Supposedly the newer GRID casing (as the Slaughter would have) is quite a bit burlier than the old stuff. If I recall correctly it's more like the SX casing they used to do, but with a tubeless bead.
Complete Guide to Downhill Rubber
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Hmmm, interesting. As I recall, SX was being compared to EXO back in the day... is that still the case? As a rear tire, I'm really looking for something burlier than EXO. Super-Gravity casing by Schwalbe is about right. Would you say GRID compares to that?
as said, grid is the new sx
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I like them a lot. I like the fact that I don't have to think about them. They just work.
I'm running front and rear. They have plenty of traction. Side knobs and cornering are great. Predictable. Maybe not your tire if you want the rear to break loose and slide easily in turns.
Thinking more about it now, these tires have seen mostly hero dirt-like conditions. But on the little dry and loose bits these tires have seen, they did great.
And the DD is legit. Tough tire. Although I did get a rear pinch flat on Porcupine in Moab. But any tire prolly woulda at that psi. Just needed more psi.
At 2.3 its kinda skinny IMO. And these things are heavy. ~1200g I think?
doesn't specialized sells tires direct and ship globally??
edit: oh yea, 1 ride on the Minion SS in the rear and I love it. durability and variable conditions TBD, but it's fast up, rolls great, setup easily and corners awesome. So long as the thing doesn't self destruct I'm (so far) a fan for typical front range CO trail riding. I wish it was a bit wider, even a "maxxis" 2.5.
edit: oh yea, 1 ride on the Minion SS in the rear and I love it. durability and variable conditions TBD, but it's fast up, rolls great, setup easily and corners awesome. So long as the thing doesn't self destruct I'm (so far) a fan for typical front range CO trail riding. I wish it was a bit wider, even a "maxxis" 2.5.
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Hows climbing traction with the semi-slicks? Trying to decide on a replacement for my rear HR2, and generally like the HR2. but it never really gripped on technical climbs. Loose or hardpack, I seem to always spin the thing, unless I run the pressure rim-dentingly low. Is the higher number of smaller knobs may be enough to overcome their general small-ness?
Honestly, it's pretty shitty. Most of my climbs are on fire roads so it's fine if I exercise even a little bit of self control and don't just mash has hard as I can with no regard for smoothness, but if I climbed more technical stuff more often I probably wouldn't run one.
Edit: I should add that it's mostly bad in the wet. On dry hardpack and loose rock and so on they're fine.
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Take a chance with the Onza Ibex 3C. It's almost an exact copy of the HR2, but with a grippier rubber compound. I have used it as a rear tire on wet rock and loose over hardpack, and it hooks a lot better than the HR2s. Also the side knobs are a bit softer so they bite the ground harder, and the transition knobs have a better spacing than the Maxxis ones. You don't have to wait until the side knobs engage, leaning the bike seems more natural than with the HR2 it replaced.
this has been my experience too. In Sedona, the Rock Razor was a champ, just climbed everything. Back home (east coast rox), the Slaughter is ok, but definitely slips out when things are moist and greasy. I'm ok with that though, for now. If we get a prolonged spell of wet, I might be looking for an alternative. To be honest, I liked the Conti X-King in mixed conditions... they just need to introduce it with their Apex casing...
Anyone have experience on Conti's Der Baron Projekt (2.4 with Apex Casing)? Looks kinda interesting...
That does look interesting on paper. I'm wondering how in the hell they get a 240tpi/180tpi casing tire under 1000g. My guess is the knobbies are made out of foam with a thin layer of rubber over them?
Wet? We don't have that around here. Sounds like the Minion SS isn't my huckleberry anyway though, lots of cruising at a moderate pace, then mashing to get up some rocks or steep rutted out corner. That's where I find myself constantly struggling to find grip, the tires that provide said grip tend to be really, really slow, as in I almost don't need brakes going downhill because the tires roll so slow.
$50 a tire, I'll give them a shot, can always burn it off on the shitty pavers at Snow Summit if I don't like it. tread pattern looks reasonable, and they're a ton lighter than Maxxis.
