On 2 Aug 2003 19:19:02 -0700, (Joe Samangitak)
may have said:

- First of all, will it work to put different width tires on my
hybrid/city bike, or is there an issue with narrower widths coming off
the rim, etc.?

Not knowing the rim width, it's hard to say what range of sizes will
work well. You may be able to go down a few sizes, but do you want
to? Less rubber between the road and the rim can yield a harsher ride
and an increased probability of punctures.

- Secondly, is there an advantage to using a different tire size if I
can, or should I assume the original 700 x 35 tire size was already
designed ideally for city driving?

Make no unwarranted assumptions; the size could have been chosen for
any number of reasons that may or may not be relevant to you. All
that you can likely assume is that 700x35 is a safe size to use on
your rims.

- Lastly, I read expert testimonials that said slick tires are best
for pavement riding, cornering, wet driving, traction and have less
rolling resistance, basically because more rubber contacts the road.

For bicycles, that's pretty much true. Unlike motor vehicle tires,
where the tread is essential to prevent aquaplaning due to the large
size of the contact patch, a 700x35 bike tire has a small enough patch
(and is typically used at a low enough speed) that the aquaplaning
issue simply doesn't apply. While there are some who will state that
a treaded tire will not slip as easily on a damp polished concrete
surface (which is inherently treacherous territory), it's been my
experience that such surfaces are only likely to be found indoors or
in locations where you're more likely to be walking than riding. A
car's tread wouldn't prevent a slip on such a surface, so a bike's
tread isn't likely to help either. As such, the only remaining reason
to favor a siped or treaded tire over a fully slick one is the fact
that you won't be caught by surprise when it wears out; the
disappearing sipes or tread make it really obvious without even having
to pay close attention. I would not consider minor siping or
patterning to be a drawback that disqualified a tire that was being
bought for commuter use, since the sipes or patternings most likely
would not reduce the tire's useful life by a tremendous amount.



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