Let’s start with the controversial one – this was in a ‘sample’ box that One Industries Andy was sent. What do we reckon?
Skin-wall tyres. For life? Or was it just for 2012?
How about from a distance?
So… skin-wall then? (Lights blue touchpaper and retires to hide behind the sofa…)
And now, how about a Minion DH tyre, in a 29 x 2.5in. It’s HUGE!
Chunky rubber. Out in about April
Soft and chunky - ready for these big 29ers coming out.
The High Roller 2 has also been larger-ised. 29 x 2.3in. Again, should be appearing around April time.
Tubeless-ready version too!
Back in 26in-land, there's the new Ardent Race - with stiffer shoulder knobs ready for racing.
And the middle-way wheel riders aren’t left out. There are going to be 27.5in tyres coming out in Ardent, Crossmark, and High Roller 2 x 2.4in for starters.
With 23 years as Editor of Singletrack World Magazine, Chipps is the longest-running mountain bike magazine editor in the world. He started in the bike trade in 1990 and became a full time mountain bike journalist at the start of 1994. Over the last 30 years as a bike writer and photographer, he has seen mountain bike culture flourish, strengthen and diversify and bike technology go from rigid steel frames to fully suspended carbon fibre (and sometimes back to rigid steel as well.)
Love the ardent on the front of my 29er,not liking the look of the skinwall though.
Those minions look huge,may have to sample a front ready for our alps trip in August.
Interesting to see maxxis have finally caught on to the tubeless ready tyres rather than lust – I wonder if these have been modified over the standard Exo hr2 and minion or just relabelled as tubeless ready, my 26″ minion Exo is set up tubeless and is working well with a stans rim/sealant set up.
I’ve ridden all sorts on my 2.4 ardent 29s wet roots and all, can’t say they’ve scared me.
I do prefer chunky monkey/smorgasbord in the wet mind.
Big 29ers have been here a while, some of us have been waiting for the tyres to catchup. 2.5 Minion will be welcomed heartily by my 150mm travel wee beastie 🙂
Um, isn’t it 2013…
Yes – which is why I was implying that skinwall tyres might have been something cool in 2012 and not for this year. 🙂
29er High Rollers… 🙂
Ignore my comment… I’m not really in touch with trends.
I still have a 1 1/8″ headset.
Were 2012 skin wall tyres more durable than the 80-90s ones?
I don’t think so…
Hope you gave the Ardents the ultimate test by muttering “wet root” to them and seeing if they spontaneously fell over?
Minion DH tyres could work on a Surly Krampus….
@dday: You don’t even need to mutter that at Ardents. Simply thinking about wet roots makes them give in. Nasty scary all-or-nothing tyre.
Aye lad…. back then we all ‘ad skinwalls, one inch ‘eadsets and what’s more we were grateful to av ’em……
SKIIIIIINWAAAAAALLLLLLLS! Brilliant.
Love the ardent on the front of my 29er,not liking the look of the skinwall though.
Those minions look huge,may have to sample a front ready for our alps trip in August.
Wot Northwind said.
Skinwalls and black rims? Nay
Skins and silver rims – Yay
Interesting to see maxxis have finally caught on to the tubeless ready tyres rather than lust – I wonder if these have been modified over the standard Exo hr2 and minion or just relabelled as tubeless ready, my 26″ minion Exo is set up tubeless and is working well with a stans rim/sealant set up.
New to 29, been told by many to get Ardents! Ride forests fair bit, worried by the wet root scary bit 😮
That bad?!
Skinwalls?!? Shut up and take my money!!!
If you don’t like the skinwalls can I have them, they’d look great on my el mariachi.
I’ve ridden all sorts on my 2.4 ardent 29s wet roots and all, can’t say they’ve scared me.
I do prefer chunky monkey/smorgasbord in the wet mind.
Big 29ers have been here a while, some of us have been waiting for the tyres to catchup. 2.5 Minion will be welcomed heartily by my 150mm travel wee beastie 🙂
notinabox
deffo agree with what chainline says,awesome tyre