Quantcast

Tubeless single-ply tires for DH

buildyourown

Turbo Monkey
Feb 9, 2004
4,832
0
South Seattle
Since the main reason we run 2-ply tires for DH is puncture resistance, why not switch to a single ply if you're running Stan's?
Anybody try this. If you have a course where you'd be running a 2.35 anyways and weight would be a big deal, would a single ply tire hold up?
Talk me out of it.
 

Discostu

Monkey
Nov 15, 2003
524
0
I've tried it and it doesn't work. Sidewall tore on the first ride. Tire was destroyed with less than an 30 minutes of ride time. Complete waste of time and money. 2-ply has been flawless.
 

Inclag

Turbo Monkey
Sep 9, 2001
2,750
439
MA
Another reason why people don't run single-plys tubeless for serious downhilling is that the sidewalls don't have enough stiffness while cornering hard = tire burping to blowing the tire off the rim.

I suppose if you're light enough maybe....
 

DirtyMike

Turbo Fluffer
Aug 8, 2005
14,437
1,017
My own world inside my head
I weigh 250, Never did I have a single ply tire burp on me when running a stans kit, now a standard UST on a mavic, tht one I did. But never with the stans kit. Ran some Singleplay high rollers 2.35's and also ran weirwolves in a 2.5 singleply. Never even in my hardest turn did i burp any air with the stans kit. remember the strip nearly glues to the tire.


Like Pat said though, it is going to depend on where your riding, and what condition exist IE sharp jagged rocks hidden in teh dirt, vs smooth rock no dirt, sandy off camber...... There are very many coarses that the single ply will be just fine, but then again there are coarses that a 2ply will be nearly a neccesity just to make it down. I mean Fontana put a hole in my 2ply Minion this last weekend, nice 2 inch tear through the outer casing. If it wasnt a 2ply, it would be done. I will probably keep running it for naother two or three months.
 

djamgils

Monkey
Aug 31, 2007
349
0
Holland
I tried running single ply tyres with stans fluid in the inner tube last weekend. Worked fine except for once when I hit a really sharp stone and it just cut trough the casing and trough the inner tube on to the rim. It was a cut of about a half inch and unsurprisingly the stans wasn't able to stop the leak. Just put some staples in the tyre put some scotch tape over it and I could use it again.
 

ROTFLMAO

Monkey
Nov 17, 2007
363
1
Maumee, Ohio
I'm running 2.1 nevy ust with stans and love 'em but I'm going to be hitting Snowshoe this season and I'm assuming I'll need something quite a bit tougher. Anyone know of any great deals on some proper tires? Preferably UST, kevlar folding, and a light as possible. They will be run tubeless as well.
 

dhkid

Turbo Monkey
Mar 10, 2005
3,358
0
Malaysia
you are missing the point that the 2 plys aren't just there for puncher resistance, they make the tire stiffer too. something that cant be compensated with air pressure.
 

djamgils

Monkey
Aug 31, 2007
349
0
Holland
you are missing the point that the 2 plys aren't just there for puncher resistance, they make the tire stiffer too. something that cant be compensated with air pressure.
and how does the stiffness of the sidewall influence handling characteristics in a way that cant be done with air pressure? ( this is a serious question not trying to be sarcastic or anything)

what are the differences in ride characteristics when you have a dual ply or single ply tyre that you both use on the same pressure?
 

bullcrew

3 Dude Approved
2 plys have there time and place, Fontana is single ply tubeless all the way. Bootleg I run DH casings tubeless along with Tamarack (sometimes single), Bogus basin and a few others. Most of the NW riding I do including the Beacon bomber I run single ply tubeless.
The whole time I rode urban IE stairgaps etc U of I and WSU I rode single ply tubeless as well as most of my NW riding over the past 3 years was tubeless. I have blown the sidewalss outa both single and 2 ply tires off drops.
They both have there areas to excell, I weigh 220lbs now (yeah lost the sympathy weight from wife being pregnant! :D) and still ride single ply in most cases, even the Intense trail I ride single ply.

Personal choice, but in rocky sharp stuff definently run dual!

MAIN DIFFERENCES:
Single ply deflects off stuff more than dual as well as feels moe lively (could be good or bad)

Dual ply takes the twitch hits and makes them dead feeling as well as is easier to ride in nasty rocky courses due to it not deflecting all the time and tracking a little straighter with less bounce off stuff.

Try hitting a baseball with an aluminum bat and its nimble and tingy, then hit the ball with a hickory bat (its smooth and solid). They both have their areas they work well for.