mtbtires.com

have a little time on the wheels and tires.

Rimstrips were very easy to install. Tires (standard, UST and TR) easy to
mount and remove.

My weights:
rimstrips 45g each
valves 8g each
wheels (w/o the above and skewers)
Front 854g
rear 1051

Compares very well to my hand built trail wheels: Alex FD28 rims (28mm
wide), 14/15 spokes, alloy nipples, Hope XC rear and Bulb front hubs:
1071g rear, 895g (qr) and 872 (20mm) front.

The tension on these were much lower than what I expect. Disc side front was around 90Kgf and drive side rear ~100Kgf. I brought both up to ~120 after the first ride. After that first ride the rear was lightly out of true and dish. Front was fine
except for the low tension. The OSB does work well in reducing the
side-to-side tension differences. Much closer than with my conventional
wheels.

When mounting the TR tires I like to seat the beads before I put in the
Super Juice. Both the Big Earl TR ARC 2.35 and Mud X TR AR 1.8 aired up
nicely (to 50-60psi) and held air so I left them as is (no SJ) over night.
Lost maybe 3-4 psi so I let them sit another day. Still held the pressure
so I rode the Big Earls without using the Super Sealant. Not a problem -
except the BE is too big for the back of my hardtail. Rubs the chainstays,
chain rubs the sidewall in the lowest gear.

Replaced the BE with a Mud X TR 2.0 - which did not hold air overnight.
Added the Super Juice. Found it difficult to remove the valve core
quickly, cut too much off the SJ bottle tip so the tube would not fit well
and slopped a bit of sealant on the ground in the process. I will just pop
the bead loose next time. As I have noticed before it can take a couple of
days for the SJ to totally seal a TR tire. Not enough leakage (pressure
only, not sealant) to affect rides, though.

Love the look of the wheels. One of my riding buddies did ask if other
colors were available and was disappointed when I said no.

“… i guess though tire selection is a personal thing and besides terrain perhaps even riding style can determine whether you like or dislike a tire…”

He nailed that one and it is especially riding style that comes into play.

The sidewall flex/squirm is a very personal thing. Terrain, rider weight, type of riding and riding style all contribute.

I tend to like rounder profile tires for the way they track (straight line stability) and change direction. A narrower rim gives most tires this profile.

Some say a wider rim reduces pinch flats. I can not say I have noticed much difference and if anything, I pinch more with the same tire on a wider rim. Especially the case if it is a narrowish tire on a wideish rim.

I also like lower pressures for the way it lets the tire conform to the terrain and not be deflected as easily. Give a better feel and feedback. Too high a pressure and the tire bounces/deflects off of bumps/rocks/roots in strange directions.
I do feel the sidewall flex - in a good way. It is telling me the tire is working. The tread and casing conforming. Giving me info on the available grip. If I feel the tire “wallowing” or folding the pressure is too low. The pressure also needs to be high enough to support the tread blocks and not so high that it does not let the tread “work.” I know lighter riders than me that can not stand the “squirm” of tires even when running higher pressures than I use. It may actually be the tread flexing or slipping that they are noticing.

Every tire has a pressure sweet-spot where this balance takes place and varies with the rider, bike, rim and terrain. This brings up an mostly overlooked part of bike setup and tuning:
Many hours and dollars are spent on suspension setup. The affects of tire pressure on the suspension is largely ignored. Change the tire pressure and you may need to change the shock damping. The tire construction (tread design, rubber compound and casings) itself changes the handling and can require a suspension adjustment. I have ridden tires that are just plain awful on a rigid bike and shine on a boinger.

(adapted from a mtbr.com post)

Hutchinson did confirm the 29×2.0 Python at Interbike. Latest word is it will be produced (only) in a Tubeless Ready version.

“We plan to make the Python 29″ in TUBELESS READY. This means that Python 29″ will be able to be installed using FAST’AIR tubeless latex on a UST compatible rim/wheel or you can mount this tire (with tubeless beads) onto a normal rim and use a tube. To be clear, there will only be one (version) but this Tubeless Ready tire can be mounted tubeless or with a tube.”

They are just rubber and nylon treads. Why do they fascinate me so much?

So many ways to put them together.

Such a light and flexible structure.

But once attached to a rim and filled with air they can support great loads and take incredible abuse.

The only thing that connects bike to ground.

Without the tires a bike is useless.

I was taken with the Rubena DH/FR tires from the Czech Republic.

Triton in 2.45 and 2.25

Harpie 2.25

They also have XC tires in their complete lineup.

