[Tattooo]

What brands these days are making a good UST Tire in the 2.2 to 2.4 range? I just had some new wheels built with tubless rims, so I wanted to step on up.

if it helps around here we ride a lot of roots, some mud, some sand. I need something that has a little side grip because I tend to lean it over quite a bit in turns and just 'cause I am a bigger guy.

 

[erikkellison]

I'm thinking about getting some Hutchinson Barracuda Med UST tires, they have the Michelin DH16 tread pattern and a good rubber compound. I have the Octopus right now, and it's the same for everything but the rubber compound. I really like the Octopus, but as it's discontinued, it's the Barracuda now. Great for loose, mud, and as an all-around front tire.
Or, you could try a Maxxis High Roller UST, those look cool too, and are light. Great tread pattern.
Michelin makes the Mountain Xtreme, but it's not light, and has the DH24 tread pattern, more suited to hardpack and less to mud than the DH16 tread. There's another tubeless 2.2" Michelin out there with the silica rubber compound, but that compound leaves something do be desired performance wise.
That's all that I've found that would fit my bill, and we seem to be in the same boat. I'm speaking from a Pacific Northwest sort of standpoint, lots of dirt, roots, rocks, but not much dusty dirt, not much slickrock, and mud all winter long in many places.
For you, I'd suggest the Barracuda considering the stuff you're riding on.

 

[joelsman]

Maxxis, michelin, hutchinson, specialized, and I'm sure others make ust tires, check their respective website to see options then look for reviews for them and their non ust versions on mtbr.com. the manufactuers often have weights also.

 

[MikeD]

Kenda 2.1 USTs are pretty fat, as well...(sized like Tiogas, if that helps). Nevegals might work for you.

 

[frorider]

trailriding/somewhat beefy tread UST tires have been a gap in the tire industry. i've wasted a lot of time and money trying the different brands. in somewhat alphabetical order, some comments:

continental => the '2.3' gravity is too skinny. nothing else to consider from them

geax => the geax Sturdy 2.25 is wider than most 2.25 tires, and has meaty MX style knobs. around 940 g as i recall

hutchinson => the UST barracuda, recently available, seems to fit into this category. only negative i've heard about the 845 g version is sidewall tearing if you ride sharp rocky trails.

michelin => their UST trail tires have been a disappointment in my experience. meh.

nokian => the NBX 2.3 is too skinny in terms of actual width.

specialized => the enduro 2.4 ust is LARGE volume and tread footprint. dual compound, good grip in all the riding i've done in california. makes a great front tire on an 823 rim.

schwalbe => the fat albert UST is a pretty popular choice in this category. some report that knobs tear off too easily, but others really like this tire for what you're looking for.

maxxis => big fat zero. nothing in this category in terms of actual width/casing volume.

 

[TKCastle]

Maxxis makes a 2.35 high roller ust. Got them for $25 a piece at price point. Thick side walls and silkworm tech.

 

[erikkellison]

frorider,
You should just add our comments about all the tires to your post so it's all listed in one place. Feel free to plagiarize!

That Enduro 2Bliss 2.4" looks cool, but I might want to cut the intermediate corner knobs to give the tire a mud channel along the length of the tire.
What about the IRC Mibro UST 2.25"?
Bontrager Big Earl TR ARC 2.35"?
Any feedback from anyone on the following would be good too:
Maxxis High Roller 2.35" UST
Specific plusses and minuses on the Michelin tires, such as the Mountain Xtreme 2.2" UST (1075g) and All Mountain 2.2" UST (820g).

On another note, anyone have any recommendations on which tire would be good for a low volume/stack height? I have some vertical clearance issues with my rear, and am interested in finding a tire like the Barracuda or the High Roller that has a low overall circumference.

 

[dexter]

maxxis high roller, larsen tt, hasventure, the new tire whos name is escaping me and minions alll available.

 

[Bicyclist]

I think you're thinking of the Ignitor.

 

[erikkellison]

Dude, the Ignitor doesn't have a very good tread pattern for more than XC riding.
The Larsen TT sucks in soft/loam/mud, and doesn't even come in larger sizes.
Hansventure doesn't come in UST.
Minions don't come in any smaller than 2.5" and are a DH casing tire.
So we're back to just the High Roller 2.35" UST, which was already mentioned...
I was wondering if you were sponsored by Maxxis for making so many suggestions, and sure enough

 

[MikeD]

I'm thinking about getting some Hutchinson Barracuda Med UST tires, they have the Michelin DH16 tread pattern and a good rubber compound. I have the Octopus right now, and it's the same for everything but the rubber compound. I really like the Octopus, but as it's discontinued, it's the Barracuda now. Great for loose, mud, and as an all-around front tire.
Or, you could try a Maxxis High Roller UST, those look cool too, and are light. Great tread pattern.
Michelin makes the Mountain Xtreme, but it's not light, and has the DH24 tread pattern, more suited to hardpack and less to mud than the DH16 tread. There's another tubeless 2.2" Michelin out there with the silica rubber compound, but that compound leaves something do be desired performance wise.
That's all that I've found that would fit my bill, and we seem to be in the same boat. I'm speaking from a Pacific Northwest sort of standpoint, lots of dirt, roots, rocks, but not much dusty dirt, not much slickrock, and mud all winter long in many places.
For you, I'd suggest the Barracuda considering the stuff you're riding on.

Yeah, I will say the Octopus in 2.3 did me well for generally soft-conditions riding (New Zealand; muddy/rooty), but I did find the casing to be a tad delicate.

 

[Tattooo]

I want something that rides like my moto/mutano raptor combo, but that comes in a 2.3 and UST.

If only Nevegals came in a UST, the world would work.

