# Dirt Jump tires for touring



## bignose (Sep 15, 2005)

I have a Long haul trucker with 26 inch wheels.

I'm trying to source some tires that roll pretty nice on pavement, but that also work well when I venture onto single track and logging roads. 

Ideally I want a pair of Schwalbe marathon extremes, but they're harder to find where I live.

So I was considering dirt jumping tires. They seem to have a lot of air volume, somewhat of a tred patter, but also quite smoothish.

Has anyone considered/tried this out?



Something liek this










Or


----------



## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

what about hookworms?


----------



## dustyrider (Aug 10, 2007)

Riding on dirt jumps is very much like riding the road, in that they both have consistently packed, smooth surfaces. If the single track and logging roads you wish to venture onto share this quality, then you may be onto something. 

I think if I were to ride from hardpack to soft terrain on the same bike, I would want a tire with some "knobbies" on the edges and a smooth surface up the middle. At the very least a tire that fits this description on the front. I could then follow along with the idea of a small block pattern like your looking at in the rear. If your doing high speed down hill on the road you may have just wasted a minute of your time reading. I'm sure there will be other insights despite your lack of (cough) wheel size (cough).


----------



## Plum (Mar 27, 2005)

If it were me, I'd order the schwalbe marathons online somewhere, my wife is using 1.50 marathon extremes, good rolling tires with some decent traction for dirt roading or even singletrack. Limited volume will keep your speeds down in rocky sections for fear of pinch flats, but knowing that going in (and being on a road/gravel road based tour) you'd be set..

Plum


----------



## bignose (Sep 15, 2005)

Almost 200 bucks later I have the Schwalbe Marathon Extreme's on. Time to test em out.


----------



## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

Panaracer Paselas are surprisingly competent on packed dirt and compacted gravel. Also cheap.


----------



## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=56874


----------



## 9.8m/s/s (May 7, 2006)

I'm coming in very late on this, but dirt jump tires may not be the best bet. If you've never dirt jumped, the main goal is to conserve momentum. To that end the tires are built extremely heavy so they keep as much of the speed they gain rolling down backsides on the way back up. Not the best for long climbs.


----------



## bignose (Sep 15, 2005)

@speedofgravity  -- This is very handy information, thanks for htis.
@jd3 - Nice find! the SPecialized Crossroads are also nice.

That being said, I went for a short rip on the Schwalbes and am VERY happy with them so far.


----------



## johnlh (Sep 12, 2008)

bignose said:


> Almost 200 bucks later I have the Schwalbe Marathon Extreme's on. Time to test em out.


Do you have an eight-wheeled bike? There is no touring tire worth that price.


----------



## bignose (Sep 15, 2005)

80 bucks each [CAD] + tax = 180something = almost 200 someting..

Pretty common price for top end tires really.


----------

