New Season, New Tires, New Thread

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I'm going to reference this post whenever I'm starting to feel like I take tires too seriously or have too many of them.

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First step is admitting one has a problem...

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Can't you just buy a tire in Europe if you need one there?

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The town is remote enough that I've waited 4 or 5 days on parts in the past. The one shop in town is just a renter of clapped out hybrids. 1h bus ride over a pass to get to what might be a real bike shop....

Having cut grid gravity and DD casings on trips in the past, maybe I'm looking at just running DH casings in EU...

Specialized Butcher Grid Trail T9 gets me up and down better than a DHR Exo+ Maxxterra. I also had 4 punctures on a NEW DHR in that casing last week at 29psi. Specialized has shrugged that off all season at 25psi. Just mounted up a Conti Kryptotal R Enduro as well to see how it hangs. 1169g weighed up today.

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Originally Posted by smmokan

I'll give major props to the Specialized Hillbilly/Butcher (both Grid Trail T9) combo for steep, loose, and/or wet conditions. It's been dry and loose AF up here in BC the last week, and I haven't lost grip once between Whistler, Pemby and Squamish. Crazy grip in the steeps and on the dirty slabs. Then it rained a bunch on Saturday so we had a bunch of wet roots yesterday, and it was super grippy across the board. They might be a bit slow-rolling, but it's not overly noticeable as I've regularly been doing 3k' days.

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I will likely be putting this combo on my rig for a 7/1 visit, thanks for the beta! I really like butcher/butcher and butcher/eliminator combos. I’m assuming hillbilly front and butcher rear? Cheers-


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Downcountry ;) rear tire recommendations in a 29 x 2.4 ? The kenda regolith pro on my Hei Hei has been great, decent compromise between proper lugs (for the loose DG) and lowish rolling resistance but it’s worn out & I’m open to something new.

I am deeply familiar with the usual suspects from maxxis so don’t go there…more interested in new options. Bought a Delium Steady 2.4 but it was 175 g heavier than advertised, not putting it on my lightest bike.

^^ holding a Barzo/ Mezcal combo for now but my front dissector is still good so considering the new forekaster for the back of my Ranger. Rekon didn’t last well at all


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Originally Posted by zlatham

I will likely be putting this combo on my rig for a 7/1 visit, thanks for the beta! I really like butcher/butcher and butcher/eliminator combos. I’m assuming hillbilly front and butcher rear? Cheers-

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Yep, correct.

Thanks!


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Originally Posted by mildbill.

Having cut grid gravity and DD casings on trips in the past, maybe I'm looking at just running DH casings in EU...

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Do it. Maybe get a dual compound rear to limit rolling resistance a bit?

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Originally Posted by ticketchecker

^^ holding a Barzo/ Mezcal combo for now but my front dissector is still good so considering the new forekaster for the back of my Ranger. Rekon didn’t last well at all


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You running a 2.35” Barzo? How big does it measure? The Vittorias I’ve had in the past were a bit small.

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Originally Posted by bagtagley

Do it. Maybe get a dual compound rear to limit rolling resistance a bit?

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Well, this thread inspired another tire purchase (LBS had a hillbilly gravity t9 for $35) so I think i'm gonna go:
EC: MG DH DHF / Roasted rekon (throw in trash when I am done with it)
EU: HB T9 Gravity / MG DH DHF

Limit the number of new tires I buy, and limit the number of tires I carry around with me...

Found an Eliminator BLK DMND for cheap that could sub in for the MG DH DHF....

Yeah Specialized tires are 50% off right now. It's lovely to see tires less than $40 and free shipping. Bike shops and online.

Where are these 50% deals on specialized tires?

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Originally Posted by BigHerm

Where are these 50% deals on specialized tires?

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Go to your local shop that sells Specialized. I saw Specialized site and their store on eBay has them. Otherwise just google that shit dummy

I mean I did, but only looking for Cannibal 29 and those don't seem to be on sale anywhere except TPC at $20 off (25%). Thought you had some heady links.

I checked Absolute Bikes and they have some Spec tires at 25-27% off but full price on Cannibals. 3 riders on the box will do that I guess...

