Need advice on double-duty tire selection.

[Dr Phil mmkay]

Use: FH, WF, LH, Rose & 495.

Bike: long-slung slack hardtail, 2x8

Tire: fast-rolling, <2.35 width, 26" wheel, <28mm rim width, tubed (possibly ghetto tubeless compatible), preferrably good side knobs for cornering traction. Something between a Maxxis Holyroller and Maxxis Minion, except skinnier, lighter, and single-ply. Oh, and not too expensive.

Any suggestions? :confused2:

Many thanks.

[sevenforty]

Single-ply High Rollers...they come in all shapes and sizes too. Plus tubeless options.

[tuba_transport]

Single-ply High Rollers...they come in all shapes and sizes too. Plus tubeless options.

Those are a great tire.

i have lately been VERY pleased with my Schwalbe Fat Alberts. It is predictable, rolls reasonably quick for a big tire, company has great support, and it climbs and brakes pretty well.

I have tried Kenda, Specialized, Maxxis, Hutchinson, Schwalbe, and I am sure some others. Schwalbe is my favorite company overall for tires.

[cantdog]

Ditto on the high rollers, but what about Kenda Small Block 8s in a 2.35? Or you could probably run a 2.1 since they run wide.

[BikerMiker]

Fast-rolling usually means center-ridge or small/low knobs.

I'll come back to the tire again... 2.3 exiwolf. Fast, great cornering. I love bombing around on these tires. Hard to go wrong.

For a big-daddy rim, I wouldn't go any narrower than 2.3 for sure. I think a lot of tires lose their shape on that width rim unless it's a big-boy tire.

mk

[Dr Phil mmkay]

Thanks for the suggestion, guys. It seems that the High Rollers are a bit TOO knobby, as are the Fat Alberts.

Kenda Short Tracker has the right kind of center tread I'm looking for, and there are side knobs, but I'm wondering if it's just in the same league as the Holyrollers, i.e. just another semi-slick.

Kenday Kozmik Lite II seems to have a good tread pattern, but apparently they're thin-walled and fairly frail for places with rockier terrain.

The Small Block 8s look nice, and seem to fit into the parameters of what I'm looking for. I'm considering picking up a set and trying them out once the area dries up a bit.

[urbanbiker45]

I've been using some maxxis advantage tires (2.1). They are quite grippy and role decently. I found out that you can get away with a 2.1 tire just fine around here. I have also done well with the larsen and nevegal tires.

[riderx]

I've got Short Trackers on one of my bikes and that's what I'd point you to. The center tread is a bit taller than it appears in the picture on their web site, but they are still short and fast rolling. I've spent a lot of time on Exiwolfs and they lack the side knobs the Short Tracker has. The Exiwolf is not a bad tire, but I prefer some beefier knobs on the shoulders. I haven't had the Short Trackers long enough to tell you how long they'll last.

[oldskoolbiker]

Maxxis Highroller Front
Maxxis Larson TT Rear

Both 2.35" Singly Ply

[Dr Phil mmkay]

Guys, I managed to find that Maxxis makes the High Roller in semi-slick configuration with pretty much exactly what I had in mind:

http://www.nexternal.com/icycles/images/highrollerslick.jpg

Any idea on the performance of these tires? I'm thinking 2.35 60a single-ply with regular XC tube.

[BikerMiker]

That's a great fall-down tire. XC race only... I've ridden tires that look EXACTLY like that and they will really let you go if you aren't 100% sure of what's going on around you.

Be careful.

mk

[tuba_transport]

Guys, I managed to find that Maxxis makes the High Roller in semi-slick configuration with pretty much exactly what I had in mind:

http://www.nexternal.com/icycles/images/highrollerslick.jpg

Any idea on the performance of these tires? I'm thinking 2.35 60a single-ply with regular XC tube.

No way. Tires like that have a Jeckal and Hyde personallity. They roll ok straight, but during turns they start to break free on the center. Once you lean over enough for the oversized side knobbies to grab, the bike lunges, and throws you.

Very unpredictable behavior.

[jabberwocky]

Phil, I'm gonna agree with Mike and recommend the 2.3 Exiwolf. Thats what I run on my 5-Spot and its a very good all-rounder. You'll be giving up a little rolling resistance for 495, but I wouldn't hesitate to run them on my dirt jumper if I had to ride trail with it too.

They definitely roll faster than a High Roller and have good, predictable cornering characteristics.

If you were only going to do light XC at Wakefield, you could get away with the tire you linked. But the fact that you ride Fountainhead would rule it out to me. Theres no way that tire will have sufficient traction on some of the Fountainhead hills (based on my experience running a Holy Roller there).

[Dr Phil mmkay]

That's a great fall-down tire. Be careful.

mk

No way. Tires like that have a Jeckal and Hyde personallity. Very unpredictable behavior.

Egads! Warning duly noted guys, thanks for the heads up.