Hello,
My first ‘What tyres’ thread 😀
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I have a race in the Alps in May, actually it’s from the Alps to the beach in Nice. Details of the race and a pic of the bike I will be using here http://andrewhowett.blogspot.com/2012/02/transvesubienne.html
At that time of year it should hopefully be dry, I expect the terrain to be fairly rocky, a mix of small loose ones and big bouldery ones.
There will be about 13,500ft of decending so I need a nice robust tyre.
There will be about 7,000ft of climbing and the race is 100km long so I need a nice light tyre for climbing.
The biggest tyres my frame will take appear to be 2.35″ Minions (2.4″ Paneracer Fire FRs don’t fit) The Minions are fantastic on the decents but would really be unsuitable on the climbing bits. I like Racing Ralphs and Nobby Nics for courses where there is lots of climbing but I’m a bit worried about longevity and robustness on the harder terrain.
What other options around 2.1-2.3″ should I look at? What’s the best balance of weight, grip on rocks and robustness? I was thinking of Fat Alberts but the appear a little heavy and the reviews I’ve read don’t really rate them. I use tubes if that make any difference (and no I don’t want to go tubeless)
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Thanks in advance,
Andy H

I won’t presume to comment on tyre choice, you’re riding at a level beyond me so it’d be daft to.

But, if a 2.35 minion is tight in your frame then that’s going to seriously restrict your choice- they’re very undersized. 2.25 Nobby Nic is bigger frinstance. Specializeds that I’ve measured come up fairly accurately too so the 2.3 eskar and its ilk are probably out. 2.35 Kendas too, and probably the 2.2s.

Also watch out for Maxxises, they used to be universally undersized like your Minion but their newer carcasses are quite accurate- so a 2.25 Advantage or Ardent is a bit bigger than a 2.35 Minion. It’s an oversimplification but as a starting point, if it’s a Maxxis and it comes in 2.25 and 2.4 it’s probably not far off accurate, if it comes in 2.35 and 2.5 it’ll be undersized

Conti aren’t measured, they roll a dice tbh.

Hope this helps a little- at least to narrow it down. Looks like a fantastic event!

Snakeskin versions of your current favourite schwalbes?

I’d go for – Ardent front (its your fork that limits, not frame), Larsen rear.

And tubeless so you can run them lower pressures but won’t pinch-puncture on the rocks?

I think you’ll regret using Tubes, you’ll either need so much pressure to avoid pinch punctures that you have no grip and be crawling down the descents or be changing tubes every 5 minutes…

Hats off for keeping this ol’ girl going & using it for this…

I think they look ace, m8 has the B16 version (relegated to 3rd spare) and it’s not exactly light to start with.

Sorry can’t help with the tyre choice.

Come-on!
A proper what tyre thread and you all being very bashful. 😈

Thanks Northwind, that’s really helpful.
The limit is my frame, used to be the forks too when it had RST HI5s on it but there seems to be much more clearence on the Jr Ts, but as BR suggests there is no reason to have the same tyres both ends.
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Bit limited on bike choice, I have two XC race bikes but they both have ISPs, one’s an HT and the other a lightweight full-suss, so I have to use the bike above really. I’ve already bought a dropper post for it and have some Formula The Ones on order (didn’t fancy the idea of 12 year old Hope C2s on Alpine decents!), both cheap off fleabay, and I’ll nick a set of Kings/Stans Alpines, longer stem and carbon riser off one of my other bikes.
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That bike have just been at Innerliethen and The Lomonds for a week and acquitted itself rather well, did Make or Brake, via DoubleD, and Caddon Bank in 8min14 on it, but I think the limit was the fact that I’m terrible at jumping rather than the bike. Did Gold Run and Cresta Run much more slowly and a few laps of the black too.
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Clobber may be talking sense, Snakeskin Ralphs are definately worth thinking about, anyone used them? Are they any good?

Ardents are a lot of tyre if clearance is limited. They are as wide as they should be but the shallow tread combines with a tall carcass to produce a big, floaty tyre that can take the knocks. The flexible sidewalls take the edge off acceleration but they hold speed well.

The Snakeskin Schwalbes are exactly as you’d expect. Tougher sidewalls give the tyre more support and improved tolerance to pressures/snakebites but of course they are heavier and slower.

I have snake skin Nobby Nics and they are still very thin carcass, perhaps Highroller on the rear and a minion on the front, never had trouble climbing with mine in a 60a rear and Supertacky front, but only ridden about 75k in the Alps not a 100k

Well, I did it. That was a properly hard race. Full story here http://andrewhowett.blogspot.co.uk/ if anyone is interested.
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For the record I went with Maxxis Advantage, seemed to be a good combination of grip, weight and robustness. (with tubes, plenty of grip and no punctures, I won’t be changing to tubeless any time soon, far too much faffing for me) With hindsight I should have used Minions, the weight woundn’t have been an issue as practically all of the climbs involved hiking with the bike over my shoulder and so rolling weight never really came into it…