What tyres? The Ultimate Tyre Thread

[caterhamnut]

Thanks mate

 

[caterhamnut]

With the Magic Mary, what would be most effective for the front and mud/wet grass (my pet-hate) - does it run that the softest compound is best in mud? Lots of rocks here as well... I just wondered if the ultra-soft would deform too much for mud (but be great for rocks) - still learning - great thread and thanks for the tips!

 

[Kernow]

Knowjng the sort of mud you have there I would also go narrower 2.5 or 2.6 I saw some new Mary’s on eBay for €42 you got 26inch tyres there ? Isn’t the Levo 27,5

 

[caterhamnut]

Yep - I'm asking for the Levo, but those types are for my 'old' 2007 Spec. Enduro which I am about to start using as well - looks like a toy now on those 26" tyres, but I feel I need to do some non-ebike riding as well At the moment the enduro has 'New York' spec slicks on - won't go anywhere on those here! lol
Does it also follow that it is ok/better (when seeking grip at the front) to have the larger tyre on the front?
I do get the impression that these big plus 2.8 tyres are floating half the time rather than cutting down to find grip! (which I guess is what you are saying Kernow)

 

[Kernow]

Yep - I'm asking for the Levo, but those types are for my 'old' 2007 Spec. Enduro which I am about to start using as well - looks like a toy now on those 26" tyres, but I feel I need to do some non-ebike riding as well At the moment the enduro has 'New York' spec slicks on - won't go anywhere on those here! lol
Does it also follow that it is ok/better (when seeking grip at the front) to have the larger tyre on the front?
I do get the impression that these big plus 2.8 tyres are floating half the time rather than cutting down to find grip! (which I guess is what you are saying Kernow)

Our Bodmin moor mud is the same as yours ,?I found the 2.8 tyres on the Levo demmo I had floated and were very sketchy . Great for crossing soft boggy ground and keeping moving at lower speed but forget cornering or having any fun . Lots of bikes run a smaller rear tyre like 2.5 rear and 2.6 front , supposed to roll easier as well as make back end easier to chuck about , probably be less noticeable on an ebike though . 2.6 seems hard to find currently but plenty of 2.5 about

 

[caterhamnut]

Lol - yes I am sure it is.
Mirrors what I am finding as well, in terms of front end - I think I'll try some options - got to learn how to do these tubeless changes sometime!! cheers

 

[ccrdave]

i have 2.8 MM soft compound on the front and speedgrip on the rear and they grip really well except in really deep sloshy mud or snow. I am in the forest of dean and its muddy as hell here at the moment and I am considering putting a 29er on the fronT with a 2.5 MM

 

[Highflyer]

I’ve installed the Schwalbe ProCore system together with Stans sealant. Transforms the Levo regardless of tyre choice. I first went for Nobby Nic’s 2.6 front with 2.8 rear. I’m about to try Butcher Gripton 2.8 as requested by a dealer friend followed by Scwallbe Magic Mary’s 2.6 soft front with 2.8 medium rear. Let’s see.The ProCore system is totally variable via a clever dual chamber valve. I ride the Levo 2 to 3 times each week hard and fast. Since ownership ( 11 months ) I’ve encountered no pinching tearing burping or punctures. Sorted.

 

[ccrdave]

No pic, but the ride today was crashtacular...

As a matter of interest what tyres are you running on your trek?

 

[Doomanic]

As a matter of interest what tyres are you running on your trek?

Sloppy Slicks, err, I mean Nobby Nics. They weren't to blame for today's unscheduled dismount though, that was down to pilot error.

 

[ccrdave]

Sloppy Slicks, err, I mean Nobby Nics. They weren't to blame for today's unscheduled dismount though, that was down to pilot error.

Lol what width are they?

 

[Doomanic]

2.8"

 

[James_MTB]

Currently running Vittoria MOTA 2.5 x 27.5; they measure approx. 2.6 on the 35mm rim. Awesome levels of grip, excellent under hard braking and superb cornering. I was previously running maxxis dhr 2.8's F&R

 

[100 Cols]

Just swapped to a pair of Super Moto X for commuting. Made a short 8 km test ride before dark... not surprisingly they do roll well compared to the original Rekon+ & High Roller II combo. Will be interesting to see how they cope commuting on rough roads.

 

[Tucker]

I’ve installed the Schwalbe ProCore system together with Stans sealant. Transforms the Levo regardless of tyre choice. I first went for Nobby Nic’s 2.6 front with 2.8 rear. I’m about to try Butcher Gripton 2.8 as requested by a dealer friend followed by Scwallbe Magic Mary’s 2.6 soft front with 2.8 medium rear. Let’s see.The ProCore system is totally variable via a clever dual chamber valve. I ride the Levo 2 to 3 times each week hard and fast. Since ownership ( 11 months ) I’ve encountered no pinching tearing burping or punctures. Sorted.

whats your thoughts and advatages of riding bigger tyres on the rear rather the front?

