Kenda Nevegal vs Excavator?

Northwind

Has anyone actually compared these properly yet? A few people have said the Excavator's basically a Nevegal only better- grippier and faster... I'm a nevegal fan so that got my interest!

Dazzza

I haven't had the chance no but all reviews i have seen prefer the excavator dtc over the nevegal especially as it rolls much better, from what i've read some use excavator on the back as it's a great climber and a telonix on the front as it has better grip but it a bit slower rolling, personally i just run a few psi lower up front to compensate.

For a general xc tyre they're my favourite.

http://www.mtbr.com/cat/tires-and-wheel ... 51crx.aspx

lesz42

might get one for the front, so going from a 2.1 nevargal DTC, to a 2.35 excavator dtc

Northwind

Mmm, see, I was googling around and found a few reviews that said it was great on the front but only average on the back. But then it's the internet, I'm sure if I keep looking I can find someone who reckons it's great ground up as a coffee substitute, user reviews are a bit odd

Mmm. I need a new rear soon, might pick up a 2.1 and give it a go.

Dazzza

Yeah tbh with tyres it's best trying it out yourself as each person is different, personally i love them i actually thought id be in trouble when i fitted them as they're like tractor tyres but the grip they provide is rather surprising and they roll much faster than they suggest.

Like i've said before my nobby nics are still my whippy race tyres but for all year round use these bad boys are staying put, i love em. 8)

NaishTT

Dazza - still as sold on them as you were a month ago? I had the Nevegal/Blue Groove combi recommended to me but maybe the Excavators are a better option.

Would you recommend front and rear?
Are you running 2.35s?

Thanks and keen to hear if there are any other converts in the meantime.

NaishTT

Oh yes, and how's the durability?

Northwind

I'm not Dazzza, but on his recommendation I picked up a 2.1 excavator DTC... Very happy with it so far, it's like a Nevegal only more so. As a rear tyre it's been great, it just grips and grips on rooty or loose climbs, and it seems to have a little more volume than the nevegals too. It rides a lot more like a 2.35 than a 2.1, grip and comfort wise, though it rolls like a fairly slow 2.1

Rolling speed was a a wee bit of a let down, I really don't think it's as fast as a Nevegal. At lower speeds it feels quick but get up to a fast pedalling pace and it drags more than my 2.1 Nevegal ever did. It seems very speed sensitive, which isn't a big deal most of the time but it's pretty noticable at glentress, where you're moving pretty fast pretty much all the time.

But still, for the performance I'll forgive that, no problem, running mine tubeless now and I'm extremely happy with them.Oh aye, and durability, I have no clue but so far they show no signs of wearing at all, and they have decently solid sidewalls etc.

The Spiderman

Kenda`s range seems to grow all the time.The Elmoco sounds intersting too.

Dazzza

That's sneaky i only bumped back into this thread as i was googling the telonix.


Yup still love the excavators, buuut i have just bought me a 2.20 hans rey dtc telonix, i found when you push the excavator it will wash out a tiny bit, not alarming but id rather eliminate it so though meh it's worth a shot.

On the back oh it's awesome, just grip grip grip i can outclimb most folk with this tyre it rarely lets me down, id be so bold to say it's a better rear tyre than my nobby nics.

I was running 2.10's on the excavators but it will be 2.10 excavator back 2.20 telonix up front both dtc compound, i'll let you know my findings soon as i nip out for a ride, possibly this weekend, but it does look very grippy and knobbly so indicators are very good so far.

And yup longevity is great, one of the best i've found.

Im running crappy wheels so im not too fussed about rolling resistance, im quicker than most folk so id rather have the grip, again nics are on if i know i'll be working hard.

NaishTT

Thanks for the input!

Northwind - would you go for Excavators next time over Nevegals or Nevegal/Blue Groove combo?
A little worried about Dazzza's washout comments on the Excavators, especially at the front. Have you had that too?

Agree with Dazzza that grip is ore important than rolling resistance but don't want anything too draggy.

Northwind

Never had the excavator on the front, I'm very happy with my 2.1 and 2.35 stick-e nevegals there... If I was buying more tyres tomorrow I'd probably get racing ralph evos, just to try something different but I reckon that for all round use the excavator/nevegal combo is as good as I've ever used. I don't really like Blue Grooves, because of the way they tramline on ruts, not nice on some of the natural trails round here.

Joe_Pineapples

I've just stuck a Blue Groove/Nevegal combo on the bike 20 minutes ago.
2.35's and Stick-E all round. I've heard good things about them, both online
and from a friend's recommendation. Fingers crossed.

