Tire Suggestions?

[buckwheat]

My current tires are become less and less confidence inspiring, they seem to have lost their stick...so I guess Im in the market for some new rubber! There are so many flavors out there that I thought I would ask the group their opinion and save myself some tedious research (Im pretty lazy!). So if anyone has any suggestions or products to avoid I would be forever grateful, and I might even be able to keep up at Douthat next weekend. Heres my criteria; I ride a hardtail, mostly at Avalon cuz its close but I try to road trip frequently to Canaan, GWNF, Massanutten, etc. I plan to stick with my tubes and my current wheelset (Sun Rhyno Lite XL on Shimano XT hubs). These rims are pretty wide, and so am I so I would like to get something a bit on the wide side (my current tires are WTB 2.1s). A weight weenie I am not, but rolling resistance is definitely a consideration. I guess I would sum up my ability as Intermediate looking to progress, go fast, and die young!

Hows that for picky?! As I said, any help is greatly appreciated and thanks for listening to my drivel.

[tsteele999]

You can't lose with Panaracer Fire 2.1s. I guess there are different TPI count sidewalls available and the 120 TPI are supposed to be better, but when I got some at Performance for 21.00 each last month neither the package nor the tire had a TPI reference. They stick well and look good with red sidewalls.

Tires that suck: A much longer list. Hutchinson Mosquitos suck here. Anything with a wire bead.

Good luck. :cool:

[markie@unformat]

Mosquitos suck do they?

I thought mosquitos were really good, especially for cornering and the rolling resistance is low. But if you use them on the road they wear out incredibly quickly. Which is Ok if you get them cheap.

Currently I have been using Mythos Irc efforts which are like $26 a pair from pricepoint, there off-road ability is OK if not awe inspiring, but they have not worn out despite a lot of hours on the road.

I think next time I will go back to the old favourites of smoke and dart from performancebike.com for around $17 a piece.

[drevil]

My longtime favorite combo is the WTB Mutanoraptor 2.4 up front and the IRC Mythos 2.1 rear, both kevlar. Both are light and have relatively low rolling resistance, but they grip well for me.

However, recently I've been pretty impressed with Kenda's latest offerings. I've been swapping around a 2.1 & 2.5 Blue Groove, 2.4 Cortez, and 2.1 Nevegal on my ride (all the Stick-E compound, in Kevlar bead). They grip well, are relatively light, much bigger than the competitors at the same claimed size, and I picked mines up for $50/pair. The only downfall is that they wear a little fast. However, I don't mind the tradeoff for all the positives I just listed.

Have fun wading through all the opinions
:D

ps - FWIW, I ride rigid singlespeed.

[spa69]

Nokian NBX 2.3,folding,650grams.cost about 40.00 bucks apiece well worth it.

[mscard]

Another vote for the Mutano 2.4 up front and either the IRC Mythos 2.1 or Panaracer Smoke Classic (prefered) in the rear. The only situation I find that combo to be poor in is very sandy or dusty conditions.

My longtime favorite combo is the WTB Mutanoraptor 2.4 up front and the IRC Mythos 2.1 rear, both kevlar. Both are light and have relatively low rolling resistance, but they grip well for me.

However, recently I've been pretty impressed with Kenda's latest offerings. I've been swapping around a 2.1 & 2.5 Blue Groove, 2.4 Cortez, and 2.1 Nevegal on my ride (all the Stick-E compound, in Kevlar bead). They grip well, are relatively light, much bigger than the competitors at the same claimed size, and I picked mines up for $50/pair. The only downfall is that they wear a little fast. However, I don't mind the tradeoff for all the positives I just listed.

Have fun wading through all the opinions
:D

ps - FWIW, I ride rigid singlespeed.

[riderx]

All around I like the Motoraptor 2.4 on both ends. I'm also digging the 2.3 Kenda Nevegal I've been running on the rear lately. Sticky.

