Philadelphia Mountain Biking Association - Forums

I was reading the old post about what tires are good to use, and I have been doing some of my own research by reading reviews and stuff. But now I'd to bring my ideas to you guys for suggestions.

I currently run the Mutano Raptors (came stock with the bike) but they are considered multisurface tires for both road and offroad, and lately as I've gotten faster and more daring, they have been sliding out on me and the cornering has been harder.  To be honest, the extent of my road riding is going from my apartment, up one to two blocks up Henry, and then into the trails.  I want tires that will suit me better for the dirt, not the two blocks of pavement.

I have been considering going with more all-mountain tires right now, but I want to gain better traction on my cornering and be able to climb well (I may be asking for a lot). 

Here is my current idea:  REAR: Maxxis High Roller 2.35.  FRONT: WTB Weirwolf 2.5.....or......using the same brand for both front and back just different sizes.

Any advice?  I'm hoping this can entertain you guys while your at work  ;D

Do you need that much meat under you?  That's a lot of weight to swing around with each wheel rotation.  Unless you're veering towards freeride/big hit you shouldn't need to go past 2.35".  There are many good choices in that range - wtb stouts and weirwolfs, kenda nevegals (great traction but roll slow), maxxis highrollers (good traction but hefty), maxxis ardents (roll fast but with a skootch less traction than nevegals) panaracer fires and rampages, conti mt. kings and verticals. 
Save some weight and convert to tubeless - stan's maxxis and dt all do kits.  Best results will be had with a ust tire. 

Karl

Tire types and skills go hand in hand, bigger does'nt necessarily mean better and the added rotational weight can even slow you down. I have had success with the mutanos on my 26er for most Wiss conditions just by changing the pressure, they are relatively light with big side knobs that allow for some aggressive leaning in turns. There are many choices out there, good luck.

Well said.

I can say the High Roller corners very well. I've been running them front and back for a while now. They are bit heavy, but roll fairly well. You can lean them into turns with confidence as their breaking point is predictable.

If you look at the outside tread of a tire it's usually a pretty good indication of how well it will corner. Nice big stout knobs on the outside of the tire usually means it will hold a corner well. But will also roll slower

I personally don't care a ton about the weight since I'm more into the downs and I will sometimes hit stuff pretty hard, but I try to use a UST tire that is 650-850 grams per tire. I feel the improved ride and traction you get from a bigger tire is well worth extra weight. .02

You know I was thinking the same thing about the size.  I'm thinking it may be better to run 2.35 for now, since I'm still learning a lot about my bike and about my riding style.  I have become increasingly addicted to more dhing and freeride stuff, although I am still learning a lot (and falling a lot).  This is why I'm trying to gather as much info as possible.

Also, would it be better to have the same tire for both front and rear? Or, should you have a light rear tire (for instance if I decide to run the High Rollers I would have a 2.1 in rear and 2.35 up front) ? 

What about mixing brands?  Would putting a 2.35 (or 2.1) High Roller in rear and a 2.35 Weirwolf in front be a good idea?

My apologizes if I sound like annoying, curious 5-year old.   

Thanks for all the responses so far!

Not that I am an expert on this, but I have the 2.1 WTB Weirwolfs that came stock on my bike and I can say that I like the way they corner, although I have nothing to compare it to.

I need some advice as well.  I'm currently running Nevegal UST 2.1's, front and rear.  The rear is wearing pretty quick.  I had heard they wear quick, but not this fast.  Was planning to purchase a new tire and move the front to the rear.  I recently acquired a Maxxis Ignitor 2.1 LUST and was wondering how it would perform as a rear tire in our riding area.  Anyone have any input?

I've tried the ignitor. Rolls super fast! Cornering is ok but not as good as a High Roller; less predictable breaking point. Good racing tire unless you end up on a wet course. Then you're screwed cause wet traction is not good.

