I'm SO sorry to ask...............................Tyres!!

cheehee

I have searched the forums, I have looked at the reviews, but I'm still none the wiser.

Basically I'm after some new tyres for my Rockhopper. It is currently on the OE 26x2.0 FastTracks and I'm after something tougher.

By tougher, I mean a tyre that doesn't puncture so often, 7 today ffs :shock: Something with a bit more grip than the FastTracks would be a bonus, though I don't think that will be hard

The riding I tend to do is mainly XC and I venture over to Sherwood Pines on occasion, so nothing really hardcore. The tyre's tarmac capabilities are not important as I try to avoid riding the MTB on the road as much as possible.

I don't really want to spend over £50.00 for the pair.

Any Ideas??

Cheers

Cheehee

ratty2k

Tubeless? Slimetubes? the plastic strip made by slime?

toasty

Wow, 7 punctures? What was causing them? To get that many it sounds like too low a pressure or spokes surely?

Quite enjoying the big 2.1" Kenda Blue Groove + 2.1" Nevegal combo I've got on the Zaskar at the mo. Bought for slidey winter silliness and general confidence inspiring riding. They'll add about 150-200g per end over the Fast Traks you're using now though, thicker feeling sidewalls and much more tread than the Fast Traks.

To be honest anything would probably have more grip in the wet than those Fast Traks, they're nice and light for when it dries out though.

cheehee

Toasty wrote:

Wow, 7 punctures? What was causing them? To get that many it sounds like too low a pressure or spokes surely?

Oh mate t'was a nightmare. I've never known anything like it, I had to console myself with figroll goodness.......



Pressures were 45 r 40 f, punctures caused by thorns. 1 at the back and 6 at the front :shock:

I'll accept that one thorn was a big bugger and would get through most tyres, but the rest were pathetic little things, but enough to get through the FastTracks.

I'm gonna see what the LBS has got in, and if no good I'll check out the Kenda's.

Cheers

Seven punctures.........in one ride...........(Cheehee walks away shaking his head)

Northwind

I like the nevegals too, I'm not hard on tyres as I'm very light but still, I've had only one flat since I got them which is pretty good going. And they work well too, good allrounders- wee bit draggy maybe but not bad for the grip levels, and they can tyrn their hands to anything. One tyre for all occasions other than deep, deep mud and bone-dry hardpack. I've not tried the Blue Groove/Nevegal combo but I will, it's well regarded (my default is Nevegal DTC on the rear, Stick-E on the front, this works very nicely)

A Highrollers fan will be along in a moment to tell you to get those instead. They're good too

toasty

I do like High Rollers but only on big burly bikes, my Meta has one on at the mo. Their 2.1" is tiny compared to the Nevegals, while the 2.35" was a bit big for my Zaskar. If they made 2.25" I'd have probably gone that direction!

Anonymous

cue high roller fan.

im not running them at the moment as im very much enjoying my s-works eskars in tubeless mode on the enduro but yes, they are a very tough tyre and good in all but the sloppiest of conditions.

ive used the 2.35 and the 2.1 and they are both ace, the 2.1 are quite narrow but very light and still tough and probably best suited to the rockhopper.

7 punctures definately puts you in the potential tubeless bracket though i would have thought.

i really like s-works "the captains" too at the moment, especially as it is drying out a bit but i run those tubeless too, they are very thin so probably not any tougher than your fast-traks but this is all academic when you run tubeless as you can say ta-ra to punctures.

mudslinger

I was in a similar position to you & considered the following:

1) Tyre liners (e.g. Panaracer flataways, Slime liners)
2) Protection tyres e.g. Conti Mountain Kings Protection
3) Tubeless

I tried the Slime liners but for me they caused more punctures than they prevented. Any heavy impact caused the liner to cut the inner tube. This may well have been down to me not installing them properly but I did spend quite a while faffing around with them.

Several people on hear swear by the Conti protection tyres but in the end I decided to go down the tubeless route with the Stans kit. I was pretty daunted by it & spent ages reading up about it & the ghetto method but took the plunge about 6 weeks ago. I know its not long but so far so good & with a tubed setup I'd probably have have a few puntures in that time.

bails87

I think the protection on the conti tyres is only on the sidewalls, so won't really protect against thorns coming through the tread. Might be wrong though, so they might be a good call, but a bit pricey.

