Wow! No posts since last night. Ok, I'll get something going here. Seems like the new thing is wider/bigger 29er tires. My question is why? I race in the midwest (rocks) and east coast (rocks and hills) every year. I really have no problem riding full ridged XC type stuff with 2.1's and I really dont see the need for the big rubber except for all mountian duty. But thats just me. What are your reasons for bigger tires?
Dead forum alert!
- Thread starter rob pennell
- Start date
Isn't bigger better
The quest for me the last 7 seasons is just a decent front tire and having knobs and some more volume up there used to work on the 26" bikes years ago for me. Quite frankly I still use a Nano in the rear mostly. Want to try the Rampage as a front though........and now I live where it is going to be muddy a bunch so I am thinking about one of those Firecross's for a rear tire as a mud cutter.
The quest for me the last 7 seasons is just a decent front tire and having knobs and some more volume up there used to work on the 26" bikes years ago for me. Quite frankly I still use a Nano in the rear mostly. Want to try the Rampage as a front though........and now I live where it is going to be muddy a bunch so I am thinking about one of those Firecross's for a rear tire as a mud cutter.
Lots of XC trails on ridges out west.
The general trend in mtb trail tires is to go wider. In the same way suspension has become "normal" so has the 2.2-2.4" tire.
XC racing is no longer the leading influence in mt bikes.
I like tires of all sizes and change them as often as my socks.
I guess I'm a little different. I try different tires and yes I've tried most of the new big ones and I end up going back to the Noto's every time. I'm riding the Karma 2.2 up front now and its great but I keep hanging stuff with it. I cant seem to perfectly place it between two rocks at speed. Yea, its more cushy (sp?) but I dont care about that. I ride ridged because its harder and I personally dont want it to be easier. If I miss the perfect line I should pay the price. I dont know - maybe I spend way too much time on a fixie where the perfect line rules every time. I am building myself a semi downhill rig for the Arkansas series and I will be kicking the big meats for that. But for my personal everyday riding/racing I'm cool with the 2.1 so far. Maybe I'll change over time -- will see.
I like the bigger volume tires up front for a bit of suspension, and for cornering/ braking traction. A skinnier rear for less rolling resistance and less weight. I can't say as I have trouble getting through "most" places with a bigger front. Sometimes I hang it up on a rut or root, but usually it's due to a poor choice on my part and not necessarily tire width. Way back when, we all ran super fat 2.5", bulbous tires up front, in the pre-suspended days. I like that for my rigid riding.
Finally, the slightly muddy, snowy, or softer soil conditions that sometimes arise here in Iowa call for floatation. A bigger tire goes over, a skinny tire gets stuck in the goo. Our mud is sticky. Probably not like most places. Harder, smoother tracks are okay with the 2.1". Different treads for different tracks. I like to have a choice.
Finally, the slightly muddy, snowy, or softer soil conditions that sometimes arise here in Iowa call for floatation. A bigger tire goes over, a skinny tire gets stuck in the goo. Our mud is sticky. Probably not like most places. Harder, smoother tracks are okay with the 2.1". Different treads for different tracks. I like to have a choice.
Shiggy, how is the Rampage on side hills? Specifically bare rock.
My Exi is prone to flying away from me on some of the more off camber stuff, and you can just forget it when it's wet. I switched back from an Ignitor because the side knobs would hook stuff and sketch me out on some of the more technical lines we have.
I like the big volume thing too, waiting ever so patiently for the Nevegal...
My Exi is prone to flying away from me on some of the more off camber stuff, and you can just forget it when it's wet. I switched back from an Ignitor because the side knobs would hook stuff and sketch me out on some of the more technical lines we have.
I like the big volume thing too, waiting ever so patiently for the Nevegal...
Wow I really needed you to tell me I cant spell. THANKS! You know I was really enjoying this forum because it seemed more relaxed until just now. I can see the sp check button over on the top right but I just dont care enough to click it. You should should drop the "Shiggy" name and go with "Spell-Check" that way your new calling could be going around all the forums correcting everyones grammer and spelling.
i kant speel netherz...
but sok, cuz ime an enginerd.
And no one is postin' cuz we were all out riding our big wheeled bikes!~
Different strokes for different folks - more variety is better than less IMO - so I say bring em on. Choice is good!
Variety is the spice of life right?
Oh yeah and this ain't no dead forum - if anything it is growing and getting bigger with more and more knowledgeable people (including yourself Rob - welcome btw) joining on a steady basis.
Perhaps it was slow for a few days because many of us were out riding (or riding and coaching ice hockey).
Variety is the spice of life right?
Oh yeah and this ain't no dead forum - if anything it is growing and getting bigger with more and more knowledgeable people (including yourself Rob - welcome btw) joining on a steady basis.
Perhaps it was slow for a few days because many of us were out riding (or riding and coaching ice hockey).
I was joking about the dead forum comment. I just thought I would start a new subject and get something going.Different strokes for different folks - more variety is better than less IMO - so I say bring em on. Choice is good!
Variety is the spice of life right?
Oh yeah and this ain't no dead forum - if anything it is growing and getting bigger with more and more knowledgeable people (including yourself Rob - welcome btw) joining on a steady basis.
