Tyre sizes

[aspen]

Going to start commuting to work by bike along a glass littered cycle path on my trek mountain bike.

Looking to get gatorskins or marathon plus tyres but a little confused by tyre sizes. My wheels are 26" but what width is best? Will I need new narrower tubes with these new tyres? Or can I get tyres that will work fine with my current tubes? Is narrow better?

Any help/ advice appreciated.

[Jimbo.]

If you step down from, say, a 2" tyre to something like a 1.25", then yes, you'll need new tubes: the wider ones will, at best, be an absolute bugger to fit and needlessly heavy. Chances are you simply won't be able to pack them under the tyre to begin with.