[SeaHag]

Hey all, I'm a 6 foot tall rider currently down to 250# from as high as 380# 8 years ago :thumbsup: ...but still big enough to have problems with tire choice.

I'm sure many of you have felt the squirmy mushiness from too soft of edge nobs when trying to corner aggressively. What I'd like to start here is a listing of tires that ride well for clydes like us. I've had a couple sets of tires so disconcerting to ride hard that I passed them on to much thinner riding friends; and I'd rather not waste any more money on tires such as those.

I know conditions play a large part in how a tire performs; but since most of us probably ride mostly on dry trails that receive a good amount of traffic and therefore are hard packed, let's target those tires primarily.

If this topic stays focused and gets good results, maybe they'll "sticky" it for us. I tried the forum search for clyde tires and got sh!t for results.

I'd start with a recommendation but I'm not sure I've ever ridden on a really great tire yet.

 

[GTscoob]

Shorter knobs, harder rubber, harder carcass, and reinforced knobs will flex less. Harder carcass can mean harder rubber supporting the knobs but also thicker carcass with an extra ply of casing fabric for more structure.

 

[SeaHag]

Shorter knobs, harder rubber, harder carcass, and reinforced knobs will flex less. Harder carcass can mean harder rubber supporting the knobs but also thicker carcass with an extra ply of casing fabric for more structure.

Yep...that's self explanatory. What I'm looking for is a listing of tires that Clydes have tried and can say from experience possess these attributes we are looking for.

Maxxis Ardents are probably the best I've tried, but my experience is limited to mostly lower priced sale tires.

 

[mark!]

Maxxis Ardents worked well for me, Crossmarx did well too. Right now I have an Ardent on the rear and a Vittoria Saguaro on the front that's working well too. Subscribed to see what others use and have had luck with.

 

[Bttocs]

I am a clyde, 6'4", 245lbs, and fairly new to mtb. So far I have ridden Geax AKA tires, 29 x 2.2, and 2015 Nobby Nics, 29 x 2.35. So far both with tubes. The AKA's were just OK. They didn't have great traction, about what you would expect for lots of small knobs, but they did roll very well, especially on pavement. They were pretty high volume, but they had soft side walls. I couldn't run low pressures (low 20's) without squirm and pinch flats. Needed close to 30 psi in them. They were also very bouncy, and bounced you off the seat a lot. They were like riding on a balloon or air spring.

The 2015 Nobby Nics, snakeskin, EVO, and the harder rubber, pacesetter, are very good for a clyde. They have great traction, have much stiffer sidewalls, and seem very tough for tears or thorns. I am running 17-19 psi with tubes. That is the lowest ever for me and I am impressed. They absorb small hits from rocks and roots and do it very damped, so you don't get bounced off the seat. Its like I have a new suspension system on my hardtail. They run a little narrower than spec, 2.30 measured vs 2.35" spec, but have very high volume and so far no pinch flats with tubes. I plan to go tubeless to lighten them up. 2015 Nobby Nics are very clyde friendly in my opinion. So far no wear issues or torn off knobs like the previous version of the tire had.

 

[GTscoob]

I'm not an Ardent fan but enough folks are that are my size. DHFs roll slower but offer a ton more grip and support. HR2 is the best all-around tire I've ever ridden, it's just damn predictable regardless of terrain. Only complaints are that I want a higher volume 29er HR2 and that the soft side knobs can fold in harder trail conditions.

Big guys like us ask a lot of our cornering knobs. We need tall knobs to pierce the soil but the tall knobs need some reinforcements to keep from folding over (look at DHF vs HR2 side knobs for comparison).

 

[Nubster]

Rim width plays a huge roll as well. I can tell a big difference between my WTB i19 rims (19mm wide) and my Sun Ringle MTx33 (33mm wide) rims, same tires.

 

[jeffj]

Tires with big soft side lugs often feel like I'm riding through squished grapes on the trails where I ride. I also find that I prefer my 29" tires to be a little less aggressive tread-wise compared to the 26" tires I used to ride. The exception to that would be riding in a place like Big Bear where the ground is relativley soft, and has many places that are very loose dirt mixed with rocks. There, the more aggressive the tread, the better for me.

With regard to the Maxxis Crossmarks, I won't ride them unless I trim out all of the round side lugs. Even then, they don't brake so well for me. Total PITA for me to mount tubeless for me as well.

Some tires that I do like:

Specialized Ground Control (Control) 29" for a rear tire
Specialized Purgatory (Control) 29" x 2.3" for a front tire
Bontrager 29" XR-3, front or rear
Bontrager 29" XR-4, for a front tire
Kenda Honey Badger 29", front or rear
Vredestein Bobcat 29" x 2.5" for a front tire in loose, gnarly conditions (like the black diamond stuff in Big Bear). I couldn't fit them on the rear of my bikes, so I have no actual experience with them as a rear tire (and they barely fit on my Reba fork). But they ROCK on the front in the conditions specified above.

