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Have one super-grippy tire: do I put it on front or back?

Jan 7, 2004
686
0
D.C. area
Dear Monkeys,

Some advice, please: I use Maxxis High Rollers on my DH race bike (Cannondale Gemini). Right now I have two 60a durometer High Rollers on my bike. The front one is a 2.5 and the rear is a 2.35. I ideally would like to have two Super Tackys on there, but I can't afford anything new at this point. I have a race this weekend at Snowshoe, WV. I dug up a Super Tacky 2.35 from last season that has enough tread, and would like to put it on my bike to get better traction for the race, which is likely to be wet and rooty. Do you suggest I put it on the front and what I'll lose in width maybe I'll gain in grip? Or should I put it on the rear wheel? Thanks!
 

AlmostHeaven

Turbo Monkey
Jun 8, 2005
1,164
0
VIRGINIA
are you going to be taking runs at a high speed or do you plan on doing a bit of braking?

if you use your brakes a LOT, then i'd put it on the back to get more traction that way. if not, i'd put the Tacky tire on your front wheel to keep your stability at speed in the corners. make sure you keep your weight over the front.
 
Jan 7, 2004
686
0
D.C. area
AlmostHeaven said:
are you going to be taking runs at a high speed or do you plan on doing a bit of braking?

if you use your brakes a LOT, then i'd put it on the back to get more traction that way. if not, i'd put the Tacky tire on your front wheel to keep your stability at speed in the corners. make sure you keep your weight over the front.
Thanks! There aren't too many corners I'll need to do, so braking will be the issue.
 

MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,669
1,713
chez moi
Front, under all circumstances, IMHO. #1, you'll trash it really quickly in back, and #2, it's gonna be wierd having a grippier rear than a front...you don't want the front to push before the rear breaks.
 

Zark

Hey little girl, do you want some candy?
Oct 18, 2001
6,254
7
Reno 911
Mike's right. You NEVER want your front to give before the rear in a corner.
But you also want to run a bigger tire up front than the rear for the same reasons. My advice is leave the 2.35" ST for another day and run the tires you have.
 

zedro

Turbo Monkey
Sep 14, 2001
4,144
1
at the end of the longest line
MikeD said:
Front, under all circumstances, IMHO. #1, you'll trash it really quickly in back, and #2, it's gonna be wierd having a grippier rear than a front...you don't want the front to push before the rear breaks.
no kidding, plus most braking power is applied to the front, the rear is more for control. Being able to break the rear loose on command is a plus if you're are super-stud....
 

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,194
4,419
the front by all means. The front tire will always lean more that the rear and as other have said, the last thing you want to do is have your front give before your rear.

A rear tire that gives out is far easier to control than a front that gives.
 
Aug 30, 2005
154
0
San Diego
simple. when would you want your front to lose grip before your back? prolly never. lot easier to control a rear slip than a front.

front for shiz.
 

PatBranch

Turbo Monkey
Sep 24, 2004
10,451
9
wine country
The softer one will feel much better on the front. With you steering the wheel, it will require more traction than the rear wheel which just tracks/follows.

edit: oh, the original was 2.5. I would rather have a wider, harder tire on the front than a narrower, softer one.

I think you should just keep the 2.5 up front and use the hard tire in the back.
 

.:Jeenyus:.

Turbo Monkey
Feb 23, 2004
2,831
1
slc
Zark said:
Mike's right. You NEVER want your front to give before the rear in a corner.
But you also want to run a bigger tire up front than the rear for the same reasons. My advice is leave the 2.35" ST for another day and run the tires you have.
:stupid:

Running a 2.35 in front would be.....interesting.
 

zahgurim

Underwater monkey
Mar 9, 2005
1,100
12
lolAsia
On fast non-tech courses 2.35s are nice, but I don't know what this race course is like... If you go with the 2.35s put the supertacky in front, for reasons already stated in this thread. Tacky front and 60a rear is my favorite combo for over here (rocky as fook, super techy) although in a 2.5.
 

Salami

Turbo Monkey
Jul 17, 2003
1,784
118
Waxhaw, NC
Another vote for the front.

BUT, I would suggest sticking with the combo you have on now. Lots of rocks at SS so the bigger tire will be helpfull. I have a couple of friends at SS right now and they said the Western side is very dry, dusty in fact. The long range forecast is for it to be dry through the weekend.
 

AlmostHeaven

Turbo Monkey
Jun 8, 2005
1,164
0
VIRGINIA
'DUUUUHHHH....ANOTHER VOTE FOR FRONT FOR SURE'

no sh!t? this thread could be finished with less than a full first page.bwe don't really need 5 pages of retards giving their opinion and stating the exact same thing the first 5 people did.

Snowshoe is not a place you wanna be runnin' 2.35s in the first place. That's asking for it.
 

dante

Unabomber
Feb 13, 2004
8,807
9
looking for classic NE singletrack
www.visa.com

they send you this cool little plastic thing and all you have to do is give people the number on that and they give you stuff for FREE!!

:oink:

(bigger tire in front. if you can scrounge up a couple bucks a lot of times racers will be selling used tires at races for $5 or $10 apiece. might be an idea...)
 

MikeD

Leader and Demogogue of the Ridemonkey Satinists
Oct 26, 2001
11,669
1,713
chez moi
AlmostHeaven said:
'DUUUUHHHH....ANOTHER VOTE FOR FRONT FOR SURE'

no sh!t? this thread could be finished with less than a full first page.bwe don't really need 5 pages of retards giving their opinion and stating the exact same thing the first 5 people did.

Snowshoe is not a place you wanna be runnin' 2.35s in the first place. That's asking for it.
I bet you wouldn't be so angry if there were 5 pages of retards who reflected your opinion, would you?

MD
 

denjen

Certified Lift Whore
Sep 16, 2001
1,691
36
Richmond VA
It looks like I may be coming up for the race. If I do you are more than welcome to use my extra front wheel. It is a complete wheel with a 2.7 slow rezzay Minion on it all you would have to do is put your rotor on it. Use the 2.7 up fron and put the 2.5 on the back and you will be set. I will be on a blue Tomac I will keep an eye out for you if I make it.

Dennis