Enduro/gravity bike suspension and geo

[Hairy]

Just hope it holds out and does not slip out at speed......could be a nasty accident!

Transitioning from a soft to a hard knob dramatically improves performance. 

[Headshot]

Just hope it holds out and does not slip out at speed......could be a nasty accident!

 

Now now boys - the double entendre has its limits...

[Odinson]

While on the subject of tyres, who here has gone from around a 25mm ID rim to about a 30mm ID rim. I'd like to go slightly wider to make full use of Maxxis' WT tyres, but I'm gonna be pissed if I replace perfectly good rims and then feel virtually no difference out on the trail. 

[Duane_Bosch]

I'm on the fence with this type of thing. When I bought my jeffsy 2 of my mates told me that the stock rim width was basically unusable and that I should immediately throw away the stock wheels. I could honestly not feel a difference between ZTR's on hopes over the stock wheels the bike comes with.

 

I'd want actual measured data from a rider I respect before I'd commit. And even then I'd weigh that cost up over another performance upgrade such as a few days with a shock wiz for example. If I destroy a wheel then yes.

 

The only non stock items on my bike are the rear shock and the cockpit. But the cockpit is just personal preference rather than any perceived performance advantage.

Edited January 29, 2019 by Duane_Bosch

[GrahamS2]

I'm on the fence with this type of thing. When I bought my jeffsy 2 of my mates told me that the stock rim width was basically unusable and that I should immediately throw away the stock wheels. I could honestly not feel a difference between ZTR's on hopes over the stock wheels the bike comes with.

 

I'd want actual measured data from a rider I respect before I'd commit. And even then I'd weigh that cost up over another performance upgrade such as a few days with a shock wiz for example.

I'm with you on that viewpoint. It's such a fractional change, and the biggest benefit is a bit more volume so lower pressures can be run.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

I'm on the fence with this type of thing. When I bought my jeffsy 2 of my mates told me that the stock rim width was basically unusable and that I should immediately throw away the stock wheels. I could honestly not feel a difference between ZTR's on hopes over the stock wheels the bike comes with.

 

I'd want actual measured data from a rider I respect before I'd commit. And even then I'd weigh that cost up over another performance upgrade such as a few days with a shock wiz for example. If I destroy a wheel then yes.

 

The only non stock items on my bike are the rear shock and the cockpit. But the cockpit is just personal preference rather than any perceived performance advantage.

https://m.pinkbike.com/news/rim-widths-comparison-test-mountain-bike.html

 

This is the best write up I've read to date. Not sure if you respect Matt Wragg...

I personally felt a small difference in grip, but that was thanks to the slightly higher volume the wider rim allowed (went from 24 to 35mm internal) with the same tyres. How much of that was the rim build (assymetric rims, so better spoke tension and stiffer wheel) vs placebo vs riding on different days and weighting the tyres differently, I don't know. I just know I was able to drop the pressure a smidge.

 

Whether that would have remained true with a 28/30/32 mm rim, I haven't got any real world experience on the comparisons but I can sorta deduce how it would change by thinking about it.

 

Tyre profile is also very important, imo. Squareish tread patterns would square off even more, which means transition to side knobs happens earlier and tearing may be a problem due to this.

 

But hey, it wasn't nearly as big of a difference as going from the Pike RC to the Lyrik RC2 and Marzo.

Edited January 29, 2019 by Captain Fatbastard Mayhem

[Odinson]

I'm on the fence with this type of thing. When I bought my jeffsy 2 of my mates told me that the stock rim width was basically unusable and that I should immediately throw away the stock wheels. I could honestly not feel a difference between ZTR's on hopes over the stock wheels the bike comes with.

 

I'd want actual measured data from a rider I respect before I'd commit. And even then I'd weigh that cost up over another performance upgrade such as a few days with a shock wiz for example. If I destroy a wheel then yes.

 

The only non stock items on my bike are the rear shock and the cockpit. But the cockpit is just personal preference rather than any perceived performance advantage.

 

I have a set of Minions in WT and a set of Rekons in WT. The Minions feel great on my rims and I can run fairly low pressures and not have them squirming on me. I think the DD casings play a big role in that regard though. The Rekons on the other hand, in EXO casing, need high pressures to prevent them from rolling. 

 

Bah, I guess my gat brand net for some new wheels. If I bust a wheel, then maybe I'll look into it. 

[Duane_Bosch]

 

If I bust a wheel, then maybe I'll look into it.

 

Same.

[Bos]

While on the subject of tyres, who here has gone from around a 25mm ID rim to about a 30mm ID rim. I'd like to go slightly wider to make full use of Maxxis' WT tyres, but I'm gonna be pissed if I replace perfectly good rims and then feel virtually no difference out on the trail. 

 

Went from 23ID to 30, and it was well worth it. Stiffer /more stable sidewalls giving more confidence. tyre didnt get much wider though. maybe 2mm a side. 