Best bet is to try different set ups and see what suits your riding style. If you're still learning, it could take a little bit of trial and error to find your perfect match. Many times if you ride a tire and don't like it you can just sell it on ebay and at least get some of your money back. Or try trading tires with other riders.

Ever since I contacted Kenda a year or so ago and found a pair of Kenetics 2.35 wire beads on a fluke for $5 bones each (no kidding) I have this whack idea that tires should always be cheap?!! yeah, so Cheap Kendas for me...currently kevlars, no problem forking out coin on anything else though thats for sure...

I also ride maxxis high rollers and haven't had any traction issues since. nothing like having confidence in your tires when climbing up wet roots and rocks. they corner better than anything that i have tried. 

Sounds like the high rollers are a popular choice for this area.

I used to ride them UST and found them to be a bit sluggish. Then again, I was riding mostly hard pack and not dealing with the wet rocks of PA.

I have become a growing fan of the Schwalbe rubber. They are pretty fast rollers and very dependable. Only one flat so far, and I was running a sub 30 psi (just to test out the limits).

I also like WTB stuff. People seem to really like the Prowlers, though I haven't personally tried any.

Just at REI earlier tonight & looking at a set of WTB Weirwolfs. Anyone ever tried these out?

I know people who swear by the Weirwolfs. Great tires. I think a nice combo would be a bigger (2.35-2.5) weirwolf up front with a motoraptor on the rear.

I once bought a Gemini that came with Weirwolfs, but I took them off before I really gave them a chance and I've always wanted to try them out again since I ride much different now than I did then. I was thinking if they are good enough for Mark Weir they must be good. They also come in a UST!

I like Lev's suggestion. Sounds like that would be a good setup.

I've actually considered this set up.  I run the Mutano Raptors 2.14's now, and I've been considering runing a 2.35 Weirwolf, High Roller, or Nevegal up front, and leaving one Raptor in the back.  Its probably what I'm going to do, it s now a matter of choosing the front tire.

Eeny meany miny moe???  ???

Nevegals tend to be popular b/c you can find them for a decent price online. My one gripe with them is that everyone comments on them being a slow roller. To me, that's an automatic elimination. Being out of shape as I am, I look for a faster tire for climbing. I'm not a weight wheenie, but I think tires can make a big diff.

My vote would be for the weirwolf or high roller. Can't really go wrong with either. If you go high roller, I would prbly recommend matching it up with another maxxis on the rear. Not sure if it makes that big of a diff, but for some reason I like riding the same brand front and rear. My .02

Jeremy may want to chime in here, but, he recently threw a Maxxis Advantage 2.4 on his rear and loves it.

Yea the Maxxis Advantage is awsome so far. I've only been running it for about 2 weeks, as a rear tire. I think it corners great. I can feel it bite into the fast turns and it climbs good too. Overall great gription.

I also use to run the WTB Prowler 2.3 on the rear which worked great too but I think it's a little soft so they seem to wear out quick.

I've used an ADvantage on the front before, and a Larsen TT on the rear. That setup was sick. You should consider trying that ADvantage as a front tire. It's big volume and has a nice tread pattern.

Out of curiosity, what are you using as your front tire and what kind of bike is it?

I'm using a Kenda Blue Groove on the front. The bike is a Fisher Fat Possum.

Searched for a thread about tire talk and found this.

I'm currently running Maxxis Crossmark and Ignitor. The ignitor is good for cornering and the crossmark rolls well and has good traction. I might be switching to WTB werewolves (sp) or the high rollers since it looks to be the choice tire around here. My bike originally came with Bontrager Jones and they were terrible. I haven't met a Bontrager tire that I have liked. They cornered but not as much as i wanted and they were horrible climbers. They rolled pretty well though.

Droptop
Which way are you running the ignitor and crossmark. What I mean is, which is in the front and which is in the back?

I've been thinking of trying both these tires for racing since they are fast rollers but I was a little bit worried about cornerning traction and would want the best cornering traction in the front.