Thoughts on (F) Argotal, Soft / (R) Xynotal Endurance?

Paddability up, Xynotal. Argotal soft for the scree or is Kryptotal soft better for the mix of larger rocks on the down?
Wasatch, No CC and not much PC. Mostly BCC/LCC, foothills jank. Looking for an efficient approach, sacrifice some “ultimate” grip on the down if need be.

Thanks

Current (worn out) setup is soft Edge-22 front, Pinner rear. Only complaint is Pinners side knobs wear proportionately faster than center and felt like it got draggy slow compared to feeling relatively fast when new.

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Originally Posted by frorider

You running a 2.35” Barzo? How big does it measure? The Vittorias I’ve had in the past were a bit small.

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2.35 is what I have, but I’ve yet to mount them. Jamal has been through a few of them, perhaps he can verify


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Depends on the rim. 30mm hookless my 2.25 mezcals were 2.4. Barzos seem to be just a touch smaller than mezcals for some reason. 2.25 vs 2.35 also seems indistinguishable to me (but, I mean, 0.1" isn't very much). They probably should re-work the casings and tread a bit and then just have a 2.25 and a 2.4 that were actually different sizes and meant for different width rims.

In my experience vittorias have always been a touch big. 25 road tires closer to 28, etc. My 34 corsa n.exts on a 23mm iw rim come out to like 35-36. Those 38 gravel tires also tend to measure over 40.


Currently I have 2.35 racing ray/ralphs on the hei hei and then 2.4 pirelli xc/rcs on the hardtail. Both are like, fine but not sure I'd pick either again over just more mezcals. Have butte 100 coming up and i'm not sure if I want to use the pirellis, or get another set of mezcals, or try something real fast like thunder burts. With two bikes I can have one set with lighter, faster tires at least.

mezcals, 2.35 is about that, 2.35-.4 on i30. The 2.6 is overly huge with more pronounced shoulder knobs. When the 2.6 first came out they tried to market as a fast Enduro tire. I run the 2.35/2.6 on my hardtail. Wish the 2.6 was a true 2.5 with same shoulder. Anyways imo mezcals are an underrated fast dry condition light trail tire.

Can confirm, the 2.6 Mezcal is massive, and is basically a plus tire as far as I’m concerned. A Mezcal between the slightly undersized 2.35 and the massively oversized 2.6 would be SWEET.

Does the T9 grip as well on wet roots/rocks as 3c Maxxterra? I love the tread pattern of the 2.6 butcher/elimnator and hilly billy but found the old one basically just had nothing if things got wet or himid.

Two questions:
If I have a 28mm inside width wheel, is a 2.5 Assegai too wide?

2nd, and this may have been answered - what is the specialized tire combo that matches a DHF/Aggresor combo in 3CT/EXO/TR? What would the Assegai be?

TIA!

I'd say the DHF/Aggressor equivalent is a Butcher/Eliminator in Grid casing, although I'd recommend bumping up to their Grid Trail (EXO+) casing as there's very little weight difference. The Assegai equivalent is their somewhat new Cannibal.

Also to add to my previous post- the T9 Butcher in back is incredible for loose/steep/wet riding, but I noticed it seems to be wearing faster due to the softer compound.

And a random addition: if anyone is in Whistler, Arbutus Routes has a tire sale on the old Continental models with buy one, get one free.... I wish I had a reason to go buy them, as I absolutely loved the Baron/Kaiser combo.

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Originally Posted by zion zig zag

Two questions:
If I have a 28mm inside width wheel, is a 2.5 Assegai too wide?

2nd, and this may have been answered - what is the specialized tire combo that matches a DHF/Aggresor combo in 3CT/EXO/TR? What would the Assegai be?

TIA!

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2.5 on a 28mm rim is fine. Some even prefer it.

And what smokkan said re: specialized equivalents.

Awesome, thank you both^^^

$25 is a cheap tire these days!
Been liking the Specialized Eliminator as a back tire so far.

https://www.jensonusa.com/Specialize...saAlrXEALw_wcB


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