[bikerRob]

...my current wheelset (Sun Rhyno Lite XL on Shimano XT hubs). These rims are pretty wide, and so am I so I would like to get something a bit on the wide side (my current tires are WTB 2.1s). A weight weenie I am not, but rolling resistance is definitely a consideration. I guess I would sum up my ability as Intermediate looking to progress, go fast, and die young.
9/21/04 >> Buckwheat, Tire choice depends a lot upon your riding style so it's hard to recommend what someone else might like. Personally, I like a tire for all around use. The only time I ever switch out tires is for snow/ice conditions. My personal considerations are tire weight( I always go with a folding kevlar bead), durability ( I like to get at least two years out of a set of tires and I judge both tread wear and side wall durability to be equally important.), Roll resistance ( I like a tire that rolls fast on the flats, gives me braking ability on the downhills and won't crap (slip) out on a steep spider-like climb.) In order to get all these things I have been using Panaracer FireXC Pro 2.1's. The FireX is a med-knobbed tire that is relativity light, rolls well and has great durability(both tread and side wall) Since you are looking for a wider tire, the Kenda Blue Groove (2.3) might not be a bad idea. Since the winter season will be here soon I'd like to take a good look at a wider tire my self. (note about *Panaracer XC...the 2.1 looks more like a 2 inch tire and if you don't like the red side wall, I believe it also comes in black although you might have to order them.) (*They also clear mud well) Also, I've heard good things about the Mythos IRC.

[MTBeers]

i also hated the mosquitos. don't grip at all, and in any kind of mud you may as well have greased them up because they just slide around.
so i switched back to the Fire XC pro's. This time tubeless, and they're as good as the tubed versions i used to run. can't beat their all around ability as was previously mentioned. I got mine at the Bike Lane, but at full price :rolleyes: in all black. i've had a set on my other bike for about 4 years now going strong. good stuff.

anyone had any luck with Maxxis? not that I've found them around here anywhere...

[adoucett]

I wish you would have listed what WTB tire it is you are using. I do a lot of riding in the rocks and roots and I love the WTB set up I have. I have used Twister Pros and Fire XC and the rocks ripped the tread apart very quickly. I am running the Nano-raptor 2.1 (45 psi) on the front and the Weir-Wolf 2.1 on the rear (40 psi). This set up is by far the best I have used in my area.

Ups
Very nimble front and high air volume fights pinch flats. Very good wear and very low rolling resistance.
Very balance feel to bike and Weir-Wolf digs deep into the hills when climbing. The more aggressive tread of the Weir-Wolf is not getting torn up like previous tires.
Corners on the single track like it is on rails.

Downs
Nano-raptor has a very tight tread pattern. This makes the mud stick. On the down hills in deep gravel it will travel a bit (managable).
Not the cheapist tires on the market.

[riderx]

I would like to get something a bit on the wide side (my current tires are WTB 2.1s). Word of warning: the Fire XC 2.1's are really skinny, they don't come close to measuring 2.1

[buckwheat]

Thanks to everyone who responded. I now see that selecting a tire without test riding it is going to be a bit of a leap of faith. I was leaning toward the Panaracer Fire XC 2.1 but it seems the width is misleading. So I think I have narrowed my search to two options:

1) Panaracer Cinder 2.25 760 grams @$30

2) WTB Motoraptor 2.24 with kevlar bead, 775 grams @$25

Im leaning toward the motos as they seem to get good reviews plus some kudos from this group, but I was wondering if anyone has any experience with the Cinder? Seems to be a relatively new product? Gets really good reviews on mtbreview.com

[adoucett]

I have not personally tired the Cinder, but one of my riding buddys has. His only complaint is that he has tore off a few lugs in just a few rides. This seems to be a common trend in the Gambrill area though.

[mark w]

well I guess I'll toss another hat in the ring. I've run the Michelin DH Comp 24 Light (BIG 2.2/~850gms) on my trail bike for over a year now after running their tires on my DH bike for the past few years. I love the tread compound, very grippy yet long wearing and roll quite well considering the amount of lug. They are essentially a 2.2 Hot S with softer, stickier rubber. Recently I switched to an Intense System 4 (True 2.25/~750gms) up front after demoing them at Fountainhead one saturday morning. I like the tight tread pattern for rolling resistance and the compound also has a nice "damped" feel to it. They don't brake as well as the Michelins but I'd say they roll faster. My recommendation and current setup is the Intense up front and the Michelin out back.

As for Maxxis, the High Roller and Minion make a good front/rear combo and are available in a wide variety of compounds/weights and sizes. The ramped knobs on both roll well and still brake confidently.

