MegaSack DRAW - This year's winner is user - rgwb
We will be in touch
Tread shape is nicely honed these days as it compound but it does seem from threads in here, that the carcass is a let down in a lot of tyres.
I used to love my 26" Conti rubber queen's in proper UST but when I moved to 650b I suffered so many silly punctures and carcass warps it was silly.
There's currently a thread about Maxxis which suggests the same and I'm here because I've just had to send a brand new DHF back as it was warped on day one.
I know Schwalbe have issues with fragile side walls.
Are we suddenly expecting too much from tyres or are manufacturers just not keeping up? Is it still reasonable to look for a 1000g tyre for burly trail riding (or whatever this week's marketing phrase is for what I've been doing the last 30 years)?
Should we face facts and start running 1300g DH tyres? Is there a brand out there who is actually getting it right?
I know Schwalbe have issues with fragile side walls.
Aye, if you buy some light weight quick xc tyre and rattle clumsily doon rocky stuff, they won't last. I've used Marys for ages now, and Rock razor too, no issues.
There's loads of tyres around the 1kg Mark that are excellent, we've never had it so good IMO.
I think I'm going to try Msc tyres next although saying that, I've never had issues with any of the current Maxxis tyres, Dhf, dhr2, minion ss but did slice a hole in the side of a 2 ride old aggressor but that wasn't the tyres fault (caught a piece of old metal at the edge of a trail).
Gone back to specialized after a brief attempt at maxxis (see other thread!)
rode stuff the other day that I’d punctured the maxxis on, absolutely no issue with the spesh..
ive gone 2.3 but 2.6 are available.. I’m also really impressed with the Vittoria Goma 2.4 on her bike. They have a feeling of being solid without being to heavy. I had a 26” goma on my pivot and it was quite good.. just not as good as the purgatory is been using.
2.5 Assegai Maxx Grip in DD casing. Sooooooo grippy.
The bike in question doesn't need grippy, it just needs more grippy than the Ardent 29 X 2.4" that's up front on a 30mm rim right now.
Thought the DHF would have been ideal but the wobbly carcass from new is frustrating.
Having ridden a fair bit with MartynS up there ^ it does seem that for similar bikes, weights and riding styles, I've had more bother with Maxxis and Conti over the years than he has with Specialized. Although as I said on the other thread, I do think his recent Maxxis experience was particularly unlucky.
I was very impressed with the Larsons I put on the tandem - dual ply rear. Not too heavy, good grip for what they are and fast running
My favourite, and absolutely non-disappointing, combo just now is a DHR2 maxxgrip 2.4 exo on the front, and a rockrazor supergravity 2.3 on the back. Exo is tough enough for me as a front, and the supergravity is a good balance of toughness and weight on the back. Obviously not a super grippy set though, when muddier I switch to the mighty 2.5 exo 3c shorty for the front- love it. And not quite so happy with the 2.4 dhr2 exo dual on the back- I'd like it to be tougher basically, but I've not found the tyre with that perfect balance.
Today's tyres are fantastic, and there's more meaningful choice than ever, but I do feel a bit like they haven't quite kept up with the sheer ridiculous capability of a #Enduro Massive 29er or similar. I'm running much the same front with 160mm of coil travel as I did with 140mm of air, there's just not the "same but slightly more" option that'd probably be perfect.
Onzadog
Member(or whatever this week’s marketing phrase is for what I’ve been doing the last 30 years)?
Are you really though? I know I'm not. Even going back 10 years, I was totally happy on kenda nevegal singleply 2.35s, they were about 750g IIRC. They would not cut it now- my trailbike has most of the capability of my downhill bike back then, and even when I'm riding the same stuff I'm doing it faster
Thought the DHF would have been ideal but the wobbly carcass from new is frustrating.
I've literally just swapped over to Maxxis because all my Schwalbe tyres were so wobbly.
Maybe doing it a bit faster than before, but I'm riding the same natural trails around the peak that I did all those years ago on an 18 speed rigid bike with canti brakes.
Maybe tyres just haven't kept up with the rest of the bike and I've underestimated the progressive increase in gnar factor during that time.
I am happy with the current maxxis tyres - dhf/dhf/aggressor. But over a longer period of time, it has been the vittoria xc tyres that have never gone wrong for me- so TNT and G variants of mezcals, barzos, peyotes. So I might have to try the Mazza when I wear out my current maxxis… but so far I can't fault the maxxis though.
The Schwalbe Hans Dampf Supergravity 2.35 soft is a quietly impressive tyre - and not at all disappointing.
Probably a bit over 1kg, but it rolls well and it's worth it for the sturdy carcass.
The Magic Mary 2.6 snakeskin soft is an amazing front tyre - incredibly versatile and confidence inspiring - and probably is around 1kg in 29er format.
I ride Maxxis and other brands too, but those two tyres stand out for me as just being really dependable and predictable.
And Schwalbe have cracked the old issue of side knobs flapping off, IME.
I like maxxis treads (DHR2, shorty and aggressor) but have had 4 tyres deform in 2 years. Conti tyres that I have used recently were either too heavy for their performance level or had rubbish sidewalls. All the knobs fell off my Schwalbe tyres or had to be run at silly high pressures. Maybe I'm outside the design envelope at 200lb........
Used Michelin wild enduro tyres for the first time last year. Absolutely superb, no issues whatsoever, only downside is that they square off as you get towards 30mm rims so people with on trend wheel sets can't enjoy the benefits! Fitted an enduro mud for the winter, also superb. Not swapping brands until my wheels die.