You are hereForums / By Discipline / Mountain (off road) / MTB Gear / Racing ralph that wont tear
Racing ralph that wont tear
NB: Originally posted elsewhere on the Global Riders Network and appears via syndication.
Hello,
Just after some advice on a Racing ralph for the rear of my 26' Dually.
I use the tyre a lot around Kalamunda but find I keep tearing holes through them.
They tear through the tread not the side wall. I like the RR tyre and hope to keep using them.
I use the tubeless ready EVO type. Has anyone tried the snakeskin version?
Is that any stronger?
Thanks
- Login to post comments
- Bookmark & share
Tags
See previous thread on rear tyres - kalamunda trails : Rear tyre - kalamunda trails.
Using the snakeskin - no tears
Almost everyone I know uses the snakeskin version when it's on the rear - some use the std versions on the front and snakeskin on the rear . The snakeskin isn't as compliant but doesn't flat
They are the 'entry level' RR so they are a bit heavier than the standard evos and the compound is not as fancy (apparently, not that i can really tell the difference)
Anyway, they are almost half the price of the snakeskin and in the last 5 years riding them i never had any issues.
they are also easier to seal than evos!
I bought a new 29 HT last year which came specced with Performance level RaRas running tubeless.
I had 4 flats in 3 rides - admittedly all fairly rocky: Royal NP and Manly Dam - including a complete sidewall tear on the rear.
I switched to Evo level RaRas with snakeskin, also running tubeless, and haven't had a single issue since.
Chalk and cheese.
I've got the Snakeskin on my 29er. They're only new on the bike so I can't give you definitive answers on their longevity, but they're a lot more robust than the regular TLR.
The latter I'd consider as a race tyre on a course like Kowen State Forest, as they're down around the low 500g mark, but for something like Ourimbah or Manly Dam, the sidewalls are a problem.
For my 26er I run the heavier full UST version, set up tubeless, and on those I'll definitely wear out the tread before the sidewalls go. Like!
I use snakeskin front & rear. Ive had a standard one at the front & it lasted about 3k km. Snake skin on the rear is a must.IMHO. I do ride around MD a fair bit as well as the cascades & center track. Ive had heaps of minor holes in the tread part you can just see the tire sealant is seeping out if you look careful.They are very tiny holes. My rears last about 1.5k km before the tread is toast though.
I got a stick though the tread one time on the Muppet Show but that was the end of the Tubless for that tire,(RaRa snake skin) about half way through its life. No amount of Tyre sealant was going to re-seal that hole.
In all honesty the extra amount of weight is well worth it. especially if you race. a puncture will take 5-10 min out of your race. i doubt you could make up that amount of time with extra lightness.
If you don't race.....the constant aggravation of a puncture in the back of my mind just isn't worth it.
snake skin does not guarantee no punctures but its a whole lot better than standard with added lightness.
Best is perhaps the proper tubeless tire of your choice
Thanks for the advice everyone. I will give snakeskin or UST a go