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What trail bike tire casings don't suck?

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,824
5,201
Australia
Preaching to the converted here but realised that Maxxis EXO casings aren't any better than their single ply offerings for either pinch or cut resistance. Just chucked on a DD Aggressor (1060g in 27.5") to try and stop wasting everyone's time fixing flats every ride. Fingers crossed the puncture resistance is good and worth the weight penalty.

As an aside, has anyone had any experience with Mitas tyres, specifically the Kratos? I'd never heard of them, but they popped up in a review here - http://flowmountainbike.com/tests/tested-mitas-kratos-tubeless-supra-tyres/

Interesting that they offer a 100-day sidewall guarantee. I dunno what they cost elsewhere, but they're similarly priced to the DD Maxxis stuff here.
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,824
5,201
Australia
Come on, man... who doesn't love lots of little, ineffectual knobs?!?
Meh for a rear tyre on a trail bike I'm not too worried. I've run Ardent races which are pretty useless for traction as well and they're fine for all but the stupidest, gravelly climbs. A lot of where I ride is very sandy or dusty and gravelly and a bit of oversteer is more fun and safer anyway.

They do the Highlander (http://www.mitasbiketyres.com/en/products/bicycle-tyres/extreme/highlander/) with the same sidewall warranty if you want something with more teeth for loam or proper hookup I guess.

I'm more impressed by the warranty to be honest. That would have saved me some coin recently when I sliced open an Ardent on the 3rd ride.
 

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent
Jul 2, 2002
13,773
5,198
North Van
Well, I find the compound coding/descriptions useless. Take maxxis. I get that 3C has 3 compounds, and that there are 3 different versions of 3C.

But WTF is "dual"?

Well, lets consult the website:
http://www.maxxis.com/catalog/tire-506-121-aggressor#sizes

Compound type: "Dual"

Okaayyyyy. Well, what's that mean? Hard? Soft? Let's check the website again:
http://www.maxxis.com/other-bicycle-information/bicycle-technology/

so
dual, unless triple
and the ST uses 2, where the 3C use 3
but, there may be other duals which are not illustrated
fucking retarded
 

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,638
8,683
Well, I find the compound coding/descriptions useless. Take maxxis. I get that 3C has 3 compounds, and that there are 3 different versions of 3C.

But WTF is "dual"?

Well, lets consult the website:
http://www.maxxis.com/catalog/tire-506-121-aggressor#sizes

Compound type: "Dual"

Okaayyyyy. Well, what's that mean? Hard? Soft? Let's check the website again:
http://www.maxxis.com/other-bicycle-information/bicycle-technology/

so
dual, unless triple
and the ST uses 2, where the 3C use 3
but, there may be other duals which are not illustrated
fucking retarded
I went with EXOs this time. We'll see if this comes to bite me in the ass. I also went with 3C, as per your confusing mapping out of that, and Max Grip up front, which seems to be the evolution of their Super Tacky/Slow Reezay bit from way back when? or perhaps something different. Who knows?
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
dual compound is soft sides, hard middle. They're pretty good actually.


Any 3c is yes, 3 compounds, one hard base to keep knob shape, and then a softer side over the center. Slow reazays were just one soft compound all around. Super tacky is now just soft gooey awesomeness that doesn't shed knobs like they did back in 1836
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,824
5,201
Australia
dual compound is soft sides, hard middle. They're pretty good actually.
From memory the dual compound is super hard middle, slightly less hard sides. Like nowhere near as soft a compound as the 3C or the Super Tacky has for side knobs.
 

AngryMetalsmith

Business is good, thanks for asking
Jun 4, 2006
21,992
12,663
I have no idea where I am
Is there more to it than just go full speed through 'em? If so... yeah. I probably should learn. :D
Oh yeah, way more. There are probably as many techniques for riding rocks as there are for cornering.

My personal favorite is picking one rock to boost off of, skim the tops of the next, and boost after the next big fork compression. Repeat this a few times in a rock garden and you can haul ass while barely making contact.

Oh, and I do not recommend this on wet rocks or in the rain.

