What new tyre should I try?

chic06 · Feb 27, 2009

Kenda Excavators, best tire i've ever used, Minion DHF's aren't bad either, but the knobs start to fall off when they get a little worn in

shakedown · Feb 27, 2009

specialized clutch, kind of a mix of minion dhf and dhr. holds up much better and cheaper.

William42 · Feb 27, 2009

Being the weight weenie you are, I'd expect you to be trying out schwalbe tires

boogenman · Feb 27, 2009

Intense tires are great. I will be trying them this summer after 5 years on Maxxis.

2.5 Intruder is a good all around/wet tire.

bullcrew · Feb 27, 2009

Some info for schwalbe

http://content.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=213477&highlight=schwalbe

homepiece · Feb 27, 2009

2nd the excavators.

nenjarickard · Feb 27, 2009

In semi-loose try Swamp things, in serious mud/all-around try Wet screams with cut down middle spikes.

Edit: Living in Sweden wich very oftenly is wet, not always seriously muddy though and i'm trying a set of 42a Swap things atm. First ride felt nice, they're also a bit lighter then for example minions i think.

Edit again: Also Continental got new interesting tires coming, check em out.

al-irl · Feb 27, 2009

get some wet scream 2.5s them and high rollers is all you need. Although maybe a normal set of wet screams and a cut down set.

Theres plenty of good alternatives to the high roller if you want an allround do everything tire. Mich comp16 are what i ride at the moment and love them. The hutchinson baracudas are pretty damn good too like a high roller but roll faster, and have a fraction less grip which means more drifting.

tried the schwalbes didn't rate them at all. They tended to slip out under hard cornering.

djamgils · Feb 27, 2009

The one most right is a Der Kaiser and the second on the right is Rain King from Continental.

Tude86 · Feb 27, 2009

How do you cut your middle knobs in wet scream? Half away or the whole knob? Every knob or like every 2nd one?

dh gangster · Feb 27, 2009

Cut both middle knobs all the way around the tire. Cut them at an angle so that they are directionally ramped for faster rolling and more braking bite.
Wetscreams absolutely rip they almost wont even drift, but they are a bit slow.

For me my favorite tire combo that I have raced for the past two years that I really like is a Minion DHF on the front and a High roller on the rear. Fast rolling, plenty of front tire bite, and predictable.

davep · Feb 27, 2009

^^ agreed, that combo works quite well around here. Lot of wet, but not much thick, sticky, greasy mud (where a dedicated spike mud would be prefered).

????? · Feb 28, 2009

How do the Michelin 2.2 Mud 3's compare to the Maxxis 2.5 Wet Screams?

norbar · Feb 28, 2009

- seb said:
I should have stated in my original post that I'm a racer and that going quick matters more than anything else, so no point recommending good long-lasting trail tyres etc.

William - what Schwalbes should I be looking at, I don't really know anything about them?

I'm also a tubeless addict, currently running Maxxis DH-casing tyres tubeless with a bit of sealant in them. The Maxxis UST tyres were super light but ripped around the bead

Super Light? Their website states HR 2.5'' as 1300g in ust!
But if you are a tubeless addict I'd go with hutchinson barracuda. They've changed them a bit for 09 or 08 but I think the softest tire should still be the greatest thing I've tried in years.

Djamgils can you tell me a bit more about kaiser? I remember conti tires being light but they pinched very easily and like to go sideways on lower pressures (ie. like single plys). Is it still true for kaiser? Also is it available in ust?

Jonny5 · Feb 28, 2009

same question as about about the conti

Sir_Crackien · Feb 28, 2009

3rd the excavators. ran them last year and loved them and that was at snowshoe and all you know how muddy that place can get

rewster · Feb 28, 2009

anyone had ride time on the diggas? thoughts?

djamgils · Feb 28, 2009

norbar said:
Djamgils can you tell me a bit more about kaiser? I remember conti tires being light but they pinched very easily and like to go sideways on lower pressures (ie. like single plys). Is it still true for kaiser? Also is it available in ust?

I have the 2.5 Der Kaisers. They weigh about 1200gram.

