All Mountain Tyres

Daetmi3

Likes Bikes
Michelin Tyre

Has anyone tried the Michelin Wild Grip'R 2 advanced TS? Stupid long name I know but I'm really liking the tread pattern and weight. Can get them in a 2.3 and 2.2 for 650b and apparently they're a large tyre. Looks to me they should roll rather well but still have decent cornering bite. I'm currently on 2.4 High Roller 2 front and 2.4 Ardent rear and I'm looking for something that rolls a little easier but hopefully doesn't sacrifice grip.
The Michelins are a grear tyre. I've had a few different types as there were a few cheap models on CRC and thought I'd give some a go. Pretty awesome levels of grip and even roll quite well. The Wild Grips have. great tread pattern and are fast, the Wild Rocks are pretty knobby, grip like buggery and even roll for such a big tyre( 2.5's).

Give em a go...and if you dont like them just have them as spares.
 

ChopSticks

Banned
Make sure it is a DHR II, not a DHR if you do try it. Very different tyres...

thanks Nuttr!

can you shed any light into maxxis compounds? do they do the equivalent to Schwalbes pacestar (hard), TrailStair (medium), VertStar (soft) compounds?
and do they still call it EXO protection... and is that equivalent to Schwalbes snakeskin? /double defence?
 
Z

Zaf

Guest
60a is their harder compound.
42a is their Super Tacky, it's not quite as soft feeling as the Schwalbe liquorice soft, but it's plenty grippy and will drag a bit if you're on anything not fully requiring it.
The 3C is a mix, and depending on the tyre will have profiles of several different rubbers. Centre treads being harder, shoulders being softer etc. Some are capped with a soft compound but have a hard compound underneath. It does vary from tyre to tyre, and you'll see things like 3C max Terra, or 3C Max Speed, and they all correspond with different multi compounds.

At least, to my understanding of them.

EXO is Maxxis Snakeskin equivalent...but just better. Make sure you get tyres with EXO...non EXO are so fragile you might as well burn the money you spend on them.
 

haydenw

Likes Bikes and Dirt
ya if you go the maxxis route make sure they are with ones which have as many acronyms on the side wall as possible...

3C (Dual compound), TR (Tubeless ready), Exo (better sidewalls)
 

SDA

Likes Dirt
I'm running a Minion DHR 2 EXO TR 29 x 2.3" on the front and Ardent EXO TR 29 x 2.25" on the rear. Both are now setup tubeless at 28 psi in the front and 34 psi in the rear. I have tried running lower pressures, but didn't like how the rear tyre squirmed and the front giving way mid corner.

I've been enjoying the setup around Lysterfield. I can confidently enter corners at speed knowing both tyres will stick, or the rear will go into a very light controlled drift - great fun! Braking traction is ridiculous - almost too controlled. Climbing traction is great too - although the rear can let go slightly when transitioning from seated to standing (which most tyres do and probably comes down to technique).

All round I'm happy with the setup. But that doesn't stop me from being curious about an Ikon EXO TR.
 

Beej1

Senior Member
Any other Minion riders out there have squirm issues on their rear tyre? Assuming what I refer to as squirm and what SDA above refers to are the same thing anyway: for me, it's a feeling like the tyre is gripping the ground, but the rim is continuing laterally away from the tyre ... as it it's trying to roll off completely?

I run Minion DHF EXO's, 26 x 2.5 - tubeless with sealant and a rim strip on Easton Havoc wheels (2011ish model - 28mm outer width). I simply cannot get the pressure low enough that I am happy with traction, without suffering this squirmy feeling. To remove the squirmy feeling entirely I have to have the pressure too high, or run a tube (but even that isn't perfect).

I'm about 100kg. I'm considering switching to a DH casing - I assume the thicker sidewalls will help? In any case I thought I'd see if anyone else had suffered similar issues and found a solution. Another option would be a proper tubeless version of the tyre perhaps? Don't care about weight anymore - admittedly I chose the EXO's due to their weight, but I'd rather have good cornering ability than save 500g.
 

