Best Cross Country Tyre Combo?

S

Simmoclayto

Likes Bikes
Hi I was wondering what everyones favourite all round cross country tyre combo is??

I'm thinking of
Front: Maxxis Crossmark
Rear: Maxxis Larsen

I'm thinking of going tubless as I have Crossmax SL's however I've also heard that tyres can be lighter if tubes are used.

Any ones thoughts??
 
Christo

Christo

Likes Bikes and Dirt
Specialized fast track pro's for the riding I do - mainly You-yangs (fine, loose & dusty) but it's a case of horses for courses. I don't mind larsens & I've never tried crossmarks so I can't comment on that combo.

As for tubeless - dunno about the weight but I'm a fairly recent ghetto-tubeless convert and I love the fact I can run my tyres at much lower pressures - the grip when climbing on loose soil is phenomenal, not so quick on the hardpack though. Although any small knobbed (snicker:D) tyre is a good candidate for tubeless - like larsens or fast tracks - keen to try Kenda small block 8's too.
 
workmx

workmx

Banned
I would suggest trying out as large a range of tyres as you can.
Well, a large a range as your budget will allow.
Then stick with the ones that set.

IMO, plus one on the Fast Trax.
I have a pair of the Pro D2 versions.
They rock on the front.

As for the rear - anything with a fast rolling tread is perfect.
I am currently running an IRC Mythos Slick.
It is a little slippery in sandy bits.
But it is perfect everywhere else.

Check out here for more info - http://forums.farkin.net/showthread.php?t=50363
 
7

749dark

Likes Dirt
I personally use Larson's front and rear and have found them to be absolutely brilliant! The terrain that I ride through vary's from sand, loose dirt, right through to hard pack clay, rocks etc and I cannot fault them at all. I've also found that i'm not getting anywhere near as many pinch flats since converting.
 
BM Epic

BM Epic

Eats Squid
Hey simmoclayto,
I am sure there is a big thread on this subject somewhere and it was quite recent,it had a lot of good advice on tyres for xc etc.
Same thing as your thread -favorite tyres!
Search and check it out,fellow's like bodin and all the experienced xc blokes have got tonnes of good advice!:D
EDIT:tyres are in faq thread at the top of xc/enduro!
 
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poridge

poridge

Likes Dirt
tyres

I have Crossmarks F + R and think theyre OK. If you ride alot more hardpack etc, go the Larson's. As for weight, I have the Mavic crossrides with stans tubeless conversions. I find the weight similar to a tube/XC tyre setup on my older Mavic 117/Deore hubs. The benefit is that the tubeless tyre has a stiffer sidewall (LUST), so allows running a lower pressure and stronger sidewall protection. I ride a really rocky area and have always had issues with schredding sidewalls either from the rocks or from flatting the tubes.
Anyway...my 2c
 
Mattydv

Mattydv

Likes Bikes and Dirt
poridge said:
I have Crossmarks F + R and think theyre OK. If you ride alot more hardpack etc, go the Larson's.
Click to expand...
Wouldn't you actually be more inclined to go for crossmarks as they have a more continuous centre knobbed pattern, which would encourage better RR as opposed to the less continuous centre knobs as found on the larsens?
 
S

Some Guy

Likes Bikes and Dirt
They are both fast tyres, I just prefer the Crossmarks for grip reasons. Even on hardpack they grip better.
 
Viv92

Viv92

Eats Squid
It depends massively on the terrain. High Roller 2.35 60a on the front and Ignitor 2.35 60a on the back for harder stuff down to 70a 2.0 Larsens front and rear for max speed on smooth stuff.
 
T

tanky_walrus

Squid
Hi mate

I run a Larsen on the front, CrossMark on the rear. I had dual Larsens, but I found on the hard stuff I wasn't getting quite the amount of grip I wanted on the rear. I plan to buy an Ignitor for the front to see how that goes on more technical trails.

