[stoney]

I've had a few rants about just how poorly these tires grip in the loose and am trying to get a bit more bite out of them before I toss them. Looking at the side knobs vs. a 2.35 Larsen TT which I was coming off of, the side-most knobs are super close.

I am thinking about cutting the round knobs with the + on them To open up the sides for some more bite. Has anybody done this? Any noticeable difference in the cornering characteristics?

 

[Pesqueeb]

Dude, its a bike tire. Mt Biking /= baja 1000. Just buy new ones fer chrissakes.

 

[jonKranked]

try cutting every other + knob first. if you like the result, proceed to cut the remainder.

also remember to wear work gloves to avoid blisters. trust me on this one.

 

[stoney]

Dude, its a bike tire. Mt Biking /= baja 1000. Just buy new ones fer chrissakes.

If I'm tossing a $50 tire, I'm going to give it a go at being potentially useful. it's trash to me, so if cutting the knobs makes it worse I am still positive.

 

[jonKranked]

also, before you cut anything, what kind of improvement are you looking for? better turning?

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

You might as well sipe them while you're at it.

 

[stoney]

also, before you cut anything, what kind of improvement are you looking for? better turning?

Side bite. Every time I get a good lean on them at speed the back tire goes. My Larsen TT had better side bite and it was a race XC tire. The side line is almost continuous, hence the idea to cut the smaller side knobs.

 

[stoney]

try cutting every other + knob first. if you like the result, proceed to cut the remainder.

also remember to wear work gloves to avoid blisters. trust me on this one.

You must have the most girly hands ever.

 

[Westy]

A tire with bitty wittle knobs is inherently going to suck in the loose.

 

[jonKranked]

A tire with bitty wittle knobs is inherently going to suck in the loose.

not really. i use maxxis advantage tires and they do a surprisingly good job. then again, i only use it as a rear tire.

 

[jonKranked]

You must have the most girly hands ever.

you've never cut a tire before, have you?

 

[Westy]

not really. i use maxxis advantage tires and they do a surprisingly good job. then again, i only use it as a rear tire.

Even in Cali? I hated the loose **** I rode in southern califorina, like ball bearings on glass. The only way I got traction was with big soft spikey tires.

 

[jonKranked]

Even in Cali? I hated the loose **** I rode in southern califorina, like ball bearings on glass. The only way I got traction was with big soft spikey tires.

never rode it in cali, but one of the spots i ride locally is similar; loose dry dust on top of super hard pack. The front tire (where your traction is more important anyways) I use it with is an Intense xc tire that has very burly knobs on it.

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

never rode it in cali, but one of the spots i ride locally is similar; loose dry dust on top of super hard pack. The front tire (where your traction is more important anyways) I use it with is an Intense xc tire that has very burly knobs on it.

Not for climbing.

 

[jonKranked]

Not for climbing.

what's that?

 

[stoney]

Not for climbing.

That's where you went wrong, you were climbing.

Even in Cali? I hated the loose **** I rode in southern califorina, like ball bearings on glass. The only way I got traction was with big soft spikey tires.

That's where I grew up riding. Loose is one of the terrains I do really well on, but when I lose the rear wheel consistently on semi-tacky ground it's a tire issue.

you've never cut a tire before, have you?

Once you line up the cut, use the base of your hand to squeeze the dikes. Less thumb area friction.

 

[jonKranked]

Once you line up the cut, use the base of your hand to squeeze the dikes. Less thumb area friction.

derrrrrr. still can blister.

 

[Polandspring88]

I am thinking about cutting the round knobs with the + on them To open up the sides for some more bite. Has anybody done this? Any noticeable difference in the cornering characteristics?

Not intentionally but my + knobs ripped off rather easily leaving the other knobs more or less to do all the cornering duties. Frankly, it still sucks. The only way I would cut a crossmark is to cut it off of my rim.

Just chalk it up as a loss and use it for skid contests. That is one area the tire does excel.

not really. i use maxxis advantage tires and they do a surprisingly good job. then again, i only use it as a rear tire.

I dunno what advantage you are using but mine has big stiff side lugs that do a great job biting in corners. Run them as front tires on both of my bikes and am quite happy.

 

[jonKranked]

I dunno what advantage you are using but mine has big stiff side lugs that do a great job biting in corners. Run them as front tires on both of my bikes and am quite happy.

stiff yes, big no.

