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What trail bike tire casings don't suck?

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HAB

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,592
2,028
Seattle
rpet said:
Has anyone run Maxxis WT 2.5s on a 25mm rim? Is the tire over round and harder to reach the side knobs or is it fine?
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It's fine. I've got one bike with a 30mm front rim and 25mm rear, with 2.5 WT DHFs on both ends and the profiles aren't that different.

The rear does have cushcore in it, which I think does square the tire off slightly by pushing the sidewalls out, for what that's worth.
 
Bikael Molton

Bikael Molton

goofy for life
Jun 9, 2003
4,088
1,235
El Lay
Excellent. I'm on 471s too. Thank you guys.

I may try an EXO+ on the front for my PNW road trip.

I'm kind of a hack too, but if there's one thing I notice, it's when my front tire has no cornering knobs. The MM I recently removed had that Krusty the Klown hairdo going on. :disgust1:

jstuhlman said:
i run them on ex471s in double down casing...seems fine to me but i'm a fucking hack and wouldn't know the difference
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HAB said:
It's fine. I've got one bike with a 30mm front rim and 25mm rear, with 2.5 WT DHFs on both ends and the profiles aren't that different.

The rear does have cushcore in it, which I think does square the tire off slightly by pushing the sidewalls out, for what that's worth.
Click to expand...
 
mtg

mtg

Green with Envy
Sep 21, 2009
1,862
1,604
Denver, CO
rpet said:
Has anyone run Maxxis WT 2.5s on a 25mm rim? Is the tire over round and harder to reach the side knobs or is it fine?
Click to expand...
It goes, but you’re going to have to lean it over to really get the side knobs to bite. If you have good dirt, it is probably fine. Most CO riding is on dust, and it’s difficult to make that setup work well here.
 
Bikael Molton

Bikael Molton

goofy for life
Jun 9, 2003
4,088
1,235
El Lay
Hmm... dust is definitely a thing.

mtg said:
It goes, but you’re going to have to lean it over to really get the side knobs to bite. If you have good dirt, it is probably fine. Most CO riding is on dust, and it’s difficult to make that setup work well here.
Click to expand...
 
kidwoo

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
Aug 25, 2003
42,149
13,358
Squirtin ketchup n' mustard on charred flesh
mtg said:
It goes, but you’re going to have to lean it over to really get the side knobs to bite. If you have good dirt, it is probably fine. Most CO riding is on dust, and it’s difficult to make that setup work well here.
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I've used wt dhr2s and dhfs on 25mm rims. I barely notice a difference. I'm always sideways and at about a 50 degree lean angle though since our dirt sucks. I just slide until I bounce off someone from the wilderness society.

I aim for the age sticks. Because manners.

 
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slyfink

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,807
5,640
Ottawa, Canada
On the Maxxis site, they list a 2.5 DHF that is not WT in EXO, 3C Maxxterra. (part number TB85975400) ETRTO is 61-622. Problem is, I can't find it at any of the on-line shops. Even Maxxis' own on-line shop doesn't have it as an option. Is it vapourware, under development, being phased out, or an error in the catalogue? who knows, but I'd really love to have it.

For me, a width of 60mm is pretty much what I'm looking for on my 25-27mm internal width rims. For whatever reason, that's proving very difficult to find.
 
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djjohnr

djjohnr

Turbo Monkey
Apr 21, 2002
3,116
1,802
Northern California
I've run 2.5/2.4 WT DHFs and DHRs on 25mm rims as well as 30mm in the rear. I didn't notice much if any difference. Trail conditions were blown out hardpack.
 
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jstuhlman

jstuhlman

bagpipe wanker
Dec 3, 2009
17,365
14,203
Cackalacka du Nord
hrmmmmm....would consider...other than being a huge PITA to mount, the doubledowns on my nomad have been absolutely flawless, if not heavy. i'd occasionally burp exos when riding hard; i like the idea of better sidewall support but lighter weight.
 
StiHacka

StiHacka

Compensating for something
Jan 4, 2013
21,560
12,508
In hell. Welcome!
Kinda like the 27.5 DD Aggressor in the rear, but feels a bit sluggish yet I burped it, being a talentless hack. It is useless in the wet, too.
 
SuboptimusPrime

SuboptimusPrime

Turbo Monkey
Aug 18, 2005
1,666
1,651
NorCack
jonKranked said:
so... kind of the opposite of what you want in a front tire?
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All depends on your priorities. There are many situations when rolling or braking are important and worth a small compromise in cornering. It's not like it's a fucking ardent race. They are also lighter than a DHF.