And hey, Gwin seems to be doing just fine on Onza...
My experience with the Minion SS has been good. Conditions here have been mixed from greasy, to dry, to dusty and they hook up surprisingly well across those. I figured it was mostly due to the tread being fresh and traction would diminish with wear, but it is still going strong at about 500 miles in. Pressure is a factor for sure, but I don't run anything crazy low - 27-30psi.
I was just gifted a pair of 26" DH tires, (still have some whiskers on them!!)
One of the crew went to wagon-wheels-in-training, so was clearing out his stock of unridabru gear.
2.5 ST Minion DHF
2.35 Bonty G5
Planning running them for a Bromont trip later this summer,
I'm going to assume Minion on front, G5 on rear?
One of the crew went to wagon-wheels-in-training, so was clearing out his stock of unridabru gear.
2.5 ST Minion DHF
2.35 Bonty G5
Planning running them for a Bromont trip later this summer,
I'm going to assume Minion on front, G5 on rear?
Barel's Mavic rear tire for La Thuile:
Cutting half of the knobs out to get a tire for agressive riding...
Awesome.
Cutting half of the knobs out to get a tire for agressive riding...
Awesome.
^Turd polished
And then puked on.
And then shat on.
That's literally pooping on poop. You know what that leaves you?
That leaves you moar poop.
And then puked on.
And then shat on.
That's literally pooping on poop. You know what that leaves you?
That leaves you moar poop.
Definitely put that G5 on the back.
And then go to a store and buy another G5 to put on the front.
Tomahawk EXO after ~500 miles of east coast flow (read roots) and rox.
Will not bang again. Next stop: Minion SS
Will not bang again. Next stop: Minion SS
I installed a 2.3 Minion SS rear and a 2.3 Minion DHF front on my Honzo (29'er hardtail) yesterday. The EXO sidewalls feel reasonably thick - way more so than Butcher control, and slightly better than Ardent 2.4. The Minions seated tubeless perfectly on the first try without needing more than 30 psi.
I went for a test ride at my local park where it is currently very dry and dusty. Some roots but almost no rocks. The DHF was what I expected since it's all I use on my DH bike anyway, but it's been a while since using it on a trail bike. The SS worked really well. No grip issues climbing, and braking was just as good as anything else I've used, and definitely better than the 2.2 Ardent the bike came with. Cornering was consistent. I need a few more rides and we'll see how long they last, but I think I have found a new favorite tire combo for this bike.
I went for a test ride at my local park where it is currently very dry and dusty. Some roots but almost no rocks. The DHF was what I expected since it's all I use on my DH bike anyway, but it's been a while since using it on a trail bike. The SS worked really well. No grip issues climbing, and braking was just as good as anything else I've used, and definitely better than the 2.2 Ardent the bike came with. Cornering was consistent. I need a few more rides and we'll see how long they last, but I think I have found a new favorite tire combo for this bike.
New Schwalbe Fat Albert:
Front tire:
Rear tire:
Awkward stuff...
Front tire:
Rear tire:
Awkward stuff...
What's that? Old Michelin tire from back in the days?
Did you guys see this one on PB?
PB said:
Aww, those wittle sideknobs are so CUTE!!
I'm starting to think that Michelin just got really lucky with the Wild Rock'r2 because everything else they've done recently has been stupid.
It does! It's like wildrockr 1.5.
What is the advantage of staggering the side knobs like shown on the 1.5?
A bit OT, but me thinks E.T. has the Super Séb look in this pic.I dunno, this proto front tire looks pretty good.
It helps a tire designer's boss think he knows what he's doing.
Gravey's new tires:
deets on the new butcher.
http://pinkbike.com/news/ews-race-tech-jared-graves-new-specialized-tires.html
http://pinkbike.com/news/ews-race-tech-jared-graves-new-specialized-tires.html
Because just making a trail casing version of the 2.5 butcher they already have the mold for would just confuse the dentists.