I also have the stock Hutchinson Piranhas Air Lights that came with my XtC2: I plan to use them for race day.

On a side note, is it worth buying some Maxxis Racing 310s, just for race-day?

Good luck mate =)
 
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Viv92

Viv92

Eats Squid
tanky_walrus said:
Hi mate

I run a Larsen on the front, CrossMark on the rear. I had dual Larsens, but I found on the hard stuff I wasn't getting quite the amount of grip I wanted on the rear. I plan to buy an Ignitor for the front to see how that goes on more technical trails.

I also have the stock Hutchinson Piranhas Air Lights that came with my XtC2: I plan to use them for race day.

On a side note, is it worth buying some Maxxis Racing 310s, just for race-day?

Good luck mate =)
Click to expand...
Not sure why you would bother changing your tyres for racing, yours are race tyres already. Every Hutchinson I've ever used sucked (I've tried the stock ones on last years XTC 2 and Talon), I'd rather use a Minion 2.7 for XC riding than the Hutchinsons (well maybe not really, but still...).
 
D

dain2772

Likes Bikes and Dirt
What are people's preferred widths for XC/Enduro?

I currently run ignitors F & R, but 1.95s (with the intention of lower rolling resistance), but see most people with much wider tyres.
 
Stubags

Stubags

Likes Bikes
ftr have Maxxis Ignitor Front / Dy-no-mite! Rear as a prefered combo. I haven't tried the ignitors but I will now. I have been running Crossmarks front and rear without any probs.
 
S

Simmoclayto

Likes Bikes
tanky_walrus said:
Hi mate

I run a Larsen on the front, CrossMark on the rear. I had dual Larsens, but I found on the hard stuff I wasn't getting quite the amount of grip I wanted on the rear. I plan to buy an Ignitor for the front to see how that goes on more technical trails.

I also have the stock Hutchinson Piranhas Air Lights that came with my XtC2: I plan to use them for race day.

On a side note, is it worth buying some Maxxis Racing 310s, just for race-day?

Good luck mate =)
Click to expand...
I've felt the crossmark has no grip on the rear so i'm thinking of changing to the larsens.....i'm happy with the crossmarks on the front......
 
bazza

bazza

look at me
so far have run

ignitor front and rear 1.9 (non folding)

ignitor 2.1 front (folding) and larsen 2.0 rear (non folding) on stans and without stans no tubes

than got my new bike and ran the WTB XC OEM set up, both were quiet wide 2.1's

now running and haven't taken off road but will in 3 days in NZ

2.1 ignitor front (folding) and crossmark 2.1 rear (LUST) on xt wheels w/tubless set up.

so we will see how that goes! going to a tubless set up made a big difference, don't really know how to explain it but they seemed to grip up nicer under the same pressures and roll a little nicer. the larsen felt MASSIVELY better than the ignitor on the rear. really nice tyre and really nice price! the wtb's were great for riding up hills, had so much grip, but on the slower stuff were quiet slow. so now going to see how the crossmark goes. i wouldn't mind running a LUST larsen front and rear set up though. but again going to see how the crossmark goes. mtb terrain is so mixed and our bike skills are so varied (some can corner, some can't.....being me) that everyones going to have different inputs.
 
workmx

workmx

Banned
In the last 12 months I have used the following tyres (all are folding and run with Maxxis Flyweight tubes at 35psi):
- Panaracer Dart Hardcore 2.1
- Ritchey Z-Max WCS 1.9
- Ritchey Elevader WCS 2.1
- Maxxis Larsen TT 2.0
- Specialized Fast Trax Pro D2 2.0
- IRC Serac XC 2.1
- IRC Mythos XC Slick 2.1
- Michelin Comp S Light 2.0
- Michelin Hot S 2.2

By far the best on the front is the Fast Trax. The Larsen TT and Hot S is also good. :)

The best rear has been the Elevader WCS - but I can't fit it on my new Sun rims. :( The Mythos XC Slick is the second best.
 
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