What tyres? The Ultimate Tyre Thread

[R120]

Thanks and I’m as a matter of fact also looking at the Hillbilly but unsure about how it hold up against the rear DHF. I know that the DHF is maybe not the best tire in wet muddy conditions and it is there I’m most afraid of loosing the front end first, I really hate it as it is usually quite painful

Karsten

Most of the local crew round me run Hillbillys on the front, and a faster rolling tyre on the back in the winter. I never would have considered them except they swear by them, and although not on EMTB's, they are very handy riders with national and some international race experience, so decided to check them out.

I went front and rear due to the extra power of the EMTB spinning up the rear in the mud. All I can say is I have had no loss of confidence in the bike when riding them, and the conditions round me are filthy - I never ride trail centres, the closet being if I go to Peaslake or similar in the Surrey Hills, so most of my riding is off piste and natural trails which often involve bridleways that get turned into mud baths by horses in the winter.

 

[khorn]

Most of the local crew round me run Hillbillys on the front, and a faster rolling tyre on the back in the winter. I never would have considered them except they swear by them, and although not on EMTB's, they are very handy riders with national and some international race experience, so decided to check them out.

I went front and rear due to the extra power of the EMTB spinning up the rear in the mud. All I can say is I have had no loss of confidence in the bike when riding them, and the conditions round me are filthy - I never ride trail centres, the closet being if I go to Peaslake or similar in the Surrey Hills, so most of my riding is off piste and natural trails which often involve bridleways that get turned into mud baths by horses in the winter.

Hillbilly it will be, thanks for the good suggestions!!

Karsten

 

[Tim29]

I’m really liking the MM 29x2.6 soft comp adix front with 27.5x2.8 Eddie they surprising leg fast on wide rims. Considerably slower on narrow wheels.
Same tires mounted on 29x30.5-32-35-36.5. Mary was considerably faster rolling on 36.5 and measures exactly 2.6 on the 36.5 rim.
Eddie was mounted on 32-34-36-40-43 ear and it measures 2.8 on 43 and again is faster on the wide wheel.
Looking at the pictures, rear 2.8 Eddie on 43, next is 2.8 DHR2 on 34 and far left is 2.6 DHF WT on a 40
Front, 2.6mm on 36.5 to right is a 2.5 DHF on 35 and far right is a 2.5 DHR on a 30

 

[2unfit2ride]

I have skimmed the thread but although I understand that more grip is always better I think that even Ebikes need a compromise between drag & grip & I like the feeling of being at the limit, maybe I'm not pushing hard enough but most 2.3 tyres give me adequate grip for the riding I do, beyond that they are a skills compensator. I bought a bike with 2.8 tyres & pretty much the first thing I wanted to do was to change them out for more 'normal' rubber, my rims are 35mm internal so I was a bit limited & ended up with 2.4 & 2.5 Maxxis WT tyres.
Cheers.

 

[Gary]

I understand that more grip is always better

It isn't.
As you've sussed out nicely for yourself.

 

[Tim29]

I’m not in my 20’s my eye site isn’t as good as it was, i want the most grip and most predictable fast tire i can find. That doesn’t leave me feeling like i could hit the ground any second.
I don’t see all the small square edges anymore at speed so the smaller tires die violent lives and so do my rims. So 2.6 for race and 2.8 for play.
If that’s a handycap for skill then i take all the handy cap i can get.
If i could find a fast grippy 3.0 i prob ride it.
But i spent a ridiculous amount of money and time on tire and wheel combos in last year. Not to mention man hours testing and i don’t find any advantage to the 2.2-2.3-2.4 tires over 2.6 wt or swhalbe tires on wide enough rim for them to meet there advertised width.
Every swhalbe i have tested on a narrow rim that made the tire under advertised width required more air to keep the tire side wall roll at bay and rolled slower then if on wider rim.
I also found that cushcore inserts improve tire rolling speed but reduce acc speed

 

[Mattwilko92]

Im running 29x2.6 magic mary up front with a 29x2.6 eddy current rear and find its spot on. Running 20psi in both which i could probably drop a bit more but they seem to roll and grip very well.

 

[Russell]

I'm not convinced on the plus tyres. They roll slow, scrape mud off the chain, hopeless in mud and cost a fortune. They are more comfortable but that is the only major benefit I have found although they do make it easier to ride up steps.

