Pyrenees kit

furby

Im heading to the Pyreness for two weeks in the summer.

Taking my Cube attention hardtail with its new Tora SL 100mm forks.
Going to replace the worn front derailer and possibly the chain.

What tyres would people recomend?

Other than brake pads, cleaning stuff and chain lube, what other spares should I take?

Any other changes/upgrades that might be suitable?

RIKO

I haven't ridden the pyrenee's but I have done the alps i'd recommend a set of Maxxis High roller 2.35's depending on the trails you're hitting i'd also look at fitting a dualply version on the rear.

ilovedirt

expect to go through tyres and brake pads very fast, it gets very dry and the ground can be very hard

Northwind

Going myself in August... Just going to stick fatter tyres on it and basically fill every space of my bike bag with spares until it's exactly on the weight limit

furby

Was looking at getting a pair of nobbly nic's.

I have a set of racing raplhs and they are great so liking the idea of the more aggressive version for the trails I am imagining.

RIKO

Really would'nt bother with the Nobby Nic's my mate fitted some for our first trip to Morzine and he ended up changing them on the second day because he was getting so many snakebites

Northwind

NN's are good tyres but I'll be sticking with what I trust, nice big nobbly negevals and sealant.

furby

Thought I would bump this thread up to save making another thread.

Giving the above, where would people suggest the next upgrades on my bike should go?

RealMan

Anything that doesn't work? If you're happy with the brakes you've got, keep them. And I wouldn't use nics in the Pyrenees, they're notoriously weak and prone to rips from rocks. Depending on the type of riding you'd be doing, go for something like rubber queens, high rollers, nevegals, etc.

joshtp

for big mountains like the piraneese get the bigest rotors you can to up the brake pwer.... fit the biggest tyres you can fit... think 2.4 and up if pos..... with thick sidewalls to avoid tears.... and maybe put a double and bash on the front.....

basicly hardcore your bike in anyway you can.... but esp on a HT big (and i do mean big, forgett weigh and slownes, your going for the down hill) big tyres are imporant

furby

Im thinking maybe the brakes would be the best part to be upgrading next.

The current fitted brakes are shinano BR-M485 calipers, the levers are shimano marked but no other information on them.

Any suggestions of sensible upgrades?

Might just change the front to start with, as this will help with the budget, good idea?

RealMan

Well are you sure you actually need to change them? Just cause you're going to the Pyrenees doesn't mean you will be railing berms at 40mph and getting sick air and whatever, if you don't usually do that anyway. It will still be you riding it, if you're comfortable with the bike, and everything works fine, then why change it?

furby

XC/hardtail catergory DH racing with my uni club...

Nothing is going to be changed soon, a good couple of test rides with the new forks before I even change anything else.

bregante

if you can afford it, go tubeless. I went through more than a dozen tubes in 7 days in the pyrenees last june. nothing worse than fixing a flat and then riding 200 yds before getting another one. the guide we were with ran tubeless with very good reason. I was running 2.35 nevegals and grip wise I'd say they were just about ideal. mates also ran HR's with no issues.

JamesBrckmn

If i were you, i'd get specialized tyres. tough, very grippy dual compound, fast ennough rolling, and fatter than they say they are- spesh 2.3 is bigger than maxxis 2.5. so i'd get spesh eskar rear 2.3 65/55a compound, spesh clutch front 2.3 50/45a compound