Tire Review Thread

[BeantownRider]

If anybody is having trouble finding a good rear for a 29er hardtail I have to recommend the Geax Saguaro 2.2. I've been through a bunch of rear tires and it's closest to the Ignitor in traction and rolling resistance with better volume and more robust sidewalls. For what it's worth, I run a Rampage front and have never looked back.

[Upsidedown1]

I ran Neve's for a month. Dual compound, and wore the tire out on the rear. Went to sb8's and can hardly see any wear on them after 3 races and lots of miles over the last 3 months. I do use stans and love it. Saved me on the Project Rwanda ride after a small tear in my rear tire. Sealed up nice and have not had a problem since.

[dstepper]

Friends don't let friends ride SB8's. I was riding in the decomposed granite on Kenton Devore Trail in the San Gabs. Been on that trial many times but this time with a SB8 that I left on from my slickrock trip to to Gooseberry Mesa. Big mistake the SB8 did not have the downhill braking grip the Nev does and I ended up sliding off the trail and down a 15 ft cliff, luckly I landed in the deep enough water of a stream. Never again will I put a tires wear above safety.

They are great fast rolling tires just not good for the riding I do.

Dean

[guero]

how does the maxxis larsen compare to the sb8 under downhill braking ability? i have one that i might through on my superlight.

[dstepper]

Most tires seem to be fine around OC.

It is that decomposed granite you find in the Sierras and San Gabs. Most of the SG trails are hardrock but those loose section that sneak up on ya, you need some aggresive lugs to get to the hard pack. I am lovin the Big Betty up front. I had stress cracks on my Mavic 521 after 5 years, new rear rim is a 819 so I am looking to buy a UST Fat Albert for the rear.

Dean

[1080P]

Originally Posted by dstepper

Most tires seem to be fine around OC.

It is that decomposed granite you find in the Sierras and San Gabs. Most of the SG trails are hardrock but those loose section that sneak up on ya, you need some aggresive lugs to get to the hard pack. I am lovin the Big Betty up front. I had stress cracks on my Mavic 521 after 5 years, new rear rim is a 819 so I am looking to buy a UST Fat Albert for the rear.

Dean

That decomposed granite is what makes a Big Betty in the front and a relatively fresh (under 3-400 mile) Fat Albert shine. Simply a great combo for shuttling up at Mammoth, pedaling through the deep sand on the trail at the bottom of Mammoth Rock trail, or sticking it on the lose decomposed sand /granite on the steep slippery sections like on Viper in the Santa Clarita Valley when it's dry. I've got around 1000 miles on the Big Betty up front, some pavement, mostly San Gabs and west towards Malibu and Pt. Mugu. It just does a great job. Schwalbe makes high performance tires. They are very expensive, but it's relative. A good set of tires that saves you from blowing a line because they stick, grab, or rail, and prevents a trip to the emergency room is the proverbial ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

I will wince when it's time to shell out for another Big Betty ORC 2.4, but once I'm over the pain, one good arse saving stoppie will be a reminder that they are worth it. From So Cal to Downieville, rocks, streams, granite, desert, sand, they do it well. Sometimes outstanding, sticky. Just do what you can to keep Fat Alberts off of pavement if you run them on the rear.

I'll be interested in hearing how you like the Fat Alberts performance on the rear and what kind of mileage you get out of it in back. I weigh 220-230, and run tubes with about 38-42 psi on the back, 35 to 40 on the Big Betty up front, on a Bionicon Edison in an XL.

[SSinGA]

x-posted from MTBR.

Both tires went one easily by hand with just a little spit needed to get the last section of the bead over the edge. They also aired up using a hand pump and the bead popped into place at about 20psi with very little effort. I started the ride at 30psi and blipped a little air out trailside just to see how they'd do.

Maxxis hit the sizing right on the head with these tires. The sidewall says 56mm at the casing and 54mm at the tread. I got 56mm at the casing and 55 at the tread. The side wall is fairly beefy lending to to they 840g and 820g weights I got.

I have a couple of rides on this proto set of 2.25 UST's and they have really surprised me. I took them out to a local trail that is a good barometer for how a tire will do on most of the area trails. The singletrack is mostly unmaintained, singletrack hardpack with a thin, sandy layer. The majority also has a nice thick topcoat of pinestraw or leaves. There are also areas of exposed granite and "black rock" (slimy. wet granite that is like riding on ice) and a good many roots.

