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I've an XC Marathon coming up - it's 120KM with 90% gravel. Normally I would run Schwalbe Racing Ralphs, but lately I'm having a bad run of punctures (tubeless). I ride some loose gravel/rocky descents and have taken a few nicks that don't seal and the sealant just weeps out forcing me to put a tube in - so ideally I want something harder.
Maxxis Ardent Race up front, Maxxis Icon Rear
Specialized Renegade both ends
These are 2 combinations that have popped up. No experience of Maxxis tyres and the reviews are generally positive. The latter Specialized look like thin side walls, so might be from frying pan into the fire? Seems to work for Annika Langvad but she has a bit more skill than I. Any other combinations worth looking into?
I run Vittoria Barzo up front and Mezcal out back, very similar in tyre style to the Maxxis set up you're listed above.
The Vittoria are brilliant tyres, ideal for XC, marathon etc.
I've got an ardent race/ ikon combo on right now. Yeah I quite like them. The ardent race is more committing than a barzo though- you've got to weight them and get them right over onto the side knobs. The barzo grips at any angle. You'd probably be fine with mezcals front and rear though. I tend to use barzos in the winter. Get the TNT G+ version of whatever vittoria you are going for. Or get the ardent race/ikon exo's and give it the beans 🙂
Hutchinson Python 2 💡
As above - I took Steve_b77’s advice and haven’t looked back. Better quality, stronger and easier tubeless than schwalbe. I’m using the TNT but non-G+ Barzo up front and that’s still a brilliant tyre.
One thing I need to ask Steve & Yak actually, is that my mezcal makes a “swoosh” sound on hard cornering on dry dusty trails, almost like the tyre is flat/low pressure yet when I check, it isn’t. Now this one is G+ and I’ve read the material softens for grip directionally / on lateral movement - do you guys experience this?
Oh, don't know. The mezcals are on my wife's bike. I'll ask her!
I didnt even know Vittoria did MTB tyres :).
oh and has to be 29er
One thing I need to ask Steve & Yak actually, is that my mezcal makes a “swoosh” sound on hard cornering on dry dusty trails, almost like the tyre is flat/low pressure yet when I check, it isn’t. Now this one is G+ and I’ve read the material softens for grip directionally / on lateral movement – do you guys experience this?
You know what, I've never noticed. I'll have a listen next time I find somewhere dry to ride
I run Mezcal on my 29er, the front is a bit squirrely in wet conditions but fine in the dry. Seem to be resisting the usual South Downs flint cuts so far too.
I’ve used Vittoria saguaro for longish races in the past and found them quite good.
[Ropey comparison alert] Right then, I have done 2 rides this week so far. One on an Ikon/Ardent Race combo and one on an Ikon/Barzo combo. Conditions were the same. On fast, less techy descents they recorded exactly the same time. On slightly more techy (roots/drops/little jumps/sketchy corners) descents, the Barzo was about 8% faster. I think both are fast and grippy but I trust the Barzo more. In the loose, the Barzo was much better. On hardpack, nothing in it. Over 90mins a ride - almost nothing in it. [ropey comparison over].
HTHs (probably doesn't!)
Ran Ikons both ends for well over a year without problem. Dropped to 20s pressure when it got sloppy, pumped them up a bit more when dry - seemed OK on everything except the proper mud which I flounced around anyway.
Continental 2.2 raceking protections for me if it's dry swapped to a 2.4 X king protection front if there is mud about.