Tyre sizes for a heavy bloke? What do you recommend?

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Tyre sizes for a heavy bloke? What do you recommend?

24 posts & 16 voices | Started 2 years ago by Danger Mouse | Latest reply from Scienceofficer

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Danger Mouse - Member

Hi peeps,

Just nearing the end of a custom build and at the moment I have some Panaracers Fire XC Pro 2.1s on Mavic XM719s, but after seeing the 2.3 conti gravitys on my wifes bike they look a little small.

So do you guys reckon that I'd be better off with some larger tyres, will these help spread the weight over a greater area or will the 2.1s be ok, maybe pumped up a little harder?

(bike is a P7 HT, my weight is approx 19st)

If you do recommend a larger tyre please feel free to tell me what tyre you had in mind, I'll mostly be doing XC, trail centre type stuff

Posted 2 years ago #
Danger Mouse - Member

Anyone?

Posted 2 years ago #
ivantate - Member

If you pinch puncture you will need bigger tyres. There are a million different points of view on tyres especially with different conditions and use.

Try the small ones first, I used to use the 2.1 Fire XC for everything and they are pretty good, in relation to the weight/drag they have.

Posted 2 years ago #
coffeeking - Member

I'm about 17st and find 2.1 fire XCs JUST big enough to compromise between soft enough for good traction and hard enough not to snakebite. I'd be going 2.3, especially on a HT. That said I couldnt recommend a tyre, thats just where i'd be looking.

Posted 2 years ago #
curtisthecat - Member

I run 2.35 Spesh Chunders on my full sus. Seem to be a decent compromise between drag, traction etc

Posted 2 years ago #
Teetosugars - Member

Kenda Nevegal here..

But could well be going for Conti Rubber Queens to see if all the hype is worth it..

6' 18stone..

Posted 2 years ago #
ampthill - Member

15 stone. I have 2.35 High Rollers om my Hard Tail. which I think would be better than the Fire XC as they will be more comfy and grippy with no more rolling resistance

This is an opinion and I may be wrong

Posted 2 years ago #
zaskar - Inactive

I think tyres will be ok but unless stated with a weight range.

I reckon it will be about tyre pressure andpinch flats as stated above^

Posted 2 years ago #
tron - Member

I used to be the far side of 17 stone at some points, and ran 2.25 Panaracers at around 25 PSI if my memory serves. They were fine. Never pinch flatted, barring one smack on a square edge, but I did manage to knock a rim out of round.

I'm now considerably lighter, and run 2.4 Rubber Queens and 2.35 Fat Alberts at similar pressures. I just like having big wide tyres - a bit more comfort and a bit more sure footed.

Basics are that you can either run big tyres at low pressures, or small tyres at high pressures. When I first started off riding, I had some 1.95 Kendas and didn't pinchflat them much.

Posted 2 years ago #
ton - Member

ardents
stouts
nevegals
advantage

all hold up the immense mass that is me..............

Posted 2 years ago #
Danger Mouse - Member

Thanks for the feedback guys, its really helpful.

It seems so far that the general opinion is a larger tyre would be better.

How do the 2.35 High Rollers size up, heard that the 2.1s are a little small?

Also whats peeps opinions of the new Fat Alberts?

Please feel free to keep adding opinions as it all helps.

Thanks again

Posted 2 years ago #
takisawa2 - Member

16st here. Currently running 2.35 Kenda Nev & Blue Grooves. Loads of grip but steer clear of the StickE versions, especially on the rear. They do drag a fair bit more than their 2.1 equivalents, but on very rough stuff the extra effort is worth it for the peace of mind. I've never flatted the 2.1 versions but rather than risk it I run them at about 37psi. I'm compromising grip slightly but IMO its worth it for not pinch flatting. Planning to get some 2.1 Small Block 8's for the summer. They have a tightly packed small tread pattern that rolls easily but the 2.1's have quite big volume for a 2.1.

Posted 2 years ago #
Northwind - Member

The new Rubber Queens are pretty impressive, very big volume for the tyre size (they're not as massively wide as some people have been saying but they're tall) and they roll decently quick. Faster than a stick-e 2.35 nevegal frinstance. Not as grippy, mind, but not so terribly far off.

very poor if you want to do tubeless, mind, the non-UST ones are made of sponge or something.

Posted 2 years ago #
coffeeking - Member

my 2.1 high roller pinches VERY easily (like most rides for me) - the walls seem to be paper thin. I'm going to fire XCs only and scrapping the HR. 2.3 might be significantly thicker/more plies though, would needto check.

Posted 2 years ago #
ampthill - Member

2.35 high rollers aren't huge by any means. Its a hard thing to describe, like a 2.2...

But what does that mean. Cerainly when I looked in the shop the casing was smaller than a 2.25 Advantage

Posted 2 years ago #
TooTall - Member

I don't understand how/why weight makes a difference - other than you'll always get more traction because you're pressing the tyre down harder.

Bonty 2.1 and Hutchinson Python - not overly big.

Posted 2 years ago #
_tom_ - Member

I'm just using a 2.1 high roller rear and have never pinched it. I do tend to run my pressures a bit higher than most though, about 50 psi on each tyre.. Front's a nevegal which is shit for grip, once you start slipping you're gone.

Posted 2 years ago #
hora - Member

OP change your rims to wider- you can ride ANY tyre then.

321 Mavics here - I run 30psi and never pinchflat.

Posted 2 years ago #
carbon337 - Member

im 15 stone and had problems for years due to my poor ability - i got a new orange five that came with maxxis advantage 2.25's and i havnt had a puncture in 5 months.

Posted 2 years ago #
tron - Member

I don't understand how/why weight makes a difference - other than you'll always get more traction because you're pressing the tyre down harder.

You didn't do physics at school did you? (Granted, increased downwards pressure from weight increases friction)...

Posted 2 years ago #
Danger Mouse - Member

Hi Hora,

Cant change the rims as they have only just been built up by merlin, the 719s can take a 2.35 though, so should be ok. I wouldn't want bigger than that anyways

Posted 2 years ago #
Danger Mouse - Member

Coffeking, YGM

Posted 2 years ago #
Danger Mouse - Member

_tom_,

How much do you weigh if you dont mind me asking, and do your tyres squish alot on your 2.1s at 50psi?

Cheers all again, most helpful. I think I'll now be selling my brand new Fire XC Pro 2.1s and get some 2.25-2.35 tyres, now just to choose which ones!

Posted 2 years ago #
Scienceofficer - Member

The fundamentals of this are:

more surface area = more grip (excluding the shear force resistance of the ground you're on) .

More surface area is achieved by carcass size and tread pattern. You can accentuate the surface area (and thus its grip and rolling resistance) by running lower pressures but...

Lower pressures increases vulnerability to pinch punctures which is affected by the impact force put into the tyre during riding.

Force is mostly dictated by riding speed and weight.

I really depends what you're trying to achieve. If you're troubled by pinch flats, but grip is fine, up the pressure in your existing tyres or get a higher volume/taller tyre.

For me, at 14st, wide and soft is preferred. I run Maxxis 2.25's at the moment at 28psi.

Posted 2 years ago #