MTB sand tyres?

[rafiki]

Which tyres should I fit on my MTB for riding on loose, deepish, dry sand? There are a couple of great routes around that have long sections of the granular stuff. My Schwalbe Hurricanes really aren't up to it.

 

[Piemaster]

How about one of these? But seriously, being 26x3.7 doubt they would fit your frame, unless you have a surly pugsley of course. They are designed for sand/snow so a similar tread pattern and the widest rubber you can get in your frame may help and run at low pressures to increase the footprint.

 

[Bigtwin]

There's a lot of sand around here, and I find Maxxis 2.5 Hookworms do very well. I think basically as fat as your frame/forks can take.

 

[Bigtwin]

How about one of these?

Can I just say. £85. EACH! For a friggin MTB tyre. The world's gone barking mad.

 

[rafiki]

There's a lot of sand around here, and I find Maxxis 2.5 Hookworms do very well. I think basically as fat as your frame/forks can take.

My frame/forks can handle up to 2.5 ok. When I looked up Hookworms I expected a knobbly but I see they are slick! Will they grip deeper loose sand?

 

[Bigtwin]

My frame/forks can handle up to 2.5 ok. When I looked up Hookworms I expected a knobbly but I see they are slick! Will they grip deeper loose sand?

They aren't actually slick, but have a groove pattern on the outers, and a finer stipply tread in the centres.

I find they are fine in sand even for climbing - the trick is not too run them at too hight a pressure. I find they seem to throw the sand about a lot less than knobblies. I guess it's the same principle as pushing a smooth stick into thick sand - friction soon stops you pusing. The nice thing about them is you get reasonable rolling resistance when you are out of the sand.

 

[montage]

eewwww.....cleaning chainset and cassette after riding in the sand?

No thanks!

 

[Bigtwin]

eewwww.....cleaning chainset and cassette after riding in the sand?

No thanks!

That's the good bit. It the sound of sandy grinding paste against your rims/discs that really cheers you up.

 

[rafiki]

eewwww.....cleaning chainset and cassette after riding in the sand?

No thanks!

My Rohloff hub takes all that and more no probs..... a quick hose down afterwards and ready to go again.

 

[willem]

60 mm Schwalbe Big Apple seems to be the tyre of choice for beach races. Schwalbe even made a special ultralight Super MOTO version for that purpose (but the Super Moto is fragile).
Willem

 

[hubgearfreak]

these are a nice compromise, for everywhere
http://www.billys.co.uk/english/group.php?prod=tyha-26twinr

 

[Globalti]

Sand tyres are smooth to stop them digging in and breaking the surface.

 

[rafiki]

Sand tyres are smooth to stop them digging in and breaking the surface.

Useful on hardpack but what about the dry, loose stuff?

 

[arallsopp]

Rode the SMGTe across a beach once (shortcut gone wrong). Marathon racers front and rear. Grip was reasonable, provided I kept above 10 mph. Once I dipped below the threshold, the front started digging in and the back began to slip around. Never dropped out from under me, but did get real hard to balance. Ended up heading out into the wet stuff, as that at least behaved consistently.

Was hard going, and not something I'd look to factor in regularly.