# Tyre Choice / swapping tyres



## jethro10 (2 Mar 2011)

Hi,
I mostly do XC on fire trails, forest tracks and gentler stuff, more for the scenery than anything else.
There's a large chunk of tarmac use getting between places as well.
as a consequence I use these Schwalbe Hurricane tyres to great effect http://www.chainreac...x?ModelID=36216
And love the low rolling resistance normally.

However I do the odd blue run now and then, Whinlatter, near where I live it was this week.
but it was still a bit muddy and the grip was awful. In summer, these tyres are more than enough, but it was dreadful this week.
Is there a tyre that offers more off-road grip at little or no sacrifice to easy peddaling at other times?
Any recommendations?

Maybe this style, http://www.chainreac...x?ModelID=45458
or these? http://www.chainreac...x?ModelID=24643

Or do I have to dig the Knobblies out of the loft and just put up with changing them (it will be 4 tyres, the Wife's bike as well)

A spare set of wheels seems overkill for how often it's a problem, especially as it wil lbe another cassette, 2 disks etc.
Any ideas?

ta
Jeff


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## mickle (2 Mar 2011)

How about three tyres per bike? 

Rear: 1.95" semi slick with low profile paddle tread and decent sides. Best of both worlds. Change the air pressure if you can be bothered for best results.

Front: swap between a 1.5" slick for road and a full-fat 2.1 knob for dirt.

Off-road particularly it's your front wheel which keeps you upright. If you want the rear to grip lean it over until it hooks up. Hill climbing is where you'll really notice the reduction in trail penetration - but you can always get off and walk. Riding a 'tail happy' bike in the dirt is good fun.


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## Muddy Ground (3 Mar 2011)

May be the way you pedal? Some people really stomp on the downstroke, and rip the traction right out. Try to be smooth. Also move forward and sit right on the nose of the saddle, and try and keep your chest near to the handlebar stem on the steeper bits. You'd be surprised how much traction even semi-slick tyres give once you get the technique up to speed. 

Your demands do suggest a compromise somewhere with tyre choice though. However, if you accept a bit of slippage from the rear then go for a light but fast rolling summer tyre front and rear [Maxxis Aspen perhaps], but change the front for a grippy job when doing the more fun stuff? You don't need spare wheels - once you've swopped the same tyres once or twice they'll be real baggy and slip right on easy as pie.

www.muddyground.blogspot.com


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## lukesdad (3 Mar 2011)

You dont say what pressures you re running ?


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## jethro10 (4 Mar 2011)

mickle said:


> Rear: 1.95" semi slick with low profile paddle tread and decent sides. Best of both worlds.



Ok, I'm willing to give it a try - it's fun experimenting.
Have you or anyome a particular model that fits this description so I have a clue what i'm looking at?

bloody hell, only been biking 3 years, 50 yr old this month and I'm sitting here talking tyre compounds and treads! who would have though!


EDIT: Those Maxxis Aspens mentioned look like the type? I can see what it's getting at.

thanks
Jeff


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## jethro10 (4 Mar 2011)

lukesdad said:


> You dont say what pressures you re running ?



Well we (wife & I) do change the pressures depending on where we go.
The tyres are rated at 60PSI.
If it's mostly road, I'll do 60F 50R
the lowest I can get away with I think, without pinch punctures is what, approx 40R 35F and I'll do that if it's really bad (bear in mind I don't do this type of ride too often)
and I'll choose somewhere between these pressures depending on my guess of ground type and conditions.

Mostly it's bridalways though, infact tomorrow were off to Lonscale fell/Threlkeld Near Keswick in the Lakes
http://maps.google.co.uk/maps/ms?ie...153823624389377960.000498ee149a17f926bc1&z=13

Jeff


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## Cyclist33 (4 Mar 2011)

Not that I always buy into him, but Sheldon Brown says you should have more air in the rear tyre than at the front, because more weight goes on the rear tyre so it needs more pressure to depress to the same level of traction. Or something like that. If you have 60F 50R there's a risk your back-end would be stodgy and sticky with your front-end skipping about all over the place. I wonder if you ran 45F 60R you might see a difference...

Stu


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## jethro10 (4 Mar 2011)

Cyclist33 said:


> Not that I always buy into him, but Sheldon Brown says you should have more air in the rear tyre than at the front, because more weight goes on the rear tyre so it needs more pressure to depress to the same level of traction. Or something like that. If you have 60F 50R there's a risk your back-end would be stodgy and sticky with your front-end skipping about all over the place. I wonder if you ran 45F 60R you might see a difference...
> 
> Stu



Your absolutley right, it was a typo oops!
I always have rear 5-10 more than front. I meant eg. 60R 50F


Jeff


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## Muddy Ground (5 Mar 2011)

Wow some high pressures here peeps. 60psi off road is way high - the tyre needs to deform slightly to grip. The most I'll put in is 35psi, sometimes down to 20psi on the ice. I'm around 12 stone summer, 13 in the winter. With the high pressures the tyre will skip about instead of gripping. Try 10psi less than you are currently running and go from there. 

