What tyres? The Ultimate Tyre Thread

[Coolcmsc]

The bike I'm waiting on comes with non-tubeless Kenda Regolith tyres, mullet size. This is my first MTB. Keep or swap?

On the plus side I can wear them down while saving some money.

On the negative side they don't get a whole lot of love online, and I do want to go tubeless.

On the meh side I'm such a beginner I'm not sure I'll appreciate quality rubber yet.

Tyres, peddles, hand grips and (sometimes) saddle are your contact points with the bike and the world. Invest in those and you can get great stuff for not much dosh.
And don’t do yourself down! Who knows what you’ll be doing soon?
Try some coaching: a single 1:1 will get you up and running and then riding with a couple of experienced MTB’ers you know well and trust maybe?

 

[pmcdonald]

Thank you @Gary and @Coolcmsc for the sage advice. If I can find any in stock when the bike arrives I'll fit a Magic Mary or one of those Assegai everyone is talking about up front.

 

[galaga187]

Thank you @Gary and @Coolcmsc for the sage advice. If I can find any in stock when the bike arrives I'll fit a Magic Mary or one of those Assegai everyone is talking about up front.

Merlin cycles have a few different MM in stock

 

[Pacific Ryder]

I have been running 29x2.6 Maxxis Assegai 3C/MaxTerra/EVO up front and DHR2 3C/MaxTerra/EXO+ in the rear for a few years now. For where I ride in northern CA, they are perfect. However, the DHR2 does not come in a DD casing in 29 X 2.6 and the EXO+ cut pretty easily. I am over blowing out $110 tires on moderately rocky downhills. The Assegai does not roll fast but man does it hook up and stay hooked. It gives me a ton of confidence in wet and dry conditions!

We cannot even get Scwalbe (right size and compound) right now with all of the supply channel shortages.....or I would be riding Big Betty/Magic Mary.

I am keeping the Assagei up front and switching the rear to the new Specialized Eliminator Grid Gravity T7/T9. Interesting dual compound where the outer lugs are soft and middle more firm. With a downhill casing topping at just over $70USD, it is a serious contender. Never been a fan of any Spec tires especially the Butcher but loads of really good riders in my area are riding the Eliminator and loving them.

Just mounted and heading out later today for the 1st ride.......stay tuned.

 

[HarryJune]

I run Maxxis assegai exo 2.5 front and rear (came on the bike). Have been happy with them, added +5psi in the summer and now back to 20-21 psi. 7 month use, no flats. would not consider changing until worn out.

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

Winter tyre is here

 

[Doomanic]

Snap!

 

[1oldfart]

I found a bike and i want to put 2 29x2.8 on it(that is the max that can fit.
With many empty shelves do you have any suggestion for front and rear?
I am looking for allrounders, not the heaviest, not the lightest. Thanks

 

[eMullet]

Winter tyre is here

View attachment 75662

"Winter tyre"....here is a winter tyre

 

[Tubby G]

Now then. Some of you will read what I’m about to write and think ‘dumb f**k’, but I’m going to say it anyway just in case anyone else makes the same mistake

For years I’ve had a cheap track pump from either Lidl or Aldi. It’s actually quite good, nice and solid, aluminium. Valves work perfectly, nice lever. Been pumping my tubeless tyres to around 30 psi in the summer, bit less now

I just bought a Toppeak digital pressure gauge just because I felt like buying a little handy gadget and accurately reading my psi

What I thought was 30 psi, actually reads 20psi on the digital pressure gauge. The cheap Aldi / Lidl track pump is on average a whole 10 psi inaccurate. I knew it wouldn’t be dead accurate, so expected it to be +/- 2 psi out, but a whole 10psi is massive

So when I’ve been filling my tyres to 30 psi, it’s actually been 20 psi. More recently I’ve been running them around what I thought was 24 psi, it’s actually been 14 psi. No wonder my tyres almost look flat when I climb on the bike!

Pumped my tyres to 30 psi yesterday morning for Hamsterley as the man made trails are full of jump lines & drops, my Aldi / Lidl track pump read that as 40 psi. My tyres were rock hard, absolutely fine for the hard pack man made surface at Hammers. Been riding some off piste at Dalby today which is quite wet & muddy, absolutely no grip whatsoever at 30 psi, back to my usual 20 psi it was for the grip!

