Tyre Tread Direction

[Ox_Wagon]

MTB tires:<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

The verity of terrain in which MTB tires operate makes it a bit more difficult.  That is why you will find different tire for different types of conditions.   The harder the surface the more important the compound of the rubber becomes.  On slick rock/road the tire will behave like a road tire.  Mud tires are a species on there own.

 

Let?s look at the typical in-between condition where the opposite of a road tire condition happens. The soil/sand/small rocks molds to the tire which means that shape, position and orientation of the knobblies becomes more important and not the compound of the tire.   

 

The next thing to remember is that that you want different things from the front and rear tire.  Traction is the most important factor for a rear tire and braking is more important on a front tire although I personally rate not washing out higher.

 

All of this is irrelevant if the thread is symmetrical.  This is not always the case from there the rotational direction arrows on MTB tire.  Dirt rider?s Maxis TT is a very good example. 

 

 

The tire is symmetrical except for one small thing.  It has a hard edge on one side of the knobbly and ramped on the other side (similar to the Negaval, Small block 8).  You would like to use the sharp edge to generate more traction on the rear tire and more braking on the front tire. This means you will run then in different direction.

 

To come back to the original question of the thread.  On the Speed/Mountain King there is a deferens if you look closely at the knobblies shape and layout but I don?t think it is such a big issue to warrant going through the slep of changing a tubbless tire.

 

Ox_Wagon2007-11-22 00:29:36

[Johan Bornman]

A Brigstone racing slick<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

 

 

A Brigstone wet racing tire, please note the grooves

 

 

 

A Brigstone Dot racing tire, street legal race tire

 

 

 Looking at that aggressive wet racing tyre, I stand corrected about my comment of "essentially slicks" for those tyres. As for the street legal race tyre, I think calling them "essentially slicks" should stand. If we look at the percentage of grooves per surface area of that tyre compared to an average car tyre, it is clearly much, much less. 

[Ox_Wagon]

As promised.  I did the Cradle to Cave with the Conti Mountain King.  The biggest improvement over my very old WTB Primalraptors was caused by the increase in size from 1.95? to 2.2?. The larger size rolls over obstacle a lot better.  The tire seams to be a very good all-rounder, handling the different surface of the race faultlessly. That is of course at my more sedate pace.   I will in future start experimenting with running them at a lower pressure.<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

[niterider]

 

A Brigstone racing slick

 

 

A Brigstone wet racing tire' date=' please note the grooves

 

 

 

A Brigstone Dot racing tire, street legal race tire

 

 

 Looking at that aggressive wet racing tyre, I stand corrected about my comment of "essentially slicks" for those tyres. As for the street legal race tyre, I think calling them "essentially slicks" should stand. If we look at the percentage of grooves per surface area of that tyre compared to an average car tyre, it is clearly much, much less. 

[/quote']

 

That tread (what little there is) on the road tyre is probably for legal reasons. There is probably some law that specifies minimum tread depth.

 

[Ox_Wagon]

Just for interested sake, check out these specialized sand/dune tires.   

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[Johan Bornman]

Just for interested sake' date=' check out these specialized sand/dune tires.   

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[/quote']

 

There is always an exception to the rule. This one is DEFINITELY directional. Especially if you want to connect it up to your water feature so that the bike can spin its cranks while you sit on the couch and admire it.

 

[Ox_Wagon]

A pelton turbine would work better but the resemblance is very striking.  <?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />