New Season, New Tires, New Thread

[grinch]

I thought grid was basically an EXO. Very similar weights and same manufacturer. Maybe different construction make the grid tougher or luck. Specialized just released their “blck dmnd “ butcher and hillbilly that are supposed to fall somewhere in weight/construction in between their dh and grid. Didn’t see weights listed but figured they’d stack up against the maxxis dd’s. 2.3,2.6 and 2.8 width options

[D(C)]

Apparently there are different Grids. I remember reading that the previous version of the Butcher and Slaughter Grids had a heavier casing than a Purgatory or Ground Control Grid.

Edit: here’s where I read that: http://forums.mtbr.com/wheels-tires/...l#post11540265

The new Griptron Butcher Grid 2.6 feels like it has a lighter casing than the Slaughter Grid I have in back, so they may have lightened them up again, which is why they’re releasing a new enduro casing.

Looking at the weight of tires is probably the best way to get an idea of casing thickness. Exo and the like usually come in around 850-900 g, whereas Double Down and similar are 1000 g +.

[grinch]

I have 2.5 dhf dd, Wild rockr2 2.35 and onza citius 2.4 on bikes. All between 1080g wr2’s and 1150g dhf. Same width for those two. The onza is a touch narrower and 1110g. All seem similarly durable and great tires. I haven’t tried the onza on the front but braking is exceptional and the side knobs seem supportive so it could be ok up front I guess. I liked the butcher aside from grid durability.If those new ones in a 2.6/2.3 are similar weight they might be a good option. They are decently priced

I forget all the acronyms for the onza. I’m pretty sure it’s this one
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/c.../rp-prod133234

[LC]

I had a Butcher Grid 2.3 on the rear about 3 years ago. Weighed 950g I think, sidewalls felt thicker than a Minion EXO and the crown casing considerably thicker. I put fewer holes in it than the previous EXOs I had used on the rear. Purgatory Grids were always a much thinner casing and I’ve heard that the recent Butcher Grids are a bit thinner now.

I have a few days on a WTB Breakout 2.3 Tough Fast on the rear now. Mounted a 2.5 initially but I didn’t like how little clearance it gave me. Tread looks similar to an Aggressor, rolls just a little faster than the previous Michelin Wild Rock’R2s I have had in the back but it’s a much rounder profile and has transition knobs and slightly less aggressive side knobs so it drifts much more, in a very controlled manner, but it’s a big change to the various Minion-esque rears that I’ve used for years. I need to experiment with leaning it harder, and I might end up removing every second transition knob for more bite.

Magic Mary 2.35 Addix Soft on the front feels no different to the old Trailstar on the bike to me. Aired up a little skinny but stretched out to 61mm on 30mm rims so 1mm narrower than the old ones.

Interested to try the new Michelin Wild Enduro Rear sometime, although the weight is stated at 950g which is 100-200g lighter than the casings I have been putting 1 or 2 holes in recently.

[forty]

Specialized 2.3 is a touch wider than Maxxis 2.3

Grid seems to me to comparable to DD. Perhaps a touch less thick. As data I do rip Maxxis EXO where I don't rip Spec Grid

thanks for comparison
weights:
26x2.3 dhf dd - 1035
26x2.3 dhf exo - 840
26x2.3 butcher grid - 825
26x2.3 butcher - 730

looking at weights grid scares me...
of course the new endurbro spec casing isnt done in 26 sizes, and nobody makes 26in tires between 2.3 and 4in anymore goddammit!!!
think im back to saving pennies for a 26x2.3 dhr2 dd at msrp pricing unless somebody knows another 1000g 26in tire that doesnt suck

[skaredshtles]

<snip>
think im back to saving pennies for a 26x2.3 dhr2 dd at msrp pricing unless somebody knows another 1000g 26in tire that doesnt suck

Michelin Wild Rock'R2 Advanced Reinforced.

Yes, the name is stupid.

And no, you won't want one if you regularly ride muddy conditions.

[forty]

Michelin Wild Rock'R2 Advanced Reinforced.

Yes, the name is stupid.

And no, you won't want one if you regularly ride muddy conditions.

oh snap i just assumed they didnt do a 26in size in the good casings being a newer model... but sure as shit they do
hows this ride as a rear?
paired with 2.5 dhf exo front for reference

how bad in mud?
im usually digging when its wet out rather than riding, but the occasional puddle does make appearances often enough since it is the pnwet

[LC]

And no, you won't want one if you regularly ride muddy conditions.

I like the WR2 fine in the wet, pretty much on par with other Minion-like rubber. In sticky mud the tread fills up pretty quickly though.

