Hi, I need a new rear tyre for my old 26" XC type MTB. Old rear tyre is getting bald in the centre and last weekend I lost traction on some steep climbs - sand and small rocks - and nearly came a cropper at least once :/
What would be a good rear tyre for this specific job? The typical terrain is normally pretty to very dry, surface can be crumbly, loose .. and very steep.
I am currently with Hutchinson Python 2.0 x 26s. I appreciate the speed but really need some extra grip - and extra faith - for long 15%+ sections where loss of traction for just a couple of pedal strokes in a row can mean having to hop off fast and then walk for a long way.
Thanks in advance!!
I'm going to channel my inner Molgrips and suggest that in those conditions, as long as you have some sort of tread, rider technique and the right pressures are more important than the specific tyre. High volume, low pressure, keeping your weight in the saddle are all going to help, but then you lose out elsewhere.
Or putting that to one side, if your current tyre worked fine for you before wearing out, then why not just replace it with a new one of the same?
I’m going to channel my inner Molgrips
Haha!
He's right tho. More or less any tyre with enough volume works in dry conditions like that IME. More aggressive ones will be grippier but slower and heavier though so you can get away with lighter weight. But aggressive treads can be worse in hard conditions as the knobs squirm instead of digging in.
I like Schwalbe tyres generally as I find the carcass supportive which means I can run lower pressures without bouncing or squirming. Probably Nobby Nick, although I've not used an up-to-date one of those in a large volume. I've got 26x2.4 Hans Dampf in soft on the Patriot and they are incredibly sticky and superb hooligan tyres on my local terrain, but they are pretty slow.
I like the Conti Trail King 2.2 on the back of my HT. It's light-ish and knobbly enough to grip/bite but still pretty fast rolling on hardpack stuff. Tubeless is easy too! That said, I'd be off and pushing up way before you OP 😆
If you like the Hutchinsons, try a Toro, lots of square shaped knobs, I found they coped well with most dry conditions.
I’m in Greece atm. where the all climbs are pretty loose and dry and I have no real problem with either the On-One Chunky Monkey (trail extreme version) or Maxxis Ardent in 3C compound.
My legs give out long before I reach the limit of tyre traction.
If it needs to be 26", something like a 4.8 Jumbo Jim would work quite nicely.
Andy R
I’m in Greece atm.
Really? I would've thought you'd mention that! 😆
I agree with the Contis I'm on mountain king 2.2's. They're pretty cheap (£15ea if you look around. Halford stock them and will price match an online price), very grippy and light. If you really pump them up as well the pattern works great on loose gravely type stuff (well technical description I know)
The rubber is quite soft though so really helps on trails but wears down a bit quicker on tarmac than others.
Mine are on my Whyte 901 which is an XC bike as well and I get in about 50 miles a week on gravel roads and they last around a year. (my front tyre always wears down quicker than my rear though for some reason)