I first tried  Front- Crossmark     Rear- Ignitor
The result was I had horrible cornering compared to before and my uphill traction was great. I was considering getting an Ignitor for the front to improve cornering.


I'm now gonna start running     Front- Ignitor     Rear- Crossmark
I'll let you know how this setup turns out. I'm only doing this until more Ignitors come into the shop.

I have been happy running WTB Exiwolf 2.3 front and back when it is dry/loose and swaping out the back to a Michelin XC A.T. X 2.0 when it is muddy.  I really like the Exiwolf but they don’t shed mud very well.

I just got the new edition of Mountain Bike Action magazine & it has a tire shoot-out. They have 127 tire brands tested & rated. 

And the verdict is???  One tire to rule them all?

Not exactly.. you'd have to see their reviews on the stuff. They rate tires based on climbing efficiency, cornering, braking, etc, so not one tire outdoes another. Each has its own characteristics for the rider to choose from.

Rob, if you are running tubeless, I have 3 kinds of extra tires for you to borrow/try. Email or call me if you want.

Maxxis Ignitor, Hutchinson Pythons, Bontragers XR Fronts

Neil, what do think of the ingitors? I was thinking up picking up a pair , but never used them before.

Love them. I usually have them on the rear, unless a very fast, smooth course (rare), then switch to Pythons.

2.3 up front and 2.1 in the reat, and you will be ready for anything (I like a bigger tire in the front)

Two friend of mine are riding 2.3 F + R, and love them

Ya, I was kind of kidding. Of course there is not one single tire that rules them all. Choosing a tire is sooooo subjective to the rider and the conditions being ridden.  I personally would like a tire that sticks to everything like glue, and then rails on the DH. But then again, who doesn't?

I had a chance to try a couple of different tires:

Maxxis Advantage 2.4 on the back: I did not like it. It felt squirly in loose stuff, but gripped like crazy on climbs and rocks. It also does not roll very fast.

Maxxis Minion DH 2.7 on the back: I went downhilling and put this tire on just for the occasion. Awesome tire for DH! No F'ing joke.

In my shop right now I've got:

Ardent 2.25 that I'm gonna try on the front
Larsen TT 2.35 that I'm gonna throw on the back

I'll report back when I've had a chance to trash them.

I think the ADvantage is better as a front tire. You should give it a shot on the front with the Larsen TT in the rear. I'll bet that would be a very sweet setup!

woo hoo! just picked up my new wheelset tonight! I got me a set of stan's rims, went tubeless, & got Maxxis ignitors (2.1's) for both front & rear.. time to beat the snot out of it tomorrow at Bear Creek!

I have only had my Mavic Crossmax wheels on my bike for a month now, but I already have my eyes on Crank Brothers Cobalts. Right now I'm running Ignitors on my crossmax and they handle great for the trails I ride.

How about 29er tires? As I said in my previous post, I haven't had any problems with maxxis high rollers, but I'm picking up my new bike in a day or 2 and it's a gary fisher paragon(which has 29" wheels.) The selection for tires is pretty slim and, I would appreciate any info from guys who run 29ers. :)

Day to day I really like my WTB Exiwolf 2.3 front and back.  I have used the Bontrager Jones that comes on the Paragon - rides nice but the sidewalls will not hold up - particularly if you run them at low psi.  I just put Kenda Nevgals on and in comparison to the Exiwolf they feel slow and sticky - there is a lot of rubber on the tire. 

Ignitors come in 29"

I recently changed my front tire to a 2.3 Weirwolf.

Overall I love the tire.  It has helped me considerably with cornering and gripping on climbs.  However, I discovered a flaw this past weekend.  While riding at the JORBA fest, the trails had considerable mud because of the storm the previous day.  The Weirwolf was horrible when it comes to shedding mud.  After a couple of really thick mud spots, my tire went from being a really grippy, deap threaded tire, to literally a wide, flat road tire.  I lost so much traction because of it and wasted time trying to clear mud out of them.

