MTB Tyre Choices

[nochain]

The "snakeskin" thing basically translates into thicker sidewalls by means of a woven layer on either side, this added weight penalty(which isn't much)guards tires against abrasion damage. The straight evo's dont have this feature and it a not suitable for our country. I have the 2.25, higher volume tyre yes but still rolls very easy while still giving extra cushion and contact, a deal breaker really is the snakeskin, if you can't get the 2.10 in this tech, don't bother they are notorious for sidewall cuts on rocks. I have taken mine through some really rocky stuff and they are perfect and at 640g a 29er tyre, they are at the top of my list of tyres.

 

PS. I used to run geax sagueros...great tyres, they are extremely tough and grip well in all conditions but heavy(close to 900g) and a bitch to get on and off the rim(no jokes...it took two of us over 3 hours and a bottle of brandy to do the conversion...never again)

Thanks man,will get them from CWC they should be here in time!!They look great...

 

Just to confirm,these are the right ones?

 

 

Schwalbe Racing Ralph Snake TL Ready Fold

 

 

 

 

 

 

TYRES MTB

Wheels

 

Description:

 

Schwalbe Racing Ralph Evo 29 Snake Skin - Really high-volume fast rolling XC race tire that loves to lean over in the corners w/ the added protection of their Snakeskin sidewall

 

The low-profile tread makes it an extremely fast rolling tire and the U-Blocks provide excellent cornering traction. Schwalbe designed what they call sharkstooth U-Blocks into the tread. The are U-Blocks are angled 20 degrees toward the outside of the tire and make it grip much more aggressively.

 

We like to run the Racing Ralph when we are looking for a tire with the low rolling resistance of a Crossmark or Small Block8 and cornering traction that rivals the Ignitor. The 2.4 version is also a great tire for Hardtails/Singlespeeds. The extra volume provides some nice cushion while offering excellent rolling resistance and very little weight penalty.

 

 

•Excellent multi-condition performance

•29 x 2.25 (640grms)

[rouxtjie]

Yip those are the ones...the snakeskin version will have this little yellow logo on the tyre itself. Also I am running them on Stan's crest rims, they sealed with a footpump first shot and didn't deflate. Very cool tyre that imo is a jack of all trades, but they not cheap

[Caltrigger]

Hey Guys,

 

Well I have got all the bits for my Scalpel and putting it together... What I need still is a set of tyres. I used to ride Crossmark UST and they are good. I want a good race tyre thats light but does not puncture whenever it gets rough...yes I knoe there is a pay off between weight and durability. What are the Mitchelin tyres like?

 

I have DT X400 Tubless ready rims with ust kit, do I ride only UST's? 2.0 or 2.20???(Will be going to MAvic SLR soon)

 

What are the pro's and cons for:

Crossmark/Monorail LUST

Race King/Mountain King UST 2.0...or 2.20

Schwalbe

Mitchelin Wild Race'R Advanced or regular

 

I want a low rolling resistant tyre, light as possible without puncturing all the time, I ride hardpack or lose over hardpack mostly and I weigh 65kg's so I am light.

[Dubber88]

I would recommend for that type of terrain a Race King 2.2 ( Not for the width but for the high volume of the tire) at the back and a Monorail 2.1 for the front, both normal foldables. This combo will cost you no more than R600.

 

As far as pro's and cons for tire combos, that is something that is specific to your preference regarding handling ect. I would recommend try and test, eventualy you start to realize what patterns are good design and what isn't rather than looking at brands and the price.

 

 

A good rule of thumb tire combo is a Crossmark/ Monorail combo. That works great for the terrain in PTA - Groenkloof.

 

I was a big fan of a Crossmark until I tried a Race King 2.2.

 

I'm still a big fan of a Monorail 2.1 foldable.

 

My current tire combo is a Racing Ralph 2.25 Back / Maxxis Aspen 2.1 Front.

 

Probably the best tire setup I have had ever.

 

Another combo that is great is a Racing Ralph at the back , Rocket Ron front. Very expensive. If you buy from the from the wrong guy that will cost you approx. R1,300 for the two tires.

 

One problem with a Mountain King is that it wears extremely fast on tarmac.

It is a superb tire in moist to muddy conditions on hardpack, such as fountains after a decent amount of rain the previous night or more appropriate terrain like Harkerville.

 

With that rider weight I would suggest riding normal foldables.

 

 

Hope this helps.

[Tankman]

As you can see from Dubber's answer, you are spoiled for choice really.

 

I love my WTB tires, Weirwolf up front, Wolverine 2.2 on the back... both UST.

Not that easy to find them here but great tires.

 

Played around with the GoPro Hero2 yesterday, so here are some shots to show you what they look like

 

 

 

One problem with a Mountain King is that it wears extremely fast on tarmac.

 

Mtb-roadie, stay off the tar! Sean will write an identity crisis article about you shortly if you dont get off the road!

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I can vouch for the Weirwolf / Wolverine combo, although I have the newer Weirwolf at the front. AWESOME tires! I wrote a little spiel about them some time ago, when I first got them on the bike. I have not looked back. Yes, they're not the lightest tire out there, but boy, do they grip FAR better than the Monorail / Crossmark, and I'd even go so far as to say they grop better than the Mountain King.

 

I run a 2.2 Wolverine at the back and a 2.3 Weirwolf at the front. The 2.2 Wolverine is the same volume as the 2.3 Weirwolf. Insane levels of grip.

 

Unfortunately, the SA agents for WTB haven't brought in the Weirwolf for the past year or so, and don't plan to. They've gone the route of bringing in the Bronson instead.

