Headshot

Isn't what we ride really just aggressive XC anyway.

Which bike is the Butcher on? Mojo HDR?

My theory is based on how well the Ardents work on my HT which as we know is a very different bike. If its not a confidence inspiring change, it will go out back where I suspect it will be better than a Butcher.

I have a theory which is about to be tested - a 2.5 WT Aggressor up front on my Enduro. Going to fit one tomorrow. My theory runs along the lines of - 99% of my riding takes place on hard or loose over hard and rocky trails. Even in Winter the CT trails are rarely clogged with mud. That said, a smaller block with a more dense tread pattern is probably the way to go. Fewer squirming knobs and faster rolling. Should have a ride report by Wednesday (if my snotty throat clears up by then). Bike needs to be ridden up and cornered on the same turn my Butcher felt like a banana peel had replaced the tread.

The Athertons bikes will look a lot like this...

In a previous post I mentioned the Emotorists challenging themselves by riding up steep tracks. This is a thing with eBikes. Watch an episode of EMBN. They need to build moto style courses for these guys to keep them off the dh tracks....

Okay, so my 16kg Enduro is actually okay then :-)

Yep, after reading the PB interview with Gwin, you have to wonder what suddenly changed for YT. Perhaps it was Gwin's ever increasing pay demands that broke them at the final hurdle. I get the impression Gwin has to have everything his way in contractual terms and the more easygoing nature he portrays these days is a bit of a cover for the hard assed business man lurking inside...

One day when I'm bored...

As I have said before, and worth repeating IMO, your tyre choice is very much bike and terrain dependent. A MM up front on my HT was just too much tyre. For the first time I thought it was too draggy up front. The front wheel felt slot car secure, al because the HT geo changes so much up front when you sit on it and the fork compresses. On my previous Enduro I had no such sensation. The Butchers I love to hate have too little grip for a slacker dual suspension bike. The geo does not change as much when riding. The only time they feel okay is in steep terrain where the front really does get weighted. On the day at the JH enduro despite the sensation of more grip I still had one of those nasty front wheel slides. Too unpredictable to be a decent front tyre IMO. Perfect tyre combo for me would offer a very grippy wide front tyre and a slightly narrower faster rolling back tyre that will always lose traction before the front does. A safety net and more fun too.

My experience with a semi slick is that they really dont last. They are fine and then after some wear the grip deteriorates hugely.. climbing and braking deteriorates massively. Something like an Aggressor or Ardent out back makes far more sense to me.

I have one in the garage in 26 if you want... Exception casing. Hard as nails.

Yes, yes, a tyre shopping spree is in order. Front and back!

Pumped my shock up even harder and made upped the tyre pressure too. Shock now hovers just above 40% sag while I'm kitted up and pedaling along. That sounds like super sag but in fact the suspension feels really firm. That coupled with the hard rear tyre made the ride very very firm. The bonus was no weird air loss from the butcher and pretty good grip and handling at speed.Managed some okay times on my test track. I think a better rear tyre at a slightly lower pressure might be the answer for a more comfy but as efficient ride.

Word on the trails is that some eMoped riders have been trying to ride their motos up down only DH tracks at Tokai. Needless to say this could cause serious ***. Why not try this kind of thing on a sand dune up the west coast rather?

Those tyres need a wash :-)

That bus shuttle sounds great. What is the turnaround time? Btw do we need a new thread for this?

I have Ardent Exo's on both ends of my HT. So far the rear tyre has coped superbly despite some effort on my part to write off the rear wheel. That said I am sure there will come a time when I get it wrong and it dies. I have put pinch holes in DHR2s before on my old enduro and the same on a MM up front. I do try and take a bit more care but without rear suspension you know its only a matter of time...

He has taken the bike to Freewheel to be checked out. Its an epic Evo bought in the UK I believe. My ali Rovals have a minimalist bead hook. Slight damage to the rim at that point could lead to issues, but his are carbon and brand new.

I haven't had any flats or issues with a Butcher 2.6 Grid casing up front. Out back its not quite up to the task. The rim managed to cut through the casing at two points close to the bead - probably due to some low pressure cornering that may or may not have been my fault. I stitched up the tears and all is good, but it will also go as soon as I can afford to replace it. A 2.3 Aggressor sounds like it will work for me. On the subject of Spaz tyres and rims, my cheap Rovals are rubbish. The rear is bent and dinged already. A friends carbon Rovals cant keep a tyre on. He's had 3 Spaz tyres blow off the rims while riding in CT over the holidays. We are not talking low pressure blow offs either - 32psi out back (he weighs about 95kg) and does not corner very fast as he's a beginner mountain biker.

Anyone using a DHR2 2.4 WT at the moment? Is it decently wide as a front tyre i.e fatter than the 2.3? The online reviews are very good ...

It must be your tyres. Come on share!

double tap delete...

Looking at Mayhems pics and doing the finger test on a MM I have in 26", the difference between it and the Butcher is clear as the daylight between the Butchers knobs. It's not only the absence of transition knobs but also the highway across the top of the tyre. On the Mary you cant run your finger from one side to the other without encountering a knob. Then there is the super built up side knobs that seem to never let go. The MM is the gold standard IMO. I'm starting to convince myself it's what I need...