So my opinion on Weirwolfs:  Awesome on dry, compact trails.  Bad on muddy trails. 

Ok, just came back from riding at Wiss tonight on the new wheelset. It's the first time I had them out on Wiss & all I can honestly say is JOYGASM!!  :o   

At first the bike felt squishy under the current shock & fork settings.  I adjusted at the top of the monster w/just two clicks on the rear shock & opened the fork rebound just a little more & WHAMMO - instant trail whore!
The bike felt like a totally different rig tonight w/cornering, climbing, downhills, it just took it all.. I felt like I was cheating on my bike! LOL.. 


Sorry I didn't stop Dmitri- I forgot my lights at home & was trying to get back to Northwestern as fast as possible.

29er tires:  Nevegals for absolute traction at the cost of weight and "speed" of rolling.  Maxxis Ardents in a 29x2.25 grip 95% as well as the Nevs but roll much faster - can also be "stan'd" whereas the Kenda's cannot have any liquid sealant inside.  If you try to convert the Maxxis to tubeless, be carefull as they go on loose - run them tubed for a few rides to give the tire bead enough "memory" of engaging the bead hook of the rim.  They wouldn't inflate tubeless brand new.  Even after riding, beware when using a compressor to quickly air them up during the stan's conversion  - I detonated mine clear off the rim, fully inverting it, jambing my finger back rudely and had a bad bukkake-ing of 100 sq ft of the store's workshop.  Too epic. 

That's a new one. Write that one down!

Nice Rob. Awesome you're happy with you new wheels. I'm still trying to figure what my next wheelset will be. A tough decision. Mavic just made some significant upgrades to their Crossmax SX line, making them lighter and reducing the engagement to 7 degrees! Almost as good as the I9's. MMmmmmmmm.

As for tires...I'm back on UST High Roller 2.35's front and back. They're very hard to beat and I just keep coming back to them. I've had great success converting them to tubeless.

I just put a pair of specialized eskar 2.30 on, I never ran that big of a tire before, didn't know what to think, three rides down - what a tire------ rolls fast , climbs great , corners better than anything I have had on the bike before. Only thing is the sidewalls just seem a little soft compared to -  the maxxis I took off.

Here's my advice on tires: keep the rubber side down!  :P :o :-*

I checked out some Crossmax stuff before going after ZTRflow's. Mavic's are sweet just a tad out of my price range though.

Time for some more Tire Talk!!!

Tom, did you ever try out that Larsen TT? I'm curious how it performed in the Wiss.

I am once again on the tire prowl. Why? Because pimping the ride is half the battle and I like tweaking things.

Right now I'm using a Schwalbe Fat Albert on the front and a Nobby Nic on the rear. Love the Fat Albert, starting to get really sick of the Nobby Nic. The NN just doesn't have what it takes to make the climbs. I find myself constantly sliding out on the rocks in the Wiss. Of course, part of that is rider error, regardless I'm ready for something new and exciting.

I'm not overly concerned about weight. I want something that will stick, but roll decently at the same time.

High Roller return?

That Larsen is still sitting in my garage unused. When I built my new bike I ended up with...High Rollers again. I really like the way they feel. Every time I try another tire I end up going back to them.

My intentions are to build up a light race day wheelset with the Larsen on the back because it's a very fast rolling tire. But it may not happen till next year at this point.

Kenda 2.7 in front @$40. Feels like $200 addition


:K

2.7?  That sounds like a real man's tire.  Not sure I can handle it :)

Tom, I'd love to check out that Larsen some time. Thinking about buying one after having a good experience with it at Gooseberry Mesa. The only problem is that the conditions here don't quite match up. I'm not sure how it'll work on loose rocks and wet conditions. For a desert tire, it was amazing.

I'm personally a fan of the Kenda Nevegal and the the Maxxis High Roller.  I've had both and been very happy.

Durb, you make it to Downingtown with this weather?