[The Squeaky Wheel]

I recently moved from the lush damp confines of Vermont to sunny, dry, dusty & rocky Colorado. My trusted Big Jims did OK in my new terrain but I decided to celebrate the move with a trial of new rubber.

I'm a UST fan but since my pinch flat problems are only in the rear I decided to replace my front Big Jim with a 2.35 Stick-E Blue Groove. Wow!!!! It's like this tire was designed for July Front Range conditions. Amazing lateral hold, big volume and damned near impossible to get it to skid no matter how hard I crank the brakes.

Finding a UST suitable rear proved to be a more daunting task. My Conti Vert was awful, just plain awful. It had no grip in the sandy climbs and squirmed over the rocks.
My 3 year old Python was much, much better. It was really hard for me to get it spin out when climbing and it goes over rocks very smoothly. Only problem is that it gives out way too easily in the corners.

Kenda is coming out with 2.1 UST versions of Blue Groove & Nevegal shortly but I couldn't wait. Despite my failures with Stan's 3 years ago, I decided to roll the dice and seal a 2.1 Nevegal on my UST X3.1 rims. After 2 rides everything is hunky dory in terms of the tubeless conversion and the Nev is a wonderful complement in the rear to the front BG. Not quite as good as the Python in the sand and over rocks but much, much better lateral hold.

If my Stan's holds then I'll ride this combo until the UST versions come out in the fall.

 

[SCUBAPRO]

Notice any Stan's Sealant on side walls of your tires?

I decided to roll the dice and seal a 2.1 Nevegal on my UST X3.1 rims. After 2 rides everything is hunky dory in terms of the tubeless conversion and the Nev is a wonderful complement in the rear to the front BG. Not quite as good as the Python in the sand and over rocks but much, much better lateral hold.

If my Stan's holds then I'll ride this combo until the UST versions come out in the fall.

Just wondering if you are running any rubber rim strip, like Stans Strip, on your rear? If not do you notice any of the white sealant on the side walls of your tire after a long downhill of rocky sections? I do on mine so I am contemplating running rims strips on my UST rims. Your comments are greatly appreciated.

 

[The Squeaky Wheel]

After 5 rides I've seen no latex on the sidewalls and have had no air loss.

But.....I had a hard time getting the tire to initially seal. I used 3 scoops of Stan's, which is one more than usual, and still there was seepage from the junction of the sidewall & rim. I seem to have solved it by deflating the tire to about 15 psi and then pushing in the sidewall circumfrentially on both sides so that a bit of air & latex escaped. This seems to have set up the latex on the sidwall/tire interface and things are holding well so far.

Despite my, so far, success, I still plan on converting to a rear UST when available and keeping the front 2.35 BG with a tube.

 

[fsrxc]

After 5 rides I've seen no latex on the sidewalls and have had no air loss.

But.....I had a hard time getting the tire to initially seal. I used 3 scoops of Stan's, which is one more than usual, and still there was seepage from the junction of the sidewall & rim. I seem to have solved it by deflating the tire to about 15 psi and then pushing in the sidewall circumfrentially on both sides so that a bit of air & latex escaped. This seems to have set up the latex on the sidwall/tire interface and things are holding well so far.

Despite my, so far, success, I still plan on converting to a rear UST when available and keeping the front 2.35 BG with a tube.

NBX 2.3 comes in UST I think, between BG 2.1 and 2.35 in size.

 

[shiggy]

NBX 2.3 comes in UST I think, between BG 2.1 and 2.35 in size.

The NBX 2.3 and BG 2.10 are the same size

 

[The Squeaky Wheel]

And the UST Version of NBX 2.3 is a hog. I weighed one at Mtn High and it came in over 1000 gms.