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Complete Guide to Downhill Rubber

jstuhlman

bagpipe wanker
Dec 3, 2009
16,693
13,039
Cackalacka du Nord
Hey @Gary . . . forget about those shitty under-knobbed tires. Why use them when you could use the newest and greatest tire that uses ALL the lugs!!! and look, the center lugs even have their own mini-lugs!!!


*holy mother of god, i can't bear to look at it . . .

 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,006
Seattle
Hey @Gary . . . forget about those shitty under-knobbed tires. Why use them when you could use the newest and greatest tire that uses ALL the lugs!!! and look, the center lugs even have their own mini-lugs!!!


*holy mother of god, i can't bear to look at it . . .

That's an April Fool's joke that I just missed, right?
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,648
5,562
UK
Those grips are pretty awesome huh?
Honestly. They creep me out every time I initially lay my paws on 'em... but yeah.. the ribbing doesn't seem to squirm noticeably much at all in use. I've have no chance to ride that bike properly yet tho. the other YT I've had most time on actually had those Race Face grips I really liked (but admittedly haven't gotten real sweaty with)

Oh.. and it turns out 27.5 DHFs are only available in 2.3 as well. WTF???

ENDURO IS SO FUCKING GAY

:(
 

SkaredShtles

Michael Bolton
Sep 21, 2003
65,704
12,739
In a van.... down by the river
Honestly. They creep me out every time I initially lay my paws on 'em... but yeah.. the ribbing doesn't seem to squirm noticeably much at all in use. I've have no chance to ride that bike properly yet tho. the other YT I've had most time on actually had those Race Face grips I really liked (but admittedly haven't gotten real sweaty with)

Oh.. and it turns out 27.5 DHFs are only available in 2.3 as well. WTF???

ENDURO IS SO FUCKING GAY

:(
#ScottishStruggleIsReal ?
 

SylentK

Turbo Monkey
Feb 25, 2004
2,328
874
coloRADo
Oh.. and it turns out 27.5 DHFs are only available in 2.3 as well. WTF??? [/QUOTE said:
Where are you looking? Maxxis.com is where I go. Take a look. 27.5 DHF's are avail in 2.5 as well. Look under Downhill. If you want lighter casing 2.5's then you have to go WT style. If you don't have at wide rims, then the heavy DH casing is for you.
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,648
5,562
UK
Where are you looking?
I was looking at the two tyres I have (the bike came fitted with 27.5x2.4 exo Highroller IIs). Highroller IIs are fine. BUT I WANT a DHF, DHFII or DHR II up front 'coz that's how I LIKE a front tyre to perform. Only thing is. I absolutely DO NOT WANT a front tyre smaller than the rear.Yes. I checked the Maxxis site. and I honestly can't understand Why Maxxis make the HRII exos in 2.4 but not the DHF/II/DHRII... but then I can't understand why they ever discontinued the Bling Bling...

I don't need or want 27.5 Dual Ply tyres in my life and certainly not on a bike I'm likely to be doing rides with 10000ft of climbing.
I have an entire shed full of 26" Dual plys and proper DH wheels to use on DHO days.

Thanks for your help everyone but HRIIs front and rear'll have to do. my head's done in with reading tyre specs.
 

Flo33

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2015
2,067
1,306
Styria
Ya should've bought a bike with a decent wheel size.
:rofl:




But I'm feeling with you, I want a DHF and a DHR II in 26x2.5 TR. The "normal" ones are a real PITA to setup tubeless.
 
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Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,648
5,562
UK
That BB is high enough
Strong wheel BB height is 12.8"

I'm not gonna argue whether that's high enough for a 170mm bike because I don't ride where you do. But being the one out of the two of us who's actually tried it in the places I ride. I know what my conclusion is.

Ya should've bought a bike with a decent wheel size.
:rofl:
If only... if only :'(
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Strong wheel BB height is 12.8"
(
Perfect!

Where I mostly ride is as rocky as anywhere. And I've ridden 12.5-13" trail bikes all over the western half of the US and southwestern BC. My 160mm bike is 12.7. It's the pilot not the terrain. I practice a very seldom used approach called "looking at what the fuck you're about to ride over". Seems to work. And running into things descending on a bike that low is................................ [HIGH PITCHED VOICE] awesome[/HIGH PITCHED VOICE]
 
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'size

Turbo Monkey
May 30, 2007
2,000
338
AZ
Perfect!

Where I mostly ride is as rocky as anywhere. And I've ridden 12.5-13" trail bikes all over the western half of the US and southwestern BC. My 160mm bike is 12.7. It's the pilot not the terrain. I practice a very seldom used approach called "looking at what the fuck you're about to ride over". Seems to work. And running into things descending on a bike that low is................................ [HIGH PITCHED VOICE] awesome[/HIGH PITCHED VOICE]
i'm just finishing up a 140/160 bike designed around 650b and am (of course) running REALWHEELS™ on it. can't wait to get it out and see what a 13" BB is like. may have to pull the butcher and throw the wildrockr'2 on the front while i'm at at to see how much trouble i can get myself into.
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,648
5,562
UK
Perfect!

