | | the trails. And while a mountain bike might not be the |
| country. This is because a mountain bike, even with | | | | most efficient type of bicycle to pedal on the road it |
| its typical fat, knobby mountain bike tires, can be | | | | can still do it, which is actually where most people |
| ridden on the road or on the trail. | | | | who buy mountain bikes really usually ride them. |