29er Tire Combos/Recommendations

Discussion in 'The Workshop' started by BrewMaster, Feb 18, 2008.

  1. irv_usc

    irv_usc Active Member

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    I'm running nobby nic pacestar as a rear. The knobs are tearing like you describe. It's got about 400 miles on it and looks as worn down as the spec purgatory I'm running on my other bike with almost double the miles.
     
  2. Rider101

    Rider101 New Member

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    Pacestar compound is showing signs of wear and tear. It's been about a year since I bought them and for the time and my type of riding I think it has hold up pretty good. No complains whatsoever!!
     
  3. bvader

    bvader Long Live The Gorn!

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    Well I have been really liking my Conti Mountain King 2.2 for my rear tire, good price, good traction, seemed sturdy.... seemed. I was Bombing down the luge and blew / buldged the sidewall. Not completely in fact at the time I did not even notice till I has heading down Live Oak and I felt like I banged and flat spotted the rim. Got to the bottom something funky.. but couldn't really tell... it "buldged / weakend the side wall" but I guess when I picked it up and spun it "sucked" back in. Anyways took wheel in to get looked at and Fergus at the Path spotted it right away, I think I was tired...or at least tha's what I am saying. Maybe I was riding to low of pressure 30lbs in the back... seems OK to me. Anyway I Conti has the money back thing right now so I got my money back and I am try the Bontrager XR3 Expert 2.3 as a rear. Looks like a nice tire, little more rounded / not a hard edge so we will see.

    Still running my Nobby Nic 2.3 EVO Pacestar with 850 Miles on the Front, still has life nobs getting chewed, really like this tire with the right pressure. I haven't ridden quite as much rock as maybe during the winter but feel like its been a very solid tire, and worth the money especially if I get 1000+ miles which seems likely.

    So Bonti guys I am 180lbs what are you running your XR3s at in the back?

    [​IMG]
     
  4. Albacore

    Albacore 34x18

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    I loved my Bontis. At 184 lbs I was runnning them at 34psi with tubes on a hardtail. I pinch flatted twice as I recall. Both times were on the rocky descent near the end of Butcher in D'ville.
     
  5. trailninja

    trailninja Going Slideways!!!!

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    On my Superfly 100 I'm running 26 front and 28 rear tubeless for AM. If it's strictly xcountry I would run 30 front 32 rear

    Front: Bonty Xr4 29er
    Rear: Bonty Xr3 29er

    I've said it before and I'll say it again. The new line of Bonty team issue tires kick ass.

     
  6. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej Well-Known Member

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    Have been running some more tires....here are my thoughts.

    Maxxis Ardent 2.4 EXO
    Great all around tire. Only run it up front. Big volume. Sturdy sidewalls. Airs up tubeless no problem. Under 900g.
    By far my favorite front tire. At 190 lbs, running 23-25 psi. Holds the corners well....rolls pretty good. Does well in most conditions.

    Maxxis Ikon 2.2 EXO
    Top 3 favorite tire for rear. Under 600g. Sturdy sidewalls. Airs up tubeless no problem. Rolls fast. Lots of traction(even on SS). Nice volume. Handles most conditions without issue. Expensive.

    Panaracer Driver 2.2
    Light weight. Fast. Lots of traction for a Semi Slick. Airs up tubeless with ease.
    Liked this tire way more than I thought I would. Ran it in the rear of the SS. Was blown away by how well it hooked up, even on the really soft stuff. Corners well. Sidewalls are thin. They wear out kinda quick. Could be my VQ rear tire.

    Schwalbe Hans Dampf 2.35
    Big volume. Airs up tubeless with ease. Stout sidewalls. Not too heavy.
    Liked this tire at first. Seemed to hook up on everything. Only ran it up front. Anything over 20 psi for my 190 lbs made the tire feel rock hard. Couldn't find the sweet spot when it came to pressure. Soft rubber wore way too quick...even for a front tire. Didn't care for the fold over the side shoulder knobs. Got tired of feeling like I was driving a monster truck. Eventually out the Ardent back on. Too expensive.
     
