Tyre choice

[Nicomrs]

Hi guys,

 

Im mostly riding xc type singletrack and the occasional jonkers/tokai/franschoek.

 

I used to run on ardent 2.4 front an back then changed to the barzo mezcal 2.35 combo. First ride and i face planted breaking my nose. This was on a rocky section.

 

Today i was going quite fast on hardpack single track and hit a small rocky section and almost wiped out again.

 

Im loosing confidence and want to blame it on the tyres,

 

Maybe ive got my pressures all wrong running 1,5 rear and 1.4 front.

 

Or should i just change to different tyres.

 

I have 2 brand new 2.4 ardents, 1 x 2.4 dissector and 1 x minion ss.

[Dappere]

Hi guys,

 

Im mostly riding xc type singletrack and the occasional jonkers/tokai/franschoek.

 

I used to run on ardent 2.4 front an back then changed to the barzo mezcal 2.35 combo. First ride and i face planted breaking my nose. This was on a rocky section.

 

Today i was going quite fast on hardpack single track and hit a small rocky section and almost wiped out again.

 

Im loosing confidence and want to blame it on the tyres,

 

Maybe ive got my pressures all wrong running 1,5 rear and 1.4 front.

 

Or should i just change to different tyres.

 

I have 2 brand new 2.4 ardents, 1 x 2.4 dissector and 1 x minion ss.

I ride Jonkers en Botties quite a bit. My current go to tyres are; Ardent Race (front), ikon (back). Both in 2.35. They are fast rolling and in most cases gives fairly good grip.

 

In winter I change my front tyre to a ardent 2.4 or forekaster 2.35.

 

I run my tyre pressures; 18psi (front), 19psi (back). My weight is 76kgs.

 

Having ridden the Ardent 2.4 up front. I can say, they have much more grip than the barzo.

 

Maybe take a few more chilled rides, to get use to how hard you can push your new tyres.

[DieselnDust]

Hi guys,

 

Im mostly riding xc type singletrack and the occasional jonkers/tokai/franschoek.

 

I used to run on ardent 2.4 front an back then changed to the barzo mezcal 2.35 combo. First ride and i face planted breaking my nose. This was on a rocky section.

 

Today i was going quite fast on hardpack single track and hit a small rocky section and almost wiped out again.

 

Im loosing confidence and want to blame it on the tyres,

 

Maybe ive got my pressures all wrong running 1,5 rear and 1.4 front.

 

Or should i just change to different tyres.

 

I have 2 brand new 2.4 ardents, 1 x 2.4 dissector and 1 x minion ss.

 

 

when last was your suspension serviced?

[Nicomrs]

My suspension is 100% i just find that my frint tyre sweeps ot on small rocks, pine needles etc whereas with my previous ardents and the dissector i couldve just ploughed over them and not worry about a thing.

 

Thet vittorias are way faster uphill, the just feel very stiff downhill.

[Dappere]

My suspension is 100% i just find that my frint tyre sweeps ot on small rocks, pine needles etc whereas with my previous ardents and the dissector i couldve just ploughed over them and not worry about a thing.

 

Thet vittorias are way faster uphill, the just feel very stiff downhill.

From my experience, that is normal. I get that with my Ardent race as well. Part of the compromise I guess. Faster tyre - less grip compared to that of an Ardent.

 

You get use to it, and your riding style slightly adjusts.

 

Why did you change your tyres?

[Nicomrs]

I was running ardent 2.4 front and back, and it felt heavy, especially the rear, then the vittoria special came up, thought id give it a try

[Dappere]

I was running ardent 2.4 front and back, and it felt heavy, especially the rear, then the vittoria special came up, thought id give it a try

Try a few rides with the new tyres. Get use to how they handle, then make a decision.

[JBK]

I was running ardent 2.4 front and back, and it felt heavy, especially the rear, then the vittoria special came up, thought id give it a try

What special ? That Vittoria combo works best for me.

[Nicomrs]

They had that bucket with the beer, lube, 2 tyres etc.

 

They are great tyres, only in the grarly sections, they dont feel as "rubbery" as my maxxis tyres, the knobblies feel alot harder, for example slipping off rock edges etc

[DieselnDust]

They had that bucket with the beer, lube, 2 tyres etc.

They are great tyres, only in the grarly sections, they dont feel as "rubbery" as my maxxis tyres, the knobblies feel alot harder, for example slipping off rock edges etc

That is exactly how they are. They are not trail tyres but XC tyres. Initial grip always feels great till the top layer of rubber is worn away. Out of the box they will never feel as grippy and stable as trail rubber

[Baracuda]

I have had the Barzos etc on the front before and they do "drift".

I changed to a Minion which was amazing, but a bugger to get up hill. I currently have the forkaster which seems like a good compromise. Nice grip if you lean it over.

My confidence was also waning after a few wipes on fair straight forward trails and the front washing out. Aside from changing tires, the best thing I found was these instruction videos on youtube:

 

 

 

 

I have been riding for 20 years and find most instructional videos are rubbish, but for some reason, on these two channels, with a guy teaching a girl, they carefully go through basic principles - where your weight should be, your head, shoulders etc. I have practiced it in Tokai and you have so much more control and end up improving your Strava records regularly.

Edited March 8, 2021 by Baracuda

[splat]

From my experience, that is normal. I get that with my Ardent race as well. Part of the compromise I guess. Faster tyre - less grip compared to that of an Ardent.

 

You get use to it, and your riding style slightly adjusts.

 

Why did you change your tyres?

 

I posted in another thread that I am also unimpressed with my Vittorias. Perhaps I didn't realise that they weren't very trail orientated. Pinch flatting on my first ride hasn't helped my impression of them either.

Instead of enjoying the single track, I am waiting for one of the tyres to slide out on every corner.

I don't want to adjust my riding style to suit my tyres - my tyres should match how I want to ride.

So, need to buy some knobblier rubber 

[Nicomrs]

Thanks the problem is not so much with the cornering but actually in a straight line where you have loos rocks the front wheel sweeps out, slipping from the rocks. Maybe line choice would help but not my best skill.

[Headshot]

Fast rolling generally means narrower, less tread and less grip. You can't have everything in one tyre unfortunately.

 

I have found that the best compromise for my kind of riding which is trail/enduro is the Maxxis Aggressor. Has good side knobs, big volume in 2.5 and reasonable weight plus hard rubber center center knobs for good durability and rolling speed. It is underrated as a front tyre but in our dry conditions I find it fairly good. I even raced a DH event on them.

 

That said, if you're getting bounced off line I wonder if you're not exceeding your suspension travel or damping? 

Edited March 8, 2021 by Headshot

[Steady Spin]

Sauce

 

Linnea and April in one post. 

 

Day made! 

[Dappere]

I posted in another thread that I am also unimpressed with my Vittorias. Perhaps I didn't realise that they weren't very trail orientated. Pinch flatting on my first ride hasn't helped my impression of them either.

Instead of enjoying the single track, I am waiting for one of the tyres to slide out on every corner.

I don't want to adjust my riding style to suit my tyres - my tyres should match how I want to ride.

So, need to buy some knobblier rubber 

 

Completely understand. As Headshot so adequately put.  "Fast rolling generally means narrower, less tread and less grip. You can't have everything in one tyre unfortunately."

 

I do swop out my front tyre to something a little more aggressive for winter; forekaster or ardent.

 

Find a tyre that suits the type of riding you would like to do.