:thumb:
 

AngryMetalsmith

Business is good, thanks for asking
Jun 4, 2006
21,992
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I have no idea where I am
^Oh stop it


SMASH!

figure out the tires later
Nope, I'm not a fat downhiller on a plow bike anymore and will gleefully take advantage of being lighter and smoother. That is, of course, until my battered knees give out and I'm relegated to wagon wheel bikes on cider trails, complaining about the ache and pain dujour.
 

jstuhlman

bagpipe wanker
Dec 3, 2009
17,314
14,123
Cackalacka du Nord
I've run exos for years. I ride in stupid, rocky, narrow gully'd out chit on the regular. I'm light, but I'm a hack-ish. Definitely no rock-surfing Houdini like @AngryMetalsmith. Mostly if I'm able to look far enough ahead to find a rock to launch off of, I'm landing on the one below it. I've punctured/torn tires in the tread area multiple times, burped/cased and flatted multiple times, but never seriously slashed a sidewall. Whatever . . . might try the HR2 DD 2.3 in the back next, since they still offer it in 2.3, even though I usually run a 2.4 . . . maybe will be a bit less flexy?
 

jstuhlman

bagpipe wanker
Dec 3, 2009
17,314
14,123
Cackalacka du Nord
I think that we're gonna have to conclude that the rocks here in the Rocky Mountains are... different than the Southern Rocks you guys are riding.

NTTAWWT. :D

probably so . . . this is typical of the fun parts of the wilson creek part of pisgah - rider is phil kmetz, semi-pro dh dude. watch from 7:30 or so onward . . .
 

Da Peach

Outwitted by a rodent
Jul 2, 2002
13,773
5,198
North Van
I've been using the Schwobbly gravity casing up front (I forget which compound, but it's sticky), and have switched to a 3C maxterra dhrII out back.

Seems to work.
 

AngryMetalsmith

Business is good, thanks for asking
Jun 4, 2006
21,992
12,663
I have no idea where I am
I've run exos for years. I ride in stupid, rocky, narrow gully'd out chit on the regular. I'm light, but I'm a hack-ish. Definitely no rock-surfing Houdini like @AngryMetalsmith.
Hahaha. Outside of my profession, riding a bike is the only thing I'm smooth at (and that's relative). Seriously, I have zero athletic ability. Was never good at sports other than bmx as a kid. As an adult I'm a clumsy Ninja bumping into chairs, tables, cabinets, just trying to walk around the house. Maybe I'm some kind of trail savant once on the bike.
 

Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,638
8,683
probably so . . . this is typical of the fun parts of the wilson creek part of pisgah - rider is phil kmetz, semi-pro dh dude. watch from 7:30 or so onward . . .
Phil is a fun rider to watch. That gully looks crazy, too, getting down to pedal width! But that just doesn't look that rocky.

Try 1:08 in this one:

 

jstuhlman

bagpipe wanker
Dec 3, 2009
17,314
14,123
Cackalacka du Nord
hard to see b/c of the shadow, @Toshi but I'll take your word for it. I've only ever ridden the bit of trail out there with "the wall" on it, so I don't have much perspective. not looking for a pissing contest about rox, but anyone with both pisgah and front range experience care to chime in? Just curious. Wish i had more pedal time out your way . . . everyone knows, though, that Cali Rox are probably the gnarliest, though, right? :D

@SkaredShtles - one of the fun things when you're in the wilderness here is that the trails are constantly changing. those ruts that are top-tube deep and pedal (if that) wide right now . . . were half that deep and twice as wide a year ago. I'm sure over time they'll fill in and go back in the other direction. Keeps you on your toes, for sure!
 
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kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Stuff on the front range is more pointy and shale-ish.

If someone like skared shittles plows into them, he's putting his tires through more shit than pinning it in pisgah. Which makes him a better person really.

But pisgah is way more fun in general and you don't live in denver hell with all that ass shakin in the rockies and so hard to get to so you know.....your life is better.
 
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Toshi

butthole powerwashing evangelist
Oct 23, 2001
39,638
8,683
Whose ass is shaking and all hard to get? Shared Skittles?!