I'm also not so sure that some MTB tyres are designed for 60psi at all - should have some sort of guide imprinted on the sidewall as to what the maximum is.

To be fair, if you do a lot of road work, or easy off road, then go to Halfords and get some 1.5" slicks. I've a set on one of my bikes, and for the less extreme work they grip surprisingly well.

www.muddyground.blogspot.com


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## spence (5 Mar 2011)

Agree with Muddy, crazy pressures quoted. You'll just be bouncing of any rocks or roots rather than the tyre deforming around then thus gaining grip.

As him 35psi if running tubes, if tubeless then 25-30psi. On the odd occasion I know there's more tarmac than usual then maybe 40psi. 15 stone by the way.

If you want to keep going in any conditions then a pair of Trailrakers will get you through.


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## Muddy Ground (5 Mar 2011)

Sorry, 20psi is tubeless but only in extemes.


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## Muddy Ground (6 Mar 2011)

Currently using Bontrager Mud X tyres, and they seem very good. Not hugely grippy in the mud, but fast rolling. Was previously using Maxxis Ardents, and they were OK but nothing special.

Been pondering the higher rear tyre pressure than the front thing. Why do this? I use the same pressures front and rear. With a modern mountain bike, with the short stems, there's a lot of weight transfer to the front - especially downhill or under braking with discs. Seems sensible to have the same pressures up? OK when climbing you can see the rear compress a little, but this just aids grip. 35psi front and rear today. 

Whatever!

www.muddyground.blogspot.com


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## blubb (6 Mar 2011)

I do quite a lot of mountainbiking, Mostly mud, gravel and in the wintertime snow. My tire is the "Schwalbe Nobby Nic", which is excellent for mud or gravel.

However the ride to my favourite trail is about 8miles on tarmac and for that i always keep a small pump in my back and increase the pressure a bit. Normally i ride 40psi offroad and up tp 60psi on the road, it does make quite a difference on tarmac.


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## jethro10 (7 Mar 2011)

spence said:


> Agree with Muddy, crazy pressures quoted. You'll just be bouncing of any rocks or roots rather than the tyre deforming around then thus gaining grip.
> 
> As him 35psi if running tubes, if tubeless then 25-30psi. On the odd occasion I know there's more tarmac than usual then maybe 40psi. 15 stone by the way.
> 
> If you want to keep going in any conditions then a pair of Trailrakers will get you through.



As I said above, 60R 50F on road, 40R 35F off road. Seems fair enough?





blubb said:


> I do quite a lot of mountainbiking, Mostly mud, gravel and in the wintertime snow. My tire is the "Schwalbe Nobby Nic", which is excellent for mud or gravel.
> 
> However the ride to my favourite trail is about 8miles on tarmac and for that i always keep a small pump in my back and increase the pressure a bit. Normally i ride 40psi offroad and up tp 60psi on the road, it does make quite a difference on tarmac.


Yeah, that's where I am or there abouts, looks like I may compromise on a lightly nobbled front tyre for extra grip and keep my current rear and adjust pressures accordingly for the type of trip.

Jeff


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## jethro10 (7 Mar 2011)

Muddy Ground said:


> I'm also not so sure that some MTB tyres are designed for 60psi at all - should have some sort of guide imprinted on the sidewall as to what the maximum is.



It's the quoted maximum pressure on the sidewall and works great for on-road.

Jeff


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## Gixxerman (7 Mar 2011)

I have some Schwalbe marathon cross tyres, which are great.
I wanted something that would be good on trails and bridleways but not sacrafice too much on road as I use roads to link up the bridleways. I found these a very good compromise, and will cope with all but the heaviest of off-road conditions and can still reach 25mph on level roads without much effort.
The p*uncture resistance seems pretty good also (touch wood). I have been on some rough trails without getting a flat (yet!).
I got mine for a very good £15 each from Spa Cycles. However, they sent me the wrong size orginally but refunded my return postage costs by giving me a free inner tube. So if you buy from these guys make sure you stress what size you want, as it seems that they have a bit of a reputation for supplying the wrong items, as it happened to someone else on here as well.


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## Muddy Ground (7 Mar 2011)

Add some slime or 80ml Stan's [or other such fluid] into the tubes and you should resolve the thorn issues no worries. [Stan's is lighter and lasts ages.] 

www.muddyground.blogspot.com


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## jethro10 (17 Mar 2011)

Well I had a happy ending, I forgot I had a pair of wheels from my wifes bike - pre upgrade in the loft, I found 2 disks, and my (excellently good) mate gave me a Schwalbe Racing Ralph and a Schwlabe nobby nic tyre - both nearly brand new.
I bought a rear cassete with the same teeth count as my current one - £18 and set it all up last night.

Swaps over perfectly and all aligned. so now I have lighweight wheels for XC with easier rolling tread, and Knobblies on cheaper stronger wheels for playing around, all for £18

Jeff


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