Chunky Monkey and Smorgasbord …

Any good ?

What about the WTB Breakout?

I’m finding the 26” version ok. The front especially is a bit like the Maxxis dhf. Great on hardpack and dry natural trail – can get a bit slippery when it gets really sloppy mud. For the money you won’t get better I don’t think.

Just ordered the Chunky Monkey and Smorgo combo. Will report back when fitted but for the money I think they will be fine. Made by Maxxis apparently..

I took my Solaris to Tenerife in March last year with Chunky Monkey front/Smorgasbord rear. The Smorg got a couple of holes in it, unsurprisingly, with a 100kg+ old bloke bouncing down Lavatrax on a hardtail. It did last through the 3 days riding i had planned, though.

The Chunky Monkey is still on the front. Although, I didn’t ride the Solaris through the winter.

I didn’t have any problems getting them up tubeless (on Mk3 Flows), if that’s your bag.

Edit : 29er version.

I like em for most riding, good cheap all rounder or trail centre Tyre.

It’s what I use on all my MTBs unless I want a specific Tyre like a mud spike or tough carcass etc

Got the On-One combo on both my bikes.

Good all round tyres for the money.

Brilliant …

I do a lot of SDW and hinterland that kills tyres …. so cost effective is good ..

I believe they are made by Maxxis …

Anyone got real world weights….650b flavour in particular?

I have smorgasbord on my HT. (26’)

They are quite heavy and fairly draggy. Solid though.

Had a bugger of a job setting them up tubeless, might have been my wheels though…

I find them very sensitive to pressures.. to much and the grip went, not quite enough and they were very hard work!

For the money though you can’t grumble to much!!

light weight and the SDW don’t really match…

I’ve been using the softer compound version on a 26inch 150/160mm bike. Easy to go up tubeless, light and the chunky monkey is predictable and pretty grippy in most conditions except slop. Smorgasbord a bit less so and spins out easily. If you just ride trail centre stuff through the winter they are great for the price.

Also softer compound doesnt wear as quickly as a super tacky type maxxis though I read are meant to be from the same factory.

Running them (tubeless now} and they are good. 27.5″. The 26″ Smorgasbord has a deeper tread, the 27.5″ looks almost semi-slick in comparison.

Seem to work in dry and damp, not had them in mud yet. Suspect front will be good and back will be alright until you have to turn. However I’m sure they’ll be fine for most of my stuff.

I thought I was riding them at a high pressure but turns out 17psi front, 21psi rear…seems to work.

Chunky on front I think is good – grippy, great floaty feel, not fast rolling, not HR2/MagicMary grip levels.

Smorgasbord is a touch draggy in feel and can ‘surf’ on mud, not as fast or grippy as xr4.

I’ve just taken a punt on the Vittoria Goma two pack with free Camelback bottle for £20…. I’ll let you know how I get on.

Use them on the rear only for both my 29er & 26″ bikes, tubeless…Smorg general Surrey trail riding, CM in Alps etc.

I’ve just taken a punt on the Vittoria Goma two pack with free Camelback bottle for £20…. I’ll let you know how I get on.

@matt_outandabout how do these look? Too skinny for the front of a proper trail bike?

Vittoria Goma 

I have a couple of these in the garage from when they were called Geax, I thought they were fat when I first got them (29×2.25).

Fitted one when I was testing a wheel and it looked really skinny! but then I’ve got used to a Mary on the front.

Not bad tyres for that money all the same.

I’ve yet to mount them (wheels back from a true at shop today), but the old 26″ 2.25 came up pretty reasonable size, lower than XR4 but fatter than Conti Mtn King

Bought a CM & Smorgasbord in 29 competition rubber …

Won’t be used just yet ..

Goma 27.5 TNT 2.25″ Vs NobbyNic 2.25″ on marginally narrower rim.

Vs Magic Mary 2.35″

Colour match, baby

And for the OCD among you, offset logos….

Riding the CM today, pretty much a summer front tyre for me.

Had to catch a few front end slides in the greasy conditions.

On one website had the Goma’s as Geax – are they gonna be the same spec as Vittoria?

matt_outandabout how do they compare to the Nic’s; which is what I’d be replacing?

Not ridden this pair.

Our old 26″ Goma’s were middle ground tyres – less grip than HR or Mary, but a bit more than NobbyNic or Ardent. Not quite as fast rolling feel as the XR4’s.

Would Chunky Monkeys make a good all round tyre for winter slop and roots? Like a Cheapskate Purgatory?

If not, what?

Nope, see my comment above – bit treacherous in mud.

Magic Mary front is hard to beat as an all-rounder.

good all rounder, the one limitation is completely dusty (I know, never happens) and the really wet sloppy conditions where it flows over the rim. roots and generic mud it works.