All Mountain Tyres

[Wiffle]

Favourite front is the conti rubber queen/ trail king 2.4; followed by schwalbe big Betty or fat Albert. The RQ just seems to roll, grip, and last better than any others I've tried. On the back still not found the perfect tyre, RQ is again a strong contender (would like to try 2.2 for lighter weight). Also maxxis Aspen for rocky, steppy and slabbed trails, and ardent for softer conditions. All run tubeless with sealant, pressures from 22-26 fr and 25-30 rr. Tried Lots of others from lots of brands, but these have been my favourites so far.

 

[madridingengineer]

I use a 2.35 Single Ply super tacky Minion F front and back run ghetto tubeless.


They are a heavy tyre choice compared to some of the combination's being suggested here.
However ive never had a problem with grip or getting punctures and id rather it be my fitness slowing me down rather than a puncture/worrying about tyres while plowing down a track.

 

[crank1979]

Favourite front is the conti rubber queen/ trail king 2.4; followed by schwalbe big Betty or fat Albert. The RQ just seems to roll, grip, and last better than any others I've tried. On the back still not found the perfect tyre, RQ is again a strong contender (would like to try 2.2 for lighter weight).

The only problem I've had with the 2.2" RQ on the rear is the sidewall isn't as durable as the 2.4" version. Both UST. The 2.2" wasn't a handmade in Germany version like the 2.4", didn't use the Black Chilli compound and the Apex Armour sidewall definitely wasn't as tough. I've heard mixed reports about the latest version in the 2.2" size but if it is also made to the same standard as the 2.4" now I think it would be the ultimate AM tyre for where I ride.

The original UST AM tyres I used and loved were 2.5" UST Maxxis Minion DHFs. They are a little bit heavy though!

 

[actionchris]

2.4" UST Rubber Queens Front and Back. A little heavy at just over 1kg each but lighter then the minion/highroller set up previous. Grip seems about identical, maybe a little better on the rear, but i havent used them in a dh environment yet. Will report back when i have. But so far have been loving them. Tubeless is the bomb too.

 

[Nautonier]

I use a 2.35 Single Ply super tacky Minion F front and back run ghetto tubeless.


They are a heavy tyre choice compared to some of the combination's being suggested here.
However ive never had a problem with grip or getting punctures and id rather it be my fitness slowing me down rather than a puncture/worrying about tyres while plowing down a track.

I didn't think you could get 42a compound (super tacky) tires in a 2.35 single ply. I've tried 2.35 High Rollers and Kenda Nevegals and both are totally awful in terms of cornering traction compared to super tacky or slow reezay 2.5 DH tires. My ideal tire would be something around the 700g mark (like the High Rollers) that came in super tacky without a pathetically thin sidewall. Does such a thing exist?

The other problem I've had with AM riding is that unless I run single ply (rear) tires with thick heavy tubes it's pinch-flat city. And I've heard enough reports of the good old "burping" scenario to put me off tubeless. I've basically reached the conclusion that AM riding is limited to trails that suit a certain level of equipment, ie, not DH strength. And this is a shame because it would be nice to have a bike that was light enough to ride up the hills (under 14kg) but was able to cope with dedicated DH tracks at DH speeds. I tried to achieve this with a Giant Reign, but it ended up weighing 16.5kg so I bit the bullet and brought a DH bike which won't go up the hills at all but is a lot more fun to ride down... Now I'm growing a beer gut

 

[g-fish]

Right now I'm running a Maxxis Ardent 2.4 front and a maxxis larsen 2.3 rear. It's qutie a grippy fast rolling set up.. albeit a bit heavy. It's on a am hardtail so I like the wider tires to take some of the bit out of the bumps - the ardent is wider than a 2.5 minion though, so beware when your buying.

Other set ups I've liked have been:
F: 2.4 Fat Albert
R: 2.4 Nobbly nic
pretty pricey set up though..

The biggest problem I have is getting good puncture resistance. I've tried conti race kings - which gripped like a ants to a wall and were ridiculously fast - but were paper thin. I had the same problems with SB8's and monorails. I like the larsen on the back because it has a bit of strength to it and you can do a few skids without it perishing instantly.

I've also run a schwable table top (a dj tire) on the back, which had good puncture resistance and rolled really fast. It was a lot of fun around the turns, allowing you to kick out the back, but really wasn't practical for getting the power down.

 

[Ivan]

Ivan, That MK is comparatively light for a big bagged tyre. How does it handle the conditions up here ?

The 2.4" MK was super grippy in Cairns during the dry, I never tried it in the wet though. you pay for it with rolling resistance

The Hutchy Barracuda UST 2.3" was fairly good in those conditions as well, and was a bit easier to roll than the MK.

They corner differently though. The Hutchy had a very square profile, and the Conty is very round.

. And I've heard enough reports of the good old "burping" scenario to put me off tubeless.

Ive never had a tyre burp on me. Sensible pressures and UST Tyres. A UST rim will give you even more security.

 

[tasty.dirt74]

Really ! The Barracuda rolls better ? Wow..

I thought the barra was a bit like a tractor tyre when on the flat, or climbing... Not looking good for the conti.
A mate swears by the rubber queen. I just cant bring myself to get ane, just cause of the name !
With the tracks as wet as they are ATM, I dont think any tyre would excel, except for a medusa !
Swapped the Maxxis Advantage/ Hutchy Barracuda out today for Larsen TT 2.0 for a ride up Quaids(if your in FNQ, you will know), and climbed 400 mtrs vertical in 7klms ! Turned around, and descended 400mtrs in 7klms ! Maxed out at 74kph ! Larsens are great for minimising rolling resistance! Although 800mm wide bars are not ! Must cut them down !