Where I mostly ride is as rocky as anywhere. And I've ridden 12.5-13" trail bikes all over the western half of the US and southwestern BC. My 160mm bike is 12.7. It's the pilot not the terrain. I practice a very seldom used approach called "looking at what the fuck you're about to ride over". Seems to work. And running into things descending on a bike that low is................................ does NOT have deep narrow ruts that form on naturally cut steep tracks by rain/wet riding! [HIGH PITCHED VOICE] awesome[/HIGH PITCHED VOICE]
Trust me dude. Come to the UK and you'll rip the soles clean off your shoes and get spat on your face. pedals level and stopped dead... I have the shoes, bent pedal axles and face to prove it. ;)
I'm a huge fan of the cornering you get from properly low BB bikes. I've said as much here many times. but there are far too many unridabru descents here on such [/B] [HIGH PITCHED VOICE] awesome[/HIGH PITCHED VOICE][/QUOTE] low bikes.
Most of our official DH (race) tracks don't have such shitty ruttage. Although there is one in Wales that fucked me right up too. I believe it's been worked on since.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
:rofl:

Do the math on a sagged 6.5" travel bike and a 'normal BB height' dh bike.

If I had a dollar for every time someone told me a bike that low just "wouldn't work here" and then I ride with them.............

Half an inch is not a different sport. There's that much variation just in bike models.

Based on those pedal reports though, I'm really going to need to see some video of you trying to ride that bike with 26" wheels on it. It's the only way. Lots and lots of video of that.
 
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kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
i'm just finishing up a 140/160 bike designed around 650b and am (of course) running REALWHEELS™ on it. can't wait to get it out and see what a 13" BB is like. may have to pull the butcher and throw the wildrockr'2 on the front while i'm at at to see how much trouble i can get myself into.
You're in AZ so I'm sure surfing around on gravel is a common occurrence. You gonna luv it.

What bike you get?
 
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HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,006
Seattle
Watch out for ruts!!
Actually got taken out by one yesterday. I was riding a trail I know well, but hadn't ridden in a couple months. There's a little steep rooty section that you can roll, or just carry some speed into and huck if you like to party. I went for option b), only to discover that there's a new rut at the bottom of it. Landed with my front wheel on the edge of it, slid in, got caught, and went OTB.

A higher BB wouldn't have helped one bit. :D
 

Gary

"S" is for "neo-luddite"
Aug 27, 2002
7,648
5,562
UK
Do the math on a sagged 6.5" travel bike and a 'normal BB height' dh bike.
Whassat?? Oh.. the nerdy* boy at the front is missing @Udi's math classes..


*Autocorrect wanted to say "needy"... inclined to agree for once. ;)
 

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,329
5,085
Ottawa, Canada
I just want to know what this DHFII is that you guys are talking about. I don't see it on Maxxis' website. FWIW, I just ordered a 26" 2.5 DHF EXO TR 3C. I will pair it with a 2.3 EXO DHRII in the rear. And when Maxxis finally makes the 26" Aggressor DD available, I will get one of those as my rear dry conditions tire, and possible a 2.3 DHR II DD as my wet tire. Always with the DHF in the front.
 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,006
Seattle
I just want to know what this DHFII is that you guys are talking about. I don't see it on Maxxis' website.
That was just Gary. There's no DHF2.

:blink:

Where did you find that? Only one I can see is a 26"x2.30 3C/EXO/TR.
That also isn't a thing. The 26" 2.5 Exo DHF isn't officially tubeless ready, though I've used them tubeless without issue.
 

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent
Jul 2, 2002
13,683
4,912
North Van
That actually does look half decent. I have no idea if WTB does a decent job with their casing or tread compounds though, since almost everything they've ever made has a tread pattern that's been a non-starter for me.
I am currently riding a WTB trail boss on the back of my trail bike. I'm not sure I'm in love with it, but it has stood up well so far. I like their prices too...
 

Flo33

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2015
2,067
1,306
Styria
That also isn't a thing. The 26" 2.5 Exo DHF isn't officially tubeless ready, though I've used them tubeless without issue.
Me too, but the installation was a PITA process on my Crossmax SX and ZTR Flow. On the UST Mavics I needed a compressor, the ZTRs needed two layers of tape and a compressor.
 

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,329
5,085
Ottawa, Canada
:blink:

Where did you find that? Only one I can see is a 26"x2.30 3C/EXO/TR.
hmmm. well, I just picked it up today from the shop. you're right, it's not explicitely TR. I guess I assumed all new tires are TR. I guess I'll be finding out if that's the case this week. for clarity its a 26" 2.5 DHF EXO Max Terra.