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Tire Review Thread http://dirttreaders.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=679	Page 1 of 7

Author:	luna [ Wed Sep 24, 2008 9:53 pm ]
Post subject:	Tire Review Thread
Post what your running or have ran, area you ride, doesn't matter what tire size, which tires you like dislike,tubed or tubeless etc. Informative to MTB around SoCal Edit: changed to SoCal

Author:	luna [ Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:01 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Tire Review Thread
I run Kenda Tubeless Nevegals 2.35 fr & rr with a cup & a half of Stan's in each tire. I love these tires, thicker sidewall than the regular version, add Stan's as there are alot of thorns & cactus out here in SD. There is a weight penalty with these, but I don't care, because I'm not no uphill racer. They do wear out quick, I don't care though as handling is what I care about. The WTB Prowler MX 2.5 & it too was a great tire, wish the sidewalls were a little thicker. The WTB Prowler SS was a good tire, rolled good, but the knobby spacing was too close for me, so braking was sometimes unpredictable. Kenda Nevegals 2.35 Sticky E & DTC were great handling the sidewall was too thin for me liking. Tubeless has been the best upgrade for me, as I was not one to convert, however after I did I wonder what took me so long.

Author:	02bullit [ Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:11 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Tire Review Thread
Currently running Maxxis HighRoller 2.35 Rear with Minion DHF 2.35 Front. Tires seem smaller than the Nevegals I was running. Only 2 rides with these tires. I did find out in Bonita (flat tire) that I need to go with the Stans. Currently ride a lot in Mission Trails. A lot of Rocks and some loose areas. Had Nevegals 2.35 Stick E Front and 2.1 Rear on my Hard Tail. I had the front wash out a couple of times with these.

Author:	Red Hot Sloth [ Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:44 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Tire Review Thread
On The Full Suspension: Currently: Tires: 2.5 2ply wire bead Nevegal on the rear Stick-E 2.7 2ply wire bead High Roller on the front Tubes: Thorn resistant or DH, just depends Huge weight penalty. Slow acceleration, slower climbing. Huge Traction Satisfaction. Very predictable, very minimal flats, usually caused by stem failure before puncturing or pinching...actually no pinching. I run lower pressure on these and am extremely happy with how they have handled in all conditions that I have ridden in so far. Daley, Elfin, La Costa, Calavera, Sycamore, SCST, Bonita stuff, Calavera, Deer Springs, BLT, Noble, Indian Creek. I've been running this combination for about 7 or 8 months, I don't think I'll be changing from this set-up unless I go tubeless in the future which I don't see happening for a long while. On the Hard Tail: Currently: Tires: 2.1 Mythos XC Rear 2.4 WTB Mutano Raptor Front Tubes: regular, sometimes light dh, just depends. Quite light, super low rotating mass, crisp and quick acceleration. Great climbing and braking bars on the rear. Can't run too low pressure or pinch flatting is eminant due to very thin sidewalls and low volume. Front pushes in hard turns and loses traction on hardpack loose when I'm thinking I'm riding my other set-up. For a XC set-up though, its good traction, low rolling resistance. Can't go as hard into the corners without loosing traction, but thats because I'm used to my other set-up on the Heckler. The 2.4 Mutano Raptor is a small 2.4, its actually a smaller profile than 2.35 kendas, but it actually feels pretty good on the HT. I have ridden this tire combo on all the trails as I have with my other set-up. I was running a Kenda Blue Groove 2.5 Stick-E up front and a WTB 2.4 Moto Raptor on the rear of the Full Suspension for awhile. Its a decent tire combination with predictable handling characteristics in most trail conditions around SD County. The Moto Raptor sidewalls are a little thin for my liking though as I couldn't run it at as low a pressure as I like without it folding on hard turns at speed.