Not every bike is used exclusively for going balls out in loose over hard conditions. Sometimes you buy a tire for the conditions you actually ride as opposed to the conditions you wished you ride.
 
jonKranked

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
88,953
27,137
media blackout
SuboptimusPrime said:
All depends on your priorities. There are many situations when rolling or braking are important and worth a small compromise in cornering. It's not like it's a fucking ardent race. They are also lighter than a DHF.

Not every bike is used exclusively for going balls out in loose over hard conditions. Sometimes you buy a tire for the conditions you actually ride as opposed to the conditions you wished you ride.
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we're really splitting hairs here and i'm mostly just messing with you :D

bear in mind, i run a semi slick in the rear. take what i say with a grain of salt.
 
SuboptimusPrime

SuboptimusPrime

Turbo Monkey
Aug 18, 2005
1,666
1,651
NorCack
jonKranked said:
we're really splitting hairs here and i'm mostly just messing with you :D

bear in mind, i run a semi slick in the rear. take what i say with a grain of salt.
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I'm a grumpy bastard and tires are serious business. :rant:

But worry not, I already take everything you say with a grain of salt. :cheers:
 
Jeremy R

Jeremy R

<b>x</b>
Nov 15, 2001
9,701
1,056
behind you with a snap pop
SuboptimusPrime said:
Don't be sad--it's actually a pretty good front tire. Rolls and brakes better than DHF with only slightly less traction in loose stuff.
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I actually prefer it as well. I think it is quicker side to side, and the side knobs hold traction like crazy, plus it clears mud better than a dhf. The only conditions where it has slightly less traction than a dhf for me is in really sandy conditions that I hardly ever ride in. There is a reason why you see so many World Cup pros running DHR 2's front and rear.
 
ZHendo

ZHendo

Turbo Monkey
Oct 29, 2006
1,661
147
PNW
Jeremy R said:
I actually prefer it as well. I think it is quicker side to side, and the side knobs hold traction like crazy, plus it clears mud better than a dhf. The only conditions where it has slightly less traction than a dhf for me is in really sandy conditions that I hardly ever ride in. There is a reason why you see so many World Cup pros running DHR 2's front and rear.
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Also agree - I'm a fan of the DHRII as a front. I am tempted to try out that new Minion DHF 2.6, one of my buddies just picked one up for his Meta 29 and its a) giant and b) somehow lighter than the 2.5
 
6thElement

6thElement

Schrodinger's Immigrant
Jul 29, 2008
17,293
14,779
Jeremy R said:
I actually prefer it as well. I think it is quicker side to side, and the side knobs hold traction like crazy, plus it clears mud better than a dhf. The only conditions where it has slightly less traction than a dhf for me is in really sandy conditions that I hardly ever ride in. There is a reason why you see so many World Cup pros running DHR 2's front and rear.
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Hmmm I've some DHR2's I was going to put on this year, but some of the resorts can be pretty dry (understatement for Granby Ranch).

rpet said:
Whistler at end of the month... we usually stop in Bellingham and various other OR-WA spots on the way there. :)
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Jealous, was hoping for Whistler this year along with Sun Peaks too (brother lives there), but it will have to be next year.​
 
C

Cerberus75

Monkey
Feb 18, 2017
520
194
Jeremy R said:
I actually prefer it as well. I think it is quicker side to side, and the side knobs hold traction like crazy, plus it clears mud better than a dhf. The only conditions where it has slightly less traction than a dhf for me is in really sandy conditions that I hardly ever ride in. There is a reason why you see so many World Cup pros running DHR 2's front and rear.
Click to expand...
I find it hold better side to side and off camber stuff better. Especially wet and twisty stuff. I used it on the front and rear for a long time. Just switched to the Ass guy, it does everything better in that regard but rolls slower.
 
HAB

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,592
2,028
Seattle
Rubber compound matters here too. Maxxis doesn't make the DHRII in a 2.4, Maxx Grip, Exo casing but they should. I'd run those on the front of trail bikes if they did, but instead mostly go for the 2.5 DHF in that same configuration because the better rubber trumps the improved braking of the DHR if making a true apples-apples comparison of the two.
 
ZHendo

ZHendo

Turbo Monkey
Oct 29, 2006
1,661
147
PNW
rpet said:
that’s because it’s a plus tire...
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Since when was 2.6 a plus tire? Common definition of plus tires is 2.8-3.0.

Looked into it and the lower weight has to do with a 120tpi casing used on the 2.6. Not sure that more flexible casing would hold up well under hard cornering and such...
 
Bikael Molton

Bikael Molton

goofy for life
Jun 9, 2003
4,088
1,235
El Lay
Oops, my mistake!

ZHendo said:
Since when was 2.6 a plus tire? Common definition of plus tires is 2.8-3.0.

Looked into it and the lower weight has to do with a 120tpi casing used on the 2.6. Not sure that more flexible casing would hold up well under hard cornering and such...
Click to expand...
 
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