Speaking of fire trails...

[Catrin]

I want to feel what it is like to ride on dirt trails, and am wondering if my touring tires on my LHT will take this. They are Continental CityContact 26 x 1.5 tires. There is certainly more tread than on my 700x28 tires on my Trek.

[Aggie_Ama]

Around here you can ride Cyclocross bikes on fire roads but they usually aren't slick tires. Depending on the composition (how big the rocks are, etc) it may be possible. I think if you have rails to trails you could do it but it is easier to have slightly knobby tires for traction.

[Catrin]

Around here you can ride Cyclocross bikes on fire roads but they usually aren't slick tires. Depending on the composition (how big the rocks are, etc) it may be possible. I think if you have rails to trails you could do it but it is easier to have slightly knobby tires for traction.

This was my assumption, I just wasn't sure how far to go with it. My LHT will take up to 2.25 inch tires, though I know I don't need to go that far. I guess that I need suggestions on 26-inch tires that I can use for basic fire-roads AND that I can use this winter (not for riding in 3-ft deep snow, just want something knobbier for general winter riding - I know I don't want slicks for that).

[Eden]

look for cyclocross tires to get something with a bit of grip. I used them for winter riding on a plain old Trek years ago.

As far as dirt roads go, as long as they aren't very loose or very steep, you probably don't particularly need knobbies for them. My husband and I did a little riding on forest service roads (which around here are mostly hard packed dirt with a bit of gravel) with our old sport/tourers with their regular tires. The biggest problem was probably being careful of not puncturing a tire on a sharp rock. Some tread will at least keep the littler rocks from damaging the tires. Even now I ride with an unrepentant crosser and it seems like at least 1/2 the rides have some short bit of off roading that even my race bike can handle....

[KnottedYet]

Take the bike to the fire trail you want to ride.

Ride the bike on the trail.

If you slide more than you like, or if you get some flats; get beefier tires for that trail.

If you have no problem, then your sturdy Continentals are just fine for that particular dirt.

(Trek420 rode that same bike on those same tires on a dirt and gravel trail as part of a long and glorious test ride a couple years back. Don't recall her having a single complaint. She also rode off a curb or two. No problem. I have very similar Continentals that are only 23mm wide on one of my bikes, and they handle gravel and dirt fine.)

You won't know until you RIDE.

More riding, less worrying.

[Catrin]

...

More riding, less worrying.

Indeed, very sage advice