Big Bike Thread

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Managed to get slightly lost today, and ended up coming down a descent that was way above my ability and had to get off and push for the steepest parts, the other bits I dropped my seat down a couple of inches and MTFU and rode it, managed some drop offs and bumps that I wouldn't have attempted a few weeks ago which felt good!

Steep as hell in places with super slippy rocks or grass to ride on. It was a lot worse than it looks!

Winterhill.jpg


Need to improve my abilities too, was a few times when I was climbing that I should have been able to ride but I was in the wrong position/gear and rather than being able to pedal I wasn't going quick enough and all that happened was the front wheel lifted and tipped me sideways.
 
Shift your weight forward on the saddle so you are sitting on the nose of the saddle a bit more which will take weight off the back but should allow some grip in the rear tyre still.

Also, lower your upper body/elbows down which will stop you pulling up on the bars as much. Instead, if you do pull on your bars, you will tend to pull back which stops the wheel from lifting as much as it does.

Thats how I do it anyways
 
Some tyre help please guys.
I'm looking for someone to recommend me a tyre setup for the summer. As much as I love to ride I don't know too much about it. I know of the popular ones and I've used High Rollers and Nobby Nics, I'd like some info from someone who has had a play with tyres and can give a reason other than "They are the most popular".

I ride the most difficult trails I can find at trail centres and have 150mm travel on the front and back, here's an old pic:


I've seen people with different tyres on the front and back, why is this?
Should they both be the same width?
Whats the best tyre you have used? (Only answer if you have used a few please)
 
Zowghi said:
I've seen people with different tyres on the front and back, why is this?
Should they both be the same width?
Whats the best tyre you have used? (Only answer if you have used a few please)
Click to expand...

Personal preference in terms of different tyres, I run different ones on my Pitch. I don't really see as there's any point in having the same width tyres front and rear, it all depends on the conditions.

Up front I run a 2.2 Specialized Purgatory control, and I've found it excellent so far. On the back, I care a bit less. Anything from a 2.3 Tioga DH, to Specialized 2.3 Eskar... I like my rubber big ;)

What trail centres do you ride?
 
Zowghi said:
Some tyre help please guys.
I'm looking for someone to recommend me a tyre setup for the summer. As much as I love to ride I don't know too much about it. I know of the popular ones and I've used High Rollers and Nobby Nics, I'd like some info from someone who has had a play with tyres and can give a reason other than "They are the most popular".

I ride the most difficult trails I can find at trail centres and have 150mm travel on the front and back, here's an old pic:

I've seen people with different tyres on the front and back, why is this?
Should they both be the same width?
Whats the best tyre you have used? (Only answer if you have used a few please)
Click to expand...

You have ridden two of the most popular and best performing tyres on the market, not sure where you plan to go from there :p The only improvements you are going to make on the Nobby Nic would depend on what compound version you have been using? With a different compound you could go lighter and stickier.

Some people run odd tyres because you don't need so much grip at the rear as you do the front, my preference is 2.4 front & 2.2 rear.


matt_fsr said:
Up front I run a 2.2 Specialized Purgatory control, and I've found it excellent so far. On the back, I care a bit less. Anything from a 2.3 Tioga DH, to Specialized 2.3 Eskar... I like my rubber big ;)
Click to expand...

You could go bigger ;) :p
 
Firstly, thanks for taking the time to reply!

I can understand having more grip on the front. What's your reason for a wider rear? You have more weight on the rear and its not really doing anything on the way down.

What's a good tyre for plenty of grip in the corners but low rolling resistance in a straight line? I had super tacky high rollers, while they were great in the corners they were just too slow on hard surfaces when it came to climbing.

matt_fsr said:
What trail centres do you ride?
Click to expand...

Mostly Hamsterley as I'm based in Durham but I haven't been in a while, I dont drive and my MTB friends are now final year students :(. I also make trips to Glentress and the lake district when I can.

Also, I have a trip to the alps booked for the summer. As the climbs will be replaced with ski lifts should I just get a pair of light DH tyres?
 
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Just came back from Glentress, Innerleithen and Mabie for the second time in a month. Still on the rigid 29er and it's a killer on my forearms. Suspension is definitely required for long rides but I'm really getting on with the bigger wheels now.
 
Zowghi said:
Firstly, thanks for taking the time to reply!

I can understand having more grip on the front. What's your reason for a wider rear? You have more weight on the rear and its not really doing anything on the way down.

What's a good tyre for plenty of grip in the corners but low rolling resistance in a straight line? I had super tacky high rollers, while they were great in the corners they were just too slow on hard surfaces when it came to climbing.