Northwind

Stick-e is lovely on the rear of a hardtail, but it's as slow as all hell... 2.35s at both ends will stick like mad but I hope you've got big legs

Joe_Pineapples

That's where the cattle truck comes in.
They're on my Patriot which I pedal as little as possible.
I'm more than happy with the Michelins on my Morewood.

Northwind

Sounds like a plan then

lesz42

any updates on the excavators? i am sensitive to tyre wear, and need to get something grippy for degla in the wet


found that the nevegals slip a fair bit on the front when on the rocky bits on the red ( even at about 28 psi)

Dazzza

Very good on wear but i would suggest what i am running, on the rear they're the best but up front they will wash if you let them.

For the front im trying out 2.20 dtc telonix, bit more drag but meant to be a very good front tyre, nice and high shoulders.

Im about to nip out so i'll let you know what i think of them.

2.10 dtc excavator on the rear.

robinhood

Sorry to hijack but rather than starting yet another tyre thread i thought i'd ask here.

At the moment I'm running a Nevegal (2.1) on the front and a Schwalbe Albert (2.25) on the back, though the Albert looks about the same size as the Nevegal.

I'm not really a fan of the Albert on the back tbh so i was thinking of sticking the Nevegal on the back and getting a new front tyre, would the excavator suffice? :? cheers

Joe_Pineapples

I'm just back from the uplift day at Innerliethen today which was wet and muddy.
Nevegal Stick-E out back and a Blue Groove Stick-E up front, and they're really good. Grippy and confidence inspiring and definitely just what I needed. Highly recommended if you don't mind the soft compound.

Northwind

robinhood wrote:

Sorry to hijack but rather than starting yet another tyre thread i thought i'd ask here.

At the moment I'm running a Nevegal (2.1) on the front and a Schwalbe Albert (2.25) on the back, though the Albert looks about the same size as the Nevegal.

I'm not really a fan of the Albert on the back tbh so i was thinking of sticking the Nevegal on the back and getting a new front tyre, would the excavator suffice? :? cheers

Is the nevegal a stick-e compount or DTC? DTC is IMO not quite good enough for a hard use trail tyre on the front but works well on the rear, Stick-e otoh is good on the front but slow on the rear, unless you've got tally giving you a lift up the hill at least

So, if it's stick-e I'd leave it where it is and get a nevegal or if you want more grip an excavator for the rear. Or a highroller or crossmark or whatever else. If it's DTC I'd stick it on the back and get a stick-e nevegal for the front.

But, that's just personal preference of course!

robinhood

cheers for the response

I've just had a quick look at both the tyres and can't see anything obvious to tell me whether they are stick-e or not. Is there any quick way of telling? :?

Northwind

It should be printed on them somewhere... Are they the tyres that came with the bike, or were they bought aftermarket?

robinhood

It's a Giant XTC SX which I bought 2nd fairly recently so i'm not really sure tbh.

I went to cwmcarn a couple of weeks ago and the schwalbe was sliding all over the place on roots and rocks, but that may just be because i'm a bit of a n00b

Dazzza

Right then just got back from trying out the 2.20 dtc telonix.

Damn im impressed, at first they felt scary but after a while i realised they just had lively handling much like nics do, they just kept on gripping they do drag a tiny bit more but i felt so much faster all round you lean on the corners and that's it they just do it with no fuss at all.

So 2.10 dtc excavator back 2.20 dtc telonix front, for me it's very much a winning combo.

The Spiderman

robinhood wrote:

It's a Giant XTC SX which I bought 2nd fairly recently so i'm not really sure tbh.

I went to cwmcarn a couple of weeks ago and the schwalbe was sliding all over the place on roots and rocks, but that may just be because i'm a bit of a n00b

I hAd these on my SX.They are hard compound wire beaded versions if they are the originals.Not as grippy as DTC let alone Stick E.

NaishTT

What pressures are you all running?
Especially interested in the Neveagl/Bluue Groove combo but all advice welcome!

Joe_Pineapples

30psi in my front Blue Groove and 32psi in my rear Nevegal, but bear in mind that this is on a freeride bike. Don't think I'd go that low on an XC bike.

Northwind

Mine are usually at 35, but you can definately go lower... I used to pinch a bit below 30psi but that depends a lot on rider, bike, style, terrain... 35 seems a good balance.

I have an image now of Joe pedalling frantically DOWN the hill trying to keep any speed up "So draggy, the bike stopped in midair on a drop" 8)

Joe_Pineapples

Northwind, nothing could be further from the truth. I did the Innerleithen uplift day on Sunday and the Stick-E's were superb. Believe me, draggy tyres were the least of my worries, that's why I had to order new brake pads as soon as I got home!
Happy days!

Northwind

Yeah, I know, just playing... I used the 2.35 stick-e front, 2.1 stick-e rear once at glentress though and I thought I was going to DIE on the climb