Thought I'd try some SB8s given the recent dry weather. Only used so far on non-technical rides and impressed with the low rolling resistance but felt a bit "drifty/vague" on loose corners.
Thinking of leaving them on for Swinley/Surrey Hills trip in two weeks time, but am I going to regret it as I have heard some mixed reports about using a SB8 on the front.
Cheers
Just stuck SB8s on my Turner and am just heading out for a ride around the Ranmore, Holmbury & Leith....I'll report back, if I survive 😉
My initial ride around Ranmore and Newlands/St Marthas on Sunday was very promising and I found them fine with no scary moments but that's mostly just smoothish bridleways. They did alright in the soft sand though and there is plenty of that around the Surrey Hills at the moment
I tried it for a little while but the lack of edge grip when cornering was a bit buttock clenching. A better rider could probably get more out of the tyre to be fair but they had that feedback loop of feels bad- lose confidence- don't commit- feels worse- lose confidence going on.
Great as a rear though. In some conditions I reckon the 2.35's faster than the 2.1 as well as grippier, and not too heavy for its size.
I find it perplexing that you WOULDN'T use them front and rear to be honest
To me they feel like motorcycle tyres: A nice round profile that you can lean right over with very predictable grip. They're so good it's almost like cheating.
Larsen TTs are pretty much the same too. Once you stop thinking about it and JUST RIDE the bike they're brilliant. I know more than one person that uses them all year round
Just get on with it! 🙂
Running 2.3 on my Soul, I've had a few moments with the front. Which has led to me losing confidence with them on the front and I'm now looking at alternatives
I wasn't feeling the love on my SB8's tonight at Cannock - bit of rain, polished stones......had me creeping my way round
desboy3 - MemberPOSTED 1 MINUTE AGO # REPORT-POST
Thats desboys best post yet 🙂
I use SB8s DTC on my hack bike - mainly used off road (bridleway type stuff mainly) in all weather and I really do think they are great. But I dont do gnar!
Nearly like a slick for speed, a good bit of grip on kitty litter and a tiny bit on muddy stuff. Ok on roots and rock. Not too dear. Not too heavy. A bit of a barstewart to set up ghetto tubless initially but after a month or 2 - totally airtight. When they wear out I move the back to the front and buy a new back one. But even after a few years Im not sure I'd use one for typical Scottish "proper" off road.
Lasty - they make a strange buzzing sound on new tarmac - I once had an old dear complain how noisy my tyres were!
I find different pressures make a marked difference to their grip on the front, it can get a bit skittish if you pump them up too much. Managed quite a big crash at Swinley last year whilst racing on them due to not catching the front as it skipped out on a corner, I've found other tyres easier to predict. Superfast though 🙂
I was pushing hard on my SB8's on the Monkey Trail at Cannock some weeks ago, & had a nasty off thats really put me off. Hoping to get some for the 29er though, reckon they would be great on that for summer.
I rode the MachX on them last summer, in a mad moment. They are good but off-camber loose stuff isnt their forte. 😳
(But what tyre is).
They saved nearly 2lb in weight over a set of 2.35 Nev/BG's.