Mostly Hamsterley as I'm based in Durham but I haven't been in a while, I dont drive and my MTB friends are now final year students :(. I also make trips to Glentress and the lake district when I can.

Also, I have a trip to the alps booked for the summer. As the climbs will be replaced with ski lifts should I just get a pair of light DH tyres?
Click to expand...

Myself and matt_fsr were at Hamsterley today (we go there quite a bit) - if you fancy a ride out sometime just let me know and we can arrange something :)
 
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Zowghi said:
Some tyre help please guys.
I'm looking for someone to recommend me a tyre setup for the summer. As much as I love to ride I don't know too much about it. I know of the popular ones and I've used High Rollers and Nobby Nics, I'd like some info from someone who has had a play with tyres and can give a reason other than "They are the most popular".
.....
Whats the best tyre you have used? (Only answer if you have used a few please)
Click to expand...

My tyre experience over the past 3 years:

2.5" Nevegal Single ply: Grippy but push them hard and they can wash out with no notice. Single ply might not be the most robust for DH

2.35" Nevegal Stick-E: Grippy but slow rolling, mud clearance isn't great

2.4" Continental Mountain King supersonic: Extremely grippy and very light, but also has a very thing side wall. Fast rolling.

2.2" Continental Mountain King supersonic, as above but more likely to get flats due to its small volume. Only good as a rear tyre. Like the 2.4" it measures up small. Don't run these if you ride on very rocky trails, or if you are a fatty.

2.2" & 2.4" Continental Mountain King UST - Not nearly as good as the Supersonic versions. 2.4" is...ok. 2.2" is poor. Avoid!

2.4" Continental Rubber Queen Black Chilli. AKA Trail King. Immensly grippy in all conditions, heavier than advertised. Real weight is 1000g. Slow rolling. Actually measures 2.4". Thick sidewalls for a single ply tyre. These are huuuge. Might not fit on some frames. I'll be taking these to the Alps this year.

2.0" Continental Race King 2.0" Supersonic. Extremely fast and light. low profile. Very sketchy on dry loose trails, like ski's in the mud/snow. Use wisely.

2.4" 2010 Nobby Nic UST. The best tyre I have used. Measure up as 2.4" too. A little heavy/slow, but not overly so.

2.2" 2011 Nobby Nic UST. Perfect match to the 2.4" for the rear.


...I have some 2.1" Racing Ralph's and the new Pacestar Nobby Nics to try out sometime soon too.

Hope this helps. :)
 
Thanks for that weescott, it will come in useful.

Kona* said:
Myself and matt_fsr were at Hamsterley today (we go there quite a bit) - if you fancy a ride out sometime just let me know and we can arrange something :)
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot mate, that would be great. It must be more than 3 months since I've been for a good ride (I've been around Durham but it bores me a little). As I'm a student and rent a small house my bike has to live on our landing, every time I walk past it I die a little more inside.
 
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What about the Maxxis tyre range, the Advantages and High Rollers seemed to be liked?

Thinking about going back to Llandegla next weekend, trying to ride somewhere different at the weekends to where I do during the week.
 
I think the tyre thing is a difficult thing to settle, i mean id love to find a decent grip fast rolling rubber, but you have to compromise on other things which then limits to what the tyre is capable of doing. At the moment im running Bontrager XR4 2.3 Teams on my bike, grippy as hell but soooo damn draggy on anything remotley flat and makes climbing a bit hard, only reason i got them is my LBS is a Trek dealer and im friendly with them so i get a friend discount lol
 
KnightStalker said:
I think the tyre thing is a difficult thing to settle, i mean id love to find a decent grip fast rolling rubber, but you have to compromise on other things which then limits to what the tyre is capable of doing. At the moment im running Bontrager XR4 2.3 Teams on my bike, grippy as hell but soooo damn draggy on anything remotley flat and makes climbing a bit hard, only reason i got them is my LBS is a Trek dealer and im friendly with them so i get a friend discount lol
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Took a gamble with these for Summer,

Michelin's reinforced Dry2 2.30in, I read the BikeRadar article about Adam Craig running them on his Giant Trance X at Downieville.

So found some for around £13 each and I must say they're great, they've been on my Hardtail a while but stuck them on my Giant Reign today and did Dalby Red in 2h 30m and they where great.

I've ridden them in the wet too and they're not as bad as what people say. All I can say is they roll very fast and and are grippy in the dry.

Think they've now been replaced with a more all round compound, but I'll be hunting out some more before the supply drys up and keeping them for when these are shot.
 
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