New tires

What pressure do you put on those tires? At what conditions
do you ride? It's always easier to blame it on the equipment
but sometimes cheaper to use the equipment properly first.

--
- Zilla
Cary, NC USA
(Remove XSPAM)

"Javier" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

After a few weeks on my Trek 4300 I think it's time to replace my stock
Bontrager Continental tires with a more aggressive and less puncture
prone set of off road tires. My current tires state that they are 26.2.
Can I install a wider tire or do I have to stick with the 26.20 size?

Are there any specific tires to look at and others to stay away from?

Javier

I ride both on and off road, but lately I seem to be riding more
off-road. I usually run my PSI about 40-45 (cold) on both the front and
rear tires. If I'm riding on asphalt then I usually set the PSI around
55 (cold).

I've heard mixed reviews about Bontrager Continental tires. Since I'm
new to mountain biking I'm still trying to figure out does and does not
work for me.

"Javier" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I ride both on and off road, but lately I seem to be riding more
off-road. I usually run my PSI about 40-45 (cold) on both the front and
rear tires. If I'm riding on asphalt then I usually set the PSI around
55 (cold).

I've heard mixed reviews about Bontrager Continental tires. Since I'm
new to mountain biking I'm still trying to figure out does and does not
work for me.

For tire advice to have any relevance to you, we need to know the conditions
you're riding on, ie, terrain composition, and your style of riding. It's
almost like asking, "what kind of jeans should I wear" when we've never seen
you, don't know what you're hoping for, etc.

I was given a pair of folding Continental Vertical Pros by a bike shop, and
I hated them. They almost killed me on a gnarly, sandy descent. However,
I sent them to another amb member, for whom they are perfect on her terrain.
We're high desert here. She was more loamy woods. Makes a world of
difference. Anybody who recommends a tire to you without knowing the
composition of your terrain and how you ride, is doing you a disservice and
revealing that they don't know much about the subject.

Ask around and see what others are riding on your terrain, and watch your
tire pressure. 45lbs off road could be a little bouncy and skittish. And
I've gone to 2.4's on my mtnbikes.

CDB

"Javier" <[email hidden]> wrote let it be known in
news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

After a few weeks on my Trek 4300 I think it's time to
replace my stock Bontrager Continental tires with a more
aggressive and less puncture prone set of off road tires.
My current tires state that they are 26.2. Can I install a
wider tire or do I have to stick with the 26.20 size?

The only limit of tire width is clearance... Anything that
spins without hitting your frame, fork or brakes is fine 🙂

Quoted message said:

Are there any specific tires to look at and others to stay
away from?

There are probably as many answers to this question as there
are tires. The only time I'm had a misserable set of tires is
when I tried to save a few bucks and got some no-name trash on
a discount site. They felt like they were filled with lead.
They came off after one ride.

For the past two years I (and most of the group I ride with)
have been using the Panaracer Fire XC tires. They have great
traction in wet and dry conditions and feel like they 'stick'
to slick rock really well. But, unlike some tires made with a
really soft compound, they still wear well. I've had one set
on for two years and just replaced the rear which was starting
to wear down.

I've never gotten a flat due to a puncture with them. I HAVE
gotten some pinch flats, but that is hard to avoid sometimes
when riding at 20psi

http://www.panaracer.com/eng/products/mtb/xc.html#e

"Paladin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Javier" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I ride both on and off road, but lately I seem to be riding more
off-road. I usually run my PSI about 40-45 (cold) on both the front and
rear tires. If I'm riding on asphalt then I usually set the PSI around
55 (cold).

I've heard mixed reviews about Bontrager Continental tires. Since I'm
new to mountain biking I'm still trying to figure out does and does not
work for me.

For tire advice to have any relevance to you, we need to know the

conditions

Quoted message said:

you're riding on, ie, terrain composition, and your style of riding. It's
almost like asking, "what kind of jeans should I wear" when we've never

seen

Quoted message said:

you, don't know what you're hoping for, etc.

I was given a pair of folding Continental Vertical Pros by a bike shop,

and

Quoted message said:

I hated them. They almost killed me on a gnarly, sandy descent.

However,

Quoted message said:

I sent them to another amb member, for whom they are perfect on her

terrain.

Quoted message said:

We're high desert here. She was more loamy woods. Makes a world of
difference. Anybody who recommends a tire to you without knowing the
composition of your terrain and how you ride, is doing you a disservice

and

Quoted message said:

revealing that they don't know much about the subject.

Ask around and see what others are riding on your terrain, and watch your
tire pressure. 45lbs off road could be a little bouncy and skittish. And
I've gone to 2.4's on my mtnbikes.

CDB

Maxxis Hansaventure (26x2.3) came on my bike and are the only experience
I've had.
I run them at 45 to 55psi, the touch of bounciness is well controlled by
the suspension.
My riding is eastern woodland trails, pounded woods floor, lotsa turns,
some sand, roots,
mud maybe 20-40% in season, roots, logpiles, rollers and whatever drops
come with the trail.
So far as I understand its not downhill and not freeride. The Maxxis are
getting a little thin
after about a thousand miles and thorns are finding their way through the
tread more frequently.
No road use, got a road bike for that.

I've been googling and reading reviews and while the Maxxis seem OK I'm
wondering
if I'd like another tire better. Weirwolf 2.3 seems to fit my riding and
the reviews are
mostly positve. The Schwalbe Jimmy seems to have a strong following as
well.
Any comments, reviews or suggestions?