 

[Russell]

I’m really liking the MM 29x2.6 soft comp adix front with 27.5x2.8 Eddie they surprising leg fast on wide rims. Considerably slower on narrow wheels.
Same tires mounted on 29x30.5-32-35-36.5. Mary was considerably faster rolling on 36.5 and measures exactly 2.6 on the 36.5 rim.
Eddie was mounted on 32-34-36-40-43 ear and it measures 2.8 on 43 and again is faster on the wide wheel.
Looking at the pictures, rear 2.8 Eddie on 43, next is 2.8 DHR2 on 34 and far left is 2.6 DHF WT on a 40
Front, 2.6mm on 36.5 to right is a 2.5 DHF on 35 and far right is a 2.5 DHR on a 30
View attachment 11053 View attachment 11054

What is the full make, name and size of the front tyre fitted to the bike?
I like the look of that one and it's useful to see it next to the minion's.

 

[Tim29]

What is the full make, name and size of the front tyre fitted to the bike?
I like the look of that one and it's useful to see it next to the minion's.

29x2.6 magic Mary snake skin soft compound, if you rode a lot on hard dirt, dry desert wouldn’t go with soft compound

 

[Tim29]

I only find they

I'm not convinced on the plus tyres. They roll slow, scrape mud off the chain, hopeless in mud and cost a fortune. They are more comfortable but that is the only major benefit I have found although they do make it easier to ride up steps.

roll slow on hard smooth dirt, i also only find them hard in mud if the mud is hard and slick. The mud i have rode them in couple days ago they didn’t trench as bad as skinny tires and they just murdered the 2.2-2.4 guys.
But on slippery hard mud i don’t think a 2.8 Eddie be anything but scary. I want a hard narrow high spike WBT

 

[Russell]

Ok thanks I'll look that up. Half my ride is tarmack/hard gravel and the other half is soft wet mud bog and wet slick hard mud so I'm struggling to find a tyre.

 

[gtaadicto]

Would a Maxxis Aggressor 27.5X2.50WT TR DD be a good choice for the rear wheel of an Enduro E-bike? The trails that I ride are usually dry and compact, sometimes loose over hard.
At the moment I'm riding an Aggressor 2.3EXO on my normal bike and I love it.

 

[Gary]

it'd be fine. especially if you love it,
DD is quite heavy though. do your trails really warrant the extra casing strength?
alternatively a Minion SS would roll faster and corner more agressively but to get the best out of them ideally you need to ride agressively and be confident drifting

 

[Tim29]

I ran that tire last year. In DD case, didn’t last long and had a lot of tread roll. And doesn’t roll very fast.
I won’t buy another one, it was ok on hard dry dirt but not stellar and those conditions wore it really fast.
I got about 400 miles out of it.
But if you love it on your other bike you may like it on ebike.

 

[StuR]

Finally got around to fitting some magic mary 2.6 addix speed grip - the ones with the blue line
Previously had Spesh Butcher grid 2.8

Massive difference in the mud . Awesome grip . Which is exactly what id hoped for .

Slight concern though !
No sure if its me riding like a Muppet , i was a bit knackered
But they seem really draggy on other surfaces and really spanked my battery and range significantly

Any thoughts ?

 

[R120]

I find the same with those version of the MM. I haven't them on my hardtail and they are definitely much slower rolling than the Hillybillys on my full suspension.

 

[StuR]

I find the same with those version of the MM. I haven't them on my hardtail and they are definitely much slower rolling than the Hillybillys on my full suspension.

Mmmm interesting !!
How do the HBs compare to the MMs for grip in the mud ?

 

[R120]

Better IMO, I am no expert when it comes to tires, but I find the Hillibillys more predictable, and they shed mud better.

 

[Gary]

The thing with MM is it's actually pretty awesome in the dry too.
every tyre is compromised somewhere.
either pick something that fulfills most of your needs or switch tyres every few miles/hours/days

 

[Gary]

I've no idea why you'd buy a 2.6 if you're after Mud performance above all else.

infact. I've no idea why you'd buy a 2.6 at all.

 

[Doomanic]

I've no idea why you'd buy a 2.6 if you're after Mud performance above all else.

Well, they're less shit than 2.8's...

 

[StuR]

The thing with MM is it's actually pretty awesome in the dry too.
every tyre is compromised somewhere.
either pick something that fulfills most of your needs or switch tyres every few miles/hours/days

I was impressed with their performance on all surfaces. Dry and wet

 

[StuR]

I've no idea why you'd buy a 2.6 if you're after Mud performance above all else.

infact. I've no idea why you'd buy a 2.6 at all.

Mud performance was of interest but wasn't the only consideration

 

[Kiwi in Wales]

Hi all,
Anyone here with real life experience with the front and also rear specific 2.4 Michelin Wild Enduros?

I am currently running a front 2.35 MM Addix soft at 26/27psi and a rear 2.35 MM Super Gravity at 26/27 psi on both my 2017 and 2019 Levo’s and more than happy but looking to try something different as always looking for a good possible alternative.

I know the Wild Enduros come in 2 different compounds for the front Magi X and Gum X and rear Gum X. I have seen a few good reviews but was wondering if anyone here had tried them?

