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Best rear tyres for Manly Dam - Tubes
Hi all,
Appreciate there's been many threads on tyres before but most seem to recommend tubeless. Any views on best tyres (running with inner tube) for Manly Dam on a 29er Hard tail?
I'm currently on Bontrager which came with the bike. I commute as well so a hard wearing option would be great (yes I'll get a commuter bike one day, and perhaps run tubeless on the MTB then). I'm not aiming for Gold at the Olympics - just want to get up that damn rock garden and around the Dam without dismounting as fast as I can.
Cheers,
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I like the IKON 3C EXO(tougher sidewalls) TR(tubeless ready) that I have on my rear now.
The knobs on these are not tall to start with so they're not the best hard wearing tyres out there, but I use them for offroad specifically so that's not an issue for me.
What's stopping you from going tubeless ? You can run much lower pressure without worrying about a pinch flat.
Thanks - haven't gone tubeless because it just seems a hassle - I run about 32psi around the Dam and (touch wood) haven't had problems with pinch flats so haven't really seen the need. Happy to be convinced.
Maxxis are good too, the crossmark for a 29er, or you could go for the Ardent race
+1 for the crossmark, the Ardent race is good on the front too.
The crossmarks are ok on the road to as when they're pumped up, the centre ridge gives a smaller contact patch.
Re tubeless, it's not just about not getting flats, it's the ability to run lower pressure and therefore greater grip on the dirt.
Yes, re tubeless, it's about lower pressures without issues that give the best ride for the trail. At the recent Back Yamma and Kowalski I was running 18psi in the front and 24psi in the rear without any issues.
If you have bontrager rims, you can use there tubeless rim strips which let you run higher pressure then a tape conversion when commuting.
I run bontrager rims with specialized fast trak tires setup tubeless. Running 25-30psi off road and 55-60psi on road
Kenda small block 8's work a treat at the Dam in tubed - rear only. Nevegals on the front or a Nobby Nic. Found the CrossMarks deadly on wet tree roots.
Got this combo from a tyre review in a mag that was done at the Dam years ago. Don't use them now as they are very heavy tubless and got sick of snake bite punctures at the dam.
If you want tubeless advice then Schwalbe all the way - Racing Ralph rear and a Nic up front.
Go for the snakeskin or full UST versions. Their vanilla tubeless ready tyres have super thin sidewalls that are abour as strong as wet toilet paper.
My go to around Sydney, have the Ardents TR race on my race ??
Icon EXO side walls twin for Sydney rocks sliced a side wall open on one two weekends ago.
How easy do the new TR's bead up?
I run tubeless CrossMarks on a 26'er and usually about 24PSI. Rear is currently low on grip and had pumped it up to about 40PSI on Saturday as was mucking around on the street with the kids. Rode Manly Dam and was a shocker up Heart Break Hill and a bit slippery in general.
Rock Garden isn't really about rear wheel grip though... it more about balance, line choice, weight distribution and just the right amount of momentum. Try to approach it slowly in little up front and big on the rear. Pop the front wheel up so it does't get too impeded by the steps then get the weight over the front as quick as you can. On the middle step, when I'm a bit spent strength wise I'll sometimes stall the rear wheel, then give it a hop to get it to come up the step... or fall sideways a land on my head.... have done that more than once
Point of the story is its more about practice and falling down while trying.... you'll get a bit further each time and one time, when you're least expecting it, you'll clear it with ease.
Have fun out there
I had nobby nic 2.25 x 29 front and rear in my old bike with and without tube. Plenty of grip in manly dam. Tubeless much more grip surly. Now, I got ardent race 2.2 front and crossmark 2.1 tubeless with 24 psi and 29 psi respectively. Rear drift a bit when try to brake on steep down. Maybe too much air or need to move my body further back!?
Thanks heaps everyone - some great advice on all fronts. I've gone for the tubeless in the end. Can't wait to test it out over the w/e.
Cheers,