On the recommendations I read here I bought a set of Hutch UST Spiders.
Santa in the brown suit(UPS) delivered them this morning from Green Fish Sports. I decided to mount them up dry -without Stan's- just to see how the system would work. Installation was pretty straightforward on my Crossmax SL wheels. Pulled of the old tires and tubes and cleaned rims. Using the helpful tips I've read here and the Mavic instructions I had the first tire on in just a few minutes. I used the Schrader adapter on the presta valve and hit it with the air from my compressor. Tire filled right up and the beads popped on, so far so good! Rats-directional and on backwards-take it off and flip it. Harder coming off than on and I was careful to get the tire fully in the grove
Mounted up the front tire, going the right way the first time. Airs right up, so far so good! I check the rear and screw down the valve. NOW I hear hissing. It's coming from the valve core, I unscrew and it stops! So I have to play with it a bit, can't screw it down tight.
I leave both tires inflated to max (4 bars) for about 5 hours. When I come back, they are still hard. I mounted them up and decided to take a spin on the old Norba course behind my house. The winds blowing 30 plus but I?m dying to ride so off I go?..
I've got about .9 of pavement before the start of single track. First thing I noticed is these Spiders roll great! I'm riding uphill into the wind and I'm 1 mph faster than normal and I feel the normal effort. Hit the first single track - hard pack with sand over the top. I'm expecting them to be a bit sketchy because of all the pressure but they are feeling very sure footed and I'm realllllly impressed with the roll!
I decide on a route that has long climbs, short technical climbs with rocky descents and a long single-track blast home. I kept getting into stuff "hot" because these tires pick up speed so much faster than what I was running! I got cross-rutted in a clay spot that had dried with tire tracks in it! I though I was going down! I weighted the front and it stuck while I body English the back into the same rut - at about 20 MPH. So far so good!
I blasted around the rest of the ride with good results. I was a little concerned about the last steep section; it's hard clay with gravel, deep rain ruts, and big rocks! You have to work back and forth, crossing ruts and checking up speed. I expected not to have much grip at 4 bars but these things never let go! After the climb there is a run out to a fast right-hander onto a jeep trail. The corner is very deep sand and you have to hit it fast to float. The front was pushed to the limit and started to let me know! This is a GOOD THING! I love a tire that warns me before it lets go!
I used to ride Fire XC pros and that was the one thing I hated about that tire, let go with no warning!
Bottom line is I CAN'T WAIT for the ride with my buddies in the morning! These tires are going to be an advantage! I know tires can make a difference but these are reeeeeallly going to help me keep up! Who knows maybe I?ll be able to lead a bit!
Santa in the brown suit(UPS) delivered them this morning from Green Fish Sports. I decided to mount them up dry -without Stan's- just to see how the system would work. Installation was pretty straightforward on my Crossmax SL wheels. Pulled of the old tires and tubes and cleaned rims. Using the helpful tips I've read here and the Mavic instructions I had the first tire on in just a few minutes. I used the Schrader adapter on the presta valve and hit it with the air from my compressor. Tire filled right up and the beads popped on, so far so good! Rats-directional and on backwards-take it off and flip it. Harder coming off than on and I was careful to get the tire fully in the grove
Mounted up the front tire, going the right way the first time. Airs right up, so far so good! I check the rear and screw down the valve. NOW I hear hissing. It's coming from the valve core, I unscrew and it stops! So I have to play with it a bit, can't screw it down tight.
I leave both tires inflated to max (4 bars) for about 5 hours. When I come back, they are still hard. I mounted them up and decided to take a spin on the old Norba course behind my house. The winds blowing 30 plus but I?m dying to ride so off I go?..
I've got about .9 of pavement before the start of single track. First thing I noticed is these Spiders roll great! I'm riding uphill into the wind and I'm 1 mph faster than normal and I feel the normal effort. Hit the first single track - hard pack with sand over the top. I'm expecting them to be a bit sketchy because of all the pressure but they are feeling very sure footed and I'm realllllly impressed with the roll!
I decide on a route that has long climbs, short technical climbs with rocky descents and a long single-track blast home. I kept getting into stuff "hot" because these tires pick up speed so much faster than what I was running! I got cross-rutted in a clay spot that had dried with tire tracks in it! I though I was going down! I weighted the front and it stuck while I body English the back into the same rut - at about 20 MPH. So far so good!
I blasted around the rest of the ride with good results. I was a little concerned about the last steep section; it's hard clay with gravel, deep rain ruts, and big rocks! You have to work back and forth, crossing ruts and checking up speed. I expected not to have much grip at 4 bars but these things never let go! After the climb there is a run out to a fast right-hander onto a jeep trail. The corner is very deep sand and you have to hit it fast to float. The front was pushed to the limit and started to let me know! This is a GOOD THING! I love a tire that warns me before it lets go!
I used to ride Fire XC pros and that was the one thing I hated about that tire, let go with no warning!
Bottom line is I CAN'T WAIT for the ride with my buddies in the morning! These tires are going to be an advantage! I know tires can make a difference but these are reeeeeallly going to help me keep up! Who knows maybe I?ll be able to lead a bit!
