[duomaxwell]

Hi, I'm new to mountain biking and recently got a 2011 Trek Gary Fisher Marlin, the stock tires slip like crazy going uphill and the rear tire drifts often on while taking corners.
So now I'm looking for new tires to help prevent this slipping issue, the trails I've been riding on are mostly loose rocks/ loose soil over hardpack. Looking for something that has more traction than the bontrager 29-2, but still rolls fast and corners well. Looking to spend up to $80. Any good tire recommendations would be very helpful as I don't really know whats good and what isn't.

 

[shiggy]

Hi, I'm new to mountain biking and recently got a 2011 Trek Gary Fisher Marlin, the stock tires slip like crazy going uphill and the rear tire drifts often on while taking corners.
So now I'm looking for new tires to help prevent this slipping issue, the trails I've been riding on are mostly loose rocks/ loose soil over hardpack. Looking for something that has more traction than the bontrager 29-2, but still rolls fast and corners well. Looking to spend up to $80. Any good tire recommendations would be very helpful as I don't really know whats good and what isn't.

Try adjusting the tire pressure first. Can make a huge difference.

There is nothing inherently bad about the 29-2. It is generally a good tire.

As you are relatively new to mtbing it is likely technique is a bigger factor than the tires. You are better off keeping what you have while developing new skills.

When I started riding I had traction issues using wide aggressive tires. Two years later I could ride the same trails using 1-inch wide slicks.

 

[duomaxwell]

Yeah, I talked to the owner of the shop where i bought my bike and he told me the exact same thing. He recommended lowering the tire pressure to around 30-35 psi ( i weight about 160lbs) and told me I'm probably slipping on the uphill because I'm standing over the middle of the bike instead of over the seat or something to that effect.

 

[alpine slug]

When I started riding I had traction issues using wide aggressive tires. Two years later I could ride the same trails using 1-inch wide slicks.

What shiggy said.

A bicycle isn't a car. It doesn't do much for you; you have to do most of the work.

Traction issues tend to be rider technique issues.

There's all sorts of ways to learn better technique for climbing traction, and the one easiest for you to access is YOU! Experiment with different postures on the bike while climbing. Slide forward on the saddle. Bend at the waist and get your chest closer to the frame's top tube. Pull back on the handlebar as if you're trying to pull it straight into your gut.

Climbing also has to do with gear selection. Too big a gear and your legs will hit their maximum quickly and your knees may start aching. Too small a gear and your pedals will turn so quickly that you feel wobbly and sketchy on the climb.

Standing-climbing requires you to have your hips at a "magic spot" or "sweet spot" in relation to the crankset/bottom bracket. If your hips are ahead of that spot, your rear wheel will be prone to spinning out rather than digging in. If you're behind that spot, the front wheel will be very light and you will wheelie a bit with each pedal surge.

It also helps to have a good strong core (abs & lower back) because climbing is all about power + leverage and the "leverage" part requires a firm core.

Practice!

 

[JLStout]

If you only weigh 160, you can go a lot lower than 30psi. I am 220 and run 30 in the back. Just got to ride light.

 

[alpine slug]

Yes and no.

I weigh 150 and ride "light" -- not a plow/sled rider by any means -- and I have a tough time working with less than 28psi in rear tires. The only place it works for me to run low pressure (low = 25psi or lower) is perfect dirt, or pavement. And in those conditions a soft tire feels slow and draggy.

I know another rider who weighs about the same and can run low 20s. Different riding style, much different cornering style, accounts for that.

Worth trying softer tires though. Just good to do it in small chunks. A person reading 29er stuff on Empty Beer might think it's required to run 20 psi because all the trendy fad-of-the-moment e-riders are talking about it. Dropping from 35 psi to 20 psi is a radical change and could easily result in a destroyed wheel or two ...instead of pinging off a rock, a flat and a smashed rim!