[Snot-Rocket]

I'm a huge fan of these tires- although wide they do roll purty fast and hook up well in all conditions. I run them at 35-40 PSI and am 230-lbs and don't recall ever pinch flatting on them at all!

I really loved them on my single speed- granted, I'm more of a 3-4 hour max riding type of weenie, I like going fast down hills, technical terrain- and am rarely in a rush getting between points- I'm very picky about tires that hook up well while cornering, no compromises allowed there and am willing to suffer the opportunity costs of less traction for less rolling resistance. I also like tires that lend to low speed control thus my love of the motoraptors- they allow me to run relatively low pressure for my weight w/out risking flatting out.

My other favorite tire for this region is a Hutchinson Python Front 2.1 and IRC Mythos rear 2.1, this is for relatevley smoother drier conditions- e.g. summer, dry-fall.

I also like Mich Wild Gripper Hot S for front or rear, more for front and the Mythos 2.1 in the rear...

Ack, can talk forever on this topic...but wanted to jump in on this thread...

Rah,

snot

[themonkeyman]

I found that the Panaracer Smoke Classic is a really great tire. It is for the rear only, but can be mated with the Dart(front-only tire). I have personally never rode the dart, but the smoke rocks. It will not let go! I love it, and will definitely be getting another when this one wears out :D .--hope this helps--Monkeyman

[bikerRob]

10/14/04 >> While perusing the Panaracer web site I found that P/R now offers a tire similar to their Fire XC Pro but is geared toward Freeriding. It's a 2.4" tire called The Fire FR.
The tread pattern looks much like the XC Pro but is wider. I've always liked the XC Pro's, I bet the wider tire would hook up even better. Anyone out there riding this tire yet? Any comments?
Rob

[saba]

I ride the 2.4 on front and cindercone 2.25 rear on my Kona Hoss. Cinder pushes nicely through the slop but has good grip in almost all conditions. Fire FR is everything good about fire xc pro but more of it. Only bitch is weak (could be tougher). High recommendation for both tires. On sale at Jenson.com for $24

[Vecsus]

I can make one tire related suggestion: Never, under any circumstances, use Hutchinson Python's at Fountainhead when it's wet. Well, unless you are one of those odd people that enjoys the sound of a tire losing traciton on a wet root. I don't mind walking up a hill if I just don't have the energy to ride it. But walking because a tire can't hook up on the roots is just sad. I'll have to remember to put on my mytho's tires for wet conditions next time.

[Majed]

I like the FR Fire a lot. I think the regular Fire XCs are really good and one of the best when matted with Stan's as the sidewalls are particularly strong. I ride the FR on front and the XC on back. If you ride a full susension I think the FR is a bit much. My other gripe is that they do pack with mud but you shouldn't be riding in mud anyway! Great all-around tire especially in this area--fountainhead, Gambrill rocks and roots. The Kenda Kenetics is one of my skins and it is really good as well, especially as a front. One of the best big, light tires is the WTB Weirwolf 2.4 which I ride on the front my single speed with Stan's. No pinches, and pretty light.

[riderx]

10/14/04 >> While perusing the Panaracer web site I found that P/R now offers a tire similar to their Fire XC Pro but is geared toward Freeriding. It's a 2.4" tire called The Fire FR.
The tread pattern looks much like the XC Pro but is wider. I've always liked the XC Pro's, I bet the wider tire would hook up even better. Anyone out there riding this tire yet? Any comments?
RobI've been using the 2.4 FR version up front for a couple of months, here's my thoughts:
- Big. Measures bigger than my Moto 2.4
- Rolls a bit slow, more drag than the Moto
- Cushy.
- Hooks up pretty well, but the knobs the knobs on the shoulder definitely have a distinct edge. By this I mean when I'm going at a high speed through tight turns there's is a point where, if you lean to far, you are going to start to lose traction. The Moto is more rounded and handles these situations better. That said, I'd venture to say most riders are not going to need to worry about this, it corners fine in 95%+ of the situations I'm in. Hooks up WAY better than the 2.1 version in these situations.
- A little on the heavy side (some might say a lot on the heavy side ;) ).
- Wears well
- Not a good mud tire.

[Dirt]

Mark. Any idea if you can run either the Michelin or the Intense will work well on XC rims? I know I can run a little more pressure in them to keep them from flopping, but I'd rather run my current wheels if I can.

