# lightest / best 20" slight knobby tire



## biobike (Dec 20, 2009)

hey FRK forum... 

this has probably been asked and answered but i'm looking for the LIGHTEST / best 20" tire with a slight knob to it.

my 7yr old son is just transitioning to the hard pack / single track trail riding experience and i want to make it easy and grip-secure.

on that note, don't think he'll need too much of a knob and want to keep the rolling resistance / weight way down.

fyi: he's riding a non-suspension Specialized 6sp Hotrock with 20" slicks that we're planning to switch out to the subtle knob.

thanks,
Todd

ps. and if any of ya happen to have like a really kick-butt 24" front or full suspension custom build kid's bike for sale... i'm interested :thumbsup:


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## GrayJay (May 16, 2011)

Mow Joe HS 371 | Schwalbe North America

The Mow-Joe with folding bead is probably your best bet for a 20" lightweight dirt tire, 
1-3/8" (37mm) = 290gr,
1.85" (48mm) = 330gr
2" (50mm) = 380gr


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

GrayJay said:


> Mow Joe HS 371 | Schwalbe North America
> 
> The Mow-Joe with folding bead is probably your best bet for a 20" lightweight dirt tire,
> 1-3/8" (37mm) = 290gr,
> ...


This, it's what I have on my daughters 20 inch bike and what I have on the rear of my son's 24 inch bike. Great tires at a great weight.


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## biobike (Dec 20, 2009)

cheers... looks good all around... weight, knob and price.

have ordered a set of the 1.85" up and looking fwd to the trails with the little man!

still interested in similar themed options as we move up the 24" / 26" realm... suggestions?


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## TigWorld (Feb 8, 2010)

Moe Joes are good in 24" as well. Rocket Rons are also available in 24" - more grip but 20g heavier.


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

biobike said:


> cheers... looks good all around... weight, knob and price.
> 
> have ordered a set of the 1.85" up and looking fwd to the trails with the little man!
> 
> still interested in similar themed options as we move up the 24" / 26" realm... suggestions?


I have the Rocket Ron on the front and the Mow Joe on the rear of my son's 24 inch bike.


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## bme107 (Jul 23, 2008)

Kenda Small Block 8 is available in those sizes.


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## joe_bloe (Nov 18, 2010)

bme107 said:


> Kenda Small Block 8 is available in those sizes.


+1. As much as I love blinging out my kids' bikes, I can't justify spending $40 or more on a tire when SB8's are available for $20.


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## TwoTone (Jul 5, 2011)

bme107 said:


> Kenda Small Block 8 is available in those sizes.





joe_bloe said:


> +1. As much as I love blinging out my kids' bikes, I can't justify spending $40 or more on a tire when SB8's are available for $20.


Depends on your traction needs, there is a noticeable difference going from SB8 to Mow Joes.

I'd consider the SB8 to be good road/hardpack tire. On our rooty/rocky/ muddy east coast trails, my daughter prefers the Mow Joe. The SB8 came on her bike originally.


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## bme107 (Jul 23, 2008)

TwoTone said:


> I'd consider the SB8 to be good road/hardpack tire. On our rooty/rocky/ muddy east coast trails, my daughter prefers the Mow Joe.


Then the SB8 fits the original poster's requirements  _"don't think he'll need too much of a knob and want to keep the rolling resistance / weight way down.
...we're planning to switch out to the subtle knob."_

Joe's son (24") and mine (20") rode Tuesday night in MD. Trails were generally damp with thick slop puddles every .5 mi and typical east coast root/rock and stream crossings. SB8 tires were all packed up and never spun free because the speeds never got over 10mi/hr. Ave speed for 5+ miles was 4.5+/-. Kids were off the bike pushing and it wasn't because of the lack of traction.

Sure everyone's needs are different and I wouldn't have been riding them in those conditions if I was traveling at a spirited pace. We're building up his next bike with much more substantial rubber since skill and speeds will be increasing over the lifespan of this bike.


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## TigWorld (Feb 8, 2010)

SB8's are notoriously slow rolling for minimal traction. The euros have done plenty of tyre tests that show the SB8s to have high rolling resistance for low traction. Just because a tyre has lots of little knobs on it doesn't mean it is a faster rolling tyre than something with larger knobs or a more open tread pattern. Many other factors go into making a fast rolling tyre.


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## bme107 (Jul 23, 2008)

TigWorld said:


> The euros have done plenty of tyre tests that show the SB8s to have high rolling resistance for low traction.


Point me to this info. Always up for some good reading material.


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## CaptainDecisive (Sep 4, 2007)

To add some weight data points - I bought 6 Mow Joe 20 x 2.0" tires from Chain Reaction when they were on special.
Weights were: 402g, 405g, 416g, 433g, 441g, 455g
and not the 380g claimed on the box. I put aside the lightest two for a 20" bike when my eldest turns 6, and returned the rest.


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## TigWorld (Feb 8, 2010)

bme107 said:


> Point me to this info. Always up for some good reading material.


Take a look at this thread - http://forums.mtbr.com/wheels-tires/tire-test-results-german-bike-magazine-419392.html


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## Notaskitrail (Apr 29, 2012)

I went with the Tioga BMX Race : Powerblock on my daughters 20nch hot rock. I paid $25 each.

•20 x 2.10 - 13.93oz; 395g
•20 x 1.95 - 13.40oz; 380g
•20 x 1.75 - 12.35oz; 350g
•20 x 1.60 - 10.76oz; 305g
•20 x 1.40 - TBA
•20 x 1-3/8 - 12.50oz; 355g
•20 x 1-1/8 - 9.88oz; 280g


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## Leopold Porkstacker (Apr 21, 2010)

bme107 said:


> Kenda Small Block 8 is available in those sizes.


The Small Block Eight is a very universal tire in terms of varying terrain/weather conditions. My sons have one on the rear of their bikes (20" mountain bike and 24" mountain bike) and I've also ridden about 200 miles on the 700x32 sized ones on my barely-geared pretend CX bike setup before, of which, when I rode it the conditions went from loose/rocky to sludgy/muddy and back throughout several rides, and I was impressed with the amount of traction available in such varying conditions.


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## biobike (Dec 20, 2009)

*Mow Joe's won...*

Thanks everyone for all your posts. I went with the MowJoe's - 1.85". Nice little tire with some fine grip. Light (though I wonder about claimed weight re: the above post). Fantastic look on the bike.

$66 incl exorbinate shipping direct from Schwalbe to my CDN doorstep... arrived just in time...

big NorthShore summer bike camp starts tomorrow!


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