Ivan

Eats Squid
The tubeless casing and the 2 ply casing are much more substantial and should reduce squirm. I have EXO ardents, and the sidewalls are much thinner the the tubeless version.
 

DJR

Likes Dirt
The tubeless casing and the 2 ply casing are much more substantial and should reduce squirm. I have EXO ardents, and the sidewalls are much thinner the the tubeless version.
Do you mean the tr casing or the old LUST? I wasn't sure the TR did anything other than an additional layer to hold the sealant in, but maybe there is some extra sidewall strength.
 

mitchy_

Llama calmer
Do you mean the tr casing or the old LUST? I wasn't sure the TR did anything other than an additional layer to hold the sealant in, but maybe there is some extra sidewall strength.
not that i have a plain EXO or LUST casing to compare it to, but my EXO TR Ardent and EXO TR High Roller 2 have pretty hefty sidewalls, and both come in around the 7-800g mark. i have some exception casing tyres that are paper thin compared to these.
 

Mywifesirrational

I however am very normal. Trust me.
I'm running a Minion DHR 2 EXO TR 29 x 2.3" on the front and Ardent EXO TR 29 x 2.25" on the rear. Both are now setup tubeless at 28 psi in the front and 34 psi in the rear. I have tried running lower pressures, but didn't like how the rear tyre squirmed and the front giving way mid corner.

I've been enjoying the setup around Lysterfield. I can confidently enter corners at speed knowing both tyres will stick, or the rear will go into a very light controlled drift - great fun! Braking traction is ridiculous - almost too controlled. Climbing traction is great too - although the rear can let go slightly when transitioning from seated to standing (which most tyres do and probably comes down to technique).

All round I'm happy with the setup. But that doesn't stop me from being curious about an Ikon EXO TR.
Whats you internal rim width, wonder if that would make a difference with the squirm?
 

Beej1

Senior Member
Do you mean the tr casing or the old LUST? I wasn't sure the TR did anything other than an additional layer to hold the sealant in, but maybe there is some extra sidewall strength.
According to this article when TR first became available, the TR adds a 'layer' to the casing to keep the air and sealant in, and beefs up the bead a bit for the same purpose. Only adds 50g to a standard casing.

I would posit this adds little in the way of structural integrity, and is mostly about stopping sealant leaking out.
 

Ivan

Eats Squid
The UST casing is thicker than the LUST casing, which is thicker than the EXO TR casing. The are different enough that you would feel it on the trail IMO.

As far as the difference in casing stiffness between a 2 ply Minion and a UST minion I don't know. I think I remember that a 2ply Minion was actually lighter than a UST minion of the same width, so read into that what you will. EDIT: looks like they are very similar weights.
 
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slowmick

38-39"
NP- i am around 120 kg with bag and i find the EXO ardents very squirmy. i have gone to using dual ply ardents, minions and high rollers (but i still use tubes). they bring a lot more confidence. if you don't care about weight and you have plenty of time to put them on (they can be a little tight) go for the dual plys.
 

WarbyD

Likes Dirt
Thoughts on this tyre?

http://www.maxxis.com/catalog/tire-493-122-griffin

I had ordered a Magic Mary from Velogear, but turns out it wasn't actually available in the size they had listed so they've offered me a Maxxis Griffin instead at the same price (or the choice of a refund or store credit to a value which was actually higher than what the tyre cost.. so very happy with the way they've handled it). I figure, what the hell - I'll try the Griffin.. I still have my current nobby nic which looks to have plenty of life left on the front, so thinking I'll run the griffin on the rear...
 

mitchy_

Llama calmer
Thoughts on this tyre?

http://www.maxxis.com/catalog/tire-493-122-griffin

I had ordered a Magic Mary from Velogear, but turns out it wasn't actually available in the size they had listed so they've offered me a Maxxis Griffin instead at the same price (or the choice of a refund or store credit to a value which was actually higher than what the tyre cost.. so very happy with the way they've handled it). I figure, what the hell - I'll try the Griffin.. I still have my current nobby nic which looks to have plenty of life left on the front, so thinking I'll run the griffin on the rear...
what is it being used for? at 1.1kg it's a hefty rear tyre if not on a DH bike...
 
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