I’m thinking of using a specialized slaughter grid on rear tyre, but I’m concerned over the strength of it on the rocky course, mainly for its quick rolling in this dry spell we’re having.
Anyone had experience with one last year. .?
thanks
I used one rear last year and it was fine, even at relatively low pressures. Great tyre for the day.
Disclaimer! I'm about 61kg...
Ah ok. I’m nearer 86 kg 6ft <u>tall </u>
Where do you normally ride? If you've got a tyre that you're happy using in the lakes or the dark peak, it's no different to that really.
Ardrock seems to have some reputation for being a monstrous tyre destroyer. This is only true if you're trying to ride it on some lightweight, fast rolling gossamer sidewalled thing. No reason why a typical tough trail tyre won't handle it.
I rode it on a maxxis exo wt dhf up front and a maxxis aggressor dd on the rear because that's what I normally run. I weigh over 200 lbs.
This is only true if you’re trying to ride it faster than your abilities allow
Ftfy Onz!
Slaughter grid here last year, 100kg kitted up, great tyre.
We ain't having a dry spell at the moment.
Forecast looking good though next week. Hope they are right
I’m going to run a dhf exo up front (if I can be bothered to take the Mary I’m running now off) and a dhr2 double down casing at the back. Few mates that have rode it before just said put a bit more pressure in than normal and run a double down rear tyre
Do you normally ride rocky stuff? If so, it's no different, they're not special rocks there.
If you don't normally ride rocks, then yes, something with a tougher sidewall and maybe a few psi more might be worth considering.
Did it 2 years ago on specialized grid tyres with no problems, plan on doing same this year.
I wouldn’t use something like an EXO casing, sure you might be ok but I put a hole squarely in the middle of one with a small sharp stone on a flat easy bit. Clearly I must have been riding outside my ability.
The following year I used SG magic Mary front and SG Rock Razor rear, worked well enough to get into the top 20 (Vets) despite rain/traffic.
Hi
Not done the Ardrock but ride this area on a very regular basis.
Just run regular tyres (Hans Dampf, various Maxxis combinations-just Exo TR not DD) and can’t remember the last time I had a puncture.
Running 20psi front and 22 rear
Cheers
Steve
Ive done it every year now and always used DHF and DHR 3c and never had any issues but I do run them a few PSI more than I normally would ride elsewhere, or I could just be lucky
I ran a spesh butcher on the front and a purg on the back last year. Mainly because these were what I had on the bike.
To liven things up even more they were 26”
and im still alive!!!!!
@martyns, none of our lot had any tyre bother, we all just run what we brung as I remember.
I'll be running a 2.5 dhf exo 3c on the front, 2.35 dhr2 exo 3c on the rear with 23 and 26psi tubeless. Don't want to jinx myself, but ridden the same in the Alps for the last few years without problem and can't see it being any rockier than that.
I'm running a minion dhr 2 exo widetrail on the front and a bontrager SE5 on the back.
I definitely wouldn't risk an exo tyre on the back they're too flimsy for rocky terrain imo and my current aggressor I'm riding on my local Welsh tracks has 4 tubeless plugs from afan, bpw and dyfi!
I don't ride much rocky terrain, usually steep rooty woods. For a recent Antur / Snowdon trip I tried a tough fast Trail Boss and it stood up to all the rocks I bashed into with my lack of riding finesse. Think this will be my rear tyre for Ard Rock. The grip isn't great, especially the lack of grippy side knobs, but it rolls well and I'll have to live with a drifty back end. If it gets really wet (and so my speed slower) I'll probably risk running my 3C DHR2 EXO at slightly higher pressure than normal for some grip. My other rear tyre option that sits between the two is a Purgatory Grid, but I'll more likely use the Trail Boss or DHR.
Front tyre I'm less sure on. Options are 2.3 3C DHF EXO, Butcher Grid, Mary Snakeskin soft. Probably the Butcher, or if it's wet the Mary.
Unless anyone thinks those are totally mad choices.
I won't be bothering the leaderboard so just want to have a good day without the hassle of punctures or dragging excessive rubber up the climbs, yet have the grip to have fun and ride quickly (for me). The holy grail.
I ran 26" Continental Baron Projekts last year with no issues.
I have done a few training rides in last couple of months on the area. I've got 27.5 dhf 2.5 exo on the front, and Rock Razor SG in the back.
Pressures have been 23/26. No issues here.
Just a tougher rear seems to be a safe bet.
Sounds perfectly sensible to me. I’m using the Mary on the front as I have it and I like reliable.
Exo type casing on the front would probably be fine but I can’t justify more tyres.
Has anyone any thoughts on the choice for the Marathon event? I'm happy with my selection for the Sport Enduro on the Sunday but I'm having a nightmare deciding on what to run for the Marathon.
Rear I'm thinking minion S S as my usual xc tyre of choice Racing Ralph just seems way too flimsy. Oh and I'm on a hard tail as wel???
Ardrock seems to have some reputation for being a monstrous tyre destroyer. This is only true if you’re trying to ride it on some lightweight, fast rolling gossamer sidewalled thing. No reason why a typical tough trail tyre won’t handle it.
I rode it on a maxxis exo wt dhf up front and a maxxis aggressor dd on the rear because that’s what I normally run. I weigh over 200 lbs.
It's rockier and faster than most riding I've come across in the UK, and the fact it's against the clock means punctures are more undesirable than they would be on a normal ride.
My local riding is all loamy and rock free, so Exo casing is fine, but for Ard Rock I'll be putting on Maxxis DD on both ends.
mary front trail king rear.
because its what ive got.
For the marathon I guess it depends how hard you expect to be pushing on the descents. I certainly wouldn't be riding Racing Ralphs round there, but then I also wouldn't consider racing up any of those climbs!
I'm sure if you take it steady and pick your lines carefully you'd get around OK on a Ralph, but I'd recommend something tougher.
I've also used a Trail Boss/Vigilant combo with some (decided average) success. No punctures, Tough/Grippy on the front and Tough/Fast on the rear FTW.
Have a used set going spare if anyone wants 😉 collection from Newcastle
Having zero clue what's on the marathon in terms of terrain it's a bit difficult but as above, it's not the moon or anything, whatever you're normally comfortable riding will be fine. I've done days up there on oem x kings and not died, though they were horrid but that's likely more to do with terrible compound than anything else. There's plenty of scope for the marathon to be nothing but shooting tracks through to downright lunatic precipitous boulder fields to long smooth grassy bimbles and everything in between so who knows.
I'll be riding 2.3 dhf/dhr in exo casing because that's what i ride much of the time and it's not wet enough for shorties. They're big and heavy* but it's only 60k and i know what they'll be like regardless. If you're normally ok on 1000tpi XC tyres ride those, if you usually ride super duper borderline rigid cased triple ply DH monsters ride those. Stop over thinking, ride what you're comfortable on and enjoy.
*not that heavy but more so than whippet boots.
Update: I ran Butcher Grid up front at 23psi and WTB Trail Boss tough fast on the rear at 27psi for the enduro. No issues at all for a mid table vets rider.
The only punctures in our group of 6 were:
Aggressor EXO rear snakebite puncture through tread and sidewall near bead at top of stage 7 during practice
Aggressor DD slashed sidewall requiring improvised tyre boot on stage 4