 

Best bet for the Weirwolf is CRC. They aren't the lightest, but you can get racing versions of them.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Write up

[GhostRider2]

I am no pro but here's my 2c.

 

Take a look at Vredenstein.

 

I have Killer Bees on my hard tail and they roll so fast on hardpack.No punctures to date.

 

I rode with my Road King/ Mountain King combo yesterday. They grip well in most conditions, but feel like bricks.

 

Check out the Vredenstein range here.

[Bennie Dikwiel]

Maxxis Ardent 2.25 great high volume, high profile trail tyre. Surprisingly, rolling resistance is also not that bad for an aggressively threaded tyre. Probably one of the most underrated tyres around.

[ebenvn]

My one set I run: The race King/Mountain King combo, and the other one WTB weirwolf (back and front - thats the way I got the wheels...).

 

The grip of the WTB is FAR better & I really rate them... (should maybe change the back one after reading this)

[Caltrigger]

Thanks guys...

 

I personally like the Conti Race King's...but then again I have not ridden everything. Whats the deal using a non USt on a tubless setup? The tudeless seem heavier but why use a "beaded" tyre as a tubeless? Don't you have to use UST on a tubeless ready setup?

[goya-goya]

Thanks guys...

 

I personally like the Conti Race King's...but then again I have not ridden everything. Whats the deal using a non USt on a tubless setup? The tudeless seem heavier but why use a "beaded" tyre as a tubeless? Don't you have to use UST on a tubeless ready setup?

 

Hi there... This is an email I got from Schwalbe Marketing:

" The difference is a tubeless tire is a UST tire and a TL-Ready tire is aclincher tire with our redesigned bead. Our TL-Ready tire has a supplerrubber on the bead so it will seal and lock into place better. A UST tirehas an extra layer of butyl rubber to make it airtight. A TL-Ready tirerequires sealant to fully seal the tire. Any tire can be run tubeless,but not all tires are designed to be. The main reason people are ridingnon-UST tires tubeless is because it saves weight. With Schwalbe tiresonly use the TL-Ready tires tubeless. "

 

" TL-Ready tires are not a robust asUST tires, because UST tires have an additional layer of butyl rubber. Interms of knob wear they wear the same. The only added benefit toUST is it is slightly more puncture resistant than a TL-Ready tire. Thatis due to the added layer of rubber inside the tire."

 

"Our UST tires use the same carcass as the TL-Ready tires. Butsince they have more rubber, they are stronger and heavier. Side wallwill be stronger on a UST."

 

" Use sealant with all tubeless tires. Regardless if they are UST orTL-Ready. Sealant is required to make a TL-Ready tire airtight. USTtires come airtight. You would use sealant in both UST and TL-Ready tiresbecause if you were ever to get a puncture the sealant will seal the leak andyou can continue your ride. The main reasons for people going to tubelessis that is gives greater grip and you don’t have to replace tubes everytime you have a puncture."

 

 

 

 

Also if you ride mailly on the road(sic) use tubes... you dont want to f*%k up a rim when you have a blowout!

 

Personally I have always used UST tyres... never had a puncture in a race (about 30) or training for 2 years... but then I look where I am going

 

Hope this helps

[davetapson]

I would recommend for that type of terrain a Race King 2.2 ( Not for the width but for the high volume of the tire) at the back and a Monorail 2.1 for the front, both normal foldables. This combo will cost you no more than R600.

 

As far as pro's and cons for tire combos, that is something that is specific to your preference regarding handling ect. I would recommend try and test, eventualy you start to realize what patterns are good design and what isn't rather than looking at brands and the price.

 

 

A good rule of thumb tire combo is a Crossmark/ Monorail combo. That works great for the terrain in PTA - Groenkloof.

 

I was a big fan of a Crossmark until I tried a Race King 2.2.

 

I'm still a big fan of a Monorail 2.1 foldable.

 

My current tire combo is a Racing Ralph 2.25 Back / Maxxis Aspen 2.1 Front.

 

Probably the best tire setup I have had ever.

 

Another combo that is great is a Racing Ralph at the back , Rocket Ron front. Very expensive. If you buy from the from the wrong guy that will cost you approx. R1,300 for the two tires.

 

One problem with a Mountain King is that it wears extremely fast on tarmac.

It is a superb tire in moist to muddy conditions on hardpack, such as fountains after a decent amount of rain the previous night or more appropriate terrain like Harkerville.

 

With that rider weight I would suggest riding normal foldables.

 

 

Hope this helps.

 

Can't speak about Schwalbe tyres as I've never used them. But agree with everything else. Have been using a borrowed front wheel with a Kenda Karma fitted, and am liking it more than I expected to.

[Iwan Kemp]

I love my WTB tires, Weirwolf up front, Wolverine 2.2 on the back... both UST.

Not that easy to find them here but great tires.

 

Yes

[cwfourie]

Thanks guys...

 

I personally like the Conti Race King's...but then again I have not ridden everything. Whats the deal using a non USt on a tubless setup? The tudeless seem heavier but why use a "beaded" tyre as a tubeless? Don't you have to use UST on a tubeless ready setup?

 

 

Well, it works, I ride this way at the moment. Using Rocket Rons, front and back. The tyre's are non UST so they are extremely light weight, and this specific Tyre has exceptional grip!!! Using Stan's Tyre sealant! If you do convert it like this, ride a week with the slime on tarmac and then the slime forms like a inner tube and punctures are a thing of the past, watch out for Big thorns though!

They have lo0w rolling resistance, very good grip, and a great lightweight feel.

[Caltrigger]

Thanks guys, going to try race king UST 2.0 front and 2.2 rear....will see how it goes and try it out myself!!