 

[targnik]

Am a Clyde 6ft [was 253lbs now 225lbs...]

Tires I've used (all successfully) [ordered in my personal rating - top to bottom]
*Continental Trail King 2.4 Protection, Black Chilli
*Maxxis Ardent Race 2.2 3C EXO
*Maxxis High Roller 2 2.3 EXO
*Michelin Wild Grip'R 2 Advanced 2.25
*Schwalbe Rock Razor 2.35 Evo Snake Skin
*Schwalbe Hans Dampf 2.35 Evo Snake Skin

Common among all these great tyres is the extra protection features (although the Ardent Race and Wild Grip'R aren't as thick as the others).
The Conti TK 2.4 is bomb proof!! Thing is thick like I imagine Rhino hide would be, and is still fast rolling.
The Wild Grip'R and High Roller are the slower rolling off the bunch (about equal in resistance).
The Ardent Race punches way above it's pay grade.

I recommend them all as possible options for you going forward or up and down ^^

Sent from my Kin[G]_Pad ™

 

[Rock Garden]

Everybody seems to love those Conti's, but I hate them. I put a whopping 30 miles on a Mt. King Rear(tubeless, protection, black chili) and the threads in the casing tore ruining the tire (it looked like an "S" shape elongated about 8" at that spot). It was replaced by the seller without issue, but I refuse to run them again. I wasn't pleased with the grip either....scary on wet rocks/roots for me. And the sidewalls sounded like breaking glass going down the trail. Same with an X-King minus the casing issue. Totally unimpressed.

I've been really happy with WTB stuff over the years. Vigilante is a great front. Wolverine is a great rear so far with only about 100 miles or so on it. I was happy with Schwalbe Han Dampf up front in Trailstar compound. Pacestar rear I hated.

Here's the Mt. King failure (rim is true, video was shot in the truing stand at my LBS):

 

[targnik]

Everybody seems to love those Conti's, but I hate them. I put a whopping 30 miles on a Mt. King Rear(tubeless, protection, black chili) and the threads in the casing tore ruining the tire (it looked like an "S" shape elongated about 8" at that spot). It was replaced by the seller without issue, but I refuse to run them again. I wasn't pleased with the grip either....scary on wet rocks/roots for me. And the sidewalls sounded like breaking glass going down the trail. Same with an X-King minus the casing issue. Totally unimpressed.

I've been really happy with WTB stuff over the years. Vigilante is a great front. Wolverine is a great rear so far with only about 100 miles or so on it. I was happy with Schwalbe Han Dampf up front in Trailstar compound. Pacestar rear I hated.

Here's the Mt. King failure (rim is true, video was shot in the truing stand at my LBS):

Bet that MK was a knock-Off ^^ my TK still looks like I just put it on after 250-300 km of riding!

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[Rock Garden]

I suppose it's possible, but I have no way of knowing. I bought it new from the link below along with the X-king.

I intended to run the Mt. King up front and the X-King out back....that really sucked (one ride was enough of that) so I put the either a Hans Dampf or Vigilante up front and the Mt. King in the rear. I think I was on my 3rd or fourth ride when it happened. I was coming off singletrack and angling across a ditch onto a fire road when it happened. I just assumed I hit it too hard and at an odd angle....though I've made that same transition many, many times before with other tires.

Modern Bike replaced it without issue. I have the replacement still in the original packaging as I refuse to try it again. I have the X-king mounted up on a spare rear wheel for emergency needs, but I hope to never have to run it again either.

Continental Mountain King 29 x 2.4" ProTection Black Chili Rubber w/Folding Bead - Modern Bike

 

[Alias530]

You want a big voluminous tire with big supported knobs.

Good Examples - Minion DHF, Minion DHR2, Magic Mary, Specialized Slaughter, Specialized Butcher, Specialized Purgatory, Maxxis Ardent 2.4, Maxxis Ikon 2.35

BAD Examples - Schwalbe Hans Dampf, Maxxis Ardent 2.25, Maxxis Ikon 2.2, Conti X-King, Bontrager XR1


That's my experience anyway... currently running DHF front/DHR2 rear.

 

[targnik]

Tried the HRII 2.3 out front... Dual compound. Looks like it will be very pressure sensitive. Rolled plenty quick out front, but it was like I had to fight the tire to get it to go where I wanted. Ran at 26-27psi think I'll head down to 24-25psi and give it another chance. Trails weren't loamy/muddy enough probably for those tall lugs to dig into. Rooty, rocky, hard pack was flava of the day. Got an event coming up soon, hope the HRII likes sandy trails?

-------------------------------------
Opinions are like A-holes... everybody
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