Tyre width

OllyUK

Im thinking of buying some folding Panaracer Fire XC pro tyres, but can't decide between the widths, 1.8 or 2.1.

What's the performance of the 1.8s in off road and in mud compared to the 2.1 and also am I right in assuming the 1.8 will have lower rolling resistance?

Thanks

Olly~

BlackSpur

1.8s will cut throught the mud beter than the 2.1s

dave_hill

OllyUK wrote:

Im thinking of buying some folding Panaracer Fire XC pro tyres, but can't decide between the widths, 1.8 or 2.1.

What's the performance of the 1.8s in off road and in mud compared to the 2.1 and also am I right in assuming the 1.8 will have lower rolling resistance?

Thanks

Olly~

You're right that a narrower tyre has lower rolling resitance than a wider tyre - it's simple physics really! A narrow tyre has less in contact with the road, so there's less friction - hence less rolling resistance.

There's two schools of thought on the mud thing. The narrow tyre school says that the tyre will cut through mud better than a wide tyre - much like a sharp knife cuts more easily than a dull knife.

The wide tyre school says that the tyre spreads the load and is less likely to sink in.

You pays your money and takes your choice!

prophet_1000

Go Big!!

2.35 High Rollers!

More comfort, more grip (Bigger footprint in contact with the trail) Less punctures from snake bites due to bigger carcass.

Panaracer XC pros 2.1 Min, Ideally High Rollers 2.35's you wont regret it!!

ride_whenever

Depends on your mud, in clayy mud then 1.8, wheras if it is not sticky then 2.1 or even larger. Remember to factor in mud in frame clearances, it doesn't matter how good the tyre is if it'll clog when it gets wet!

Platano

1.8 for speed. 2.1 for better comfort and grip. If you are riding in muddy conditions go for the Fire XC Mud 1.8s otherwise go for Fire XC Pro 2.1s as they grip a lot better on wet rock.

OllyUK

I think I'll go for the 1.8s..and I love to look of the coloured sidewall on the panas.

The Big Cheese

OllyUK wrote:

I think I'll go for the 1.8s..and I love to look of the coloured sidewall on the panas.

They are good tyres but you will get bored of the colour sidewall

I swapped them back to Continental Vapour Pro's

GT Destroyer

We swapped back as well. I got the red walls and gradually thought that the bike looked too clattered with colour!

My mate got the yellow walls but the yellow didn't match the yellow on his Mongoose!

It starts out as a good idea but the novelty does wear off, before I sold the GT i put my Tiogas back on again

The Big Cheese

GT Destroyer wrote:

We swapped back as well. I got the red walls and gradually thought that the bike looked too clattered with colour!

My mate got the yellow walls but the yellow didn't match the yellow on his Mongoose!

It starts out as a good idea but the novelty does wear off, before I sold the GT i put my Tiogas back on again

I bought some racing Ralph's but they were far too big (2.25) and looked odd on the bike - cheap from Germany so sold em to my mate and went back to the vapor pros - great tyres surprisingly...

Felt my bike was too red and as you said 'cluttered'

JWYATT-18

Go even bigger 2.5 high rollers ! they do the trick

ride_whenever

I you want to go really big then get 3" nokians

DAM

You don't have to use the same tyres front and rear!!

I have a 2.1 at the back for better traction and a 2.35 at the front as it improves impact absorption which, coupled with the better grip, probably improves handling.

Also, if rolling resistance is important to you, you should think about weight also as rotational mass is important in how quickly you can accelerate.

All that said, in 18 years of mountain biking the best rear tyre I have found for grip, light weight and very low rolling resistance is the Schwalbe racing ralph and I hear brillinat things about the nobby nic for the front!!

flatonhisarsecoombs

so what would you recomend for leaf litter sitting over the top of a typical compost-like soil? with also some roots and off cambre rock gardens? Need something with a really good level of grip especially around the corners.

Also, does anyone know the maximum rear tyre clearance for a 2005 hardrock pro? im thinking really 2.35?

Any help would be greatly appreciaited!

clas

I had some panaracer XC fire pros. rode on them twice then took em off. rolled like a slick and gripped like one too. nearly fired me off a cliff due to sliding down an off camber.
I would reccomend a Maxxis swamp thing on the front and a high roller on the back.
you can get them in single ply for XC or twin for more freeride type stuff a great winter set and what is about to go on the Kona! :idea:

flatonhisarsecoombs

thanks for the help, i shall go and look into them now. .

Gwaredd

I run Tioga Factory XC in 1.95 size & they are brilliant. Round here we have a mix of thick gloopy mud & slippy chalk, & they've not let me down once yet. I ride with a group of lads, all far more experienced than me (I'm the newbie) & all ride £1000+ machines (against my £100 2nd hand Claude Butler) but they are so impressed by the Tiogas, that at least 3 of them are swapping to them for the next ride.

As I've had nothing else tyre wise, I've nothing to compare them to, but the other guys have.

Oh, they have a different tread pattern front to rear, so they roll really well too & I'm the only one in the group not to have had a puncture. Yet