Best tyres for loose sand

[Bitsy]

Hey guys,

 

I have developed a phobia for riding through sand on those awesome single track bends. I dont really have an issue with straight line patches and ride through them with ease. Its on those bends that I feel the front is constantly sliding out.

I have a decent Fork (Fox FIT 4) and have a Continental X-King(non protection) in the front. Bike is a hardtail and I run my tyre pressure at 1.9 bar.

I did Modderfontein over the weekend and struggled with all the loose sand.

 

What would be a good front tyre for sandy conditions? I was looking at the Brazo or Specialized Butcher. Other suggestions welcome:)

 

NB- only started riding last year and this was the only tyre I rode thus far.

[Edge_Design]

The best tyre? http://www.tri-cycles.net/fat-bike/vee-rubber-snowshoe-vrb375-26-x-4-8/ 

[Tatt]

Butcher would be and is my tyre of choice! Can't go wrong with them, and the price is pretty good.

 

Tom

[Spock]

I also did Modders over the weekend and also found the sand quite thick in some of the bends. At speed these are tricky and i doubt whether a more aggressive pattern will help. A wider tyre will be more stable, like that fatbike tyre in the previous post lol!

I did however find that in a lot of the sandy corners you could cut corner and avoid the deep sand.

[Spock]

If memory serves me, a couple of people on the hub mentioned X-Kings on the front being prone to washouts....I am sure they will chime in

[V18]

What spock said. I'm currently on spez purgatory 2.3 up front and back. They're ok for overall. Just came off x-kings 2.4 f+r. The x-kings were better in sand but I think that's down to the bigger contact patch. The biggest difference to me in the sand is surface area. Wide 2.4 up front (and rear) esp if you're heavy (I'm 110kg). More aggressive tread in sand won't really help. It'll only make you dig in more when spinning through the pits.

[the nerd]

3.0" 

[V18]

Try and keep the bike loose. Around a corner your bike will drift if you are pushing it. Knees apart and off the saddle. Usually you will grip at some point. To prevent avoid many front wheel oh-sh#t moments, try to keep your weight back ever so slightly. Rear wheel drift is easily controlled. Also leave your front brakes (both brakes for that matter) alone around slippy corners. Rolling wheels grip. Dragging wheels slip.

[dev null]

I would also look at running a lower pressure up front. Try 1.6 bar.

[Christofison]

Try and keep the bike loose. Around a corner your bike will drift if you are pushing it. Knees apart and off the saddle. Usually you will grip at some point. To prevent avoid many front wheel oh-sh#t moments, try to keep your weight back ever so slightly. Rear wheel drift is easily controlled. Also leave your front brakes (both brakes for that matter) alone around slippy corners. Rolling wheels grip. Dragging wheels slip.

What PK said. A more aggressive tire with bigger side knobs, more volume, lower pressure etc will all help ever so slightly but it's really down to technique. Getting your weight back and not leaning the bike over too much will help the front wheel not dig in. Aldo anticipate that the front is going to wash a bit, just be ready to adjust your weight and counter steer accordingly.

 

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[Christofison]

You don't really want to be lowering your tire pressure just for this, at the risk of cutting your tire and damaging your rim when it gets rocky further down the trail.

Try looking for a good line where others might have ridden so the soft sand isn't as deep.

 

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[BDF]

I have only done one ride on them so far but very impressed with Magic Mary 2.35's on the front. 1.7bar.

 

Loved the sure-footedness.

[s14phoenix]

I run WTB Vigilante 2.3 in front @ 1.3bar for my 70kgs. It still washes sometimes.

 

Try put a bit more weight forward. An unloaded tire is a loose tire. But don't overload it as it will also cause it to wash...

[s14phoenix]

I have only done one ride on them so far but very impressed with Magic Mary 2.35's on the front. 1.7bar.

 

Loved the sure-footedness.

 

Mary is good but depending on your weight you should lower pressures in the front.

[AlanD]

I have only done one ride on them so far but very impressed with Magic Mary 2.35's on the front. 1.7bar.

 

Loved the sure-footedness.

Just bought me a MM and RR but yet to try them. Still need to fit. Can't wait to test em out.

[BDF]

Mary is good but depending on your weight you should lower pressures in the front.

I weigh 81kg not counting the much needed Camelbak which full weighs probably another 3-4 kg I guess. On a 650B would you go much lower? I also don't want the dreaded snakebite.