Tyre combo

Sidepod

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Sep 2, 2020
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So I’m in the process of swapping from Magic Mary’s to DHF/DHR2. The front MM is almost new, it’s just the rear that needs replacing. Any one tried running a mix of the two brands. Obvs it will only be until the front MM wears out. Yes it makes sense to just buy a pair but I don’t like waste, the part worn MM will just sit in the shed gathering dust.
 

steve_sordy

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Nov 5, 2018
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I would not worry in the slightest about mixing brands. It is more important to get tyres that do the separate jobs required of front and rear and that you have confidence in. Read some of the tyre threads on here and you will see all sorts of combos.
 
Last edited:

Sidepod

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Sep 2, 2020
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I don’t doubt. The last thing I wanted to do was open up a tyre war debate.

Odd situation. I bought a hard tail All trail that came with Maxxis etc and the first thing that struck me was just how much grip it has.

Later I bough the full sus Enduro version of the same bike. My very first impression of that was that it didn’t have as much grip as the All Trail. Bizarre but true. Once that feeling is stuck it’s hard to shift.

I could swap the tyres over but they are slightly different widths, 2.8 on the All Trail and 2.6 on the Duro.
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
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Weymouth
MM on the front and DHR2 on the back is a classic favourite combo!!

A rear tyre provides traction dependant on its tread pattern and the softness of the compound. If the tyres were identical spec ( apart from size) the only other differentials are how much of the tread pattern is in contact with the ground and how often it loses contact with the ground. As @steve_sordy said that is down to tyre pressure but also rear suspension settings.
 

Husky430

E*POWAH Elite
Jul 8, 2019
643
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Glasshouse Mts - Australia
Been running a MM front and a Michy E-Wild rear, excellent combo for around the Sunny Coast and as Steve said, play with pressures to get them spot on depending on your local conditions. Will probably replace with the same.
 

Sidepod

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Can’t help feeling I’m going to regret this but........ISO/Rim width ratio.

I think I’m correct in using 40-80%? (rim width 30. Tyre ISO 2.6’/66mm gives 45%)

40-80% seems like a big range for what is quite an important dimension for tyre performance.

Going back to my two grip scenarios, the hard tail has 35mm rims/2.8 tyres giving 49%
The enduro has 30mm rims/2.6 tyres giving 45%.

If the range is 40-80% the the hard tail is closer to mid-range which should/could be more optimised?

Someone tell me I’m over thinking this?
 

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
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A narrower tyre requires more pressure to give it support.
A narrower rim increases the need for support.
But you can run pretty much any width mtb tyres on any of your rims. Different inner rim widths just alter a tyres profile.
 

Sidepod

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A narrower tyre requires more pressure to give it support.
A narrower rim increases the need for support.
But you can run pretty much any width mtb tyres on any of your rims. Different inner rim widths just alter a tyres profile.
Ah but that’s my point, altering the tyres profile changes it’s behaviour. As with all things there will be a “design size” when the tyre was developed/optimised and from there it is simply made in different sizes. It will work better in one configuration.
It is frustrating. A career in F1 has taught me that numbers matter, more so when it comes down to tyre performance. I do scratch my head when I watch “review” videos with guys looking up the rear wheel on corner entry. Not the optimal method for grip.

Anyway, the sun is shining I’ll take Gary’s advice.
 

Sidepod

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Nope.
differently is the word you're looking for.

Riding pushbikes in mixed conditions off road has next to fuck all in common with F1
I couldn’t agree more but numbers do make a difference, which was my point.
Anyway, enough.
 

steve_sordy

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Nov 5, 2018
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@Sidepod This from WTB should prove helpful. It is a chart of internal rim width vs tyre width. Page past the first chart wgich is for road bikes, to the one for mtb
 

Gary

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Why are you looking at road bike tyre/rim width guides?
are you entering the 2021 F1 season on your Emtb?
:sneaky:

You're still OVERthinking it aren't you?
 

Gary

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Maybe if you value smooth surface comfort and rolling resistance over off road condition/terrain specific grip and support on your Electric mountainbike tyres.

Off road there is no magic measurable best combination. It's all a compromised balancing act and even then personal preference, rider weight and riding style comes into it massively.

#ForumNeedsBobbleHatEmoji
 

Sidepod

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It's a function of COVID. Restriction on riding locations = increased analysis. I do like an equation but even I'm getting bored.

I was starting to question the OEM choice of a 2.6 tyre on a 30mm rim but reading the Mavic blurb I'm not sure. Deffo advantages to a larger section....oor er Mrs. (Decreased Crr/Reduced snakebite risk). Now if only I could find the tyres I want in-stock!!

Just for shits-n-giggles, I'm going to try a set of Michelin DH22's.
 

Gary

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2.6" and wider rims is just what folk "think" they need (propogated by marketing) so it's a no brainer for bike manufacturers to spec them oem on a lot of their bikes.
The 2.6 tyre size is nothing new and was available in 26" DH casings in the early days of Hucking and DH where tyre weight wasn't to many riders concern. Recently is has been pushed at us in 27.5 and 29" extolling the virtues of more grip and comfort (as a descendent of fatbike and plus tyres) but in order to make the larger volume tyre strong enough the penalty was increased weight.
Now that Emtb has taken off properly 2.6 is being pushed as the size you need for the E bikes selling us the lie that weight and rolling resistance don't matter with a motor.
In reality other than a tiny bit more comfort there's no real advantage in swapping to a 2.6" tyre from a 2.5 (same compound, casing and tread patern). and there are still definite disadvantages.

Where are you riding that you want DH22s?
 

Zimmerframe

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Where are you riding that you want DH22s?
Hey, don't diss the 22's ! They look cool. You literally can't go wrong with a 22 ! No air, no problem .. too much air .. no problem .. glass, barbed wire, spikes, nails, children .. no problem !

They are a bit slower to spin up though .. that's a good thing, it gives you chance to work out where you're going ! :)
 

Gary

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I'm not dissing them...
I've ridden them.
I'm just intrigued by the logic behind using World Cup DH mountainbike spec tyres in Oxfordshire/Britany ;)
 

Sidepod

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Nothing more than the blurb seems to suggest the compound is a grippy as anything out there and construction/casing as strong as I need. They appear to be a good all round unit and, daft as it sounds, available at the moment. Ok they are a bit heavy but hey ho.

I have no idea if I need them but I'm keen to try to gain a reference point.
 

Zimmerframe

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I'm just intrigued by the logic behind using World Cup DH mountainbike spec tyres in Oxfordshire/Britany ;)
As you say ... "Just ride your bike" ... (with OTT tyres ! :) ... For me they were actually only a tiny bit heavier than the e-wilds - which I really liked. For me, I quite fancied something I could put on and know you could be as dumb (crap) as you like and you weren't going to damage the tyre. Anyway .. Don't you know anything. 2km's from my house is "Maneguen" .. which is Breton for Mont Blanc !

The old Breton's had a good sense of humour.

Just because you don't have a 10,000m mountain to ride down World Cup Style .. doesn't mean you still can't have challenging trails .. ok, they might only be 1 or maybe 2 meters .. but you know .... :)
 

Sidepod

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Well all being well there will be several trips to Europe this summer plus as many UK parks as I can manage so they won't go to waste.

When you say acceleration, I take it you mean sluggish out or the turns?
 

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