JP

Maybe I should rephrase my question. Are thorn proof tubes or Kevlar
tire liners worth the investment? My tires seem to work well I'd just
like to prevent or reduce the number of flats one can get while riding
in the woods. Adding the extra weight of a pump and tools can make
climbing long steep hills really tough.

Javier said:

Maybe I should rephrase my question. Are thorn proof tubes or Kevlar
tire liners worth the investment? My tires seem to work well I'd just
like to prevent or reduce the number of flats one can get while riding
in the woods. Adding the extra weight of a pump and tools can make
climbing long steep hills really tough.

You should always carry the stuff you need to change a tire. It sounds
like maybe you are getting lots of flats, but even if you don't you need
to be prepared. I've had one on the trail this summer but have carried a
pump, patch kit, and spare tube on every ride.

Anyway, slimed tubes are good for thorny conditions. If you are finding
thorns in your tires those should help.

If you are not finding the thorns maybe you are riding with too little
pressure and are getting pinch flats. More pressure and attention to
what you are riding into or over may help that.

Matt (favorite tire for high desert is Intense System 4 XC 2.25's)

"MattB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Javier said:

Maybe I should rephrase my question. Are thorn proof tubes or Kevlar
tire liners worth the investment? My tires seem to work well I'd just
like to prevent or reduce the number of flats one can get while riding
in the woods. Adding the extra weight of a pump and tools can make
climbing long steep hills really tough.

You should always carry the stuff you need to change a tire. It sounds
like maybe you are getting lots of flats, but even if you don't you need
to be prepared. I've had one on the trail this summer but have carried a
pump, patch kit, and spare tube on every ride.

Anyway, slimed tubes are good for thorny conditions. If you are finding
thorns in your tires those should help.

If you are not finding the thorns maybe you are riding with too little
pressure and are getting pinch flats. More pressure and attention to what
you are riding into or over may help that.

Matt (favorite tire for high desert is Intense System 4 XC 2.25's)

Slime tubes are great! Forget all the arguments about how they add weight.
Heh! I'll take the extra 4 or 5 ozs per tire, thank you. I've never
gotten a puncture flat with them. I did however, shear off my valve stem
recently on a middle of the night moonlight ride when I lowered the pressure
too low, and on a steep descent, the rubber rolled forward faster than the
rim and cut the stem right in half. (Hope that makes sense). On my road
bike, I have slime tubes, *and* kevlar/vectran liners, because out there in
G-Roadyville is where you find all kinds of nasty stuff, goatheads, glass,
nails, etc., etc..

And for high desert and very dry woods, I run the 2.35 Kenda Kinetics on
the SS, and a Kenda Nevegal rr, and 2.4 Motoraptor front on the geared bike.
No complaints, just praise...

CDB

"Paladin" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"MattB" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Javier said:

Maybe I should rephrase my question. Are thorn proof tubes or Kevlar
tire liners worth the investment? My tires seem to work well I'd just
like to prevent or reduce the number of flats one can get while riding
in the woods. Adding the extra weight of a pump and tools can make
climbing long steep hills really tough.

You should always carry the stuff you need to change a tire. It sounds
like maybe you are getting lots of flats, but even if you don't you need
to be prepared. I've had one on the trail this summer but have carried a
pump, patch kit, and spare tube on every ride.

Anyway, slimed tubes are good for thorny conditions. If you are finding
thorns in your tires those should help.

If you are not finding the thorns maybe you are riding with too little
pressure and are getting pinch flats. More pressure and attention to

what

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

you are riding into or over may help that.

Matt (favorite tire for high desert is Intense System 4 XC 2.25's)

Slime tubes are great! Forget all the arguments about how they add

weight.

Quoted message said:

Heh! I'll take the extra 4 or 5 ozs per tire, thank you. I've never
gotten a puncture flat with them. I did however, shear off my valve stem
recently on a middle of the night moonlight ride when I lowered the

pressure

Quoted message said:

too low, and on a steep descent, the rubber rolled forward faster than the
rim and cut the stem right in half. (Hope that makes sense). On my road
bike, I have slime tubes, *and* kevlar/vectran liners, because out there

in

Quoted message said:

G-Roadyville is where you find all kinds of nasty stuff, goatheads,

glass,

Quoted message said:

nails, etc., etc..

And for high desert and very dry woods, I run the 2.35 Kenda Kinetics on
the SS, and a Kenda Nevegal rr, and 2.4 Motoraptor front on the geared

bike.

Quoted message said:

No complaints, just praise...

Kinetics rear for me along with the Motoraptor 2.4 front. Love both of
them. Seriously.

Greg

I run 60 to 65 psi and me at 200 naked Never know how
much in full grear and never have a problem till something sharpe meets
tire its over only for 10 min fix.

Paladin said:

Slime tubes are great! Forget all the arguments about how they add weight.
Heh! I'll take the extra 4 or 5 ozs per tire, thank you.

Last weekend my roadie riding bud actually showed for an MTB ride...with a
flat tire. He'd patched it, but it didn't do the job. No problem, usually
at least one of us carries a spare tube...oops! Somehow I hadn't packed
one. So we stopped by a bike shop on the way to pick up a few.

They had these SLIME LIGHT tubes, which were much lighter than Slime
tubes. These seemed kind of interesting...anyone tried these?

We don't really get a lot of flats here; there aren't too many thorny
things other than blackberries (which as it turns out were ripping our
arms much of this ride), and those are only on a few trails.

--
-BB-
To e-mail me, unmunge my address