MTB Tyre Choices

[PygaSchmyga]

what's all that yellow sh  i  t all over the tyre?

looks like they've been ridden through road paint.  Still, I thinks its quite cool

[Grease_Monkey]

looks like they've been ridden through road paint. Still, I thinks its quite cool

Me too, I quite like it. I think it would like quite nice on a stealth bike.

 

I had some in my "cart" on their website the other day - but with the poor exchange rate and expensive shipping to SA we are talking about R3000 for a set of tyres. A bit sad as these tyres are getting good review. Their dollar price is actually decent though...

[Bomberman]

Needs some advice on 29er tyres.

 

So I've been wondering about what size tyre to get. I've always liked a 2.5 on my enduro bikes and felt they help with sandy conditions, but I'm not sure if it might be too much on my new build. 

 

The new bike will be more trail orientated, long-distance riding as kathu has almost no mountains and loads of sand, do I look for a slimmer tyre with less rolling resistance or stay with a wider tyre for all conditions??

 

thinking of getting a maxxis aggressor 2.5 for the rear and a maxxis assegai 2.5 for the front.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

 

Needs some advice on 29er tyres.

 

So I've been wondering about what size tyre to get. I've always liked a 2.5 on my enduro bikes and felt they help with sandy conditions, but I'm not sure if it might be too much on my new build. 

 

The new bike will be more trail orientated, long-distance riding as kathu has almost no mountains and loads of sand, do I look for a slimmer tyre with less rolling resistance or stay with a wider tyre for all conditions??

 

thinking of getting a maxxis aggressor 2.5 for the rear and a maxxis assegai 2.5 for the front.

 

larger volume is always better for sand, so there's that. Plus they look better...

[Bomberman]

larger volume is always better for sand, so there's that. Plus they look better...

Ok you got me sold on "they look better" 

[TyronLab]

I recently did a few rides in Kathu (see the Where Has Your Bike Taken You Today thread), so I can actually give some practical advice here.

 

There's not much in the way of technical riding, or elevation, but a lot of very sandy dirt roads, pebelled road shoulders and rocky footpaths. I was on my Trek Stache hardtail and I actually think it was the perfect bike for the job, especially on the sandy, corrugated dirt roads.

 

The 3" tyres gave me a lot of float and comfort but still pedalled well due to being a HT. I'd definitely go for the biggest tyres you can fit for float and comfort, as its a generally sandy area. If it was hardpacked dirt or corrugation like you find up in JHB / Freestate I'd suggest something slimmer, but for the red desert of Kathu I'd go as fat as you can.

Edited August 12, 2020 by TyronLab

[Bomberman]

 

Needs some advice on 29er tyres.

 

So I've been wondering about what size tyre to get. I've always liked a 2.5 on my enduro bikes and felt they help with sandy conditions, but I'm not sure if it might be too much on my new build. 

 

The new bike will be more trail orientated, long-distance riding as kathu has almost no mountains and loads of sand, do I look for a slimmer tyre with less rolling resistance or stay with a wider tyre for all conditions??

 

thinking of getting a maxxis aggressor 2.5 for the rear and a maxxis assegai 2.5 for the front.

 

Also maybe something to add. The inner rim width is 30mm

[Hairy]

unless you trail points down and you can get some good gravity assisted speed, then I would not run the assegai

 

The more "paddle" shaped DHR2 on the front with the "paddle" shaped aggressor on the rear or just aggressor all round .. and you can get the aggressor in 2.5"

[Bos]

Longer distance and no mountains..

 

I'd stay the hell away from that combo I'm running a DHF/Aggressor and even that may be overkill. It feels like riding with the brakes on compared to my other wheelset which has 2.35 ICON/Ardent Race combo. If you're not going to be focusing on going down hills.

 

Consider a fast rolling but wide rear tire like a Razor Rock/ Minion SS/ Spez slaughter, with perhaps the Aggressor front? I know the Ardent is also popular in the states (fast rolling rear with good cornering) and often sold for a bargain locally.

Maxxis Forecasters also roll well and often come up on bikehub. 

Edited August 12, 2020 by Bos

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I must agree with Bos & Hairy, with that sort of terrain in mind. Maybe an aggressor 2.5 up front and a Rekon / Forekaster out back? Unless you're looking at proper casings in which case I'd go semi-slick like the Rock Razor / Slaughter etc. 

 

That's my main gripe with tyre manufacturers. If you're looking for proper strength and puncture protection, more than 75% of your tyre choices go out the window. 

 

An Ikon with DoubleDown? YES PLEASE. 

[Mtree]

Hi all, so maybe a question for the Western Cape guys.

What tyres would be recommended for some light technical stuff? (Trails in mind: Majik, Bloemendal, Meerendaal, Hillcrest).

Current tyres:
Maxxis Ardent 2.4 120TPI, front

Maxxis Ikon 2.35 120TPI, rear

Finding the Ardent to be a bit loose as a front tire, especially on lean through loose corners  . It is fine on hard pack though.

The Ikon under heavy braking locks up and just "ski's"

Rims: WTB KOM tough I29 on the front, with the WTB KOM tough I25 on the rear.

