Tire: Race Day/Training swaps?

[Waldo]

Lots of the talk among my friends and I lately has been about tires. One side debate that's come up a few times relates to training vs racing, and the pros and cons of running the same tires or not. Some say they'll ride big, beefy slow tires for training so they'll feel like Superman on race day. Others say they'll train on the tires they race, even if that means giving up some grip, so they're intimately familiar with the strengths & weaknesses of the rubber.

So where do you fall in this debate?

[genusmtbkr5]

I have mounted my Kenda Kenetics Sticky E's since the first rains. Wide knobs and not as fast as the WTB Mutano Rapters(FT) and Exiwolf(Rear) I've been running all summer. When it comes to the VQ, It'll be a game time decision depending on the amount on moisture we get prior to event day.

[allison]

I ride the same tires for riding and racing. If I wasn't training for VQ and doing XC races, I probably would have beefier tires on my Dos. But, since my tires are pretty squirrely at the moment, I need to be used to them on race day.

[Pho'dUp]

Nope. I would only change if it's going to rain or you know it's going to be very muddy. Rain or shine events only of course. And in that case go to a mud shedding tire.

Otherwise run what you always run. Or if you do change, change early enough that you get sometime to get used to the characteristics of the lighter less grippy tires.

A few guys I know have crashed badly when they went to their lighter bikes with the fast tires on race day. Myself included.

C

[1x1clyde]

Same tires all the time.
Learn and love the tread you are on....trust me, I have alot of tires to choose from but always find myself on the same tread, you've seen the garage Bob!