Tyres for Santa Cruz Chameleon

white91

I am after some big volume tyres for my chameleon, dont' want to spend a fortune, and as light as possible, don't want much do I?

Here are what I am currently looking at

Mountain King MK2 2.4
X-King 2.4
Bontrager XR4 2.35
Ardent 2.25/2.4
Nevegal 2.35
Han Dampf

I just hop they fit!

Greer_

Tyres totally depend on the terrain and style, not the bike. What are your riding conditions like?!

white91

In your opinion, have you ever ridden a Chameleon, harsh rear triangle!

I ride trail centres, mostly Cannock Chase, and I want a little more give in the rear triangle, hence my request for a large volume tyre. Pretty much decided on a pair of MKs.

warpcow

MK aren't that big for their stated size, but they are light. A 2.4 MK is about the same as a 2.25 Ardent and 2.35 Nevegal. No experience of Bonty tyres, but Schwalbe tend to be big (read: made by people who own rulers/calipers). My 2.35 Wicked Wills (similar sizing to HDs) are a little over a 1/4 inch wider than my old 2.35 Nevegals, and 'shockingly' actually measure about 2.35". I'd imagine they'd be at about the limit of what will fit, especially if it's muddy.

felix.london

Greer_ wrote:

Tyres totally depend on the terrain and style, not the bike. What are your riding conditions like?!

This ^

Indeed. You need to match tyres to terrain and riding style, not the bike.


From another thread;

RockmonkeySC wrote:

The 2.35" Bontrager tyres are massive, bigger than most 2.5" tyres! They wouldn't even fit in the frame on my Trance and you would want a fairly wide rim for them to work properly.

Btw - I have a set of these on a set of Flow's but no frame as yet :? If you're going for the Bonty's just make sure they'll fit first!

benpinnick

XR4s and Hans Dampfs are almost identical in size, only about 2 mm in it in all directions. Both are a proper 2.35. Depends on your riding style and terrain as people say, but as a good allrounder that will go deep into the winter, for £20 you wont find a better weight/grip combo than the XR4 Team issue.

white91

I think I need to clarify, I want a good all round big volume tyre for trail centre riding mostly around Cannock Chase.

ALSO I want to utilise the properties of a large volume tyre to help with the notoriously harsh rear triangle of my HT, so in this case is DOES need to be matched to the bike.

stevenk4563

If it's a 2011 shape chameleon avoid Hans Dampf's, they are just about ok in the dry but at the first sign of mud they rub.

kenan

Rubber queens are a good option, great grip and big volume. Price is a little steep. Might be able to get them cheep from one of the usual German sites.

white91

Thats a good shout on the Hans Dampf, so I need something smaller than them.

Rubber Queens are now on the list

felix.london

white91 wrote:

Thats a good shout on the Hans Dampf, so I need something smaller than them.

Rubber Queens are now on the list

The BC Rubber Queen's are an amazing tyre. I have the 2.2" on the front of my 'hopper (2.2" BC MK2 on the back). The 2.4 is heavy though (compared to the bigger 2.35" XR4)

Northwind

Rubber Queen's a good one, though lots of people have been having problems with sidewall failures (including the chap who bought mine off me :oops: )

I like Nevegals personally... I'd be going stick-e 2.35 Nevegal on the front (with some knobs cut off so it doesn't just instantly fail in mud) and an Eskar Control on the back if you can find one (much faster, but still big and knobbly and reasonbaly grippy)

But there's not a bad tyre on your list tbh. Some might be kinda overkill for trailcentre stuff

rapid_donkey

Ive been using Kenda Nevegal DTC / Stick-E on my Trance and they are a big tyre and perform well.
I have replaced them with Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1 and these look tiny and skinny in comparison. They do roll alot faster though.

white91

My current tyre is Fire XCP, it's a shame my lbs doesn't stock many tyres, would be nice to see them in the flesh.