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What trail bike tire casings don't suck?

Kanye West

220# bag of hacktastic
Aug 31, 2006
3,740
470
I seem to have this talent for slashing Maxxis Exo casing tires on my trenduro bike with regularity. Like every goddamn ride kind of regularity. I can't afford this and I can't believe how weak and flimsy these casings are.

What else doesn't suck?

Michelins look solid, but are heavy and a bit more expensive.

The E13s look interesting.

The Schwalbes casing is supposed to be good but the tread patterns look totally shortbus.
 

dump

Turbo Monkey
Oct 12, 2001
8,195
4,419
If you're slashing trail/enduro casings, you know the answer: DH casing.
 

Kanye West

220# bag of hacktastic
Aug 31, 2006
3,740
470
That's what I'm afraid of. I just have some glimmer of hope that there is a more burly option out there for mid-class casings than the EXOs.
 

Wuffles

Monkey
Feb 24, 2016
157
98
The Schwalbes casing is supposed to be good but the tread patterns look totally shortbus.
Magic Markers are good enough for half the WC, tread pattern is pretty awesome actually.

Haven't had an issue slashing the Super Gravity casings, just ripping knobs off.
 

Kanye West

220# bag of hacktastic
Aug 31, 2006
3,740
470
Really wish Conti made the Kaiser with a good casing. That tire RAILED and loved to lean. Anyone used the Baron Projekt 2.4?
 

4130biker

PM me about Tantrum Cycles!
May 24, 2007
3,883
448
I'm on my first grid after lots of control casings and Maxxis and messing up probably half of them before the tread was worn out. So far so good on grid rear tire
 

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,289
5,029
Ottawa, Canada
Just went and looked at WTB's site. They have the Trail Boss in 26" and Tough casing, but only in 2.25" width... wassup widat?! I think I'd happily run a Trail Boss rear and a Vigilante front, if they were both 2.3"....
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,853
9,557
AK
Sliced that schwalbe like butter. Tried to repair, but it was hemorraging and not holding. Going to retry, but that tire is not my favorite by far. Already sliced the vigilante too, but not nearly as bad.
 

Metamorphic

Monkey
May 12, 2015
274
177
Cackalack
I seem to have this talent for slashing Maxxis Exo casing tires on my trenduro bike with regularity. Like every goddamn ride kind of regularity. I can't afford this and I can't believe how weak and flimsy these casings are.

What else doesn't suck?

Michelins look solid, but are heavy and a bit more expensive.

The E13s look interesting.

The Schwalbes casing is supposed to be good but the tread patterns look totally shortbus.
If it's any consolation (it's not), I blew through 4 Maxxis EXO 3C terrs in 6 weeks.

Recently got an Aggressor in the Double Down casing and several rides in, including a 55 mile forest slog, it's been damn nice. I like it. It's stiff, hold's its form really well. Very pleased. Talk me in a few months maybe I say the same! I hope.
 

Floor Tom

Monkey
Sep 28, 2009
288
55
New Zealand
I've been using specialized grid tyres for a few seasons now, the only one I have had fail on me was a purgatory. After that I did some research and found that the butcher slaughter and hillbilly use the tougher grid casing. Only use these grid tyres, not the purgatory, ground control etc. I like them, they are tougher than Maxxis exo, not as heavy as DD or super gravity.
 

slimshady

¡Mira, una ardilla!
i might try those onza tires the next time around...they've done great for gwin this year...


:boss:
What, don't you trust RC?

Richard Cunningham said:
Component report

• Onza Ibex tires: Yes, they are shameless copies of the Maxxis High Roller 2, but Onza's version is grippier, it has a smoother transition to the edging blocks, and it has more cornering and climbing traction. Great choice.[quite]
EDIT: This is the same guy who says he prefers 180mm rotors because he's tired of bending the 203mm ones :D:D
 
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Udi

RM Chief Ornithologist
Mar 14, 2005
4,915
1,200
@Hacktastic
I'd try the SuperGravity casing if the weight gain doesn't bother you.
The Magic Mary is a good general replacement for any Maxxis DH tread pattern in my experience, I find they perform better in most conditions. Weight is a little higher than EXO, but you can usually get away with a smaller size since Schwalbe run a little larger.
 

marshalolson

Turbo Monkey
May 25, 2006
1,770
519
Are you always cutting the sidewall, always puncturing the centerline, or a mix?