Perhaps it was slow for a few days because many of us were out riding (or riding and coaching ice hockey).
Yes it is!!!Oh and nice work on those Dorothy's btw!
We need to see more of her and her twin sisters on here.
There used to be a guy that trolled on MTBR with the name of "SP". SP's goal in life was to be the forum spell checker. For some reason SP's corrections and the responses to the corrections would crack me up.
RM has a different vibe...I'd prefer that we keep it that way.
RM has a different vibe...I'd prefer that we keep it that way.
yeah, look at what we let splat get away with - I guess it is because his photos more than make up for his spelling. :biggrin:
Except "ridged" has a totally different meaning. If you meant than your bikes have narrow parallel ribs like a Ruffles potato chip I apologize. Otherwise you were repeatedly using the wrong word so it was unlikely to be a typo.
Going to depend on the rock but compared to the Exi it is a climbing shoe.
Thanks Shiggy.
Yep for around these parts of New England the Exiwolf is a crappy bare rock tire. And we have a lot of trails with these types of features.
I can't tell you how many times I failed a tricky section at my local spot because the Exiwolf slipped out on a short steep exposed rocky section of trail.
Looking forward to seeing how the Nevegal and Rampage fair here in CT come spring.
Oh, I see. You are 100% correct. Considering the fact that we are all complete morons this could have spun into a heated are rigid potato chips better debate or an even worse situation Are Rigid power tools better than Dewalt. That would have been a terrible thing to happen on the 29er forum and was very much a heads up catch on your part. I think you from the bottom of my heart.
LOL My usual unavoidable typo is "I thick, therefore I am."
There are a few other words that I automatically type that are spelled correctly but totally not the right word.
BTW I will take partial credit for stopping "SP" on the other board. I would back-edit the original post was his "correction" was meaningless. If he showed up again the account would just be banned.
I said the exact same thing circa 2004 on the mtbr 29er forum.
Those remarks cuased the first epic multi-day total MC vs NCJ01 smack down, and the end of our online mutual courtesy.
My point, held until this day, remains that on a XC bike, normal tires are just fine (up to 2.2 o so). However, I don't talk about this anymore, becuase of the total community pack mentality smack down I got last time.
Hey, Rob, chubby dudes like chubby tires...if you ain't goin' to r-kan-saw, kan I borrow that Kenduh? 
spez extreme 2.5, i think that is what ist was called.
i loved that tire for .58'' of front travel.
i still run fats for all the soft sand i ride.
irate2: but back in "my day" OKC cx on my can-do-fail i ran
1.5 tricross in that sticky clay. that was my first race when i was
13 and after collecting 15lbs of clay around anywhere my frame
passed my tires i walked back to see i missed my start. tricross's
were no help tat day. slick might have been good.
The biggies were the Ground Control Extreme 2.5, GC More Extreme S 2.5 (the better tire IMO) and Z-Max 2.35 (which had the same volume).spez extreme 2.5, i think that is what ist was called.
i loved that tire for .58'' of front travel.
i still run fats for all the soft sand i ride.
but back in "my day" OKC cx on my can-do-fail i ran
1.5 tricross in that sticky clay. that was my first race when i was
13 and after collecting 15lbs of clay around anywhere my frame
passed my tires i walked back to see i missed my start. tricross's
were no help tat day. slick might have been good.
yeah, that was a real tractor tire.
when is spez going to bring the GC s 1.95 back. that tire was so ahead of its time. my brother always liked the Z max, i was a GC -s
rider.
Rocks, rocks, rocks...and no shocks. Riderx and our wives went to Jim Thorpe, PA last weekend:
...and my hands are still a bit sore. Gimme something bigger than the Exi, puhleeze!
(Pic by riderx.)
Jim Thorpe is fun. My wife and I go there whenever we head down to visit her folks.
Now that's a lot of rocks!!Rocks, rocks, rocks...and no shocks. Riderx and our wives went to Jim Thorpe, PA last weekend:
...and my hands are still a bit sore. Gimme something bigger than the Exi, puhleeze!
(Pic by riderx.)
That head angle looks slack...
It matches the 18 1/2" chainstays. The bike is a repro, and follows pretty much the same geo as the bike it is repro-ing. Things have changed.
That bike looks cool - except for the modern day cranks they put on it. Why not some old square tapers or something. C'mon Big S if you are gonna do it, do it 100 percent.
Drevil, I find the Exi to be a harsh tire for its volume. When doing back-to-back rides with it and other tires (same trail, same bike) I kept dropping the pressure in the Exi and it never felt as smooth/cushy as several smaller tires with more pressure. The Rampage on the other hand is quite good.Rocks, rocks, rocks...and no shocks. Riderx and our wives went to Jim Thorpe, PA last weekend:
...and my hands are still a bit sore. Gimme something bigger than the Exi, puhleeze!
(Pic by riderx.)
As the story goes (assuming it is the retro Stumpy being discussed) Spec sent a Ritchey to Japan to be copied for the first Stumpjumper. Tom Ritchey claims said bike was a rejected prototype: longer and slacker than he thought was good.
Yeah, that thing looks damn silly with the XT cranks and SRAM X.0 stuff on it. I think I'll keep riding my Fisher Klunker.
The TA cranks that were used on the original are still in production. Would look much better.