MTB Tyre Choices

[CogitoErgoSum]

If you ride fast and want to fall - ride a front Crossmark. Even on my full suss tandem, which barely leans when cornering tightly, the Crossmark likes to let go. I recently tried WTB Weirwolf on my Anthem 29'r front. Awesome! Tracks through thick sand and rock. Grips like hell. Slightly heavy tho'.

 

Put a WTB Bronson on my tandem front today. Rode at Hobby Park after rain. What a tyre! It was like I was on rails, even through mud.

I am running Crossmark front and rear on my dual sus. Reliable and strong. Never had a cut. Plenty of sekelbos thorns, but seals pretty good.

 

Cornering is a different story. Very unpredictable. Does the WTB offer the same sidewall protection?

[Smokey Rotor]

Thanks for the info, much appreciated, I was going to get a set of nobby nics but opted for LUST Crossmarks, I see many guys say Crossmarks are no good on the front but iv never had a issue with them other than my normal Crossmarks on the rear get plenty side wall damage and tube starting to poke through. I decided on the Crossmarks LUST solely on the fact that I know and trust them and I couldn't find NN's online or at my LBS.

 

Howcome so many don't like the Crossmarks on the Front?

[CogitoErgoSum]

Thanks for the info, much appreciated, I was going to get a set of nobby nics but opted for LUST Crossmarks, I see many guys say Crossmarks are no good on the front but iv never had a issue with them other than my normal Crossmarks on the rear get plenty side wall damage and tube starting to poke through. I decided on the Crossmarks LUST solely on the fact that I know and trust them and I couldn't find NN's online or at my LBS.

 

Howcome so many don't like the Crossmarks on the Front?

Cornering when it is gravel on hard packed surface is a nightmare. As a rear, I find it to be good. The lust tech gives a proper sidewall - can run at fairly low psi.

 

I have an extra crossmark that will go on rear but will have to put better xc tire ip front

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Howcome so many don't like the Crossmarks on the Front?

Because the only thing they grip on is concrete and tar.

[Odinson]

Thanks for the info, much appreciated, I was going to get a set of nobby nics but opted for LUST Crossmarks, I see many guys say Crossmarks are no good on the front but iv never had a issue with them other than my normal Crossmarks on the rear get plenty side wall damage and tube starting to poke through. I decided on the Crossmarks LUST solely on the fact that I know and trust them and I couldn't find NN's online or at my LBS.

 

Howcome so many don't like the Crossmarks on the Front?

 

They are rubbish at cornering. If you only ride districts and paved roads, they'll be fine, but they'll leave you in the bushes if you try to take a corner with any modicum of speed. 

 

Maxxis knows the Crossmark is rubbish is cornering - have a look at how the Crossmark II is described by Maxxis. Cornering has been specifically addressed with the new version.

 

The CrossMark II improves on the speed of its predecessor while improving grip in intermediate conditions. The legendary center ridge still flies on hardpack, and the updated tread pattern provides better braking and cornering over a wide range of trail conditions. A great choice if you want to go fast everywhere.

 

http://cdn.maxxiscentral.com/tyreimages/tyre-image-crossmark2_l.png

[Smokey Rotor]

Very interesting about the cornering, I manage to get my back wheel to start sliding out before the front gives way.. Both front and back are Crossmarks. Front 2.2 bar and rear 2.5 bar. That's on single track on hard pack. Mankele, Karkloof, some of sabie merry pebble trails, red barn, voortrekker monument and rosemary hill are where iv ridden and no problems with Crossmark up front.. The only place I get some hairy moments are on mossy rocks, wet rocks and wet roots. Then it's a balancing act to stay upright.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Very interesting about the cornering, I manage to get my back wheel to start sliding out before the front gives way.. Both front and back are Crossmarks. Front 2.2 bar and rear 2.5 bar. That's on single track on hard pack. Mankele, Karkloof, some of sabie merry pebble trails, red barn, voortrekker monument and rosemary hill are where iv ridden and no problems with Crossmark up front.. The only place I get some hairy moments are on mossy rocks, wet rocks and wet roots. Then it's a balancing act to stay upright.

bloody hell, that's hard. Drop that to 1.8 or so and you'll be riding a completely different bike. 

 

Still on tubes? What size tyres? 2.1 or 2.25?

[Smokey Rotor]

They still tubes, im waiting for my flow ex rims to arrive then going tubeless. I find, for my preference that 2.2 bar front and 2.5bar back works well for now. When i go tubeless i plan to drop down to 2 bar front and back and fine tune from there.

 

Tire size 2.1 at the moment but i want a beefier looking tire so considering 2.25 if i can get hold of the Crossmark LUST in that size for 650b.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

They still tubes, im waiting for my flow ex rims to arrive then going tubeless. I find, for my preference that 2.2 bar front and 2.5bar back works well for now. When i go tubeless i plan to drop down to 2 bar front and back and fine tune from there.

 

Tire size 2.1 at the moment but i want a beefier looking tire so considering 2.25 if i can get hold of the Crossmark LUST in that size for 650b.

do yourself a favour and get rid of the crossmark for the front. Seriously. Something like an Ardent works well if you want to keep it in the Maxxis family. FAR grippier. 

[watsonr]

I weigh 93kg's, riding Ardent 2.25 at the back and Spez Ground Control 2.3 in front. Tyre pressure at 1.7 for front and 1.9 at the back. Tried many variations and this works best for me.

[Smokey Rotor]

Maxxis ardent, how are they rolling resistance wise?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Maxxis ardent, how are they rolling resistance wise?

on the front, they're fine. Rolling resistance, though, should not be a factor when considering a front tyre, IMO. 

[Smokey Rotor]

Okay cool, il take a chance, try something new and will get the ardent for a front. And any opions regarding which is better 2.1 inch or 2.25 inch?

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Okay cool, il take a chance, try something new and will get the ardent for a front. And any opions regarding which is better 2.1 inch or 2.25 inch?

Always bigger. 

 

Higher volume = lower pressures = more grip = less rolling resistance. 

[Odinson]

I weigh 93kg's, riding Ardent 2.25 at the back and Spez Ground Control 2.3 in front. Tyre pressure at 1.7 for front and 1.9 at the back. Tried many variations and this works best for me.

 

Excellent tyre combo. Had the same on my Camber.

[Odinson]

Just a quick update on the Michelin Wild Grip'R and Wild Race'R I'm currently running.

 

I noticed that the Grip'R would have a small burp when I landed hard on the front. I initially put this down to my el cheapo OEM rims and/or the tjoopless conversion I did. So I hooked the tyre up to the track pump to check the pressure and saw that it was only 1.1bar.* This really impressed me, as the tyre performed perfectly, except for the small burps. Right now, I'm running them it at 1.3bar and no more burping.

 

I also got around to converting the rear wheel to tjoopless and the Wild Race'R is performing flawlessly. I'm running the rear at 1.5bar and have bags of grip. Considering some of the muddy tracks I'm riding, it blows my mind the grip that the Race'R manages to find.

 

*Disclaimer: I used my Lezyne Steel track pump to check the pressures. I'm not overly impressed with the quality of the pump, so I'm not 100% convinced that the pressures are accurate. Even if the readings are out by 0.1-0.2 bar, it's still  pretty good.

Edited December 14, 2015 by Odinson