Road tires on my Levo?!? Get outta here!

Bryan Wells

Active member
Jul 31, 2019
120
140
Washington
Having owned a bike shop, collecting spare stuff happens, and a while back I had found a set of 29er rims and let them sit with plans to maybe mount up a street configuration as to cut back on the knobby MTB tire wear when it's time to commute or just rip the city a bit, here is what i chose for tires.

Schwable G-One 29 x 2.35

I know I know this bike isn't designed for street, duh, but when its time for some urban pavement shenanigans these will save my nice off road tires. So, here is my first impressions...

Ultra Ultra light. Oh and did I mention ultra light? before mounting I was a little concerned if they will take any real abuse, however when mounted the wheels became godlike light and almost a bit hysterical. (actual weight will come).

They mounted a little more difficult than most maxxis tires I install, tubeless of course. I used 24mm rims (it's just what was here at the time) and i think 30mm would fit best with the G-One tires. They actually look pretty neat in person and was not quite the anorexic look I had thought it would when all mounted up, 2.35 in road tires isn't exactly narrow, so this was fitting.

The first ride was pretty exciting actually, not knowing what to expect but 3 key things stood right out, and I mean REALLY stood out! One was the noise, you hear a LOT of tire noise, it's hard to explain but its like an amplified road bike noise but it resonates within the tire itself. Two, the gglliiddee, the Levo now glide across the pavement carrying a crap load of momentum due to the low rolling resistance, you would expect this, but it was overwhelmingly faster. Three, the turn in was massively sharper, The front of the bike felt really eager to initiate mid to low speed sharp turns, once you tipped the bars or bike into the corner the bike would REALLY want to bite and go sharper, pulling the bars tighter into the corner naturally fast.

As of now I do not see these being left to get dusty in the corner of the shop, they really complement the MTB wheel set and bring out a whole different page of fun.

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Swan

Well-known member
Oct 19, 2019
87
121
North Idaho, US
I am strongly considering doing this for the Wife's Levo. That way she and I could do road rides together with me on my road bike.

I too have a spare set of lightweight 29" wheels that are too lightweight under my 215lbs and trail riding.. But would be perfect for her 115lbs and road riding.

Glad to see someone else has done it.
 

Swan

Well-known member
Oct 19, 2019
87
121
North Idaho, US
Especially when I run the Levo de-restricted for street use, then you can really cook!


I work at a big Specialized dealer and I put customers on my bikes pretty regularly. So I am really trying to avoid de-restricting our bikes. Plus I work with a trail advocacy group too. So trying to not piss anyone off with a ebike that bends rules.
 

Bryan Wells

Active member
Jul 31, 2019
120
140
Washington
the key is mount it and seat it without the sealant in first so your not spraying it everywhere, run no valve core and use an air compressor, as its blowing full boar start to bounce the tire a bit. Oncw all seated remove the pump, let the extra psi drain out of the stem, then add sealant via the stem
 

Bryan Wells

Active member
Jul 31, 2019
120
140
Washington
an update, I did notice that the bikes handling in sharp corners is MASSIVELY effected by small changes in tire psi, for instance 40 psi feels like it carves corners, and 35 feels like its flopping over early into corners bad, 38 was the sweet spot and it feels really good, but i'm sure the rim width and tire profile is really whats effecting it.
 

GrahamPaul

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Nov 6, 2019
1,127
1,088
Andalucía
Has anyone tried the new Schwalbe Hurricanes?

They came as standard on my missus' Focus Thron² EQP. She thinks they are great.

I fitted Hurricanes to my hamster bike in 2018 for a trip which was 80% asphalt and 20% offroad on fire roads with occasional single track. It was in the Alps, so lots of climbing for which I wanted a light tyre. They were great. Low rolling resistance. Low noise. But the side knobs gave me plenty of corner grip on the single track.

I gave them to a mate a few months ago because I have no more need of them. He ran them at a low pressure through a rock garden and ripped them to shreds.

I've put Tannus Armour in my wife's Hurricanes because they are definitely a lightweight tyre and are not recommended for tubeless.
 

Tim1023

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2020
645
564
Hamburg, Germany
Would love to do this for commuting during the week, then swap over to the knobblies at the weekend. Swapping tyres would be too much of a pain, though, especially with the milk in the tyres

Without having done the research, I get the feeling that I'd need to invest a good few hundred euro into a spare set of wheels with 12 speed cassete, etc., etc., so it's a non-starter at the moment. Or am I wrong?
 

Rusty

E*POWAH BOSS
Jul 17, 2019
1,513
1,673
New Zealand
Without having done the research, I get the feeling that I'd need to invest a good few hundred euro into a spare set of wheels with 12 speed cassete, etc., etc., so it's a non-starter at the moment. Or am I wrong?
I bought a Nukeproof set on special from CRC - 160 quid or thereabouts. Then needed a couple rotors, which I had a spare set hanging on the wall. After that it was a cluster & a pickup magnet and all ready to roll. Sometimes I will have a set of XC rubber on it if I am doing long social rides and might need a bit more grip than the Drifters.
 

Tim1023

Well-known member
Aug 25, 2020
645
564
Hamburg, Germany
Any thoughts / experience / recommendations about a second wheel set for road tyres/commuting?

My Spesh concept store reckoned that you need to get exactly the same wheels to avoid problems with precise alignment of disc brakes and lots of rubbing. A direct replacement for the stock wheels is EUR 600! Not going to happen. Is his comment reasonable? Or do i just need to pump the brakes a few times to get them lines up??

I found the Shimano WH-MT500/501 wheels online for EUR 160. Which seem to have the same specs, but 24 spokes instead of 28 (I'm a portly 114kg). Worth considering or a joke?

Specs for the 2021 Levo :
RIMS: Roval 29, hookless alloy, 30mm inner width, tubeless ready
FRONT HUB: Shimano MT400-B, Centerlock 28h, 15x110 Boost
REAR HUB: Shimano MT510-B, Centerlock 28h, 12x148 Boost, Microspline
SPOKES: DT Swiss Industry
FRONT BRAKE: Shimano SLX M7120, 4-piston caliper, hydraulic disc, 200mm
REAR BRAKE: Shimano SLX M7120, 4-piston caliper, hydraulic disc, 180mm
Cassette: Shimano SLX M7100, SGS, 12-speed

Even if I get wheels for EUR 200, I seem to be needing to budget for another 175 for the bolt-on bits plus 80-90 for the tyres, so 460 or so for the whole second set (if I go with the cheap wheels)
 

Flatslide

E*POWAH Master
Jul 14, 2019
265
250
Dunedin NZ
Back in the 26" days I ran a Maxxis Semi Slick F and a Holy Roller R for 6 months of the year. They worked great even at the Queenstown bike park. I see Schwalbe make a Super Moto-X 27.5 x 2.4" road/gravel tyre now which looks good.
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
8,429
8,675
Lincolnshire, UK
This thread feels like someone owned up to what he believed was a perversion, only to discover that there are many like minded individuals out there!
That is the problem with the internet it enables weirdos to find other weirdos such that they all end up thinking it's OK after all! :ROFLMAO:
 

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