I'm tempted about running a ProCore, if my thinking is correct it will help to reproduce the supergravity style casing on normal tyres like my Butchers? replicate a stiffer sidewall etc?

oh and did you just install the standard 27.5 kit? or did you have to buy a 27.5plus kit if there is even such a thing?

 

[Kernow]

Just bought a set of ratbite tubeless inserts , they have been developed by a local down hill rider . Chatting to him I can see his development and experience makes good sense.
Certainly the price is more sensible at £18 per wheel . I’ll post how they perform when I used them a bit .
ratbite.co.uk.

 

[Tucker]

Just bought a set of ratbite tubeless inserts , they have been developed by a local down hill rider . Chatting to him I can see his development and experience makes good sense.
Certainly the price is more sensible at £18 per wheel . I’ll post how they perform when I used them a bit .
ratbite.co.uk.

18quid sounds alot more reasonable and well worth a test! Let me know what you think and I might get some for testing, is it a simular idea to procore?

 

[Kernow]

18quid sounds alot more reasonable and well worth a test! Let me know what you think and I might get some for testing, is it a simular idea to procore?

It’s best described as a foam insert similar to cushcore exept it fills the tyre cavity instead of the rim area , I understand much lower pressures can be used safely .

 

[Highflyer]

whats your thoughts and advatages of riding bigger tyres on the rear rather the front?

I'm tempted about running a ProCore, if my thinking is correct it will help to reproduce the supergravity style casing on normal tyres like my Butchers? replicate a stiffer sidewall etc?

oh and did you just install the standard 27.5 kit? or did you have to buy a 27.5plus kit if there is even such a thing?

Tyre width is very dependant on your local conditions. For me I find sharper faster steering with a narrower front tyre combined with a softer compound. Best to check Schwalbes website for the latest information.

 

[Doomanic]

Just bought a set of ratbite tubeless inserts , they have been developed by a local down hill rider . Chatting to him I can see his development and experience makes good sense.
Certainly the price is more sensible at £18 per wheel . I’ll post how they perform when I used them a bit .
ratbite.co.uk.

Any updates on this yet?

There was a post on one of the ArseBook eBike pages about ghetto inserts. He used pipe lagging, zip ties and gaffer tape...

 

[Kernow]

I fitted the ratbites and had a few rides on them . Iam very impressed .
Let’s start from the beginning.
They are easy to fit , I just broke the bead one side of the tyre and fitted them just as I would a tube . I didn’t even worry about the sealant in the tyre I just allowed it to re dustribute around the insert , hardy spilling a drop .
The action of the ratbite inside tyre forces it out onto the rim making tubeless inflation very easy and instant .
Unlike other inserts this fills the tyre not the rim void , which to me makes more sense .

I instantly reduced my pressures to 17 front and 23 rear , at this pressure before the wall would try to fold when pushed sideways .
The feel riding is very good. Over Rocky ground ,and I certainly have some of that in my back yard , the feel is amazing the tyre just seems to absorb the rocks without fully deforming and threatening to clink the rims , grip all round feels much increased , probably due to the lower pressures Iam now able to run .
I can’t notice any increased drag from the tyres , exept the lower pressure feel on the road , in fact they feel like they have less resistance over rough ground , it’s hard to explain but it’s as if the tyre pressure Ramps up as it deforms over bumps ,which I guess is what the foam does really and a good reason to have the foam against the outside of the tyre instead of filling the rim void where it can only act when the tyre is fully deformed and about to pinch in the rim .
For £ 18 a wheel they are certainly worth a try .

 

[Gary]

Unlike other inserts this fills the tyre not the rim void , which to me makes more sense .

How does this make more sense?
If I have this right your insert is on the outside of the tyre and the inflation chamber is now on the inside?
If so you're effectively losing the tyres air chamber, comfort and compliance, reducing grip and increasing rolling resistance and weight.
This is from basic physics of how a bicycle pneumatic tyre works rather than experience. I don't enjoy riding bikes with low tyre pressures so all these insert systems are pointless for me. *Apropriate tyre casings and pressures never let me down.

*Dual ply for DH 2.5 @ 28/34psi
*Exo for enduro 2.5/2.35 @ 32/38psi
*Single ply for trail centres/natural/XC 2.35/2.35 @ 32/40psi
For me anything lower than these pressures cause the tyres sidewalls to fold/lose rigidity in corners (the only exemption would be in hugely wet/muddy natural conditions with very little hardpack/rock). But I still don't bother running lower pressures or even mud tyres as I kinda enjoy the sketchiness.