Author:	5spot67 [ Thu Sep 25, 2008 6:51 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Tire Review Thread
I've been riding on 2.35 DTC Kenda Nev's since thay came on the market...3 to 4 years I think. Anyway, The first few years I used 2 scoops of Stans in each tire and they were bulletproof! No Flats, lightest weight for that size(2.35),great acceleration and excellent traction-both climbing & braking, but the downside is that the Stan's sealant reacts with Kenda rubber, so they delaminate after a couple of months-so I went back to tubes. Currently, I run them with ultralight tubes and get an occasional pinch flat but they are actually just as light as they were running Stan's. I have tried the 2.1 version but the weight savings isn't worth what you lose in handling. For SoCal riding, I believe this is by far the best handling tire out there. 5SPOT67

Author:	Kimba [ Thu Sep 25, 2008 6:59 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Tire Review Thread
Mutanoraptor 2.4s on the older bikes. I really like this tread pattern, and the high volume casing. They can't be run at real low pressures since they will squirm. 30 psi is probably the lowest you can go on these. I have a Weirwolf 2.55 up front and Mutanoraptor 2.24 in the back on the main bike. I am pretty happy with this set up although the Weirwolf tends to dive suddenly in soft turning conditions (Like at Calaveras last Sunday Sloth) as it does not have big side lugs to hold up in corners. So, I'm not sure about them yet. When they wear I'll probabaly go back to the Mutano 2.4 up front. I used to be a Hutchinson python guy years ago but they are way too light-duty for the stuff I usually do nowadays.

Author:	jonathan_sykes81 [ Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:01 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Tire Review Thread
On my RFX I am running 2.35 Kenda Nevegals DTC UST's and they are a great tire. The traction and confidence that I get from running this tire is phenomenal, you don't have to worry about your tires when flying through a rock garden and you can really lay it down in the corners. I haven't done anything to them since I installed them except check the pressure. Oh yeah, they mounted up with a floor pump. If you are looking for a faster tire than the Nevegal but something that still has some bite to it I would suggest the 2.35 Maxxis Ignitor UST's. Just like most Maxxis tires the manufacturer's sizing is a huge lie, these actually run around 2.1. They are still great all around tires, good rolling resistance, and lightweight for a UST tire. On my Monocog Flight I am running the stock 2.1 Maxxis Ignitor's(run small). I have gotten two flats, but the tubes were pretty light weight and have since been replaced with Slime Tubes. As far as traction and handling go, these are great tires( I already liked the Ignitor tread design from 26" experience), and they are fast, really fast. As far as 29'ers go I would like to try the larger volume of the WTB Exiwolf next just to compare the difference, supposedly the same quickness with more cush.

Author:	katonk [ Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:05 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Tire Review Thread
IANASDAMBR (I Am Not A San Diego Area Mountain Bike Rider), but I do play one on TV. My understanding is that MTB trails in SD are made of dirt. We have dirt in LA/OC too. The One True Tire for general Trail/AM use is in fact the Specialized Eskar 2Bliss. You can go with the Control, or the lighter and more spendy S-Works version. Both are acceptable as long as you run them on a UST rim with 2 scoops of Stan's. For those of you who do not have UST rims, my tire recommendation is... none. Go buy some UST rims. You want UST. It's like getting a new bike. edit: my grammer sucks.

Author:	Ld00d [ Thu Sep 25, 2008 8:06 am ]
Post subject:	Re: Tire Review Thread
yeah the sd thing kinda bothers me too. luna: i'm editing your post...

Author:	wirk242 [ Thu Sep 25, 2008 3:34 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Tire Review Thread
Right now I am running a Maxxis HighRoller 2.35 Front and a Maxxis Larsen TT 2.35 Rear. Maxxis HighRoller: Nice tire I like it... I have mine inflated to 35-35 PSI. For my weight I am guessing that is asking for pinch flats. But it has a nice grip and low rolling resistance. Maxxis Larsen TT: I like this one a little less. It's a good tire. But I dont think it's meant for loose/rocky and dry trails. With a nice hard packed trail it flies. But it like to spin out going up hill on loose trails. Kenda Stick-e Nevegals 2.35: I used to use these as my rear tire. I like it. They are great for a rear tire in our conditions. But I feel they are a slow rolling tire. I did a road ride with them and then the Larsen TTs and I noticed the difference.