Can’t recommend getting yourself an accurate pressure gauge enough!

 

[Gary]

It doesn't actually matter how accurate the gauge is so long as you use the same guage each time you inflate YOUR tyres.
You just need a consistent measurement.
Reading or listening to OTHER folks preferred tyre pressures is also kinda pointless

 

[Tubby G]

It doesn't actually matter how accurate the gauge is so long as you use the same guage each time you inflate YOUR tyres.
You just need a consistent measurement.
Reading or listening to OTHER folks preferred tyre pressures is also kinda pointless

Yeah I was just quite shocked how inaccurate the track stand pressure gauge is, that is of course relying on the fact that the digital gauge is accurate

Also, all this time, when hearing of other people running tubeless at say 20 psi I was thinking how the hell can they run them that low, but that’s because my equivalent would have been 10 psi

As you say though, it doesn’t really matter how accurate your gauge is because you find your own sweet spot, just amazed that my sweet spot has been 10 psi out to what it actually should be!

 

[B1rdie]

Purgatory 2.6 was the only 29” I could find and am feeling really closer to hell with this tyre on the front, its the worst gripping front tyre I ever had, grips less than my favorites 2.3.
Also changed the DHR at the rear for a vittoria morsa that grips impressively well so now I am riding the opposite of my preferable set, when the front has more grip than the rear.

 

[Kimmoi]

Changed winter tyres on wheels yesterday. 408 studs in one tyre.
Welcome winter!

 

[DrStupid]

I don't think I like the new Shorty as well as the old one. Might as well get a hillbilly, at half the cost?

 

[Pauliemon]

At what point do you stop spending money on bike bits?

You don't!

 

[Pauliemon]

I believe it's personal preference as much as terrain. I like Specialized tires but many I ride with do not. I ask them "why not?". Usually the answer is they wash in the turns. Try loading the front end and make them bite. No tire is perfect, you just need the one that's perfect for you and your riding style.

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

I don't think I like the new Shorty as well as the old one. Might as well get a hillbilly, at half the cost?

Interesting. I really rate the new Shorty. Which version did you get? I've been using the DD Maxxgrip.

 

[Doomanic]

I really rate the new Shorty.

Me too, but I've got a DH casing.

 

[jbrown15]

Interesting. I really rate the new Shorty. Which version did you get? I've been using the DD Maxxgrip.

I just bought some of the new Shorty MaxxGripp DH casing 2.4's, will do interesting to see how they ride in the Pacific Northwest conditions I'll be riding in for the next 3-4 months.

 

[DrStupid]

Interesting. I really rate the new Shorty. Which version did you get? I've been using the DD Maxxgrip.

I'm on the same DD Maxgrip.

I may have spoke too soon.

The old Shorty, with its large block center knobby, seemed to have a little more grip for climbing when things got sloppy. This new tire is proving to be very good though, out gripping the Assegai I have it paired with, just about everywhere.

The old Shorty was not a good front tire for me, and I could never get comfortable with it. But, once I installed it on the back, it was a game changer. I could drop the pressure down a bit and pretty much ride as usual, all winter mud-fest.

This new Shorty might not have the all out tractor style traction of the old one, but it feels a little better rounded off.

The old Shorties are still out there, at a discount it seems. I'm gonna get the old 2.5 for the back, and run the new one up front.

 

[Doug Stampfer]

I have been running 29x2.6 Maxxis Assegai 3C/MaxTerra/EVO up front and DHR2 3C/MaxTerra/EXO+ in the rear for a few years now. For where I ride in northern CA, they are perfect. However, the DHR2 does not come in a DD casing in 29 X 2.6 and the EXO+ cut pretty easily. I am over blowing out $110 tires on moderately rocky downhills. The Assegai does not roll fast but man does it hook up and stay hooked. It gives me a ton of confidence in wet and dry conditions!
I am keeping the Assagei up front and switching the rear to the new Specialized Eliminator Grid Gravity T7/T9. Interesting dual compound where the outer lugs are soft and middle more firm. With a downhill casing topping at just over $70USD, it is a serious contender. Never been a fan of any Spec tires especially the Butcher but loads of really good riders in my area are riding the Eliminator and loving them.