I've got a set of wheels with Mavic 517s and another with Rhynolites on them. I'd rather run the 517s if I can.

Thanks for the info.

Peter

well I guess I'll toss another hat in the ring. I've run the Michelin DH Comp 24 Light (BIG 2.2/~850gms) on my trail bike for over a year now after running their tires on my DH bike for the past few years. I love the tread compound, very grippy yet long wearing and roll quite well considering the amount of lug. They are essentially a 2.2 Hot S with softer, stickier rubber. Recently I switched to an Intense System 4 (True 2.25/~750gms) up front after demoing them at Fountainhead one saturday morning. I like the tight tread pattern for rolling resistance and the compound also has a nice "damped" feel to it. They don't brake as well as the Michelins but I'd say they roll faster. My recommendation and current setup is the Intense up front and the Michelin out back.

As for Maxxis, the High Roller and Minion make a good front/rear combo and are available in a wide variety of compounds/weights and sizes. The ramped knobs on both roll well and still brake confidently.

[DAL216]

I found that the Panaracer Smoke Classic is a really great tire. It is for the rear only, but can be mated with the Dart(front-only tire). I have personally never rode the dart, but the smoke rocks. It will not let go! I love it, and will definitely be getting another when this one wears out :D .--hope this helps--Monkeyman

I use the Dart/Smoke combo. Can't go wrong with this at 16 bucks a tire on sale.

[mark w]

Peter,
I'm running both on Mavic F219/F321 (not the old D321 DH rim) which are somewhat narrow. I wouldn't expect any trouble running them on 517/819s. Frame clearance on both, but especially the Intense tire, would be more of a concern before rim width.

mark

To ammend my previous post, the Comp 24 has larger knobs than the corresponding 2.2 Hot S in addition to the incredible sticky/soft rubber compound.

[Dirt]

Frame clearance will be okay I think. It might be close, but the frame was designed to handle 2.5" tires... that was in an age when 2.5s were not quite as fat as todays 2.5s. If it doesn't work out, I can always use these tires on my Id.

Thanks for the info. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Peter

[GoClipless]

I am surprised at how many use the Panaracer Fire XC Pro. When I tried them last year in very wet conditions I found them very frustrating. They simply would not clear the mud even after I had ridden on dry ground for a while. I switched to the IRC Mythos and have had good grip on the trails around here. I have had a few rear pinch flats, but I am not sure the tire is to blame.

[Squirrel Girl]

Last year, about this time, I bought a pair of the Fire XC Pros on the advice of someone. I hated them. The mud glommed on and made the tires heavy and there was lots of friction. Then, magically in the spring, I had no trouble with them. Dunno what happened. But they worked well all summer.

With my new bike, I got the Fire XC Pro tubeless. So far so good! No problems!

[skillet999]

The Fire XC is a poor permormer in the mud, doesn't clear mud at all. Lot's of folks have commented the same (although they make a Fire XC mud tire that I ran at Snowshoe with good results). In spite of the problems in the mud, the "regular" Fire XC is my favorite tire. It has a sharp edge that you can lean on and rail the corners. If you prefer a rounded tire (like the "endless edge Conti's) - the XC is very different - maybe not for you. I'd give the FR a shot. All big tires kind of suck in the mud anyway but I think you'll really like the cornering in dry conditions.

[Dirt]

New discovery... Kenda Kinetics 2.35" Kevlar tire (front and rear) from Chucks Bikes (http://www.chucksbikes.com). They're a little smaller than most 2.35 tires that I've seen, though that might have something to do with me putting them on really skinny xc rims. They are also possibly the best deal in winter tires that I've seen. $12.50 each. Chuck gets them as factory seconds. I liked them enough that I ordered a second set for my other bike.

As always, this post would be useless without photos:

http://myroadtrips.peterbeers.net/mbrt/IMG_0781.JPG

http://myroadtrips.peterbeers.net/mbrt/IMG_0778.JPG

http://myroadtrips.peterbeers.net/mbrt/IMG_0777.JPG

http://myroadtrips.peterbeers.net/photo_album/Kitten/DSCN5884_Gray_Kitten.jpg

The last photo has nothing to do with mountain bike tires, but I thought it was kinda cute.