 

[Dirtnvert]

Hi all,
Anyone here with real life experience with the front and also rear specific 2.4 Michelin Wild Enduros?

I am currently running a front 2.35 MM Addix soft at 26/27psi and a rear 2.35 MM Super Gravity at 26/27 psi on both my 2017 and 2019 Levo’s and more than happy but looking to try something different as always looking for a good possible alternative.

I know the Wild Enduros come in 2 different compounds for the front Magi X and Gum X and rear Gum X. I have seen a few good reviews but was wondering if anyone here had tried them?

I’m sold on Michelin. Best rubber atm. They wear well and the slow rebound makes a difference in dampness/less deflection and I think that may be helping them wear better than other companies soft compounds. I can’t remember which is which(gums/magic x) but I run the softer compound in the front and I can get a couple hundred days out of them there. Michelin 2.4 measures like a 2.5 maxxis.
1100g tires are my happy place for my area. They don’t call them the “Canadian beach sand mountains” for good reason. I’ve found exo/grid casing tires good in conditions where I’m running higher psi with less roots and rocks, maybe jumpier, pumpier tracks with flow. Less psi for traction on steeper stuff results in too much flex or pinches through the tread casing(they’ve reinforced the sidewalls a tiny bit but oddly enough haven’t reinforced thetread casing). So I stick with 1100g(Huck Norris rear)
My all time favourite tire is the Michelin wild rockr2. It out minions a minion, notably in the corners. The edging knobs grab onto anything and have dug me out of corners more than a few times that I pushed to much. I hope they keep making those and I keep commenting they should make a dh casing version. They’re on sale at CRC so I’m worried but maybe their new dh tires fill that gap.
They’re more of a dry condition to loose condition tire.best when they can bite into something but still good grip on hard pack. They will clog a bit in the mud so might not suit the uk all the time. The wild enduro should address that. Same/very similar supportive edging knobs but the Center tread knobs are more spaced and quite possible a much better wearing Schwalbe mm type tire. I haven’t tried the wild enduro front yet but I ran the wild enduro rear last year to get a bit faster rolling(wild rockr2 could do with ramped center knobs/slow roller). Wild enduro rear does indeed roll a lot faster but it still seemed to play nice on our steeper trails. Surprising as I though it might be my xc trail or alpine trail tire but I guess the aggressive side knobs allow it to be pushed. Has me curious on the wild enduro front but it’ll take a lot to not put a wild rockr2 back on the front
Also as a side note, I did run a minion 2.5 dd and an onza citrius 2.4 en/fr(same manufacturer makes maxxis,onza, and spesh/ DD,en/fr and blck dmnd casing are similar eight) and I didn’t have any flat issues last year on Michelin’s, maxxis or onza for the first time in a while. I did hear noticeably less dings with the Michelin’s and my rims faired better with the Michelin’s but I also changed wheels and rims so that’s not exact science. The biggest ding noises where when shuttling multiple laps on our dh trails. I have a little more faith in the Michelin’s on those trails

 

[gunshot72]

I've been running Magic Mary 2.8's for a few weeks now on my Focus Jam2 but I found them too slow and a bit draggy on my usual Cambs XC route so today I switched to WTB Trail Boss 2.6 Tough Fast Rolling rear and WTB Vigilante 2.6 Tough Fast Rolling front. Will post my thoughts after a few rides. Hoping my range will improve 5-8% as well.

 

[Dan63]

Anyone have suggestions for replacement tyres on my Merida e160? I want to stick with 27.5 x 2.8" size for now but i would like to put something faster rolling on the rear. I figure this is where most of your weight/drag is and a reduction in rear grip won't be too noticeable on the trails ?

The 27.5 x 2.8 DHR 2 EXO 3C TR are like a pulling a sled behind you - even when jacked up to 40psi. Very noticeable on the commute to work today. I will be biking to work a couple times per week in future and would love a little less resistance!

Trails i ride on are mostly dry, hard packed dirt with a few rocks, tree roots, light gravel and soft/sandy bits thrown in here and there. Hot dry weather in Australia - not worried about wet weather or mud as i just don't go near it!

Otherwise i would consider a swap front and rear to 2.6" tyres but this might be something i do at a later date once the DHRs wear out.

38mm IW rims

 

[Dan63]

Update... I've ordered a Maxxis Rekon+ 27.5x2.8" dual compound 60tpi.
From what i can work out the Rekon tread pattern combined with dual compound rubber should roll nice and quick. I'll see how it goes next weekend... should be a good compromise for speed/grip with the DHR2 on the front.

 

[Injidup]

Let us know how you get on, Dan. I’m in Perth and will need to replace my Nobby Nic 27.5 x 2.8s soon. Interesting you felt the DHRs were slow, as I was thinking of them but also commute.