[hunter01]

I just bought a new hard tail MTB in March. Don't race and mostly run XC as I'm "older" a roll so rad/jumping/racing is out.

But I always go after personal best every time out. Most of the year in N. Texas is single track loose over hardpack but also get muddy at times.

Cost isn't an option so what is a great all-around tire for front and back? My X-Caliber says up to 29X2.4. And why different tires for front vs back.

Thanks ahead of time for the newbie questions. Just want to grip better on turns and loose climbs.:thumbsup:

 

[hunter01]

The title was not supposed to be "Texas"...

Sorry

 

[Jayem]

So I've done a decent amount of riding there on work trips. I bring my XC bike, but I set it up with a 120mm fork and around 2.3" tires. I'm able to zip through the trees and it's super fun on many of the different trails. What I wouldn't want is bigger/wider tires though, the thing is that when you are doing all of those high speed turns, when your tires and wheels get too heavy, the gyroscopic rigidity effect keeps me from being able to make those tight quick turns. There's also a size that gives you the right amount of pressure for the right amount of grip. I encounter the opposite of this when I try to use one of my fat-bikes for cross-races on wet grass, the actual cross-bikes penetrate and hold a line way way better than my fat-bike ever could, so again, wider is not better IME. Those heavier wider wheels "tug" at the outside of the turns and try to drag you in that direction when you are trying to do the opposite-carve towards the inside. A lot of riders that generally go slower or have balance issues (usually due to going too slow) swear by fat and plus-sized tires...but IME, this will be the opposite of going fast through the trees like star wars. Keeping the wheels and tires relatively light and not super wide allows for those lightning quick transitions and railing of the turns.

I'm running the Maxxis Icons in 2.35. For racing, I use the Racing Ralphs, but those are pretty terrible tires for anything but a race due to their fragility.

I've ridden there a few times in the mud. The Icons are not mud tires. Bigger wider-spaced knobs are usually best in mud, but they tend to suck at other stuff. The reason I like the icons is their transition edge-to-edge on i25-27mm rims is fantastic. If the rim is narrower than 25 they start to fall apart in terms of handling.

 

[FJSnoozer]

The title was not supposed to be "Texas"...

Sorry

This thread will elicit a about 50 different opinions. Some people defer to minions because it's all they can get traction on.

Tires are a trade off among reliability, speed, grip and then some vary based off conditions.

If you ride in the saddle a lot, you will struggle hooking up a tire that someone that rides with a lot of bike and body separation.

With all that being said.

I like a Nobby nic 2.35 front and rear for chunk

In blown out Texas loose over hard pack, the best combo I have ridden is a forecaster front and rear. 2.35

If you want to go faster, pair a fast rear. Ikon 2.35 is super nice on a hardtail for volume. Want faster, go 2.25 recon race then aspen. I would work my way backward starting with either a forecaster Front and rear to a forecaster and ikon 2.35 rear. When you feel like you can life with less rear grip, try something new and faster. Your front will outlive your rear by a lot anyway so you can try out a lot of tires. If you start with a forecaster front and rear and switch to a faster rear, you end up with two great front tires

Trust me, you are barely sacrificing anything by having a forecaster front. There is so much grip in out blown out scorched earth dry as well as the wet days that you will outperform a lot of faster rolling front tires.

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[TylerVernon]

Edge 22 front and Mezcal or Agarro rear.