Currently riding this whyte t130. Due to lack of time and my fitness taking a massive hit after getting covid at the start of January I will continue to be riding locally for a fair while yet, area completely flat, lots of pedalling. I’m currently running vittoria agarro and martello, which work well but bit overkill, aswell as the bike.. for the riding I now find myself doing. Would the benefit of swapping out to faster/lighter barzo and mezcal combo be noticeable or just stick with what I’ve got?

I use that combo. Actually used them all through the winter too. Really like the pairing.

The harder work tyres might help you get fitter quicker – or going somewhere a little hillier 😝

I’ve recently thrown a 2.35 Maxxis Rekon Race on the back of my Spur and put the normal 2.4 Rekon that was on the rear up front and I’m loving it. So fast but still just enough bit in softer ground. I previously owned a T130 and it was much faster feeling once I swapped the Minion DHF/ HRII combo I had on there for a set of 2.35 Maxxis Forekasters, again, great speed and a little more versatile than the Rekon Race. You’re definitely on the right lines going for lighter/faster but still reasonably tough and wide, I think a lot of brands and riders over-tyre their bikes for some reason!

I’ve got that combo on my HT, it’s a great pairing for my riding. I’ve the 2.35″ on i30mm rims, Barzo fits fine, Mezcal is maybe a bit flat but fine. Knocked out 6000′ on Sunday with them on local trails, I won’t change them until winter. MRRP is crazy for TNT versions, seek out a bargain.

I had a recent thread about being “over-tyred” where I talked about swapping my heavy trail tyres to something lighter and faster rolling. We all know that tyres can really change how a bike feels but I’m still surprised at how big the change has been. It’s transformed a bike that was feeling like a chore to ride for more than a couple of hours to one that I now enjoy riding all day.

Interestingly I’ve set a few PRs on descents too. I think that may be because I’m also working on getting my weight a bit further forwards on descents but it also shows that I was never pushing the bike hard enough to need those heavier tyres anyway.

Have a T130 too. Use to run a 2.3 DHF on the front and 2.25 Ardent on the rear which worked really well. Tried a DHR on the rear but that was like dragging an anchor.

Now have 2.35 Forekasters and really like them. Lighter than my previous tires. Faster rolling and plenty of grip.

Following on from above – I like the Ardent 2.4 on the rear. More cushioning on my hard tail and most importantly the transition nobs run across to the shoulder knobs – on the 2.25 there is a gap at the shoulder nobs

A trail King on the front has some bite but not too heavy.

I run Forekasters on my Jeffsy – the stock DHRs felt way too draggy for my liking. Feels a lot more sprightly.

On my XC bike I run a Race King on the rear – and my hardtail I run a Slaughter Grid during the dryer months. Both roll really nicely but still have plenty of grip.

Also got a Vittoria Terreno recently so will give that a go when I have some tinkering time.

I accidentally put a grippy/sticky DHR on the front of my hardtail recently and it sucks the life out of rides that aren’t 100% gnar. I’d rather be under tyred (especially on the back) and slide around a bit…

I’ve tried loads of stuff on my hardtail and XC focused bikes which I ride locally and in the slop of winter but my ‘Sunday best’ trail ike has been stuck on 2.35 Minions for what feels like years.

Given I now have 30mm wide rims, firstly I think I need to go wider and secondly I think I need to try some of the neww tyres – given this bike generally lives at trail centres and drier stuff, I reckon bigger, but lighter tyres are the way to go.

I say do it. My bikes firmly in the trail hard tail catagory. 2.35 forecaster up front and a 2.25 crossmark! Out back. Flies along and the crossmark hasn’t killed me yet.

Barzo’s are a good all year round tyre, and to speed up even more stick a mezcal on the back in the summer dry months

My hardtail has a 2.5” DHF front and 2.6” Forecaster rear. Been pretty impressed with the Forekaster – finds way more grip than I expected.

Full suss again has a 2.5 Dhf, but on the back I recently stuck on a 2.4” wt dissector. That’s proving to be really decent too – rolling faster than the dhr2 that came off and finding forward drive and braking grip in mud I would necessarily have expected it to.

I had a recent thread about being “over-tyred”

every time i find myself in a bike shop fondling big, sticky tyres I remind myself of that thread

🙂

I swapped out winter muck Slaughter rear tyre a week ago for my Goma. I took it to steep Balqhidder trails.

Whoosh uphill.

Whoosh downhil*.

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*Yes, it was fitted back to front so had no braking grip… 😱

I am using a trail king front and race king rear currently and find those a good combo. As others have said, I will always go for faster rolling tyres, even if it means slower descending in wet conditions.

New rubber fitted to the t130, when I brought yet last vittoria tyres, they where not hard to get hold of, alot of searching to get these as the usual suspects show no stock.

Put 2.0 Conti Race Kings on the 140mm Stache 29er HT and it is lovely. Super quick and pretty sketchy in the slop, so trails come alive (honestly), it’s like a comfy, more competent gravel bike. On local “gravel” Strava segments its faster too. Like it a lot, makes you ride trails again looking for lines, carrying momentum, changing cadence as grip changes. Quick on tarmac too

@sam1988

Are they the 2.6 ones?

Yes. They are more like 2.5 wide but have a fair bit of volume to them

@sam1988 where did you get them from? I’m keen to try this combo as my magic mary/big betty combo are a bit overkill for the dry local trails round here but I’m also struggling to find any in stock. Cheers!

@sam1988 is barzo front mezcal rear the typical arrangement?

Just got a set for my trance which is over-tyred for my local trails, so was wondering which way around people like to run them.

I’ve had terrible rides on Geax (Vittoria) tyres – Goma IIRC, so can’t bring myself to buy them (cheap as they are on PlanetX). But The Throttle I just bought – took one of those amber wall Marys off to put a Spesh Slaughter on (as Matt says “whooosh!”) – the Spesh GRID weighs 800g… the Mary – 1.4KG! Love the grip, hate the weight. Bye bye Mary 🙂

@Garry_lager

I went of the recommendation of the above video and forum when on the hunt for my suitable tyres. Had one ride and its alot faster

@lankystreakofpee

Took some searching as like you say nobody seems to have stock. One was os sigma sports, the other was amazon. Can dig the links out if you need?

@sam1988 sorry only just saw your reply. Nice one cheers, I’ll have a look and get ordering!

barzo front mezcal rear the typical arrangement?

Yes.

cheap as they are on PlanetX

Planet X sell the very old design, old compound plastic ones in the main. Anything current and with the “G” (Graphene compound) label is a very good tyre. Their basic remit is as fast as schwalble but with the TNT sidewall quite unlikely to fall to pieces and very much easier to mount tubeless.

There’s a very big difference.

Anyone have a link to that “over-tyred” thread?
Interested to read it

Not sure if this will work:

Over-tyred thread

You could also look at my What makes a bike a good climber thread as it turned out to be the same issue 🙂