[skaredshtles]

I like the WR2 fine in the wet, pretty much on par with other Minion-like rubber. In sticky mud the tread fills up pretty quickly though.

Like this guy said - it's fine in the *wet* but clogs up with mud. Not that I'd know, since I've never ridden in muddy conditions on it.

[grinch]

Yes good in the slick, soft conditions but sticky mud will pack up much like a dhf. A touch more biased to soft than hard pack than the dhf. A riding bud and myself have had great luck with the wr2’s reinforced casing from trail-enduro and even on dh bikes. One pinched tire on the dh bikes each before the change to full dh casing tires . Also impressed with the dd casing on the minion I picked up. Went to pop off a rock last week and it was more square edged than I thought. HAd some speed and thought I could air over some roots and rocks after the rock in question. I pushed hard into it and all I heArd was a big rim bottom out. Figured the rim would’ve been worse and I’d soon hear the tire pissing sealant. Super minor rim ding is all. It sounded ugly. EXO would’ve been toast. Stoked, had a good group visiting doing shuttles. Moar laps moar beers

[whyturn]

I laugh at all the worries on weight with Exo maxxis. I upgraded to 29x2.5 aggressor and DHF. Also added a dropper. Bike feels lighter. My trigger might weigh close to 27 or 28 lbs in XL but I swear it feels lighter and quicker.

[mmmm...pow!]

I had a Butcher Grid 2.3 on the rear about 3 years ago. Weighed 950g I think, sidewalls felt thicker than a Minion EXO and the crown casing considerably thicker. I put fewer holes in it than the previous EXOs I had used on the rear. Purgatory Grids were always a much thinner casing and I’ve heard that the recent Butcher Grids are a bit thinner now.

I have a few days on a WTB Breakout 2.3 Tough Fast on the rear now. Mounted a 2.5 initially but I didn’t like how little clearance it gave me. Tread looks similar to an Aggressor, rolls just a little faster than the previous Michelin Wild Rock’R2s I have had in the back but it’s a much rounder profile and has transition knobs and slightly less aggressive side knobs so it drifts much more, in a very controlled manner, but it’s a big change to the various Minion-esque rears that I’ve used for years. I need to experiment with leaning it harder, and I might end up removing every second transition knob for more bite.

Magic Mary 2.35 Addix Soft on the front feels no different to the old Trailstar on the bike to me. Aired up a little skinny but stretched out to 61mm on 30mm rims so 1mm narrower than the old ones.

Interested to try the new Michelin Wild Enduro Rear sometime, although the weight is stated at 950g which is 100-200g lighter than the casings I have been putting 1 or 2 holes in recently.

Check back in in a few weeks and let me know how that WTB is doing. I love the Vigilante, so good in the loose and dusty, but on the rear it wears so fast. Too fast, like it almost seems to be disintegrating each ride. Even the tough/fast.

[LC]

Check back in in a few weeks and let me know how that WTB is doing. I love the Vigilante, so good in the loose and dusty, but on the rear it wears so fast. Too fast, like it almost seems to be disintegrating each ride. Even the tough/fast.

I had a Trail Boss Tough/Fast a while ago. Took it off at 50% because I didn't like it, but the wear seemed pretty normal for non-sticky rubber. We'll see.

I've decided that I'm going to remove every second transition knob on the Breakout however to try to get more bite on edge. Conditions are unusually dry now and I was drifting more than I'd like today and not going into flatter turns as confidently as I'd like. My friend's first ride on an Aggressor rear sounded like he was getting less drift and more bite and comparing them side by side I think cutting out some knobs might make the Breakout more ...aggressive. The Breakout has a more rounded profile than anything I've used before also, which probably makes getting all the way onto the side knobs a little harder. Not saying it's a bad tyre, just different to everything I've used before.

[grinch]

I laugh at all the worries on weight with Exo maxxis. I upgraded to 29x2.5 aggressor and DHF. Also added a dropper. Bike feels lighter. My trigger might weigh close to 27 or 28 lbs in XL but I swear it feels lighter and quicker.

Some worry about weight some worry about durability. That particular discussion was related to the person asking about tires that’d be a similar weight to a dd. The grid/exo is not. It wasn’t which is bad or which is good unless it was within that dd category. Tire weights/construction are very subjective to where you ride and what are the tires intentions . That’s why they have different levels in weight durability

[LC]

Check back in in a few weeks and let me know how that WTB is doing. I love the Vigilante, so good in the loose and dusty, but on the rear it wears so fast. Too fast, like it almost seems to be disintegrating each ride. Even the tough/fast.