Any recommendations?
Fundamentally keen on an Assegai, but after reading some of this thread I have concerns..

[DieselnDust]

Hi all, so maybe a question for the Western Cape guys.

 

What tyres would be recommended for some light technical stuff? (Trails in mind: Majik, Bloemendal, Meerendaal, Hillcrest).

 

Current tyres:

Maxxis Ardent 2.4 120TPI, front

Maxxis Ikon 2.35 120TPI, rear

 

Finding the Ardent to be a bit loose as a front tire, especially on lean through loose corners  . It is fine on hard pack though.

The Ikon under heavy braking locks up and just "ski's"

 

Rims: WTB KOM tough I29 on the front, with the WTB KOM tough I25 on the rear.

 

Any recommendations?

Fundamentally keen on an Assegai, but after reading some of this thread I have concerns..

 

 

the problem  with the western cape is in summer everything is loose over hardpac which means we ride on marbles in summer so nothing really grips.

 

I tend to opt for low tread height race tyres much of the time but also have a set of taller tread tyreslike KendaBooster pro  or Pirelli Scorpion XC S for the front with the Scorpion R on the back

[Hairy]

Hi all, so maybe a question for the Western Cape guys.

 

What tyres would be recommended for some light technical stuff? (Trails in mind: Majik, Bloemendal, Meerendaal, Hillcrest).

 

Current tyres:

Maxxis Ardent 2.4 120TPI, front

Maxxis Ikon 2.35 120TPI, rear

 

Finding the Ardent to be a bit loose as a front tire, especially on lean through loose corners  . It is fine on hard pack though.

The Ikon under heavy braking locks up and just "ski's"

 

Rims: WTB KOM tough I29 on the front, with the WTB KOM tough I25 on the rear.

 

Any recommendations?

Fundamentally keen on an Assegai, but after reading some of this thread I have concerns..

Regarding the Assegai.

 

I have had one on the front for a little while now, this replaced a DHR2.

 

• It has TONS of grip on the front
• It certainly rolls slower than the DHR2 it replaced
• Feels a little less "nippy" than the DHR2 when changing direction, yet changes direction very quickly .... sounds strange I know. It may well just be that the Assegai is more "Stable" and hence feel less "nippy".
• I am much faster into and through the turns than I was on the DHR2, to the point where I need to tell myself to go faster and faster because it just feels so safe and right to do so.
• The DHR2 on the rear can't keep pace with the Assegai on the turns and tends to slide out slightly while the Assegai is still showing to have grip for days up front.

Given the trails you mentioned, and it sounds like you are looking for a more trail orientated tyre with a bit of grip that has a decent rolling speed I would say go DHR2 up front for a more aggressive trail tyre or a Forecaster maybe if you want more rolling speed. I can't vouch for the Forecaster though as I have not uses it yet, but it is a tyre I have been eyeing out.

[Hairy]

the problem  with the western cape is in summer everything is loose over hardpac which means we ride on marbles in summer so nothing really grips.

 

I tend to opt for low tread height race tyres much of the time but also have a set of taller tread tyreslike KendaBooster pro  or Pirelli Scorpion XC S for the front with the Scorpion R on the back

Out of interest, where do you buy your Pirelli's locally?

[Mtree]

the problem  with the western cape is in summer everything is loose over hardpac which means we ride on marbles in summer so nothing really grips.

 

I tend to opt for low tread height race tyres much of the time but also have a set of taller tread tyreslike KendaBooster pro  or Pirelli Scorpion XC S for the front with the Scorpion R on the back

Yeah, have noticed the Marbles, almost lost the front today on some of this stuff.

 

Why low tread height?

Those are interesting choices, low rolling resistance though?

[Mtree]

Regarding the Assegai.

 

I have had one on the front for a little while now, this replaced a DHR2.

 

• It has TONS of grip on the front
• It certainly rolls slower than the DHR2 it replaced
• Feels a little less "nippy" than the DHR2 when changing direction, yet changes direction very quickly .... sounds strange I know. It may well just be that the Assegai is more "Stable" and hence feel less "nippy".
• I am much faster into and through the turns than I was on the DHR2, to the point where I need to tell myself to go faster and faster because it just feels so safe and right to do so.
• The DHR2 on the rear can't keep pace with the Assegai on the turns and tends to slide out slightly while the Assegai is still showing to have grip for days up front.

Given the trails you mentioned, and it sounds like you are looking for a more trail orientated tyre with a bit of grip that has a decent rolling speed I would say go DHR2 up front for a more aggressive trail tyre or a Forecaster maybe if you want more rolling speed. I can't vouch for the Forecaster though as I have not uses it yet, but it is a tyre I have been eyeing out.

Why the change from the DHR2?

That's really interesting, the nippy or lack there of is probably the transition onto the side knobs, as the Assegai has the filler knobs.

 

To be honest, I'm not seeing much difference between the Forekaster and the Ardent.

 

Riding a hardtail, I want the grip in the front .

Don't mind the rear sliding out, as long as the front stays planted.

 

DHR2 up front, and ship the ardent to the rear?