Ok, seen some glowing reviews on here and around the web about 2.4 Ardents as rear tyres, decided to give it a go.
Thought the extra volume of the 2.4 would be ideal on my HT, still fast rolling but a bit more grip than my summer rear tyre of previous recent years, the Larsen.
Oh how wrong I was, the bloody thing is lethal!
The Larsen would let go in a progressive manner, it was fun, made me feel like a riding god….not so the Ardent, anything off camber has the potential to let go, anything loose has the potential to let go….anything off camber AND loose and it will let go….no physical warning that I can feel, last nights ride it snapped round on me so viciously I thought it’d pulled a shoulder out, if I’d been clipped in I reckon it’d have twisted my ankle….last time I experienced anything like that was a near high-side on a motorcycle….very unnerving.
The only thing predictable is its unpredictability!…at least I can now spot areas of the trail ahead where it will let go but even then sometimes it will be be fine and another time the back end will come round on me.
I’ve played with pressures, tyre is sat on a 28mm internal rim etc….it’s coming off tonight and the Larsen can go back on, at least the Larsen was like having a drifty familiar friend on the back.
Anybody want a barely used 2.4 Ardent in 26 inch flavour!