Alps Advice Appreciated (warning tyre content & Megavalanch )

I’m planning a trip to the Alps in the next few weeks, will be staying in Venosc and mainly riding in Deux Alpes and am looking at tyre choice, I’ve got some Hans Dampf, magic Marys and rock razors sitting in a checkout basket, anyone got any thoughts on best combination or better alternatives?. A broken hand 6 weeks ago (BPW naturally) means I’ll be taking it very easy and won’t ride much in the wet so not sure I’ll need dual ply.I’ve also got an entry to the mega down the road in Alpe D’huez but am currently thinking I’ll have to pass on it given the hand injury but would easily be persuaded if I could minimize the chances of injury if that were possible. Anyone with advice on riding in Deux Alpes also welcome.

I’m taking Hans Dampfs to Morzine with me in 2 weeks, It’s a fairly good all weather tyre. As I’m driving though I’ll chuck a set of swamp things in the car just in case it’s a complete slop fest.

You may not think you need dual ply, but I’d at least go for the supergravity versions, Merlin are selling the 26″ HDs at £27.50 at the moment.

You should go for DP or the heaviest casing you can bear.. repeated pinch flats are no fun and it so easily done on the top half of the Mega track, and especially the quali track which is very rocky after the glacier.

When I rode the Mega last (2014, the sloppy/wet year?) I had Hans Dampf in the Super Gravity flavour. They were very good in terms of puncture resistance (didn’t puncture for the 4 weeks I was in the Alps), though they did clog up like mad during the actual Mega race run. To those who recall, I don’t think any tyres would have worked well, other than a 1.8 spike with 2 feet of mud clearance.

Go for something hard wearing and with a solid casing, probably just the DH version of your favourite tyre? Harder compound on the back.

Multi-post

I’d at least go for the supergravity versions

+1

Maybe Rock Razor rear and Mary front.

ddmonkey – Member

You should go for DP or the heaviest casing you can bear.. repeated pinch flats are no fun and it so easily done on the top half of the Mega track, and especially the quali track which is very rocky after the glacier. +1

I’d at least go for the supergravity versions

+1

Dual Ply DH tyres are the sensible choice. So many spikey rocks.

I went to 2alps and alp dhuez last year running a pair of Maxxis HR2’s 3C up front and dual compound on rear, both dual ply – zero punctures for me.

As has already been said, fixing punctures is no fun and its very rocky at the top of alp dhuez and parts of 2alps.

I run Magic mary and rock razor in the UK for trails. Defo wouldnt run that combo at 2alps. The rock razor isn’t the best tyre for slowing down. Possibly would run the MM up front in the trailstar (or vertstar) compound will get pretty worn on the shoulder knobs as theyre a bit softer than the maxxis. And as its a pretty similar tyre to the Minion DHF I’d probably go for that instead.

Also, the one thing that stood out was the locals and nearly everyone else ran maxxis at 2alps. Other tyre brands were very scarce.

Maybe Rock Razor rear and Mary front.

I’d want something with a bit more tread than a rock razor on the back! With less grip you are going to lock up more often, inceasing the chance of slicing through tyres.

Some manage to get away with exo casing tyres, but having a thicker casing will allow you to run the similar pressures without the risk of puncturing.

Will be in Alp D’Huez for the week before the mega race and will be in Morzine for the following week. Going to be taking a pair of double down minions, a 42a minion dual ply and a spare wheelset mounted up with a pair of shorties to keep the rain away.

Also, the one thing that stood out was the locals and nearly everyone else ran maxxis at 2alps. Other tyre brands were very scarce.

The wear rate on vertstar schwabbles isn’t great, they are very grippy though. The only thing which wears faster are the mavic tyres!

Dual Plys are for the rocks not the wet. In multiple trips I have never had a puncture with my HR dual plys but then again I am not smashing the trails and rock gardens. I rode with Hans Dampfs last year and they where fine althoigh that was mostly on loamy rooty trails. I would buy the Dual Plys for L2A and take your current tyres too. Then save the Dual Plys for next year which is what I do.

I have gone for WTB’s, loved the Trailboss in PDS last year (until I shredded it) but gone for the Breakout for the Mega, in tough /fast rolling flavour; with a tough/high grip Vigilante on the front. I will also pack a shorty.

so much love for the rock razor atm tho.

I ran Michelin Wild Rock’r 2 tyres for last years Mega and tore a hole in the sidewall on the top section after the glacier. Wild Rock’rs are supposed to be at the burly end of tyre construction but the puncture ruined my race run, I wouldn’t hesitate in choosing dual plys for this year.

Im off to les Arc late next week for enduro2, thinking of taking off my hans super G front and razor rock super G rear and putting on some butcher DH tyres I have on instead.

Been coming to Morzine for about 5 years now. Always use High Roller DH tyres. Never had a flat.

Currently running a Shorty on the front because of the weather. It appears to be Monsoon season.

What sort of stuff you planning on riding, other than the Mega? Climbing a reasonable amount or just using uplifts?

I ask because if I were purely uplifting and on a DH bike I’d run dual plies without a doubt. But if I were off exploring singletrack, carrying a decent amount of ‘get out of trouble’ kit and doing some climbing, I’d be looking at a more burly or reinforced single ply, purely for the ease of dragging it around.

Riding the mega will largely be dependent on how confident I feel with a recently broken hand, IF I do ride it it will be a bit of a mince fest. Outside of that it will be Deux Alpes mainly uplift but hopefully a few ‘big mountain’ days with a fair bit of pedaling. If I were only riding tougher DH runs on a dedicated rig I’d definitely opt for dual ply but had been thinking of either the Magic Mary or Hans Damf in the supergravity carcass as a halfway house (agree that the rock razor prob quicker than needed). I’ll be riding an endooro sled (obv) and have been running with maxxis with the exo carcass which have been fine @ bpw & Antur but did manage to put a hole in the rear sidewall.