strong 24" tire advice + big front tire question

You've heard correctly: Odyssey tires are the ****. The Paths will last longer for street riding, but the Aitkens aren't bad considering they're mostly a dirt tire. I know two guys that ride HARD on some of the 2.25 Aitkens, grinds and all, and they swear by them. If you're worried about going through them too fast, buy the cheaper steel bead versions (P-Lyte). They also make a Dirt Path, which is just a more aggressive Path.

Another good option: Specialized Rhythms

There are a few reasons for the fat front tire/small rear tire combo:

-Generally in bicycling, there's a greater chance for the front tire to wash out under cornering and such than the rear (since we're not dealing w/ motors here).

-Fatter tires have more air volume, which provide a larger contact patch and increase traction, reducing the chance of a wash out. They also absorb impacts better for this very reason. Your legs can soak up a lot more force than your arms and wrists can, so a little more cush up front couldn't hurt.

-Since most people don't produce enough torque to spin out, going with a slightly thinner rear tire will reduce rotational weight and rolling resistance, which will equal a bike that is lighter and accelerates faster. I believe racers started doing this set up first though.

-Of course, the trend spread and stuck. Most complete bikes these days feature different or specific front and rear tires. Most kids don't know why except for that it looks cool and "that's how the pros run it," but there are benefits to this set up.

-There are also some frames out there that have restrictions on tire size because of clearance issues. That combined with the type of brake caliper can also limit max rear tire width.

I've run matching tires and un-matching tires at various points in my life, and I've never really been able to notice a drastic difference. It may tip the scales a little lighter, but I usually run the same tire front and rear these days because I really like the way fat tires ride.

id advise against a spec rhythm if youre doing grinds. i love the tire for the front, however i ride strictly dirt. the sidewalls would shred after 10 grinds id bet

I ride the aitken 2.25 p-lyte front and the 2.1 p-lyte path rear on my liquid. best tires for the price hands down, great on most dirt as well as street. Definitely durable enough for grinds, I do em all the time. I've also gotten away with running a tioga powerblock for street at high psi, however if you beat on bikes I wouldn't recommend it.

whoa whoa whoa, im on a liquid too. holy roller rear, spec rhythm lite front

tabletops are good too.. a bit expensive though, and they wear out fast if you ride street.