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Complete Guide to Downhill Rubber

ebarker9

Monkey
Oct 2, 2007
848
242
Largely preventable by running higher air pressure.
Darn. That seems crazy. I'm really only running a few psi less than a lot of the WC guys, which seems reasonable given the difference in rider weight/amount of force being transmitted through them. Then again, those guys don't necessarily ride a set of tires for very long.
 

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,289
5,029
Ottawa, Canada
Darn. That seems crazy. I'm really only running a few psi less than a lot of the WC guys, which seems reasonable given the difference in rider weight/amount of force being transmitted through them. Then again, those guys don't necessarily ride a set of tires for very long.
was gonna say... they don't run their tires for longevity.
 

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,648
3,089
Looks a lot like the Medusa of old with some sturdier side knobs. Old Shorty has better supported cornering knobs though.
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,480
4,720
Australia
Urgh.... why EXO?
WHY!!!!!!!!
If you're just riding loamers or muddy/grassy stuff EXO would be ok on a trail bike I guess. More importantly, they're doing DD and DH casings. Some of their other new tyres were delayed in the DD casing for a long time.
 

Bikael Molton

goofy for life
Jun 9, 2003
4,010
1,146
El Lay
That photo (rendering?) makes it look like the side knobs are truly on the sidewalls and not oriented toward the contact patch. I hope that's just an illusion.
 

Sandwich

Pig my fish!
Staff member
May 23, 2002
21,032
5,925
borcester rhymes
That photo (rendering?) makes it look like the side knobs are truly on the sidewalls and not oriented toward the contact patch. I hope that's just an illusion.


yeesh, good catch. Those sideknobs are way down there...

although it doesn't look so bad all the time.


still, no reason to buy a risky tire for the sake of it.
 

dughead

Chimp
Feb 3, 2020
14
18
Comparison to DHF?
On dry/tacky dirt and hardpack there's just as much grip as a MaxxGrip imo. Really nice damped/quiet feel to them, too.

I'd still prefer a DHF in the wet - although the Griffus was far from terrible on slightly muddy trails early in the year - but other than that I've been really impressed.
 
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MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,669
1,713
chez moi
Got a Hutchinson Bulldog and a Maxis Shorty, both 2.5, I am considering using for the upcoming rainy season vice a DHF front and and High Roller rear for the dry.

Shorty or Bulldog up front? Never used either or even mounted them.
 

MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,669
1,713
chez moi
My suspicion is the Hutchinson is the wider, based on my limited Hutchinson experience, but I don't feel like mounting both to find out then possibly having to swap them... Can anyone confirm?
 

Rhubarb

Monkey
Jan 11, 2009
462
238
Any updates on the Big Betty boys. Testing out a 29er but the DHF out back is less than ideal and the bigger wheels already make for some braking challenges. DHR2s are hard to come by at the mo and I wouldnt mind trying something different, including a MM up front now we are close to Autumn. The weight is my biggest concern and I read that the BB loses points riding off camber (less of a concern) and wet roots/rocks (more of a conern), when compared to the DHR2.
I have also been poking around the Michelin camp and looking at the Wild Enduro F&R tires.
I am still sold on an Assegai front and DHR2 rear combo, grip for days.
 

Flo33

Turbo Monkey
Mar 3, 2015
2,057
1,298
Styria
The side knobs of the BB are doing a good job on off camber stuff, where did you read about this being a weekness? I'd say wet roots grip depends more on the compound than tread pattern. I ran the Super Trail addix soft version on real wet stuff as a rear tire and it was not the limiting factor. It's in the same league with a DD MaxxTerra DHR2 with a bit stiffer casing than the DD.
 

Rhubarb

Monkey
Jan 11, 2009
462
238
Really! Especially the fact it is comparable to a DD Maxx Terra. Happy with DD and Maxx Terra for Winter and Dual for Summer.
Really good news since a Super Trail addix soft just showed up on PB, 5 rides and great price. Thought the Super Trail would be too 'light' but if it lines up with a DD then it is at least worth a try at the selling price.
Thanks for the input.
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
Any updates on the Big Betty boys. Testing out a 29er but the DHF out back is less than ideal and the bigger wheels already make for some braking challenges. DHR2s are hard to come by at the mo and I wouldnt mind trying something different, including a MM up front now we are close to Autumn. The weight is my biggest concern and I read that the BB loses points riding off camber (less of a concern) and wet roots/rocks (more of a conern), when compared to the DHR2.
I have also been poking around the Michelin camp and looking at the Wild Enduro F&R tires.
I am still sold on an Assegai front and DHR2 rear combo, grip for days.
The new big Betty is great ..I just ordered a couple more and some magic Mary's...BB rears...

Mine is holding fine I have yet to roll out on lugs, I had the Mary's buzzing a few times but they held line no roll over ..lugs aren't ripping off or cracking out like they used to...I'm actually 5 rides in and all lugs are there not 1 ripped lug they are holding profile very well...

New compounds are spot on...the traction is great 2 wheel drift predictable....they are still noisy on hard pack lol...the Mary's are the Betty's are a bit quieter and don't have as much lug chatter...