Does anyone have any actual saddle time on the Michelins? I love their DH tires, wanted to see if the XC/AM stuff could live up to the reputation.

 

[frorider]

I want something that rides like my moto/mutano raptor combo, but that comes in a 2.3 and UST.

If only Nevegals came in a UST, the world would work.

Does anyone have any actual saddle time on the Michelins? I love their DH tires, wanted to see if the XC/AM stuff could live up to the reputation.

i totally agree. frikken Kenda is asleep at the wheel on the UST thing, unless you're a lycra XC type. a 950 g 2.35 UST nevegal with just enough sidewall beef to be reasonably durable would sell very well.

maxxis, being one of the lying and/or clueless companies that don't own a ruler, creates a so-called '2.35 inch' high roller that is way too skinny for any trailriding i'd like to do (although it works okay as a rear tire). i've noticed that on complete 'value-priced/sorta high end' bikes from mainstream brands with UST wheelsets, the '2.35' high roller is commonly spec'd. i.e. someone's buying 'em cheap in volume. meh.

the mibro 2.25 is small volume, nothing special tire. it's one of the few on the list i haven't ridden on, mostly 'cos when i looked at it / weighed it at the shop i was not impressed.

the mich all mountain 2.2 is also pretty small and wimpy looking, and hasn't gotten good reviews from the 2 or 3 people i spoke with who tried it.

 

[MikeD]

I'm eager to try some of Specialized offerings in UST; punkassean was raving about their 2.4 UST from a year or two ago. They'll be my next tire purchase.

Still, I can't fault the 2.1 Nevegal UST. It's as fat as a Nokian 2.3, and just fine for trailriding.

MD

 

[Bicyclist]

I hate Enduros. They just feel too sketchy.

 

[dexter]

Dude, the Ignitor doesn't have a very good tread pattern for more than XC riding.
The Larsen TT sucks in soft/loam/mud, and doesn't even come in larger sizes.
Hansventure doesn't come in UST.
Minions don't come in any smaller than 2.5" and are a DH casing tire.
So we're back to just the High Roller 2.35" UST, which was already mentioned...
I was wondering if you were sponsored by Maxxis for making so many suggestions, and sure enough

no not the ignitor. its called the m something
i have a few sets of 2.35 tubeless minions and i could have swron i have seen some in shops before. the larsen does suck in loamy stuff but its not what it was designed for. also i was under the impression you could get the hansventure t/s. never riden one or seen one

 

[manwithgun]

Dude, the Ignitor doesn't have a very good tread pattern for more than XC riding.

I've been running a UST, non-LUST 2.35 Ignitor on the rear and having a pretty good run at it. Better profile and edge than a 2.2 comp 24 and the lug spacing seems pretty well suited for mud and roots. If I didn't have to pay for them, I'd run the High Roller rears all day long though.

 

[psychobiker]

ive had great luck with the maxxis minnions on my mavic dee mmax's, i did use stans stuff inside though. used xc and dh at sugar nc, snowhshoe wv. super tacky worked well in wet

 

[erikkellison]

Those aren't trail tires though psycho, those are DH tires. They have a DH casing, and are too heavy to work well for lots of pedaling. Thanks for letting us know that they work well though.
Good to hear about Michelin, sad though. Why can't they use their good rubber on a lighter casing tire, and especially make a Comp16 like that??
So it looks like the Barracuda, the Nevegal and the High Roller might be the ways to go. The knobs on the Enduro and the Ignitor look too small to last, and too squirmy at speed. How long have you been riding one manwithgun, and in what kind of conditions?
I think I've seen 2.35" Minions for a brief period of time, but they don't make them anymore, according to Maxxis. I wouldn't mind one though.

 

[Jeremy R]

Does anyone have any actual saddle time on the Michelins? I love their DH tires, wanted to see if the XC/AM stuff could live up to the reputation.

For '07, Michelin is changing up the compound for their 2.2 AM tires.
The feedback they were getting from their riders on the new stuff was really good. I will know more when I get some ride time on some.
The current compound is not anything like their DH tires.
They roll fast, but some tires had a problem with chunking.
For next year they changed the compound and improved the cornering characteristics of the 2.2 All Mountain tire.

 

[frorider]

good to here the michelin 2.2s are getting improved.

my specialized 2.4 enduros mostly get used as a front tire on a mav 823 rim; the profile is good, and at 28 psi the cornering traction is better than many tires i've used. socal and tahoe area riding.

 

[JRogers]

For '07, Michelin is changing up the compound for their 2.2 AM tires.
The feedback they were getting from their riders on the new stuff was really good. I will know more when I get some ride time on some.
The current compound is not anything like their DH tires.
They roll fast, but some tires had a problem with chunking.
For next year they changed the compound and improved the cornering characteristics of the 2.2 All Mountain tire.

I think that with some tweaks, the Mich 2.2 All Mountain could be the best (or one of the best) all-around trail tires out there. I had great luck with the current version. The only problems I found were that they wore fast in hard conditions (one week in Colorado did about as much wear as a few months in Vermont) and drift a bit more easily than other tires. Well, that last fact wasn't really a "problem"- it just made it more fun for me because they had the most predictable drift of anything out there. Seriously...I had some nutty cornering going on with them. They did well on wet rocks and roots for me.

I had some 2.35 high roller USTs for a while...I thought they were the worst tires I've ever used...could have been because they were the ST version, but I'd be cautious...

 

[erikkellison]

I love information!
Any way to tell the new Michelin All Mountain 2.2" from the old ones? When will the new ones be available? MSRP? Colors (please say, "no, black only")?
JRogers, what were the conditions like in which the High Rollers failed you?