They have a super stiff sidewall. Roughly the first 1.5cm from the rim to the thread is like 4 ply (very stiff) And the top is more like a regular single or dual ply. So you wont be able to pich flat those probably.

the picture on their website showed a tyre that was more like a minion so thats why I bought it. But aparently that was a prototype and the actual tyre is a bit different. I like to have a lot of side surface with the knobs like a minion.

The compound is really soft but doesnt wear. They use nanotubes to keep the strength and durability up.
I have only ridden them on our local trials (no extreme DH) they did fine. The dirt there is very loose and moist most of the times so the grip of the compound wasnt really tested. Wetscreams have more grip there but are a lot slower. Currently I am riding swampthings there and they are very good in those conditions.

ridiculous · Feb 28, 2009

rewster said:
anyone had ride time on the diggas? thoughts?

I ran a set of diggas last year. A great tire on the roots and in the moss like its advertised. A very soft compound that sealed up very welll for me. Never had any major issues with tearing or burping. I did get a puncture right through the tread once, only had to stop because the stans in my tire had already dried up. A very soft compound tire, but I wasnt very happy with the grip while cornering. Also quite a heavy tire I think mine were 1360g!

Looking at my first set of maxxis tires for this year. Thinking about highrollers f&r or high roller r and dhf F. Any thoughts? I ride mainly at snowshoe.

norbar · Feb 28, 2009

djamgils said:
I have the 2.5 Der Kaisers. They weigh about 1200gram.

They have a super stiff sidewall. Roughly the first 1.5cm from the rim to the thread is like 4 ply (very stiff) And the top is more like a regular single or dual ply. So you wont be able to pich flat those probably.

the picture on their website showed a tyre that was more like a minion so thats why I bought it. But aparently that was a prototype and the actual tyre is a bit different. I like to have a lot of side surface with the knobs like a minion.

The compound is really soft but doesnt wear. They use nanotubes to keep the strength and durability up.
I have only ridden them on our local trials (no extreme DH) they did fine. The dirt there is very loose and moist most of the times so the grip of the compound wasnt really tested. Wetscreams have more grip there but are a lot slower. Currently I am riding swampthings there and they are very good in those conditions.

Do you got them in UST or is it not possible?

Also how they perform on wet roots, off cabers, wet stones and off camber wet roots

I want the performance of my barracudas but the weight is killing me.

djamgils · Feb 28, 2009

norbar said:
Do you got them in UST or is it not possible?

Also how they perform on wet roots, off cabers, wet stones and off camber wet roots I want the performance of my barracudas but the weight is killing me.

I dont have UST and I think they are not available (yet?)

My local trails has a comlete lack of roots and stones so cant comment on that.

the biggest hill in holland.

I spoke to some guys at the IXS race in bad wildbad that used them (but they also where sponsored by continental) They really liked them and were doing almost the entire season with one set of tyres. they performed similar if not better then minions according to them.

norbar · Feb 28, 2009

Don't tell me about small hills it's still bigger than the ones in my city. I live in Poland but have like 300km to the nearest mountains

Getting my under g. degree and I'm moving as far as possible from here

Coming back to contis. Do you have any experiance with their older tires? Stiffer laterally or still the same?

norbar · Feb 28, 2009

Yeah but they are much smaller than regular 2.35''s Also I'm curious why hutchinson drops only 50g between 2.5 and 2.35'' while maxxis looses that much.

huntandride · Feb 28, 2009

Does anyone have any time on the Rain Kings. They look pretty good. I'd be riding them at northstar if the helps. The kaiser looks similar the a highroller. How does that ride?

ciszewski · Mar 1, 2009

On a wetscream note. Which width is best, it seems 2.5 is most popular, but my very basic mud tire/tyre senses tell me skinnier is better to cut through mud. So I was thinking 2.2. Is there a reason everybody rides 2.5's, are they actually really skinny?

norbar · Mar 1, 2009

I have both 2.5 and 2.2 wetscreams and they both seem almost the same size. The differance is smaller than the sizing would suggest. 2.5 wetscream looks really like my 2.1 panracer fire XC.

cntstpthestnk06 · Mar 1, 2009

- seb said:
Currently all I have in my life are Maxxis Highrollers and Michelin Mud 3s. I used to use the rest of the Michelin range before I switched to Maxxis. I've NEVER used a swampthing/wetscream/minion.

