Best tyre combination to use with a hardtail using 38Tx11-51 Deore cassette

[zoobear84]

Hi Guys

I am currently using a GT Avalanche with a 11-51 Deore cassette with a 38T Ali Racing chainring and XT crank. I use Specialized Sawtooth 42s at the moment. It's a great combo for light trails but I have felt the itch to slightly more technical trails, but not too intense since I ride gravel and road too. I was looking at a Tufo XC11 and XC14, but the Vittoria Mezcals look like a good option since they roll quite fast. 

[117]

Fortune favours the brave with that 38t up front on any technical trail

To prevent hashing out the which tyres are best thread, try a Vittoria Mezcal on the rear and Vittoria Barzo on the front for good all round ability 

But honestly, I think education is important and running the correct tyre pressures are more importanter. I go down to 0.8bar front and 1bar rear for the tech stuff and up to 3bar for the road rides. I run 2.35 Mezcals front and rear on 30mm rims (will change to a Barzo up front soon)

[zoobear84]

1 minute ago, 117 said:

Fortune favours the brave with that 38t up front on any technical trail

To prevent hashing out the which tyres are best thread, try a Vittoria Mezcal on the rear and Vittoria Barzo on the front for good all round ability 

But honestly, I think education is important and running the correct tyre pressures are more importanter. I go down to 0.8bar front and 1bar rear for the tech stuff and up to 3bar for the road rides. I run 2.35 Mezcals front and rear on 30mm rims (will change to a Barzo up front soon)

 

How do you find the rolling resistance on the mezcal vs. the barzo?

[zoobear84]

To add to this, my preferred bike mech has advised I get a new chain and 32T chainring just in case. I just enjoy using the 38T for the road and don't mind slightly "rougher" trails, like Thaba oranges or the easier ones at Cradle. It's just as fun and I get my fix with road and gravel outside of this too.

[117]

Its a mountain bike, and most of us being rank amatuers cant even tell the difference on rolling resistance. Come on, lets be real

But if you pump up the pressure on the barzo up front it does feel to ride easier on the tar - but thats because you're making it more round to reduce the surface contact with the road and not flat & wide. 

From 38t to 32t for you might be a big drop, maybe look for a 34 oval instead - oh, and caution chain length when you drop down to a small chainring from a 38 

 

Edited September 5, 2022 by 117

[zoobear84]

3 minutes ago, 117 said:

Its a mountain bike, and most of us being rank amatuers cant even tell the difference on rolling resistance. Come on, lets be real

But if you pump up the pressure on the barzo up front it does feel to ride easier on the tar - but thats because you're making it more round to reduce the surface contact with the road and not flat & wide. 

From 38t to 32t for you might be a big drop, maybe look for a 34 oval instead - oh, and caution chain length when you drop down to a small chainring from a 38 

 

Yea, granted. Given that the Sawtooths roll so smooth, I'm cautious to ask exact figures, just feel.

The reason I am looking at Mezcals, is that they are used in big gravel races of 200kms and seem to hold up very well. As for chain length, the new chain will be a requirement if I go down to 34, but I already have a 32T length chain from when I got the bike.

I cannot do oval because the cassette has a clutch, so it'll be round.

[117]

9 minutes ago, zoobear84 said:

I cannot do oval because the cassette has a clutch, so it'll be round

Why not? I ran a 34 oval on an XT for moons without any hassles

[Grease_Monkey]

Currently on Tufo 11 and 14s - they roll faster than anything I have ridden before. They are super light, and surprisingly puncture resistant. Compound is perfect, so they bite around turns alot more than you'd expect. 

[zoobear84]

1 minute ago, Grease_Monkey said:

Currently on Tufo 11 and 14s - they roll faster than anything I have ridden before. They are super light, and surprisingly puncture resistant. Compound is perfect, so they bite around turns alot more than you'd expect. 

I asked my mate to keep it for me. 11s in the back and 14 in the front.

[zoobear84]

20 minutes ago, 117 said:

Why not? I ran a 34 oval on an XT for moons without any hassles

Just following the general advice I've been given really. What do you run now?

[_David_]

Maybe have a read through this thread as well. Lots of info.
 

 

Edited September 5, 2022 by _David_

[117]

1 minute ago, zoobear84 said:

What do you run now?

36 and 38 on axs 12sp 

[zoobear84]

This is a setup that may work for me in terms of crank and the Tufos look like a solid option.

51 minutes ago, 117 said:

36 and 38 on axs 12sp 

 

[Headshot]

With a HT, the weight shift onto the front wheel is more pronounced than a full suspension bike. That said, front end grip is usually easy to achieve without resorting to super knobby tyres. How about a Maxxis Ardent up front? They roll reasonably well and grip very well on firmer terrain. 

[zoobear84]

38 minutes ago, Headshot said:

With a HT, the weight shift onto the front wheel is more pronounced than a full suspension bike. That said, front end grip is usually easy to achieve without resorting to super knobby tyres. How about a Maxxis Ardent up front? They roll reasonably well and grip very well on firmer terrain. 

I'm avoiding Maxxis because their skinwalls are not that good compared to some of the other brands. I've seen some nasty stuff happen on those.  Yea, I turned into one of those guys 🤣

[zoobear84]

Update on this:
Got me set of Tufo XC11 and XC14s. Freaking amazing tyre. They roll so well and grip like they need to. The 38T handled Alberts well enough and I didn't really struggle. I'll test it out a bit and see if 34T is the way forward.

It looks good too!

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