I’m enjoying watching the overthinking types discussing it as it makes me feel better. I’l only have three spare tyre choices with me in the van…

😆

pulled this fecker out of the front last night!!!!

https://goo.gl/photos/CF5kKe3cg64YKv3B8

You got a pair of pliers stuck in your tyre? Either your tread pattern is too wide or that’s one sharp set of needle nose.

oh no, not too wide tread….

Ride report anyone? Wavering between keeping the Slaughter on the back or putting the HR2 on.

After some minor domestic tragedies yesterday, I packed in a hurry and forgot my spare tyres. If someone would be kind enough to tell me that a DHF/Agressor combo would be perfect and that no one punctured on practice and that the ground is drying out nicely, it would be much appreciated.

Buddy who rode it yesterday said trails are riding ‘fast fast fast’.

I did practice with a 2.3 DHR2 up front and 2.3 HR2 rear (both 3c EXO), then put 3 holes in the HR2 practicing stage 2.

For the race I stuck with the DHR2 up front (24psi) and a Minion SS Exo (25psi) on the back. 3 scoops of Stans race sealant in each. First ever experience on a semi-slick was dropping in to stage 1 on race day, slightly nerve wracking as stage 1 had the most loose corners of the day, but it was a great tyre! No punctures all day, despite one big rim impact on stage 6, but I have spotted a few cuts on the sidewall.

I’d definitely recommend double down casing on the rear!

Was glad that I put my DHR II on for Saturday; stage three was a sloppy old mess.

Started with higher pressures but was soon letting some out. No issues on my hardtail.

I had a 2.5 Minion DHF and a 2.3 HRII on, both EXO/TR etc. Ripped a side knob on the DHF somewhere high up on 4 and lost about half the pressure before it sealed. Bottom half was interesting as the tyre squirmed about, understeer central. Smashed the rear in to something on 6 and it blew off the rim, tried to ride it flat but that just finished it off and wrapped it round the cassette. I’m about 78kg kitted up, had 25 psi in the front and 30 in the rear. Think I need to work on my “finesse”! 🙂

I used a maxxis double down on the Sunday and it worked well. I don’t think the rocks there were any more of a liability than they are in the Peak so maybe an exo would have been enough. The 4 others I was riding with just used their everyday tyres at everyday pressures and had no issues. However, I think the key to their success was that they rode in their everyday style.

None if them tried to be extra lairy or extra enduro. We just went to ride some stuff you can’t normally access.

Got through fine on my Minion SS (DHF 3C front).
Looked down a couple of times after rock gardens to check, but all good!

Managed 11th in my category! Pleased with that.

ran MAXXIS High roller 2 front and back exo, set up tubeless, 35psi in each same as previous year only on carbon rims and had not a jot of bother.

Discovered that my Onza Ibex doesn’t have very tough sidewalls – holed it on stage 1! Then had a mare of a time with my bl00dyb@5t@rd pump and a presta valve core that snapped in the pump head – and then rapidly depleted my CO2 canisters… And lost over 20mins on that stage alone.

Plugged the hole with a rubber turd and ran a tube, nervously, for the rest of the day.

Last 2 years had Schwalbe tyres with no dramas – now I know what make I’ll be replacing the Onza with!

Magic Mary SG with a Rock Razor SG, felt bulletproof and fast. No issues and loads of grip.

Tyres were fine, I rode like sack of spuds though. Mate had stack on stage four, he was fine but lost seven minutes waiting with him and then getting going again. Was fun though.

i rode dual plys as they were still on from the alps. i didn’t puncture. 🙂

Mary evo trail star up front st 28psi
Hans Dampf super gravity also at 28psi

Worked flawlessly for me, even had grip on stage 6 off camber grassy high speed corners, which I though I would struggle with! Never missed a beat

age old question

i managed to rip my ardent race 2.35 so need a new rear tyre for ard rock in 2 weeks time,

whats the recommendations for a maxxis rear tyre, i have a spare Minion SS (semi slick) perfect if it remains dry.

what are the DHR like, i’m very happy with the DHF

I’ll be running DHF/DHR combo; its not the quickest of tyre choices; but it feels bomb proof; loads of grip, good braking…

whats the recommendations for a maxxis rear tyre

Don’t use EXO, tbh I wouldn’t use a maxxis on the rear, as I’ve been bitten too many times on them, but some folks need their tyres matching for some bizarre reason….

Why not EXO?

and, I know this was a year ago…

Just make sure you increase usual pressure(s), particularly in rear. Bloke on Maxxis stand said no less than 30psi in rear. Was a bit dubious at first, having never ridden there before. It’s bloody rocky! Wasn’t running tubes, didn’t puncture.

Sounds like advice for if you do have tubes. Lower psi – pinch flat territory. Tubeless, the pressure just affects feel , grip or lack of, and whether the tyre comes off the rim. Punctures are down to sharp pointy rock that will puncture them regardless. A lower pressure may even deform just enough for a rock to not break through, but probably not.

And psi depends massively on rider weight. 30 psi for me would have me pinging off all the rocks.

I’ve had 3 EXO tyres deadkenny, HR2 that came with the capra, DHR that I replaced it with and a minion, I managed to rip all 3 within months of fitting them, so I’ve kinda given up on them, too expensive to keep believing. Since that, I’ve used WTB and now spesh slaughter grid with no issues, so I’ll stick with those matched to my big sticky MM up front.

Tbh, from what I’ve seen at Ard rock (this is the first year I’ve missed!) it’s not really the tyres that are the issue, it’s riders maybe letting go a bit more than they would on such rocky terrain in normal circumstances, as the racing head takes over.

I’ve never had a puncture there, I try to pick and choose when to go full gas, and when to be sensible, you’ll only save fractions of a second hammering into jaggy bastard rocks, but all that time is gone with a puncture. I’ve never seen as many people with punctures at any of the Scottish enduro’s as I did last year at AR, Stage 3 must’ve had at least 30 people at the side when I rode it!.

Talking to people over the years there, it does seem to attract a lot of people who have never really raced enduro before as well, this will also be an issue….

Trashed a tyre at the golfie yesterday and busted a rim, so Minion SS double down on order (the exo ones are piss thin) and a new set of wheels!