Author:	danimal [ Thu Sep 25, 2008 3:44 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Tire Review Thread
Used to roll panaracers and thought they were the bomb. Then I was in bicycle warehouse and diego was talking to some guy about tires. I asked, "what do you guys think about panaracers?" The other guy restrained his laugh (not by much) and said they were no good because the tread sticks and hinders cornering. He recommended the maxxis crossmax since thet have smoothly rounded sides. A few weeks later, that guy won the elite/pro category at the Fontana Southridge race. I saw him up on the podium and was like, "I think ill listen to that guy!" So, I went with the maxxis and rode them into the ground (on the expensive side though). Because of cost, next time (currently) I decided on WTB Veciloraptors and have been pretty happy with them. Maybe a bit heavy for racing though. I was fixing to try the Kenda small blocks next but now everyone is getting them and I always have to be different. So Ill revert to the crossmax come race day. word up, danimal out.

Author:	Ld00d [ Thu Sep 25, 2008 3:55 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Tire Review Thread
I think the bottom line is, if you like Panny's, ride 'em. I used them for a while. I took them off because I didn't like the color . They have a lot of rolling resistance too. I went to Nevegal 2.35 on my SS when it was rigid to get a little more squish up front. I liked it so much I put one on the FS geared bike. I have a lot more control than I had with the Fire XCs, but I attribute that mostly to the increase in girth. Later, I put a Small Block 8 on the back of the SS. I like it, but it does lose traction more than the Fire XC or the Nevegal. The decreased rolling resistance is key on the SS though. I recently put a Nevegal 2.1 on the back of the FS geared bike, and I'm digging it. I had a Specialized Captain 2.1 before, and it just wasn't grippy enough for me. I've run the Captains a while too, and they're great where rolling resistance is concerned, but not very grippy, and they feel even more narrow than they are, so they can be harsh. Pretty good XC tire though.

Author:	Red Hot Sloth [ Thu Sep 25, 2008 7:06 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Tire Review Thread
I tried those panaracer 2.1 fir xc's back in the day. It seemed to me that they worked much better in the winter with softer, moist soil conditions. But as soon as it all dried out and became hardpack the traction was minimal. I do have some Panaracer Fir FR 2.4's, and they are the same. For a 2.4, they are friggin massive, it's like rolling tractor tread. On Boo's FS bike, we have the set-up I used to run which is: 2.5 2-Ply Kenda Blue Groove Stick-E up front 2.4 WTB Moto Raptor on the back. It seems to server her riding style very well....well, other than when she took that digger onto the sidewalk last weekend, but that was due in most part to the wet soil, steep slope onto a right turn concrete dirt dusted sidewalk. On her HardTail we have Thje same setup as on my HardTail.

Author:	sladnas [ Tue Oct 28, 2008 1:19 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Tire Review Thread
I run 2.35 tubeless Nevegals on the front and rear of the Yeti. They are heavy, but like others have mentioned, the grip is fantastic. It is noticeable when you are climbing up rocky, off camber hills. Before the Kendas, I had the stock (tubed) Minion DH on there, and I liked those a lot too. They lasted quiet a while and were very predictable. The casing on these tires is incredible. I only got a few flats in the 8 months or so that I used them. Kenda Small Block: It was an experiment. Ended up being a frame cushion, door stop and laughing stock of the 2008 Moab trip. It has since revived itself on the back of the SS where it is living a much more reasonable life. The mockery hasn't stopped though. -- Anyone used Maxxis Crossmarks? I'm looking for something a bit more reasonable than the Nevegal for the 12-hour race coming up. Seems like the Crossmark gets good reviews for racing/training. It's definately lighter than the Nevegal.

Author:	OffRoadie [ Tue Oct 28, 2008 10:06 pm ]
Post subject:	Re: Tire Review Thread
Why not put on a narrower Nevegal Mark? You can get them all the way down to 1.95. That way it's a tire you're already familiar with.

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