Alpine tyre advice. Sorry

hoolabloom

:oops: Ok i know theres lotsa tyre posts here but here goes.

Off out to the alps in august taking my pitch pro which is set up with 160mm forks etc and need some advice on tyres. Will be riding chamonix,morzine pila,deux alpes. Currently running minion dhf front and high roller rear both single ply. 2.35.

So my query is will they be ok or should i splash some coin on something bit bigger dual ply etc? Been struggling with pinch flats of late 30-35 psi.

Cheers in advance

miss notax

I rode Morzine for the week last year with the same tyres as you and they were fine for me - I think I got one pinch flat all week. I'm not a speedy DH rider though, I can do stuff but not exactly at warp-speed

Stick some DH tubes in to save getting new tyres?

bennett_346

I rode single ply tyres for two weeks in the alps and never got a single puncture, and i wasn't hanging about!

For reference i was using a panaracer CG AM up front and a spesh purgatory control on the back.

RIKO

Ridden my Pitch in the same parts of the alps. I rode with Highrollers at the time but since riding Minions reckon they'd be just as good. Personally I'd do what I did last time and use dual ply 2.5's with dh tubes super tacky and if you can get a maxxpro for the rear for improved tyre life go with one of those. They will allow you to run low pressures for more comfort and speed with much better grip.

hoolabloom

Cheers guys, bennettyou ever get up thrunton? Thats our local spot always looking for new riding buddies

bennett_346

We had a trip up there planned earlier this year but it fell short. Does look like a great riding spot though, i'll be up there once i have a car back!

YeehaaMcgee

If it rains, you'll need WetScreams though.

bennett_346

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

If it rains, you'll need WetScreams though.

Pah, bobbins

We held out ok on drys! Just gotta mtfu

YeehaaMcgee

You must have had drizzle, or were riding like snails then. The entire mountain turned into a mudslide when I was there, and with high rollers/minion I couldn't even make the first turn, or slow down. It was bonkers, I've never seen anything like it
Was fun though!

bennett_346

Granted it wasn't a biblical shower. We defo weren't riding like snails though! Maybe some parts of the Portes du Soleil drain better than others, we were in Chatel which seems to be a bit better drained and surfaced that say Morzine.

miss notax

YeehaaMcgee wrote:

You must have had drizzle, or were riding like snails then. The entire mountain turned into a mudslide when I was there, and with high rollers/minion I couldn't even make the first turn, or slow down. It was bonkers, I've never seen anything like it
Was fun though!

Actually, scrub my previous post, I rode with a Swampthing on the front all week. It was torrential rain all week (all bar the first day) - I had obviously blanked that from mind

So my revised advice is minion/ high roller if dry, swampthing / high roller if wet!!!

YeehaaMcgee

Actually, as I think about it, next time I go riding DH in the alps, I'll just stick the widest supertacky swmpthings that I can get my hands on, front and rear.
They grip like a very very grippy thing indeed, and there's not much need to pedal, since it's all gondola/chairlift assisted DH.

bennett_346

The 42a swampy is a very good tyre. I've ran one all last winter and put it on when its been wet during the spring/summer and it's only just beginning to pass the point of wearing out too much to use.

Very predictable and doesn't roll too badly for what it is.

miss notax

Goodness - for the first time ever I seem to have said something on BikeRadar that is both useful and people agree with

It'll never last

bennett_346

I don't think i've ever said anything useful or that people have agreed with on BikeRadar

YeehaaMcgee

bennett_346 wrote:

I don't think i've ever said anything useful or that people have agreed with on BikeRadar

Of course you have.

bennett_346

That comment yeah, clever

paul.skibum

I rode dual ply super tacky highrollers front and rear my season out there on my Patriot - it rained a lot (as in 28 out of 31 days of August) and I never changed tyres - I used to go up and do the "plenney no brakes challenge" in the mud - now that was fun - you just use the accumulating mud on your tyres and frame as a speed retardant or two wheel drift through the corners. Oh and you crash. Dont forget to crash.

DeafMetal

Granted it wasn't a biblical shower. We defo weren't riding like snails though!

hoolabloom

So 2 wet screams required, unless i leave Mrs Hoolabloom to slide off the hill if it rains. Or she can always just MTFU

Cheers guys cant wait

bennett_346

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