  7. grendal

    grendal Member

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    Always love this tire and even as a front tire it is good for cornering, but for a front tire I wanted something with a little more volume and size for places like motorway but without giving up the fast roll out. So when they came out with the IKON EXO 2.35 I was very hopefully. Put it on my TBc a couple weeks ago and so far it has been great. It really is a high volume tire but has a low rolling resistance. For me and where I ride is might be the perfect front tire. Fast enough to fun as on XC race but with enough volume to handle lose and chunky stuff and I can run it around 27PSI at 210lbs
    It does take a bit more effort than the 2.2s to air up tubeless becasue of its size, but you can't have everything.
     
  8. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej Well-Known Member

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    The 2.35 Ikon is on my short list of new tires to try. I hear it makes a pretty solid front tire....more so than the 2.2.
     
  9. bvader

    bvader Long Live The Gorn!

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  10. grendal

    grendal Member

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    It really is a high volume tire so has a lot of bite in the corners even on the loose stuff. It is heavy 760g versus the 2.2s at 645g in EXO. I only run tires with sidewall protection after blowing out a sidewall on UHJ during CC last year.
     
  11. bvader

    bvader Long Live The Gorn!

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    OK just looking for some thoughts Rear 29er SS tires... mostly OC area and lots of Counting Coup Training. In general a little more of a traction guy than speed guy.

    running Racing Ralph mostly like, did really great over the last couple damp weeks it but got on some steep and loose climb (like Past the Luge)and did not like it behavior of breaking loose, ... like bad...and the way it did it, no warning..Bang Air Pedal Stroke Push on the Bars. I know there is techniques involved and I have doing this a while but it was like no notice then let loose. Did not like the Captain either felt it did the same thing strong then, bang let loose not warning.

    In Past really liked (dare I say) Spesh Fast Trak Control...very consistent, and if it was going to break traction it "warned me" so I could back off.

    Will be putting on my Bonti XR3 to try that these weekend ...which I really like on my 429c

    Not sure I am changing but thought I would ask latest opinions open to other thoughts..
     
  12. mtnbikej

    mtnbikej Well-Known Member

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    A lot of it comes down to technique.......


    Having said that, a couple of tires to look at that I have had good experiences with lately:

    Maxxis Ignitor 29 x 2.1 EXO
    [​IMG]

    WTB Nine Line 29 x 2.0:

    [​IMG]


    The Ignitor is tubeless ready @ 715g. Smooth roller with a good about of traction. In addition pretty stout sidewalls.

    The Nine Line is a little on the narrow side....but stupid light at 537g. Smooth roller and alot of traction....think this is my SS VQ tire. Plus they are on blowout from Nashbar for $25.
     
  13. Pilas

    Pilas Member

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    I use the Specialized Ground Control on my SS and I like them...
     
  14. bvader

    bvader Long Live The Gorn!

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    Yup that was the issue I was applying good technique ...at least as good as I have ;) and it was still doing the sudden break in traction thing on a steep climb .. may look at IKON , don't think I can use WTB with my Arches...that section is just bad anyways but as you know MD can be like that too
     
  15. dstepper

    dstepper (R.I.P.) Over the hill

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    I learned my lesson years back running light fast rolling tires. Came down Kenton-Devore Trail in the San Gabriel's and lack of braking traction caused me to go off trail and down a cliff. After that I have that always buy wide tires with aggressive thread patterns. Only exception is on my single speed which I rarely take on steep loose trails.
     
  16. HBkites

    HBkites Member

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  17. duke777

    duke777 Active Member

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    I vote for Hans dampf 2.3 front and Spec ground control 2.1 rear, my new favorite combo. Great traction and not too slow either.
     
  18. bvader

    bvader Long Live The Gorn!

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    This on my new beautiful Raijin SS 29
    Funny got the HD 2.3 in front...love it! (Rode the HD on my ellsworth epiph too)
    So just dialing in that SS rear ... got several I like for the full squish rear ... seem to be most picky on the SS rear... then of course super picky on any front tire.
     
  19. riiz

    riiz Member

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    Ever try a Geax Saguaro 2.2? Amazing tire for dry hard-pack trails.
     
  20. Evoracer

    Evoracer "That Guy"

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    I've gone through a number of tires, but have settled on S-Works Captains front and rear for SS duty the last couple of years. Though, I think the Ground Control would be a bit better for regular chunk use.
     

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