Anthem X29 tire choice.

[Dubber88]

Good day Hubbers,

 

I've become the lucky owner of a Anthem X29 stock standard as my marathon racing bike.

 

I have a Crest wheelset from my Niner bike and is a big fan of Ikon tires in general, with an Ignitor at the front more recently, but at a cost rolling resistance wise.

 

This wheelset will be used on my Anthem bike also, as the groupset and chain is the same between the two bikes.

 

I would like to experiment with low rolling resistance tires with low weight used for XC marathon racing.

 

 

My current tire combo ideas to try out :

 

Racing Ralph front and back.

Racing Ralph back, Ikon front.

Ikon front and back.

 

Any ideas/ comments?

 

 

Also how much weight have AnthemX29 owners saved by changing out the stock wheelset for Crests and the Crossmarks for example Ikons or Schwalbe tires? I wouldn't be surprised if the weight saving is around 800 grams in total.

 

 

Thanks for your help.

 

 

regards,

Dub

[covie]

ikon front / aspen rear, you will be amazed how much grip the aspen gives for a low rolling resistance tyre, Only thing i dont like about this combo (i use to run it) i seem to be the king of destroying maxxis sidewalls.or x-king front and rear.

[Iwan Kemp]

What I tried on my X29

 

Racing Ralph front and back

Fr: Racing Ralph

Re: Racing Ralph

 

Fr: Rocket Ron

Re: Racing Ralph

 

Fr: WTB Bronson

Re: Racing Ralph

 

Fr: Ikon

Re: Ikon

 

Fr: Ikon

Re: Racing Ralph

 

Fr: WTB Bronson

Re: WTB Nano

 

Settled on Bronson front, Ralph rear. Good combo of predictable front grip and good enough grip out back. When it's VERY dusty the racing ralph spins up for nothing under load, but I worked on my pedal stroke and looking further ahead and the issue was mostly solved. Also like Rocket Ron in front.

 

Riding Racing Ralph front and Rear on my Momsen SL650 at the moment, but will go Rocket Ron / Racing Ralph as soon as there's stock of the Rons.

[BrandonF_]

Ikon rear for that very steep uphills (pronounced knobbies) and Aspen front, great cornering grip upfront even in loose gravely conditions. Both EXC versions, weigh in at 570grms each. Sidewalls are a concern, but I buy a pair of tyres a month anyway!

[BergForce]

For low rolling resistance: Racing Ralph Snakeskin front, Ritchey WCS Shield rear.

For durability/training: Ikon Exo front and rear.

[BergForce]

The lightweight 2.1 Ritchey Shield is the best racing rear tire for my Anthem 29er. I normally use an Ikon Exo on the front, but the RacingRalph outrolls the Ikon very slightly, so I want to try it on the front as a race tire. Then Ikons give much more milage.

[Dubber88]

Thanks for the comments so far.

 

I'm under the impression that a Racing Ralph could get a washy as a front tire for loose over hard terrain?

 

I have had RaRa RoRo combo on my Niner HT, and don't think I will go RoRo again soon on the front.

 

The Ritchey Shield is a tire I've been eyeing for a while. Looks similar to Race King but with more aggressive side knobs, and weight looks promising.

 

I will look out for some Aspen/ Ritchey specials...

 

I will probably start off with two Ra Ra's and then change out the front for a Ikon as I have these tires already in stock.

[Dubber88]

The lightweight 2.1 Ritchey Shield is the best racing rear tire for my Anthem 29er. I normally use an Ikon Exo on the front, but the RacingRalph outrolls the Ikon very slightly, so I want to try it on the front as a race tire. Then Ikons give much more milage.

 

Have to agree that the 3C on the Ikons are far superior to the Schwalbe tires mileage wise.

[Dubber88]

Ikon rear for that very steep uphills (pronounced knobbies) and Aspen front, great cornering grip upfront even in loose gravely conditions. Both EXC versions, weigh in at 570grms each. Sidewalls are a concern, but I buy a pair of tyres a month anyway!

ikon front / aspen rear, you will be amazed how much grip the aspen gives for a low rolling resistance tyre, Only thing i dont like about this combo (i use to run it) i seem to be the king of destroying maxxis sidewalls.or x-king front and rear.

 

Aspens are notorious for their thin sidewalls.

 

Actually forgot about the Aspen, will need to get my hands on one.

[Iwan Kemp]

I'm under the impression that a Racing Ralph could get a washy as a front tire for loose over hard terrain?

Yip

[covie]

Aspens are notorious for their thin sidewalls.

 

Actually forgot about the Aspen, will need to get my hands on one.

 

Oddly the Aspen survived 3 months in which time i killed 3 ikon exc3/abc4/xo (or what ever all the bloody decals are) but the only aspen's i can get here are the normal foldable ones and i am tired of buying new rubber. Didnt like the Racing ralphs or rocket rons, they just seem'ed to washout or lock up too often. I now run the X-kings front and rear and i am very happy. Have to say if I get a UST Aspen ill fit it again, that thing rolls like a slick and corners like its on rails.

[Dubber88]

Oddly the Aspen survived 3 months in which time i killed 3 ikon exc3/abc4/xo (or what ever all the bloody decals are) but the only aspen's i can get here are the normal foldable ones and i am tired of buying new rubber. Didnt like the Racing ralphs or rocket rons, they just seem'ed to washout or lock up too often. I now run the X-kings front and rear and i am very happy. Have to say if I get a UST Aspen ill fit it again, that thing rolls like a slick and corners like its on rails.

 

 

After some more reading, it seems an Ikon front Aspen rear or Ignitor front Aspen rear sounds like good options if looking to ride an Aspen on your bike.

[Dubber88]

This tire should be available , no EXO/EXC versions yet. I other words it comes in at the same spec and weight as the Ikon's I ride.

 

29X2.10 ( 52-622 ) Black 120 FOLDABLE 530 DUAL 65 eXC

[Dubber88]

Oddly the Aspen survived 3 months in which time i killed 3 ikon exc3/abc4/xo (or what ever all the bloody decals are) but the only aspen's i can get here are the normal foldable ones and i am tired of buying new rubber. Didnt like the Racing ralphs or rocket rons, they just seem'ed to washout or lock up too often. I now run the X-kings front and rear and i am very happy. Have to say if I get a UST Aspen ill fit it again, that thing rolls like a slick and corners like its on rails.

 

I would assume an Aspen on the front will last allot longer than one on the back.

[covie]

I would assume an Aspen on the front will last allot longer than one on the back.

 

90 percent of grip is in the front, and most of the rolling resistance come from the back, you can run a Ardent in front and not notice a rolling Resistance difference to having a ikon in the front. So nope i wouldn't run it in the front i like grip ... and my teeth.

Edited January 2, 2013 by covie

[BergForce]

I love the Aspen as a rear but I fear the thin sidewalls so I chose the Ritchey Shield as my rear because it is Tubeless Ready and got a stronger sidewall I think. I have had no issues with the Ikon on the front, it is more than a year old now and still has some life left.