Just mounted and heading out later today for the 1st ride.......stay tuned.

How are you getting on with the new rear tyre?
I've just swapped from DHF exo in the front to Assegai DD & the difference is quitenoticable for the rocky tech trails - outstanding actually. What are they like on the rear? I'm not really rating the new DHR exo I put on the rear - I usually just swap the old front DHF to the rear but thought I'd try out the DHR. Not much difference to me really - the side knobs are getting ripped off & since a lot of my riding is having the back wheel locked up they slide as much as anything else. Maybe a really hard compound rear is in order

 

[Winger]

Interesting reading this thread....about Pro’s and Con’s...found out in the last couple days..choice is playing second fiddle to availability.

 

[Gary]

Welcome to 2021.
Dont raise expectations too high for 2022

 

[Pacific Ryder]

How are you getting on with the new rear tyre?
I've just swapped from DHF exo in the front to Assegai DD & the difference is quitenoticable for the rocky tech trails - outstanding actually. What are they like on the rear? I'm not really rating the new DHR exo I put on the rear - I usually just swap the old front DHF to the rear but thought I'd try out the DHR. Not much difference to me really - the side knobs are getting ripped off & since a lot of my riding is having the back wheel locked up they slide as much as anything else. Maybe a really hard compound rear is in order

Hello Doug.....The Specialized Eliminator Grid Gravity T7/T9 is surprisingly good. I had low expectations and went with it particularly because I could not find anything in a DH casing nor the size (2.6) that I wanted. I've had it out in muddy sloppy conditions as well as dry and rocky....it performs quite well in both. It hooks up immediately in the corners so if you like that little bit of slide that the DHF gave you, you won't like it. It performs much like the Assegai but with way better rolling resistance. Braking grip is probably not quite as good as the DHRII or the DHF but for a $35 USD savings over the Maxxis.....I will be running the Spec for a while. I will report back on how it wears when I get more miles on it......cheers....Scott

 

[DrStupid]

My V1 Shorty arrived last week. Max-Grip, DH, 2.5.

For wet mixed clay, on the steeps, the old Shorty has more grip by far, than the new one. Of course it rolls like a boat anchor, and as soon as it drys out even a little, the V2 or Asssegai is better.

 

[leftside]

Interesting reading this thread....about Pro’s and Con’s...found out in the last couple days..choice is playing second fiddle to availability.

Ordered a bunch of tires from Germany in June. Shipped last week and arrived this week.

 

[Winger]

Great fan of the Magic Mary/Big Betty combo but jeez anyone thinking of buying such took me over a week to track a pair of 29”.

 

[leftside]

Great fan of the Magic Mary/Big Betty combo but jeez anyone thinking of buying such took me over a week to track a pair of 29”.

I ordered mine in July and they arrived two weeks ago

 

[mike172]

Cant make my mind up about the Big Betty. Lacks the sideways bite the Magic Mary has and the MM has almost as much traction as the BB, so MM wins in my opinion.

Had an Ultrasoft MM on the rear of my levo for 3 months now and its about worn ready for replacement will swap that out soon. very heavy casing that definitely lacks a bit of finesse over bumps. Think ill switch it out for the BB soft again to give it another try, ill avoid Ultrasoft on the rear from now on. Have a spare 275 MM soft to put on if I don't get on with the BB

Have had an Assegai DD (couldn't get hold of an Ultrasoft 29er MM) on the front for a couple months too, great tire but doesn't clear mud as well as the MM. No signs of even beginning to wear away yet so that's gonna stay put for now. Aside from the mud problem its a brilliant tire. Loads of grip at any angle and I think the DD case is tough but supple enough not to be harsh. For drier months I think it'll be perfect

I tried out a MM orange up front at Bike Park wales (although 275 not 29er) and over wet rocks and roots it held up well, not a hint of losing grip. Have run the Orange MM as a front for 2 years+ on analogue bikes. Nothing better in my opinion.

all in 2.4/2.5.