Some slime might help, I was weighing up tubeless but decided against the hassle and expense and put slime in my tubes instead. I know theres a weight penalty, but I had 5 thorns go through the tube at the weekend, and I only had to stop to pump up the tyre once in 24 miles, which beats stopping to change/repair tubes 5 times. And the weight isnt really that noticable for me at least, certainly dont feel it as much as when the tread of the tyre fills with mud. So if you've got a bit of change from your budget it might be worth a try.

Stephen-Hawking

I started using conti moutain kings (not the protection) a couple of moths ago and haven't had a puncture since - normally would have expected a couple in that time. great tyres though, noticeable improvement, bit noisy on any road stretches, but try my hardest to avoid that anyway. You could do worse.

The Big Cheese

I am running High Rollers 2.3 60a compound (but as above only on my freeride rig - they have been sweet)

nevegals are pretty damn good - got them on the GT (stock) and they have been fine around the forest (with jumps and a lot of pinchy rocks)

best i ever had tbh was my nobby nics NEVER had a puncture with them - probably just lucky!

The Northern Monkey

big fan of maxxis ignitors here

Had them stock on my GT, and they seem to be able to handle pretty much anything!

Hardpack, Rain, loose... seemed fine on everything!

stubs

I know a couple of lads who swear by Stans no tubes tubeless sealant but put it into innertubes just like slime they reckon it seals much quicker than the green jizz. The Stans sealant is pretty expensive but they pooled there money and bought a gallon of it so it worked out about the same price. It could save the faff of going tubeless.

toasty

I've done 7 tyres so far with Joes sealant, all worked fine, even the non-UST tyres on non-UST rims.

adb1006

Just go tubeless! You know you want to!

Seriously - i used to get at least one puncture per ride - i went tubeless a couple of months ago and have had none so far, doing the same route... TOUCH WOOD!

ratty2k

Seems like the right place......
Just gone tubeless myself. Stans no tubes rim strips and sealant. Maxxis High rollers and on DT 5.1 rims- fitted with no real issues, aired up on a compressor at LBS no real issues, checked 'em just with soapy water and I can't see any signs of leakage. Hopefully they'll stay up overnight proving there to be no problems and then get their first real test on Sat in the Peak district! 8)

toasty

UST ones? If not I wouldn't be suprised if you lose a small amount of air, some of mine were even flat by the morning. Just pump them up, spin them around a bit and carry on. The seal will get better and better over time. After a few weeks they've all been totally rock solid.

My proper UST tyres have been the only ones that haven't leaked at all.

cheehee

I've gone and ordered some Kenda Nevegals and Kenda Blue Grooves off the interweb, as recommended by Toasty and Northwind.

I ordered some 'No flat Joes' self sealing tubes as well, so I'll see how I go with them. Tubeless is something I may consider in the future.

Nevegal R and Blue Groove F, is that right??

Cheers all

Cheehee

toasty

Yup, that's the right way around. Good grippy tyres

I knew they were a bit heavier/slower rolling but originally told myself it was just for winter, I'd swap them out afterwards. Unfortunately they're much more fun than the Captains were and I'd imagine they'll stay on for quite a while. I need to quell my weight weenie urges occationally!

ratty2k

Toasty, no not the UST ones.... I have shaken the wheel to distribute the sealant, so fingers crossed! Certainly no major leaks, not even any small ones- but may have a tiny seep though the tyre walls.... As you say tho, should improve with time and riding.

rowlers

bigbenj_08 wrote:

big fan of maxxis ignitors here

Had them stock on my GT, and they seem to be able to handle pretty much anything!

Hardpack, Rain, loose... seemed fine on everything!

I'm running these too, got to say I'm impressed. got te pair for £25 on 'bay

cheehee

So it's 11am and I'm just about to go for a ride on the Rockhopper.....knock knock. It's the friendly neighbourhood postie with my tyres and tubes.

So of course I've got to fit them straight away



They are more confidence inspiring than the Fasttracks and cope well with loose surfaces........They didn't cope with this but I gave it a go



I can feel the extra weight, though the bulk of it is from the 'Flat Joes' tubes.

I spotted a bit of totty on my ride.....



...........she was giving me the eye :shock:

I stayed out for about three hours. Man it was proper windy today but quite sunny. The best thing?

NO PUNCTURES

Back home.......



So first impressions are good; more grip, no punctures, the 2.1's look nice and beefy on the bike, a bit more weight but I can live with that. When you're as slow as me it makes little difference

Cheehee