I'm a massive tyre geek with loads of experience but haven't posted much on this thread as it's full of recomendations for plus tyres. Which I just don't like the limitations of. And people don't seem to be able to cope with my honesty.

^^

 

[Kernow]

How does this make more sense?
If I have this right your insert is on the outside of the tyre and the inflation chamber is now on the inside?
If so you're effectively losing the tyres air chamber, comfort and compliance, reducing grip and increasing rolling resistance and weight.
This is from basic physics of how a bicycle pneumatic tyre works rather than experience. I don't enjoy riding bikes with low tyre pressures so all these insert systems are pointless for me. *Apropriate tyre casings and pressures never let me down.

*Dual ply for DH 2.5 @ 28/34psi
*Exo for enduro 2.5/2.35 @ 32/38psi
*Single ply for trail centres/natural/XC 2.35/2.35 @ 32/40psi
For me anything lower than these pressures cause the tyres sidewalls to fold/lose rigidity in corners (the only exemption would be in hugely wet/muddy natural conditions with very little hardpack/rock). But I still don't bother running lower pressures or even mud tyres as I kinda enjoy the sketchiness.

I'm a massive tyre geek with loads of experience but haven't posted much on this thread as it's full of recomendations for plus tyres. Which I just don't like the limitations of. And people don't seem to be able to cope with my honesty.

I find 2.0 racing Ralph tyres to be best on my enduro bike , latex tubes and 65 psi rear and 75 front . I staiten out the corners and keep it light over the Rocks with lots of bunny hops so traction isn’t an issue

 

[Doomanic]

Currently running Vittoria MOTA 2.5 x 27.5; they measure approx. 2.6 on the 35mm rim. Awesome levels of grip, excellent under hard braking and superb cornering. I was previously running maxxis dhr 2.8's F&R

What conditions are you using them in?

 

[Spectral ON Nick]

Need your thoughts guys... My Canyon Spectral ON comes with Maxxis DHF 2.5 29er up front, and a Maxxis DHR II 2.8 27.5 on rear. (yes, they have the different sized wheels) I am down South UK, and going to be using the bike for an equal amount of hard-packed and also softer trails / Enduro riding, and feel that the rear tyre would be a bit wide and nobbly to use all the time. What would you suggest to replace the 27.5 rear? I'm thinking a 2.5 only, but want a strong casing, and a good roller? Also, I'm guessing that more PSI in both (upwards of 23 PSI) would be beneficial for a more hard-packed majority ride?

 

[Spectral ON Nick]

a 27.5x2.3 Minion SS dual compound exo at at 30psi+ unless you are under 12.5 stone
What do you weigh?

or a 2.4 DHRII or a 2.4 shorty. depending on what your mud is like and how you cope riding in it.

Bear in mind that whatever smaller tyre you do put on the rear. It will have a slightly different (squarer) profile than the front as the Spectral also comes spec'd with a slightly wider rear rim than front. I love a nice square tyre profile as it allows you to lean right over and get the edge working for you. I have no idea how you ride though and riding this way simply won't work so well if you run low pressures unless you run a downhill casing. There simply won't be the sidewall support in an exo.

Cheers Gary. I'm fairly light, only weigh 11 stone. I would say that mus is not that common in the riding that I will be doing, but of course, there will be patches of it. I will mostly be riding hard-pack, tarmac and some loose trail stuff.

 

[Spectral ON Nick]

def try a SS exo then. and you can probably go sub 30psi without ruining the edge rigidity or puncturing.
They're £19.99 at crc just now in dual compound and silkworm protection.
if you don't like it it'll hardly be the end of the world at that price. Be quick though. I ordered one last week and they had 8 in stock.

I've ordered one, but the 2.8 version as the rear wheel is a 35mm rim and also don't really want a rear tyre that is thinner than the front. Want to maintain the width to be honest. £54.99 from Evans Cycles. Bit steep, but they are the cheapest. What would be the difference in running a 2.3 versus a 2.8 on a 35mm rim in your opinion?

 

[ccrdave]

Anybody buying tyres look at bike24.de they are ussually fair bit cheaper and excellent service

 

[Doomanic]

I still haven't found a tyre pressure that works for me with 2.8" Nobby Nics. I've tried (fr/rr) 15/12, 15/15, 18/15, 20/20 and today 25/25. Today's was definitely the worst; no compliance whatsoever so the front was skipping all over the place resulting in 3 unscheduled dismounts, including on OTB on a rock garden...

 

[ccrdave]

My missus riding 2.8 nobby nics today on her levo said it was bloody horrid she was all over place in the mud i tried 2.8 minions dhr2 they come up at just about 2.6 on 30 mm rims they were pretty good but dont like mud very much