Front end grip (or lack off)

[Thunderer]

I have a Trek FS9 with 27.5 x 2.8 Schwalbe Nobby Nic's on the front and back. I am having problems in this muddy weather getting the front end to grip:

1. Will a different tyre help ?
2. Should I reduce tyre pressure on about 18psi ?
3. Or would a 2.6 give better grip ?

Looking forward to help and advise !!

 

[Gary]

1 Yes. Definitely
2 Possibly. you haven't given enough other detail though. rider weight, terrain and riding style matter a lot with regards to which pressures are optimum..
3 Probably (But go back to point #1. NN isn't a mud tyre)

What sort of mud and in what exact situations are you losing grip?

 

[Thunderer]

1 Yes. Definitely
2 Possibly. you haven't given enough other detail though. rider weight, terrain and riding style matter a lot with regards to which pressures are optimum..
3 Probably (But go back to point #1. NN isn't a mud tyre)

What sort of mud and in what exact situations are you losing grip?

Loosing grip downhill, 20mph ish, standing up, mud probably 25mm deep, not hard cornering at time, both times resulting in front end sliding away and pitching me off (ouch !!.) weight 95kg. Tyre pressure 18psi

 

[Doomanic]

I had the same issue with my Trek LT8. A 2.6 Magic Mary on the front made a huge difference.

 

[galaga187]

I had the same issue with my Trek LT8. A 2.6 Magic Mary on the front made a huge difference.

Just ordered a MM 2.35 29" for the Levo, I really don't need to be coming off at the moment.

 

[Thunderer]

I had the same issue with my Trek LT8. A 2.6 Magic Mary on the front made a huge difference.

Did you have a 2.8 on originally ?

 

[Doomanic]

I had 2.8 Nobby Nics front and rear. It wasn't too bad on the back but was a terrible front tyre.

 

[Dorismorris]

Put a maxxis dhf or magic Mary 2.8 on so much more grip than a knobby nic

 

[Slowroller]

There is a reason that mud tires are narrow. A 2.8 is just going to float and skate in those conditions.

The best mountain bike mud tyres - MBR

 

[Gary]

Loosing grip downhill, 20mph ish, standing up, mud probably 25mm deep, not hard cornering at time, both times resulting in front end sliding away and pitching me off (ouch !!.) weight 95kg. Tyre pressure 18psi

Ok. that's down to two things.
firstly the nobby nick isn't a great tyre. Ballooning them up to 2.8 in size and running them at low pressures might give a beginner some more confidence in them on rough/hardpack surfces but ultimately they've simply polished a turd. A 2.8 at low pressure without aggressive knobs to "dig" in can float over mud. particularly inch (25.4mm) deep mus over firmer gound. The industry even tries to market this unrequired plus tyre trait as "float". a plus point if you're riding dull sandyterrain or heather covered bogs but for me that's more "rambling" on a bike than what mountainbiking is.
The second is inexperience. A very experienced rider can make a terrible tyre on a far from ideal set-up work in conditions it's clearly not optimum for by having almost a sixth sense for weighting the bike and it's tyres along with vast experience inchoosing good lines and generally just being awesome at staying loose but upright where a beginner would be on his arse.

Look for recommendations on 2.5"ish mud/intermediate tyres. There are loads, Magic Marys, Shortys. Hillbilys etc. All have subtle differences but all will be infinitely better than a 2.8 NN in the conditions/situations you're finding challenging.

 

[Thunderer]

Thank you for all your advice, I have ordered a 2.6 Magic Mary

 

[All Mountain Coaching]

Are you weighting the wheels correctly? People compensate for a lazy or incorrect riding style by either blaming or adding girth to tyres.

 

[Thunderer]

Are you weighting the wheels correctly? People compensate for a lazy or incorrect riding style by either blaming or adding girth to tyres.

How should I be weighting ?? I wasn’t hanging off the back, standing up with I guess some weight on the front end

 

[All Mountain Coaching]

If you're standing up your weight is through your feet, through the middle of the bike. Come see me sometime

 

[Sidepod]

There comes a point when you have to get off the brakes and turn in? could this be part of the issue?

 

[RickBullotta]

1) Make sure your bike fit is correct. You could be positioned too far back on the bike if it's too big for you
2) Did you add a taller fork?
3) Brake with the front brake *before* your turn to shift weight forward and set the suspension, then release and make the turn (you can drag the rear brake for speed control)
4) Try a Maxxis Forecaster

 

[Doug Stampfer]

Is it just me or are other people noticing a lot of threads recently being dredged back up that were asked & answered years ago? We must be getting near saturation point with EMTB issues that we have to revisit them again