 

[burnside97]

Specialized Eskar a purgatory are both fantastic front an rear

 

[ronster44]

I`m ruining Specs Eskars 2.3 SWorks front Captain control 2.2 rear really like this combo.

 

[tasty.dirt74]

I found the Eskars to be quite thin in the sidewall. They did seal up tubeless though !

How have you found them in that regard ?

 

[burnside97]

Well i personally love all specialized trail and xc tyres and yes, SWORKS tyres have super thin sidewalls. So i opt for the control casing front and rear always. Little bit heavier but speccy tyres just kick ass so im not fussed. And yess they gop tubless a sinch

 

[Nerf Herder]

Is 2.4 too much rubber ...

I previously ran 2.35 rollers/minions, but really the added weight and rolling resistance didn't justify any perceived descending performance ... relatively speaking

Admittedly I went kinda extreme and was running 2.1 crossmarks front and back for awhile, and that was just deflection alley.

Anywho, I don't go and measure for effective width and take the badging for granted, but the 2.25 ardent on front and a 2.1 Nev seems to do just fine on the rougher descents, and I have no issues with them landing to rough and loose. I also run pressures at anti flat / anti burp levels of approx 40psi, so I can't see why I'd want to run bigger bags. Am I missing something or am I just lucky ...

Also, for those running crossmarks or larsens or SB8s on the rear ... do you find that when slightly worn, they are compromised on techy climbs with rock steps / boulders ... ie, surging over the lip would usually lead to the rear spinning and not biting down ... one reason I went back to Nevs with the bigger centre knobs. I think my technique is good here, when I have the ticker.

Anyway, the rubber queens, maybe the intense XC and the nobby nics are on my future tire list, but pretty happy with the ardent / nev combo ...

 

[crank1979]

Is 2.4 too much rubber ...

Anywho, I don't go and measure for effective width and take the badging for granted, but the 2.25 ardent on front and a 2.1 Nev seems to do just fine on the rougher descents, and I have no issues with them landing to rough and loose. I also run pressures at anti flat / anti burp levels of approx 40psi, so I can't see why I'd want to run bigger bags. Am I missing something or am I just lucky ...

Also, for those running crossmarks or larsens or SB8s on the rear ... do you find that when slightly worn, they are compromised on techy climbs with rock steps / boulders ... ie, surging over the lip would usually lead to the rear spinning and not biting down ... one reason I went back to Nevs with the bigger centre knobs. I think my technique is good here, when I have the ticker.

2.4" wide tyres can be too big. The 2.2" RQ didn't work all that well on my XT wheels when I tired it because the rim was too narrow. But the 2.4" RQ works nicely on Crossmax SX wheels.

40psi is huge! I haven't burped a tyre yet using a full UST set up, but the lowest I've run is 25psi. At that pressure though I have found the thin sidewalls of the old Nobby Nics to tear very easily.

SB8s are definitely a compromise on the rear, especially when the centre tread loses that little groove cut across each block.

 

[actionchris]

Is 2.4 too much rubber ...

Maybe in some situations such as glenrock and other XC tracks but i wanted the black chilli compound front and rear to see what it was like. These tyres will be my do it all tyres until they are shredded. CDF switching out tyres anymore for different situations. I will be downhilling at places like awaba and such so i figured a bit of extra bag couldnt hurt. Its all about comprimise in the end.

Edit: These are being run on crossmax SX wheels and seem to be fine as per what Crank said above me

 

[Bluedogg]

2.25 Nobby Nic front and rear work great, mud, sand and rock, they are predictable.
I used Fat Alberts a few years ago and will try the new ones next up.

 

[g-fish]

Also, for those running crossmarks or larsens or SB8s on the rear ... do you find that when slightly worn, they are compromised on techy climbs with rock steps / boulders ... ie, surging over the lip would usually lead to the rear spinning and not biting down ... one reason I went back to Nevs with the bigger centre knobs. I think my technique is good here, when I have the ticker.

I have that problem with my larsen on the back, I usually run mid 30psi, I drop it down into the 20's and the problem of slipping under torque lessens.

Ardent/nevegal sounds like a good combo.

 

[Ivan]

2.4" isn't too big for AM, because how a tyre performs depends on the Tread design, bag, pressure etc.

Just thought I'd put this up to add to my previous post.
Larsen 2.1" measured: Tread- 2.0" Bag-2.1"
Cont MK 2.4" measured: Tread- 2.4" Bag - ?

 

[wespelarno]

Intense edge in either 2.35 or 2.5, depending on how adventurous I feel.
http://www.intensetires.com/itam-ed-235.html

It is a dual compound tire I came accross riding in Bolivia. It fits into the more downhill orientated side of all mountain and being dual compound really rewards aggressively leaning the bike in corners. Plenty of grip going up and down at a slight sacrifice to rolling ability/weight, although on average I'm faster on this set up. I had Minions on my Nomad previously and the extra grip from the intense tires is incredible. I mostly ride Majura and Stromlo.

 

[paulb]

I mostly use WTB Mutanoraptor 2.4s which are fast and light with a big bag. I run around 30psi for my 95kg weight. I've got home with 15psi in the back without pinch flatting - there is a lot of volume in them. They're not very aggressive but I find them predictable

I ran 2.4 mountain king black chilis last winter which were good while the ground was soft but the knobs walk too much when it's hard packed. They're also much slower than the WTBs.

I did try super tacky single ply minion 2.35s, dhf and dhr (which were available through chain reaction - I don't know if they were sold outside Europe) but they were just too slow - couldn't keep up 25km/hr on flat fire trail. I'm thinking about putting the dhf on the front of the spitfire though as it seem to be pushing the mutanoraptor a bit