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tyre talk
Just wondering what people think is the best xc/am AND dh tyre? something nice and fast for xc stuff, but can handle full downhilling..if there is such a thing! ..and if there is, if there is one that is also less than 2.5"...
cheers, Alex
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Is this for your Session then Alex?? What rims you running (width)?
Well i have had experience with the eXCeption series of the Maxxis Highroller (2.1" width, lightweight compound) and i loved it for fast singletrack and XC stuff (on my XC dually). Very light too at around 570g. I can't fault their design at all, hooks up on everything and gives confidence on the downs, possibly the only thing is i would have liked a little more width. They do make a 2.35" version but at 850g it wouldn't have suited my setup (pretty heavy for a 2.35).
On my Intense 5.5 I use Maxxis Larsen TT 2.35's, and while they are a very good all round tyre i'm not terribly impressed with their performance on, say, Ourimbah's DH course, or in very loose conditions at speed (tho that could have just been me/my riding)...but really they do get the job done, just without the grace a more hardcore, fatter tyre would on a DH course. For hard trail riding (or "AM" if you want to call it that) i think they are pretty good, and one of the better selections in that genre on the market. Weight if your worried is around 750g per tyre which is middle-ground to half-decent for a 2.35.
One tyre i was wanting to try out next once the Larsens wear out is the Schwabe Nobby Nic 2.25 or 2.40. They are pretty popular in the US and EU at the mo, are said to be super grippy, and are light at around 610-635g. If there is a negative i've read its that the Nic's have a thin sidewall. Possibly not the best choice for extreme riding if your puncher-prone - thats not a shot at your riding mate
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Other than street tyres i've no experience with the Kenda range sorry (tho the Kenda Nevegal's are another on my list to try and are extremely popular in the US), and other tyres i've used on my Santa Cruz are probably too XC for you.
Hope that helps/confuses.
Syncros BHT 2.35's
You can borrow them if you like Alex
Kenda Nevegal 2.35's weren't bad but i already had the BHTs
I hear the maxxis 2.5's are actually quite narrow - maybe some Minion DHFs or High Roller 2.35/2.5's would be the go?
And go dual casing, honestly the weight won't bother you after the first pinchflat on single plies - that or have a bouncy 45psi+ tyre that isn't that great for DH
IMO : Maxxix minion 2.5 "front" on both wheels (rear is not that good) = zero pinch flats due to duel ply side walls so you can run really low preasure exceptional grip great ware if you keep of the black top only downside is they are heavy but you get use to it and on your 77 wouldn't make much differance , you could get the 2.35 for the rear to drop a little weight . Kendas are too thin so they pinch , got rid of a set due to frequent flats, with a 12mm bolt on axle and 20 mm front without QR it takes to long to repair.
Maxxis high roller would be my next option.
Have you sorted your brakes ? when are we hitting Rimba again mate ??????
yeh saw some high roller 2.5's at clarence st today..was thinking more maybe a 2.35 though for that faster xc thing, just not too sure about stability on dh's although im sure its fine..i hear high rollers are the shizzle for mixed xc/dh ing.. anyone own a pair that does a bit of everything that can verify? (its for soonish anyway, cause my soft ass, yet grippy big earls are getting slowly destroyed!)
Alex
2x high roller 2.35's going on ebay for $75 a set with delivery - slow reezay 40a compound
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/MTB-Tyres-2-x-High-Roller...
Why not just get them and try them out. If you want to see how much difference 2.35's will make: the difference is exactly 4mm, not enough to worry about
Everything i read about it recommends Minion DHF's for DH, but the High Rollers are better for an all-purpose tyre.
I would leave the 2.5 up front for better corner stability and go the narrower b hind , are they at a good price cause T7 has the 2.35 for $34.99 and the 2.5 for$ 36.99 + $9 for postage hard to beat
oh i wouldnt but them at clarence, just saw them, haha clarence is like rrp X infinty
yeh maybe right 2.5 front sounds safer.. doesnt it make your bike feel weird though if you have a 2.35 rear and 2.5 front?
hmm ebay eh? yeh thats a bargain too.. yeh .15" doesnt sound like much actually lol
No, sometimes it's actually better to have different sizes. You could always put a 2.7 at the front and a 2.35 at the back
I ran the Big*hit with a 2.5 front and 2.1 rear, didn't really notice the difference to be honest
yeh its al bit silly i guess, im just thiking a slightly narrower, yet still chunky tyre set will make minimal dh difference, but quite alot of xc difference...
Don't even think about the 40a compound if you want them for cross country, in fact you probably wouldn't want to use them DH either they are way too soft. If you do get the 40a only use it on the front.
I am using a dual ply minion front & high roller rear, both in 2.5 60a compound & they seem to be a very good combo.
Yeah go the 2.35.
Even for the rockier stuff around here I sometimes run the 2.35 on my DH rig.
Minions or High Rollers work well.
Minions are the flavour of the month but I ran High Rollers for All Mountain stuff for ages and they are just as good, just a little be squarer in the tread foot so you tend to keep the bike a little more upright as opposed to leaning the bike over with the rounded minion tread.
If you are doing more xc/am standard compound or Super Tacky is good. Super tacky may wear a bit quicker.
Slow Reezay and triple compound are pretty much race only.
cheers, so is it like minions are more dh orientated and high rollers are slightly more xc orientated? as for the compound, i ive found my big earls extremely soft, too soft really, great in the wet though..so is firmer compound going to mean less traction, more speed? or not nescasarily..
Minions and High rollers are both DH orientated. That said I did an endurance season riding a bike fitted with 2.5 highrollers...
You can also get a High Roller tyre R which as the same tread pattern but smaller knobs which would be better for XC use.
ah cool, thats what i wanted to hear
something i can do the next dirtworks on and still be alive at the end!
so im thinking a pair of 2.5 high rollers it is with possibly a 2.35 rear.. thanks everyone!
another vote for minion and highrollers. i run highroller on the back for minimal rolling resistance and minion front (the tacky one) on the front for extra front grip.