Have a nice day.

Peter

[jben415]

Where did the company Onza go? When I was a kid racing mountain bikes there were two tire set-ups that were unbeatable -

For trail riding and the best traction I've ever had Onza Porcupines were the way to go...definitely in the rear and you could substitute a front specific tire if you were really picky.

For racing a Panaracer smoke 1.9 (which was really more like a 1.5) in the rear with almost any other tire that was fatter in the front - I liked the Ritchey series of tires in 2.1 for fast/dry courses and 2.35 for the tricky ones.

Most of the tires I see these days just don't 'look' like they are that great (stupid statement, I know). What happened to these old tires...I wish they still existed??

:(

Ben

[Dirt]

Where did the company Onza go? When I was a kid racing mountain bikes there were two tire set-ups that were unbeatable -


Onza got bit by the bike industry crash of the early 90s... as did many companies. There were some legal issues and problems between the guys that started the company. One of the guys started the company Club Roost. They survived for many years, but I lost track of them a little while back.

As for "where are the old tires", Panaracer still makes the smoke and dart classic tires. They still work pretty well, though I like a little more meat between my 220 pound arse and the ground. I am probably the only living human with Onza Porcupines, Porc IIs, and White Porcs (the other white meat) in my shop. Some are new, some are a little worn, but still appear to be in good shape. I was going to drag them out and see how they did this winter before I found the deal on Kenda Kinetics.

I've got two "old school" bikes that these tires will go on when I get around to riding a vintage mountain bike on the trails. I've got a 1986 Diamond Back Apex with U-brakes front and rear that is just screaming for a set of Porcs. ;)

Let me see how many I actually have. If I've got a spare set, they're yours. Drop me an e-mail (PedroGringo@yahoo.com).

I obviously love the old school stuff. :) Anyone need a campy Centaur grouppo from 1990?

Peter

[Squirrel Girl]

Peter, Wash your bike, you friggin' slob! :p

It's hard to believe. You found a cat that looks exactly like you. Could you replace the haunted picture of you on your Trail Monitor badge with the cat's picture?

Barbara

[Dirt]

Peter, Wash your bike, you friggin' slob! :p

It's hard to believe. You found a cat that looks exactly like you. Could you replace the haunted picture of you on your Trail Monitor badge with the cat's picture?

Barbara

I wash my bike when it isn't below 32 degrees out. Those photos were taken after Tuesday nights icecube ride (referring to the temperature, not the rapper/actor). Can you imagine the ass kicking I'd get from my wife if I tried to wash my bike inside? Hmmmmmmmmm I need to rethink that. I kinda like a good ass kicking. I'll get back to you on that.

I tried to get them to change the photo with my cat's. They didn't go for it though.

Peter

PS: "He loves it when she calls him names. He loves it when she beats his brains out..." Any question what song is going to be in my head while I'm riding today?

[Squirrel Girl]

You're pushin' me to the edge, Peter, you're pushing me. You KNOW I want to say something rude about kicking your a**, but can't here on the public forum. ;)

[Dirt]

You're pushin' me to the edge, Peter, you're pushing me. You KNOW I want to say something rude about kicking your a**, but can't here on the public forum. ;)

I live to set you up for these opportunities. :) I'm glad I finally found my calling in life. :)

But seriously folks... .The Kenda Kinetics were GREAT on the trails this week. They were a big step up from the Michelin Hot S 2.1s that I was riding last week. They are bigger, cushier and definitely grab the trail a lot better in these fall conditions.

Gonna get me some more for Julian's bike. :)

Peter

[ou98dtbiggs]

I love the Michelin Hot S in black or Red 2.1-2 or they have a 2.5 now that would be wide, they aren't the best mud cleaning tire but for roots (wet too) and general hardcore riding I like them alot. I was thinking of running a Werewolf 2.3 up front and Hot S in Back but people are saying that the werewolf is alot better in back things to think about.
-Darren

[Dirt]

Hey Darren.

I've been riding the Hot S tires on my FS bike for the last few weeks. It really rides well in the slippery stuff. I'm seriously contemplating ordering some 2.5s for the SS and see how they do. There's something about their rubber compound that seems to stick to slippery roots and rocks pretty well.

Thanks for the heads up on the 2.5s.

Peter