Schwalbe has a new intermediate to wet.
Muddy Mary 2.50 w/ a HD casing

Geax Datura 2.2
Deep open tread and light weight casing

Geax Suguaro XC tire
26x 2.0 & 2.2 and 29×2.2

WTB has NINE new tires including the Stout 2.3

Dissent 2.5

Prowler MX 2.5

Prowler XT 2.3

Vulpine 2.1

Raijin 2.1

WeirWolf 29×2.55 LT

Favorite Most-Conditions Tire:
Hutchinson Spider

Favorite Trail Tire and 29er Tire:
Panaracer Rampage

Favorite Downhill Tire:
Michelin DH32 AT

Co-Favorite Mud Tires:
Panaracer TrailRaker and Schwalbe Black Shark Mud

Favorite Most-Conditions Tire
Not sure of the conditions or the terrain or just do not like to change tires? Mount the Hutchinson Spider (any size, standard or tubeless). The Spider can take you from summer hardpack and gravel to winter slop with barely a slip. Not the best for any one condition and does not struggle in any.

Favorite Trail (and 29er) Tire
Know how a good road slick just sticks no matter had hard you push it into a corner? Want that same feeling on dirt? The Panaracer Rampage delivers. It can feel blasé when ridden passively. Get aggressive and it comes alive. Lean it into a corner and it carves the turn, lean it more and it grips harder. Feel at the limit? What limit? Available in 26″ and 29″ sizes.

Favorite Downhill Tire
Yes, it is big (2.80″) and heavy (1450g). It is also cushy and grippy. The Michelin DH32 AT delivers traction in the deep powdery dust and rock gardens of the mountain resorts, and in the wet of the Pacific Northwest without wearing out in a day or two of shuttling. All of Michelin’s downhill tires have the added bonus of being UST compliant without added weight.

Favorite Mud Tires
The Pacific Northwest is (in)famous for it. A good mudder is a revelation coming from a “regular” tire. The Panaracer TrailRaker and Schwalbe Black Shark Mud are the best of breed. Tall open treads that punch through for traction and release the crud to be ready for the the next bite.
The TrailRaker is the slightly better choice for harder/drier conditions. The Black Shark Mud excels in the deeper and sloppy to sticky glop. Both do surprisingly well on wet roots and rocks but do not expect miracles. Mud riding, more than any off road condition, is about partial traction. Mudders make it more controllable.

Partial traction and control. The essence of mountain biking and mtb tires. They give us the excitement we love.

Panaracer first showed this tire at interbike 2004. The 29er community gave it a lukewarm response, at best, because of its low volume casing.

Saturday I finally had the chance to put some trail miles on the Panaracer Fire Cross 700×45 tires. Mounted them on the BigShot and met Impy, formica and gabrielle (from mtbr.com) for a shuttle of the McKenzie River Trail (great day on the trail).

I intended for the narrower tires to slow my pace and require me to pick better lines. They did slow me slightly. I could still ride as quickly as the trail would allow. After 5-6 miles I stopped looking smoothest lines and rode over and through everything as I would normally. The Fire Cross handled it all very well. Good climbing, braking and cornering traction. Held the line I wanted most of the time and did not defect easily. No flats. No torn knobs. No harsh ride. Only bottomed the tires a couple of times (@ ~40 psi). Worthy tires!

In the thread I posted on the mtbr 29er board I was asked about the casing width:
“I’ve got the mutano’s now which claim to be 44/44, but they only measure out to about 41mm. I’m interested in the panaracers, but not if they aren’t actually 45mm.”

The Fire Cross is a much more capable off road tire than the Mutano 44/44.

If my previous comments about the volume vs rideability were not enough how about this: For most conditions I would pick the Fire Cross 700×45 over the Exiwolf 29×2.3. Compared to the Fast Trak, Ignitor, Panaracer Rampage, Jones XR and Fire Cross the Exi is harsh riding (even at less than 25 psi) and has traction issues.

Granted, the Fire Cross does not have a plush ride but it is much better than its volume would indicate.

If you have an air compressor in your shop and change a lot of bicycle tires you want the Air Bob. This is a shop-quality tire inflator with a gauge, bleed valve and a smart head for presta and schrader valves, with a thumb lock.

The Air-Bob is very easy to use and works extremely well.

I bought mine (at full price) from notubes.com, though any LBS with a QBP account can get it.
About $90 retail.

The specs for the new No Tubes The Crow tires, both 26×2.0 and 29×2.0. Both are designed to be used tubeless with the Stan’s No Tubes system or with standard inner tubes.

The casings go through a special process during vulcanizing to work better with the sealant fluid.

The Crow 29er bead is reinforced compared to the industry standard to increase reliability when used tubeless.

Full specs for both are now up.

I have been thinking that the stock ExiWolf tires on my Redline Monocog 29er look bigger than the one I measured last year.

Today I measured one. It is bigger: The casing is about 2mm wider and 2mm taller. This clearly makes it the highest volume 29er knobby currently on the market.

I have added the re-measure to the spec charts along with the original numbers.