My first ride I wore my knee and elbow pads because I just knew that they would not hold me up-right. I was wrong!! They held on as good as the High Rollers I was using previously. Rolling resistance is nearly undetectable and makes you forget you have 800g+ tires mounted. The little bit of mud I encountered was shed quickly. What really surprised me was how well they cut through the trail litter.

So far the only weaknesses I have detected, and they are minor, is standing climbing and highspeed "panic-style" braking. I would contribute this to the centerline tread that has virtually no breaks and thus can't grab as well. The tire does well on seated climbs, even through very rooty, technical climbs. Most normal brake applications result in good slowing. I plan on putting a lot more miles on these and will follow up this initial review.

Enough blah, blah, blah. Here are some pics

[sir crashalot]

you can't go wrong with Schwalbe. I'm running ust schwalbe fat Alberts on mavic 823 rims on my Heckler and they are fantastic. A little heavy for the rear-previously I had a specialized eskar 2bliss on the rear, which has great traction and is very light for a ust 2.3, but not durable-sidewall cuts easily and even tiny holes don't seal well on that tire with Stan's; so i put my backup fat albert on the rear. easily the biggest 2.35 out there, about as big as maxxiss' 2.5" tires. It is one tough, grippy tire. man my bike just keeps getting heavier. I'm waiting to try also the ust panaracer rampage 2.3" when it's available; may be a little lighter, and its a great tire as well.

[jschwart73]

Been running Nevegals for a couple months now, the latest being the UST version. Like the grip a LOT, but they don't roll very well and are HEAVY. On the suggestion of my LBS, tried out a set of Specialized The Captain 2Bliss.

Grip is excellent, both steering and climbing. They are a little looser on the brakes in the rear, but the front gripped very well on the brakes, no washouts. I rode on tacky dirt and some rock strewn areas as well and grip on the rocks was spectacular, even on a sideslope rock traverse.

They roll quite a bit better than Neves, that was clearly noticeable.

They're 275g lighter, per tire, than Neves.

[Von-Skipp]

I think I found a sweet combo of tires for xc/racing.

WTB Weirwolf 2.1 up front
Maxis Crossmark 2.1 in the rear

Both are UST on 819's with a scoop of Stans.

I've been using this combo in CA and in AZ and they work really well. I raced them last weekend are they hooked up great, but I'm sure I could find a faster front tire.

Props to this combo.

[jschwart73]

I am really liking the Specialized The Captain 2Bliss tires - Rode them again today, good grip and roll well. Relatively light (605g each, mounted tubeless).

[Schecky]

Originally Posted by jschwart73

I am really liking the Specialized The Captain 2Bliss tires - Rode them again today, good grip and roll well. Relatively light (605g each, mounted tubeless).

What width are you running?

[jschwart73]

Originally Posted by Schecky

What width are you running?

2.0 (I don't think they offer the 2Bliss in 2.2 yet)

[Von-Skipp]

Has anyone run the new Continental Mountain Kings 2.2.

Its a xc/race tire I believe

[jschwart73]

A 2.2 XC Race tire? Interesting.

I've got a set of Maxxis Larssen TT's on the way, 1.9r, 2.0f. Lightweight, we'll see how they do. I am still liking the Spec Captains a lot, but I like tire testing.

[DeeZee]

Originally Posted by BeantownRider

If anybody is having trouble finding a good rear for a 29er hardtail I have to recommend the Geax Saguaro 2.2. I've been through a bunch of rear tires and it's closest to the Ignitor in traction and rolling resistance with better volume and more robust sidewalls. For what it's worth, I run a Rampage front and have never looked back.

Bonti XR.... 600g and rolls fast. Speci Fast track is also good but heavy

[Trizz]

after breifly reviewing this thread it seems everyone has wider front tire,
is this something that creates better handling or something.

[DasBrink]

When sh!t happens, its nice to have some extra meat on the front to save your ass



and there is no need to drag a huge rear up a hill when the front is what gets you around the corner.

[guero]

Originally Posted by Trizz

after breifly reviewing this thread it seems everyone has wider front tire,
is this something that creates better handling or something.

yes, a slightly wider contact patch helps out alot when riding, adds for a bit more stability and grip.

[sailcalifornia]

i have the 2.1's on as a rear tire on two different bikes, one with a 819 rim, the other the new XTR, both tubeless, and i have had issues on both with burping. I am not running super low pressures, around 35-40 psi.

Anyone else had this issue with these tires or i am doing something?

Also yesterday after realizing my tire was ridiculously low i stopped to add air, and could not get the bead to re-set, i tried using a CO2 inflator, and i know it is bad for the stans, but the air was running out the bead, put a tube in and i could hear it pop in.

thanks for all help