MTB Tyre Choices

[BikeisLife]

Kendo’s SCT casing looks promising. Two options available at the moment namely booster and Honey Badger.

Both look very fast rolling with booster looking the more traction oriented option.

Kenda has always produced great tyres so just putting it out there as options

Had the booster pro non-SCT on for about a month, was quite surprised with the grip of them compared to the likes of Rekon Race, Aspen, Ikon. Put the SCT on now for race season.

[TyronLab]

snip

 

Was it something I said (too much of)?

[Hairy]

The Aggressor is a great compromise between grip and fast rolling, it also lasts pretty well especially on the front. I've been using aggressors on front and rear, 2.5 and 2.3 respectively. Out of interest, I've recently put a Kenda Hellkat 2.6 on the front and grip wise it's brilliant! Not as fast rolling as the aggressor though.

Hellkat Review

 

https://theloamwolf.com/2017/09/15/review-kenda-hellkat-pro-tires/

[NeverNotRolling]

The Aggressor is a great compromise between grip and fast rolling, it also lasts pretty well especially on the front. I've been using aggressors on front and rear, 2.5 and 2.3 respectively. Out of interest, I've recently put a Kenda Hellkat 2.6 on the front and grip wise it's brilliant! Not as fast rolling as the aggressor though.

 

How are the Aggressors on the front for cornering? I'm thinking of the Aggressors on the rear and maybe DHF's on the front. But that might be overkill or make for a lot of rolling resistance. 

[Trance Dance]

How are the Aggressors on the front for cornering? I'm thinking of the Aggressors on the rear and maybe DHF's on the front. But that might be overkill or make for a lot of rolling resistance.

I found the aggressor to have plenty of grip. I went from 2.3 dhf to 2.5 aggressor and found the aggressor to be way better in terms of grip.

[Chadvdw67]

Where did you pay that for the DHF? 29?

Cajees Cycles in Boksburg, yup, 29" 2.5WT

[MrJacques]

[Me rida my bicycle]

I know you get Minion dhf skinwall in 27.5 but does anyone know if you get it in 29er. Specifically looking for skinwall I know in black you get them in 29er.

[Danger Dassie]

Kendo’s SCT casing looks promising. Two options available at the moment namely booster and Honey Badger.

Both look very fast rolling with booster looking the more traction oriented option.

Kenda has always produced great tyres so just putting it out there as options

What a coinkydink, I've actually been looking at the Kenda Booster Pro. Seems to tick all the boxes and may be a good front pairing for the Honey Badger on the rear, as a fast rolling XC combo. 

Most likely will go for the Booster front and rear though. 

Have you any experience on the Booster?

[BikeisLife]

What a coinkydink, I've actually been looking at the Kenda Booster Pro. Seems to tick all the boxes and may be a good front pairing for the Honey Badger on the rear, as a fast rolling XC combo.

Most likely will go for the Booster front and rear though.

Have you any experience on the Booster?

Running Kenda Booster Pro SCT front and rear and absolutely loving it. Just take the plunge and thank me later.

[Danger Dassie]

Running Kenda Booster Pro SCT front and rear and absolutely loving it. Just take the plunge and thank me later.

Thanks, pretty much made up on them. Currently on Vittoria Barzos which were stock spec on my bike, I'm not wild about them.

I see you're in KZN, what kind of riding/terrain are you often on? 

[robbybzgo]

Hey TyronLab,

It looks like you've pretty much worked out your own solutions!

(Probably why no one else has answered you)...

Tyres should be hard enough to not bottom out and strike the rims and

not so soft that you get a "bounce" out of your tyres. Also they must

correspond to your own weight.

Being 66kg I can run my tyres fairly soft. 

For a race this weekend my tyres were at 1.8/ 2 bars and they were perfect

for all conditions of the XC race. Although I usually use 2.25/2.2 size wheels I put on

Ardent race 2.35 rear and ardent 2.4 front - rear new and front nearly new - that gave

a lot more comfort with a slight weight penalty and grip was great from front and rear.

As tyres wear so they do lose their grip slowly. My old rear tyre was sliding under braking downhill

and not gripping sufficiently on climbing up loose gravel and sand. I bought a good second hand set of rims (27.5) and now I can swop out my wheels sets for the type of ride I will go on (a bit of a luxury!)

Pedal strikes do happen and often you have to delay a pedal stroke for a moment to clear

a large obstacle but not always possible.

The Maxxis Crossmark 2 is a good general tyre (for mixed use) for the rear and believe that it is fairly long lasting - ideal for the tar that you spend a fair amount of time on.

Hope that you're sorting out your tyre choice there.

Good luck.

[BikeisLife]

Thanks, pretty much made up on them. Currently on Vittoria Barzos which were stock spec on my bike, I'm not wild about them.

I see you're in KZN, what kind of riding/terrain are you often on?

Loose over hard. Slick. Sandy. Haven’t had any muddy conditions yet.

[DieselnDust]

What a coinkydink, I've actually been looking at the Kenda Booster Pro. Seems to tick all the boxes and may be a good front pairing for the Honey Badger on the rear, as a fast rolling XC combo. 

Most likely will go for the Booster front and rear though. 

Have you any experience on the Booster?

 

 

Nope not yet but I'm picking up a pair today and will revert next Monday. Ned a few days to run off the mould release and get a proper feeling for the tyre over a few days. Will compare to my bench mark Pirelli Scorpion S

[Danger Dassie]

Loose over hard. Slick. Sandy. Haven’t had any muddy conditions yet.

​Nice, pretty much the same kind of riding. Looking at the block spacing I don't think they'll shed mud as well as some. Ie: Bontrager XR3 and Vittoria Barzo

​Not essential for me though.

[Danger Dassie]

Nope not yet but I'm picking up a pair today and will revert next Monday. Ned a few days to run off the mould release and get a proper feeling for the tyre over a few days. Will compare to my bench mark Pirelli Scorpion S

 

Fantastic, looking forward to the feedback.