Ardent-Advantage-Ignitor....

RandG

Oh jeez, what's with all these tyres to chose from :shock:


So help me out folks, but please don't suggest any other tyre or make. What's best for me general xc fannying around the local woods and trails ?

Oh on a 29er if that makes any odds.

warpcow

I'd probably stick an ADvantage on the front, as it's a bit more 'all-round' than the other two but still rolls well. Then either of the others on the back. Personally, I quite like the Ardent.

concorde

Same as above for me.

Clank

One forumite runs Ardents front and rear on his 29er - works for him. Very well, too.

cooldad

Ignitor Exceptions both ends. All year round. Simple.

RandG

cooldad wrote:

Ignitor Exceptions both ends. All year round. Simple.

Maybe if you ride round the leafy suburbs of Bracknell, not so much in the rain and mud infested trails of East Scotland :P

cooldad

Yeah it's a veritable desert down here.
You should consider emigrating.

ste_t

Clank wrote:

One forumite runs Ardents front and rear on his 29er - works for him. Very well, too.

Why thank you squire. Front and rear in 2.25. Roll fast, plenty of grip, can be ridden as aggressively as I can manage with no problems.

Tried Advantage in 26" guise previously but much prefer the Ardent which I now use on the rear. Wouldn't waste my time with Ignitors, had one before the Advantage and gave it away

peter413

I haven't really tried the Ignitor but I have plenty of time on 2.4 26" Ardent's and Advantage's.

They are both very good tyres but some prefer one to the other for different reason. The Ardent suits you if you lean the bike over more in corners and has a more solid bite (feels very much like a Minion) whereas the Advantage suits you better if you don't lean the bike so much, doesn't feel as solid biting into the ground but it grips better when you don't lean the bike properly. The Ardent is faster rolling but the Advantage gives more traction when climbing, that's not to say the Ardent lacks traction though. The Advantage definitely wins on loose rocky trails, it's surprising how much grip it has sometimes. They are both pretty similar in the mud but I've found the Ardent clears slightly better. The Advantage obviously brakes a little better. Hopefully that can help you make your mind up, I personally prefer the Ardent's.

I know you said you didn't want any other suggestions but have you looked at the Crossmark? I now run a Specialized Butcher on the front but I used to run the Ardent, and the Advantage before that, with a Crossmark on the back. It obviously doesn't grip or brake as well but it's so much faster and there is still lots of grip on offer, never once felt I needed more grip when I've been using it even on fairly steep, muddy, rooty tracks. I do swap both tyres out for Contintal Baron's when it's mostly muddy tracks that I'm riding but it makes sense to do it and I could still do them fine with the Butcher/Crossmark, just the Baron's are better.