[DH Dad]

Without going to a full DH casing, which I don't want on my trailbike, the closest I've found is the Conti Vert Pro 2.3 UST which I'm now running. There's a world of difference between my old 2.5 wolfs and the 2.3 Conti. One feels like a lightweight DH tire with it's volume and ability to track through/over nasty rock gardens at speed where the other deflects and gets knocked off course quite easily especially when the rocks are wet.

I'm tempted to put tubes back in and run my 2.5 Weirwolf up front but thought I'd ask first to see if there were any other UST options. Haven't heard good things about the Maxxis 2.35 single casing tires either.

Anyone tried Stan's with a 2.5 Weirwolf Race?

 

[rnrdude]

I have been using Stan's with 2.5 Weirwolf Race's (front and back) for 2 seasons. I have had no problems getting it to seal as long as you soap the sides. I have had flats 3-4 times on the rear tire in rocky areas over 2 seasons (none on the front). This is a big improvement over tubes though. The race sidewalls are pretty thin for a big tire but that is how you are saving weight. I found that I could not run too low of pressure or I would get snake bites. I have to run about 32 lbs or more pressure and then it works fine for me even in pretty rocky areas. Personally I like the weirwolfs for the front but I am switching to a different tire in the rear that has wider knobbies. These tires don't bite quite enough for me in some circumstances in the rear.

I too had Conti Vertical Pros (with Stans) and they did not bite well enough for me either. They also are not even close to 2.3 but maybe 2.1. Another Tire you might consider is the Speciallized Roller Pro RS 2.3, 2.4 or 2.6. The RS (Reinforced Sidewall) is alittle heavier but more pinch flat resistant than the non RS models. The 2005 models are supposed to be alot better than the previous models and people seem to really like them. They are alittle heavier than the Weirwolfs but still much lighter than DH tires.

 

[dexter]

dude just run a single ply maxxis tire with a shot of sealant, been running this on my street bike, dh bike, and trailbike (matter of the 2 now have ust maxxis on them imho) and it works wonders

 

[Supa8]

Hutchinson Octopus. Really light for a DH tire. Just put one as a rear tire on my DHR. 2.3" but seems a bit bigger.

 

[dan-o]

I believe there is a certain level a tire must reach before they'll make it UST. The weirwolf is not there.

Maybe you're blinded by the walls of your various bandwagons, but UST certification only requires that the bead profile meet the UST standard. There has been a UST WeirWolf 2.1 for several years now.

 

[SCARY]

Lol!ha!

 

[binary visions]

Maybe you're blinded by the walls of your various bandwagons, but UST certification only requires that the bead profile meet the UST standard. There has been a UST WeirWolf 2.1 for several years now.

Um, stoney knows his stuff well enough to know that.

His point was, most tire companies won't produce a crappy tire and then produce the same crappy tire in a UST version, hence why most companies only produce their top of the line tires in both tubed and UST versions.

It was a dig at the tire and a commentary on how there are no other comperable tires because most companies don't produce crappy UST tires.

 

[dan-o]

I believe there is a certain level a tire must reach before they'll make it UST.

Thanks for the lesson in analytical reading there BV. Not sure what "level" stoney is referring to but I see enough WW tires around on the trails and OEM to suggest that they're selling well. If you guys dont like them whatever, I dont ride them either, but the original poster does so why inject the thread with useless opinions? One man's garbage is anothers gold.

My point was that the powers behind UST (mavic, Michelin and Hutchinson) welcome/encourage other brands to jumping on the UST bandwagon in an effort to legitimize the (still largely ignored) technology and that the only thing required to become certified was the willingness to pay for a tire mold and meet the bead standard.

 

[auntesther]

sheesh... I like em.

 

[MTB_Rob_NC]

Anyone tried Stan's with a 2.5 Weirwolf Race?

I dont want to put this thread back on topic, but.....

Yes I run the Weirwolf race on the front of my Heckler with a Mavic x3.1 and stans with no problem. I have also run them on the rear with my Mavic d3.1 with no problems. (I just chose to run a smaller tire in the rear most of the time)

Good luck

 

[dan-o]

oh, one last thing about the oem comment. That just means that they were willing to sell them for less then any other tire manufacturer. Nonthing more, nothing less.

Actually WTB tires are never the least expensive OEM option out there. The factory brands (Kenda, CST/Maxxis, IRC) are always, without exception, cheaper. But what do I know, I've only been on the manufacturing side of the industry for 10 years while you have years of internet experience and know sponsored riders...

 

[Kornphlake]

Everybody I've ever talked to who has actually ridden wierwolfs has said that maxxis or michelin tires are better for general conditions but wierwolfs can perform well in very specific conditions. If you only ride in the conditions in which wierwolfs work well then sure, why not use them.

I don't know about costing and such, I'd guess that wierwolfs are pretty comparable in cost to kenda, cst/maxxis, irc, possibly they give better deals to some of the big industry names like giant. Nobody specs a more expensive component over a cheaper one unless it has some bling factor like an XTR derailur or an easton handlebar or some real performance benefit like a better tire which the WTB doesn't seem to be. Maxxis and Michilen tires are as blingy as a tire can be, a manufacturer looking for a high end tire would spec one of those. A manufacturer looking for some cheap tire would pick a Kenda or WTB because they are just that, cheap. Specialized puts plenty of their S brand tires on their bikes does this mean that they are the best quality tire for the application? No, it just means that they found a way to make tires that are cheaper and "look" like other tires which means they "should" perform as well as other tires.

You may have worked in the industry for 10 years but your facts are flying in the face of logic at this point.

BTW Stoney is one of the more respectable members of this community, he knows his stuff because he's been sponsored by lots of the companies we talk about and isn't afraid to trash talk them because he seems to have a knack for finding new sponsors every season, he's worked in a shop forever and generally knows his stuff.

 

[frorider]

my fave setup these days is the 2.3 specialized roller pro on the rear, and either the 2.35 or 2.5 kenda blue groove up front. all these tires have excellent performance (for their weight) and work fine w/ Stan's.

i had 2.5 race weirwolfs that came stock on my bike 2 yrs ago. for a light weigth trailride bike, their volume helped in straight-ahead rocky sections, but overall the tire is pretty lame for california conditions. Not much grip on large smooth rocks, and the cornering grip is inferior to other medium weight tires (like the blue groove). this tire ended up on a lot of bikes as OEM (read: cheap) equipment, so you do see a lot of them out there, but everyone I know who has tried the blue groove has tossed the weirwolf in the trash.

however i think the latest WW version uses a dual compound, which might help.

 

[Kornphlake]

right I didn't mean you trash talk, as in make up stories about how bad a product is. I meant that you don't have any qualms about speaking the truth about a product you've tried and tested even if they are or were a sponsor.