Best tires for area

[bunky]

Opinions wanted. What are best tires for majority of trails in our area. I am thinking Wake-Tink/ Avalon/ Fountainhead/ Shaeffer; etc.

This would be for my Gunnar Rockhound. Empahisis is on ability to track in slop and shed mud well, corner like a Ducati and light, light light. Thinking min 2.0 and max 2.2.

Not thinking about Shed or Gambrill since I have a different bike for that mayhem.

Cheap would be nice 2!


Bunky

PS-where 2 buy cheap!!!

PPS-- low rolling resistance!

[Dirt]

Greetings...

Here's a good thread that was around for a long time. It just worked its way down in the archives.

Tire Suggestions (http://www.more-mtb.org/forum/showthread.php?t=899&highlight=Tire)

That should get you started.

In good weather I run Hutchinson Pythons. I'm one of only three people in the world that like them and I absolutely love them.

This time of year I run either Michelin Hot S 2.2" or WTB Mutanoraptor 2.4". I've got some Kenda Kinetics that work pretty dang well too. They're listed as 2.35, but they're about the same size as my Michelin 2.2s. I got them from Chucksbikes.com (http://www.chucksbikes.com/) for $25 for the pair.

I blew out the back one when a rock wedged between the brake caliper and the sidewall. It slowly cut through the casing. It actually still works great, but it wobbles a little when it rolls and that isn't such a good thing.

The pythons have low rolling resistsance. The Mutanoraptors aren't too bad either since they have a center ridge. Everything else listed SUCKS in the rolling resistance department.

Have a nice day.

Peter

[bikerRob]

Opinions wanted. What are best tires for majority of trails in our area. I am thinking Wake-Tink/ Avalon/ Fountainhead/ Shaeffer; etc....

1/06/05 >> There's already a thread started for questions on tires. See the thread below started by Buckwheat called...Tire Suggestions ....Peter your post beat mine by two mintues....:-)

[Dirt]

1/06/05 Peter your post beat mine by two mintues....:-)

Fast I am... helpful is up for debate. ;)

I had an extra bowl of wheaties this morning. That made me 50% faster and 100% more obnoxious. Scary combo, eh? ;)

Peter

[jfoley]

during the dryer parts of this year i rode specialized rocksters (http://www.specialized.com/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=11199) ... they're pretty light, hook up well, even on wet roots, and corner solidly... great for schaeffer/accotink like places... rode them at the SM100 with no problems...

now that the weather has gone downhill i've switched to a set of 2.24 WTB motoraptors (http://www.wtb.com/motoraptor.html)... lots of nice big square tread blocks... seem to work well in slicker conditions, but i haven't had them for many rides... a bit heavier and bit more rolling resistance that the rocksters, but they seem like they'd be a great watershed tire... they also come in 2.14 and 2.4 sizes and i'm going to pick up a set of the smaller ones for my hardtail... make sure you check the casing type on these, the "Team FR" casing is a lot heavier than the "Race" version...

both are normally available at city bikes (http://www.citybikes.com)

Opinions wanted. What are best tires for majority of trails in our area. I am thinking Wake-Tink/ Avalon/ Fountainhead/ Shaeffer; etc.

This would be for my Gunnar Rockhound. Empahisis is on ability to track in slop and shed mud well, corner like a Ducati and light, light light. Thinking min 2.0 and max 2.2.

Not thinking about Shed or Gambrill since I have a different bike for that mayhem.

Cheap would be nice 2!


Bunky

PS-where 2 buy cheap!!!

PPS-- low rolling resistance!

[tsteele999]

When was it ever dry here? It never stops raining. :mad:

during the dryer parts of this year i rode specialized rocksters (http://www.specialized.com/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=11199) ... they're pretty light, hook up well, even on wet roots, and corner solidly... great for schaeffer/accotink like places... rode them at the SM100 with no problems...
When was it ever dryer here? It never stops raining.
now that the weather has gone downhill i've switched to a set of 2.24 WTB motoraptors (http://www.wtb.com/motoraptor.html)... lots of nice big square tread blocks... seem to work well in slicker conditions, but i haven't had them for many rides... a bit heavier and bit more rolling resistance that the rocksters, but they seem like they'd be a great watershed tire... they also come in 2.14 and 2.4 sizes and i'm going to pick up a set of the smaller ones for my hardtail... make sure you check the casing type on these, the "Team FR" casing is a lot heavier than the "Race" version...

both are normally available at city bikes (http://www.citybikes.com)

[bcaverly]

I'm currently running the classic Panaracer Dart/Smoke combination. I'm no tire expert by any means but I can tell you these are great on the rocks at Gambrill, the shed, and Greenbrier. However they pretty much suck when the conditions start to get mucky. The Smoke on the back especially gets very squirrely when it comes to lateral stability.

my 2 cents...
Bob

[halfinch]

i've had so so results with tioga comp dh's - nice and fat for a SS ride..but not the best for uphills..

presently i've using a pair of continentals on my cannondale and they've done well- clear mud pretty quickly, they're light, and they dont blow out the sides like the hutchinsons..

i am also a fan of irc's tires, which can usually be had for cheap at p-bike and web retailers..

[bunky]

Thanks, I just got a pair (yes front and rear) of WTB Velociraptors on special from pricepoint.com for about $34 with shipping. At 2.1 with very aggressive tread I hope these will bite into all the soppy earth out there.

Bunky

[mscard]

I have to disagree with Bob's assessment of the Smoke. I've been running it for the last few years on both my bikes and have found it to be the most reliable rear tire I've ever used. I currently have one that is 2/3 to 3/4 worn down and it still grips on slick trails better than most other rear tires I've used. I recently switched on my SS and am going to switch on my gearie, but only because I'm going tubeless and Stans doesn't recommend using Panaracer tires with their kit.

For the front, I the Geax Blade 225 is the best tire I've run. If you find any please let me know where, I can't seem to find them any more!

Mike

[jed]

I find that fast rolling tires like the Specialized Rockster or Hutchinson Python work pretty well for XC riding in most conditions around here. I ride the UST versions of both at low-mid 30's and they work well for me. If it's too muddy for those, it is probably too muddy to ride. The Rocksters have a large air volume so they work well in rocky terrain; big knobs are not much help on rocks. Sometimes for really loose conditions I'll run a Specialized Roll X up front; those are about as knobby as I get. Bigger tires like the WTB MotoRaptor are cool, they work well, but they are really heavy and too much tire for most riding around here. Since I race XC, I admit I'm biased toward light fast tires, though.