Heading out to Les Arcs on Saturday, taking my Transition Blindside with Boxxer WC’s, I run single ply Minion front and High Roller rear with downhill tubes.

Everywhere I read about Les Arcs says to go dual ply, but seeing as I have had this tyre/tube combo for two years and have never punctured, is it really necessary? Am I going to kick myself when I get there and split a tyre? I’ve been to Morzine for the last couple of years, but I know the riding in Les Arcs is completely different.

I am pretty light rider too.

Just Les Arcs or the rest of the valley?

Depends on that and how you ride. I prefer DP tyres an normal tubes to single and fat tubes personally.

Last year I ran DP minions with normal tubes, no issues. This year I’m going with Hans Dampfs, tubeless.

I’ve gone with HighRollers single ply the last few years and been fine.

The whole valley I assume, going with Trail Addiction.

I’m not an aggressive rider, but I like technical riding, happier on roots and rocks than I am on a ‘man made’ downhill course.

Never ridden DP with normal tubes to know how different it is…

Stick with what you know imo!

If you’re a heavier rider, who likes to crash through rock gardens whilst fully weighted, then yes, dual plies are going to help. But a lighter rider who picks the bike up through the rough stuff will do just fine on their normal tyres

I went with Specialized SXs- basically ply-and-a-half – run tubeless. Also used those for uk downhill and they’ve been tough enough. Think I was the only person in our group of 8 that didn’t flat, including both guides. Not quite a straight comparison as it was more of a trail riding week, no full dh bikes. Don’t think we rode a single trail that wasn’t grippy as anything, other than occasionally some deep dust/skittery gravel. What’s the weather been like?

If you’re going 100% uplift then there’s not that much drawback to dualplies really, but then a lot of the best riding we did in the valley needed some pedalling too. Suppose there’s a question here of whether your transition is already a gun to a knife fight 🙂

OK, thanks everyone. Maybe I’ll take a risk and stick with what I have got. I do have a brand new rear SP Minion I can chuck in the car as a spare too.

The Transition pedals OK for it’s weight to be fair, aiming for 90% uplift I suppose, I’m used to pedaling/pushing the bike up anyway as I don’t always use uplifts.

I am just looking forward to going to the Alps and not getting battered by braking bumps!

i’d go for dual plys personally, unless they make you really slow overall. Adds some reasurance for longivity. There’s the dh track and some singletrack trail sections are really rooty. Plus with dual plys you can run lower pressures. Although sp’s will be better for cycling between sections on big days out.

I’d contact trail addiction and see what they say.

Enjoy 😉

I’ve just come back. I ran a DP Minion DHF on the back, and a SP Minion DHF with exo protection on the front, normal tubes. Didn’t puncture.

2.5 Minion dual ply super tacky fronts on the front and back

2.4 Mountain Kings and DH Tubes on the Big bike for lift only days.
2.35/2.25 Minion/Ardent combo run tubeless on the AM bike for lift assisted backcountry days.

Ardent a wont slow you down much in les arcs!

Ran singlet for years (advantage 2.4 for last two yrs) and only the odd puncture.

All depends how you ride

Comp 16’s are coming out of retirement this year though

Slow down?

The Ardent is for days with a fair bit of climbing. Taking quite a few other tyres as well. F&R Minions, a pair of Swampies and a Wet Scream just in case winter returns.