I like to keep things simple, don't want to have 6 different sets of tyres, so let's say I go from my current 2 sets to 3 sets, what should the new one be? I'm thinking WetScreams tbh, I love the look of them and plenty of riders seem to be stomping with them these days...

kenda excavators are awesome!

BmxConvert · Mar 1, 2009

norbar said:
I have both 2.5 and 2.2 wetscreams and they both seem almost the same size. The differance is smaller than the sizing would suggest. 2.5 wetscream looks really like my 2.1 panracer fire XC.

The knobs are WAY different on the 2.2 WetScream than the 2.5 WetScream.
I have both and the knobs on the 2.2's are tiny. They are still tall, though not as tall as a 2.5's knobs. The tire width is also pretty significantly different. The 2.5 is a fairly narrow tire and on par with some 2.35's, however the 2.2 is more like a 2.0.

2.2 Wetscream Tread

2.5 WetScream Tread

I've been impressed with running a Kenda Telonix up front and a Tioga Team DH out back(if you can find one). I think the replacement for the Facotry DH is the Blue Dragon?

-Kevin

dhkid · Mar 2, 2009

if you want to try something interesting, try the hutchinson barracudas... they roll very very fast, but have big side knobs, close to what a comp 16 have. so in slightly loose conditions, they dig in better then high rollers.

as for racing, the only two tires i use in the uk are high rollers and wet screams. both ust.

wet screams aren't as sketch mud 3s on roots, i would even go to say that they aren't any different from high rollers.

if i had some cash lying around, would have a second pair of spikes, cut down, you can run them where its just moist enough for them to dig in (basically anything except bone dry/dusty, but i have still run them in those conditions with great success). they roll a bit slow but still better then full length ones. but they offer a lot more grip then what a high roller can offer.

numerik · Mar 2, 2009

Out team use Hutchinson tires. Baraccudas are awsome, very soft, strong sidewall (new HARDSKIN since 08), they really "carve" in corners. Compared to Maxxis Hr or Minion, the knobs do not fall off, they wear down. So you still have knobs after hard use. But on hardpack, the soft compound wear out very fast. It's a compromise. Race only.

norbar · Mar 2, 2009

Have you tried the old ones? I've used the 07 barracudas low. Are the new ones even better?

Orfen · Mar 2, 2009

numerik said:
Out team use Hutcinson tires. Baraccudas are awsome, very soft, strong sidewall (new HARDSKIN since 08), they really "carve" in corners. Compared to Maxxis Hr or Minion, the knobs do not fall off, they wear down. So you still have knobs after hard use. But on hardpack, the soft compound wear out very fast. It's a compromise. Race only.

is that a new tire company?

the least you can do for your sponsor is spell their name correctly. :clue:

numerik · Mar 2, 2009

norbar said:
Have you tried the old ones? I've used the 07 barracudas low. Are the new ones even better?

Yes. The HARDSKIN tires are better due to a stronger sidewall construction. The old ones are not nearly that stiff. I usually run 1.8-2.2 bar (with tubes) and i don't remember I flatted one yet. In moist, softer track condition I would run these over HR anytime.

Uncle Cliffy · Aug 21, 2009

Bump.

Just got a Der Kaiser to try out. I'll be rotating it from an Intense SS to a Rocky Flatline. I have it mounted to an 823 rim tubeless with some Stans. My local trails are made up of decomposed granite. Traction is usually better in the fall/winter/spring. Right now it's really dry and loose... I will also do some tests in duffy moon dust at a nearby ski hill...

After one ride on some dry hardpack results seem good. Too bad I don't have one for the rear too. Can't tell yet if it's a fast roller or not.

Foxbat · Aug 29, 2009

Uncle Cliffy said:
Bump.

Just got a Der Kaiser to try out. I'll be rotating it from an Intense SS to a Rocky Flatline. I have it mounted to an 823 rim tubeless with some Stans. My local trails are made up of decomposed granite. Traction is usually better in the fall/winter/spring. Right now it's really dry and loose... I will also do some tests in duffy moon dust at a nearby ski hill...

After one ride on some dry hardpack results seem good. Too bad I don't have one for the rear too. Can't tell yet if it's a fast roller or not.

Uncle Cliffy,

How are the Der Kaiser working out?

What new tyre should I try?

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