 

[Jeremy R]

Crossmarks are never gonna work in loose conditions. Ever.
Instead of cutting them, you might as well just put tits on a bull which is a equally useless thing to do, but at least the pictures are entertaining.
That advantage tire JK is talking about is nothing like the Crossmark. It works well here in the east on most surfaces.
The crossmark is a one trick pony. They work well on hardpack. I have had the same set on my pump track bike for 2 seasons.

 

[rockofullr]

That will teach you to stop using the Larsen

 

[stoney]

That will teach you to stop using the Larsen

Dude, you can't find them in 2.35 UST anymore. They are like the dodo, extinct.

 

[jonKranked]

Dude, you can't find them in 2.35 UST anymore. They are like the dodo, extinct.

non-ust version + stans

 

[stoney]

non-ust version + stans

Can you stans a UST rim and valve core with standard tires? Would I need to get the Stans strip?

 

[CrabJoe StretchPants]

non-ust version + stans

Pffffft....he can't afford all that.

 

[stoney]

Pffffft....he can't afford all that.

Dude, I'm unemployed. I need to be cheaper than ever before, otherwise how am I going to be able to stretch this out as long as possible?

 

[-BB-]

Can you stans a UST rim and valve core with standard tires? Would I need to get the Stans strip?

No strip needed. just use a lot of stan's sealant. I've done it many times.
Oh, and you can use the standard UST valve.

 

[stoney]

No strip needed. just use a lot of stan's sealant. I've done it many times.
Oh, and you can use the standard UST valve.

Now you guys tell me this. I do believe I just figured out how to drop 3/4# in rotational mass from my trail bike! And now to waste another $100 on tires.

 

[-BB-]

So Stoney, when you say "the loose", what do you mean? Loose over hardpack or Semi-tacky?

If you want to be more specific, you can tell me what trails you mean.
I had a X-mark on my rear for quite a while and it seemed better than the Larson IMO.

If you mean semi-tacky then yes, I would start with the round knobs. They may be preventing the larger square ones from biting.

 

[stoney]

So Stoney, when you say "the loose", what do you mean? Loose over hardpack or Semi-tacky?

If you want to be more specific, you can tell me what trails you mean.
I had a X-mark on my rear for quite a while and it seemed better than the Larson IMO.

If you mean semi-tacky then yes, I would start with the round knobs. They may be preventing the larger square ones from biting.

Tamo, Annadale and trails like Joaquin Miller. So tacky on hard pack, but not China Camp or Aliso loose on hard pack.

I agree that the rounds are preventing bite. I went every other round per JonKranked's suggestion.

 

[Mr Jones]

I'd leave the + knobs alone as they help (sorta help) with creating a rail to dig into the sand/dirt/loose stuff. I'd try cutting every other intermediate knob if you're trying to improve side bite.

 

[stoney]

I'd leave the + knobs alone as they help (sorta help) with creating a rail to dig into the sand/dirt/loose stuff. I'd try cutting every other intermediate knob if you're trying to improve side bite.

Every other + gave me a shape *similar* to a minion side knob. Still a bit of a gap instead of a single knob, but the spacing is better.

 

[rockofullr]

Every other + gave me a shape *similar* to a minion side knob. Still a bit of a gap instead of a single knob, but the spacing is better.

Good call those intermediate knobs look pretty well spaced already, the center knobs on the other hand...

 

[buildyourown]

Chain Reaction has the 2.35 Larsens. 42a and 60a. They often have the hard to find or NLA Maxxis stuff.

The Advantages really are the best all-round tire I've ever used. It corners very well and is still reasonable in weight and rolling resistant.

 

[stoney]

The center-line isn't an issue, as I don't have pedaling problems with it. It's just the damn cornering.

 

[rockofullr]

The center-line isn't an issue, as I don't have pedaling problems with it. It's just the damn cornering.

youredoingitwrong

Those are for braking not pedaling.

 

[stoney]

youredoingitwrong

Those are for braking not pedaling.

Who said I knew how to use the brakes?

 

[kickstand]

don't cut the knobs with dikes, find a tire iron to borrow, take about 5 minutes max that way.

 

[stoney]

don't cut the knobs with dikes, find a tire iron to borrow, take about 5 minutes max that way.

Too late.

 

[stevew]

you've never cut a tire before, have you?

dremel + cutting wheel ?