Had one full bike park day yesterday on the Breakout 2.3 after removing every other transition knob. The thickest dust ever (as always in Pila) meant that everyone was drifting a lot but I could tell that there was a little more bite with the modified Breakout than before but I still found myself cornering with frustratingly low confidence. As for durability, it's definitely wearing fast - no sharp edges left on the centre knobs now after only 5 days, plus they weren't too tall to start with. I'll ride it until it's done but that probably won't be long.

I think it's time to give up on experimenting with slightly faster rolling rears an stick with what I know works for me: Minion-esque tread at 1000-1200g in a true 2.3-2.4" width. Michelin Wild Rock'R2s have served me very well in the past and are pretty cheap over here.

[D(C)]

There was some talk about inserts earlier in this thread. I just discovered an additional benefit to running Huck Norris. After getting a flat and throwing a tube in without taking out the Huck Norris insert, my 29er tire aired up rock-hard with just one small 16g C02 cartridge. It was a bit of a fight to get the tire onto the rim with both a tube and Huck Norris in there, so carrying a tire lever is a good idea.

[grinch]

Good one. I’ll keep that in mind. I still have my huck’s in the rear of both bikes. Thinking about the Vitorria liner now. A touch more weight and $’s but sounds like it’s worth it



15% off code in the comments too

[Canada1]

Any guidance on 27.5 plus tires? Bought my kid a new used pipeline. Had Maxxis ardents that were worn out. Put on schwalbe racing Ralph’s. Since it is a plus bike I’d love to minimize resistance with something like a BBG, but not finding a lot of options..

[skaredshtles]

Any guidance on 27.5 plus tires?

[grinch]

Put in a Michelin wild enduro rear. Was worried about the advertised sub 1000g weight. Turned out it’s 1090g. Definitely rolls much faster than the wild rockr2 it replaced. Haven’t put it in any corners yet but nice side knobs look like they’re up for it. Center knobs are a little more tightly spaced . Have to redo my ghetto tubeless setup. Used a 20” tube and it sealed amazing but I gapped and should have put a rim strip in there

[skaredshtles]

Put in a Michelin wild enduro rear. Was worried about the advertised sub 1000g weight. Turned out it’s 1090g. Definitely rolls much faster than the wild rockr2 it replaced. Haven’t put it in any corners yet but nice side knobs look like they’re up for it. Center knobs are a little more tightly spaced . Have to redo my ghetto tubeless setup. Used a 20” tube and it sealed amazing but I gapped and should have put a rim strip in there

Apparently Michelin changed up their rubber compounds & names. It's even more retarded than it was before.

All that being said... your idea intrigues me. Wild Enduro on the rear and Wild Rock'R 2 up front?

[grinch]

Apparently Michelin changed up their rubber compounds & names. It's even more retarded than it was before.

All that being said... your idea intrigues me. Wild Enduro on the rear and Wild Rock'R 2 up front?

Ya huge company and mtb is a tiny part of it. Little by little , baby steps. These wild enduro rears would be the ticket in a sub 900g tire for people that are into that. Xc/trail tire in place of a exo aggressor . WR2/WEr is on my scout. I’d go WR2/WEf ,or new dh22 , on my 180/160 bike. Nice tech on these WEr too. Thicker from the bead up the sidewall a touch to prevent pinchflats(not huge but you can see it)

[Andeh]

Any guidance on 27.5 plus tires? Bought my kid a new used pipeline. Had Maxxis ardents that were worn out. Put on schwalbe racing Ralph’s. Since it is a plus bike I’d love to minimize resistance with something like a BBG, but not finding a lot of options..

I hated plus tires. Fucking clown shoes. Sold the tires & wheels and converted to 29... much better.

[Canada1]

I have an altitude I have loved. I get on his pipeline on a downhill and I can descend like I have never experienced. I know it has newer suspension, but it is different and it is fun. Plus, it was the best I could afford of the used bikes available when he needed it. I get the criticism, but if you haven’t tried a 2.8” tire on a modern slack frame, it is some fun shit. Rock gardens melt before you and you have to try to slide the thing. It may not be cool, or the fastest XC, but it is fun. And I’m at the point in life where I know I’m not cool, so I might as well be laughed at with a smile on my face.

[Jonny Snow]

I have an altitude I have loved. I get on his pipeline on a downhill and I can descend like I have never experienced. I know it has newer suspension, but it is different and it is fun. Plus, it was the best I could afford of the used bikes available when he needed it. I get the criticism, but if you haven’t tried a 2.8” tire on a modern slack frame, it is some fun shit. Rock gardens melt before you and you have to try to slide the thing. It may not be cool, or the fastest XC, but it is fun. And I’m at the point in life where I know I’m not cool, so I might as well be laughed at with a smile on my face.

Try a soft compound 2.4 and get back to me.