Might not be the tire's fault. If you are always cutting the sidewall of a maxxis 2.3 and on rim over i30, that is more from a bad tire profile.

If you are slashing sidewalls on i27's, then super gravity will really help.

If you are constantly punching holes in the centerline, my experience is that super gravity tire's are no better there than exo's.

Curious others thoughts on the wtb tires, but I dig their casing, but burned though the rubber compound in 300mi or less when I get 600-700mi out of maxxis dual compound and 3c maxxterra tire's.
 

rollertoaster

Monkey
Aug 7, 2007
730
179
Douglassville , PA
Are you always cutting the sidewall, always puncturing the centerline, or a mix?

Might not be the tire's fault. If you are always cutting the sidewall of a maxxis 2.3 and on rim over i30, that is more from a bad tire profile.

If you are slashing sidewalls on i27's, then super gravity will really help.

If you are constantly punching holes in the centerline, my experience is that super gravity tire's are no better there than exo's.

Curious others thoughts on the wtb tires, but I dig their casing, but burned though the rubber compound in 300mi or less when I get 600-700mi out of maxxis dual compound and 3c maxxterra tire's.
I usually only get 2-300 mi max out of a rear tire before the side knobs are worthless. This pretty much goes for any brand , some are worse than others. Front tires are much better but FYI I wore out a butcher grid in about 3-400 mi recently which was pretty disapointing. At least butchers are cheap
 

slyfink

Turbo Monkey
Sep 16, 2008
9,289
5,029
Ottawa, Canada
I've been using specialized grid tyres for a few seasons now, the only one I have had fail on me was a purgatory. After that I did some research and found that the butcher slaughter and hillbilly use the tougher grid casing. Only use these grid tyres, not the purgatory, ground control etc.
This is very good information. I ordered a Slaughter last night, I'm looking forward to running it this summer. I was seriously thinking about running a WTB trail boss, but I don't understand the 2.25 size. And 2.4 is too big (for me as a rear tire). I'll keep my SuperGravity RockRazor for any races I might do that are in the dry, or weekends I know will be particularly rough.

If the slaughter doesn't work out, I guess I'll try Trail Boss... 2.25 isn't that far off from 2.3.
 

marshalolson

Turbo Monkey
May 25, 2006
1,770
519
I usually only get 2-300 mi max out of a rear tire before the side knobs are worthless. This pretty much goes for any brand , some are worse than others. Front tires are much better but FYI I wore out a butcher grid in about 3-400 mi recently which was pretty disapointing. At least butchers are cheap
Right on man, those Mileages include doing the front to back, new tire on the front thing.

But even doing that was replacing tire's twice as fast with WTB trail boss. Undercut the corner knobs on rear way faster than maxxis dhr2
 
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maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,140
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
I mysteriously don't cut tires, like, ever. However one of the guys in my group cuts them constantly, to the point where he drives around with multiple spares in his truck, and on longer rides carries a pare tire in his enduro sash, he's been least unhappy with the Super Gravity casing, but for some reason won't try a full DH casing on his trailbike.

EDIT: This is the same guy who says he prefers 180mm rotors because he's tired of bending the 203mm ones :D:D
Are you getting RC confused with Kidwoo?
 

Nick

My name is Nick
Sep 21, 2001
23,928
14,450
where the trails are
I have good luck with EXOs for a few years. But we have nothing but manicured flow trails here in the Rockies.
Currently riding the TRS tires and I'm happy with everything about them.
 

Kanye West

220# bag of hacktastic
Aug 31, 2006
3,740
470
For perspective, miles and miles of this is what an average "trail bike" ride around here looks like. The fact that it's not very steep (actually annoyingly flat) is what contributes to rim/tire damage.