 

Also got the Shwable Razar Rock on the back @BAGEAR  asked for a semi slick (came from a Ardent Race) and I'm very impressed with this tyre. Sure I'm not coming from DHR country, but believe it or not, this weigh's the same as 2.25 Ardent race, it rolls faster, the casing feels much stronger and It really grips well. I just took a chance since it was at a bargain at evobike but I'm over the moon. It has solid shoulder knobs and I have not lost the rear since, and I live in loose over hardpack country. I rode it in loamy Knysna and in the wet and so far so good. I really think its a worthey option. Its a 2.35 and similar to Maxxis 2.4's

 

Here's some photos:

[Headshot]

A tasty HT with Agressors front and rear!

[Jewbacca]

Rim ID.... 

 

Funnily enough, on my Mercer I was fastest on 23mm ID rims. Went to 30mm rims and they felt 'stiffer' but they also felt wooden.

 

On the XC dual suss I went from Crests to Spank 345's and definitely noticed improved cornering.

 

My humble opinion is that sommer going wider isn't always better. The WTB i29 A-sym felt wooden on the hardtail, but the Spanks felt great on the dual suss....

 

Good enough to spend thousands on? Nah.... not until you wreck a wheel

[Headshot]

My HT has 23mm Flows on it. They work just great with the 2.4 Ardents I am running and before that with MM 2.35 and Rock Razor. 

[CdT85]

Went from 23ID to 30, and it was well worth it. Stiffer /more stable sidewalls giving more confidence. tyre didnt get much wider though. maybe 2mm a side. 

 

Also got the Shwable Razar Rock on the back @BAGEAR  asked for a semi slick (came from a Ardent Race) and I'm very impressed with this tyre. Sure I'm not coming from DHR country, but believe it or not, this weigh's the same as 2.25 Ardent race, it rolls faster, the casing feels much stronger and It really grips well. I just took a chance since it was at a bargain at evobike but I'm over the moon. It has solid shoulder knobs and I have not lost the rear since, and I live in loose over hardpack country. I rode it in loamy Knysna and in the wet and so far so good. I really think its a worthey option. Its a 2.35 and similar to Maxxis 2.4's

 

Here's some photos:

 

Awesome. Just put a 2.35 Rock Razor on my bike last night, still to go try it out on the trails. Still rocking the ZTR Flow Ex rims (25.5 internal, 29 external), but  the tyre is sitting quite "fat". as wide as my current P.O.S Onza 2.4.

Still have to get a better front tyre to replace my 2.4 Onza.

Edited January 29, 2019 by Otero

[stefmeister]

While on the subject of tyres, who here has gone from around a 25mm ID rim to about a 30mm ID rim. I'd like to go slightly wider to make full use of Maxxis' WT tyres, but I'm gonna be pissed if I replace perfectly good rims and then feel virtually no difference out on the trail. 

Going from 23 to 29 mm ID, the only difference I noticed was less twangy pings when cornering over rough stuff. That could just be down to a better bead design.

Edited January 29, 2019 by stefmeister

[Thermophage]

Awesome. Just put a 2.35 Rock Razor on my bike last night, still to go try it out on the trails. Still rocking the ZTR Flow Ex rims (25.5 internal, 29 external), but  the tyre is sitting quite "fat". as wide as my current P.O.S Onza 2.4.

Still have to get a better front tyre to replace my 2.4 Onza.

Yeha Schwalbe tyres actually measure properly ITO their stated vs. actual width. Maxiss for example measure WAAAY below their stated tyre width.

[Bos]

Rim ID.... 

 

Funnily enough, on my Mercer I was fastest on 23mm ID rims. Went to 30mm rims and they felt 'stiffer' but they also felt wooden.

 

On the XC dual suss I went from Crests to Spank 345's and definitely noticed improved cornering.

 

My humble opinion is that sommer going wider isn't always better. The WTB i29 A-sym felt wooden on the hardtail, but the Spanks felt great on the dual suss....

 

Good enough to spend thousands on? Nah.... not until you wreck a wheel

 

I was running a lightweight 23ID rim (WTB KOM23) which was fine for my riding except I kept dinging them. I also got a bit of tire roll when going hard into berms, however a stiffer sidewall tyre might have been slightly better. 

 

I couldn't decide If I needed ZTR FLOW's or just a lightweight Rapide/Spank/LYNE 30mmID rim, so I pulled the trigger on the Rapide because if they were to soft they would be cheap to replace. I am yet to even ping the rear while my previous rim would have been written off by now, however I have the RazorRock on the back now. but, all in all, a nice lightweight option for medium to light riders for average trail use. I am yet to race a proper Enduro on them, but I live out in the Breerivier so my daily grind is rockville.

Edited January 29, 2019 by Bos