Back tyre for wet rock

[3narf]

The rocks I ride over, either on the DH course of the red trail at Hamsterley, must be fakes made out of plastic then

As happens so often on web forums, you miss the point.

You had the time to write a sarky comment, but you didn't have time to say what tyres you use and what your experiences of them were...

 

[dan_bo]

Something soft like a high roller?

 

[Dan151]

As happens so often on web forums, you miss the point.

You had the time to write a sarky comment, but you didn't have time to say what tyres you use and what your experiences of them were...

on wet rocks it really doesn't make a difference what tires you use but just so you sleep well tonight on my boardman ht pro i have conti mountain kings and on my V10 I run a maxxis high roller on the rear and a maxxis minion on the front.

 

[MacB]

[quote="MacB, post: 2166498,

My 2 cents then Motozulu had it right and I'd aim for traction on the rear and grip on the front.

Aren't they the same thing?[/quote]

You're probably right but it's how I tend to think of it, not being an engineery type. What I was trying to say was that I'd go for whatever worked best for grip for me on the front and then something knobblier on the rear and accept the back may slide out more on rocks and roots.

At this point I should highlight that I ride offroad like such a wuss I've only gone down in slomo so far. I go slow enough that I'm generally able to pick a path around bits that I don't fancy. A decent MTBer would look at me and say my choice of tyres is immaterial as my riding doesn't require cutting edge performance....they might even throw in a line about how short a time it's been since I removed the stabilisers....I've had that one 4 times now from total strangers, or words to that effect

 

[lulubel]

It's a shame this thread has degenerated into mostly bickering because it's a relevant topic for most of us.

Mountain King's II's are, by conti's own description, the swiss army knife of mtb tyres. Jack of all trades. Master of none? The tread pattern is not one that would be my first choose to use on slick wet rock, too knobbly, too sparse, even with black chilli.

For wet rock the nearer I can get to a slick tyre in a tacky compound the better. But rides aren't like that where I ride.

and I feel you can't judge a tyre from anyone until is is scrubbed in thoroughly.

I've found the MKs are pretty good in practically every condition I've come across, and I'm really pleased with the choice. They're even quicker than I expected on road, as long as they're pumped up reasonably hard, presumably because there are only 2 rows of "nobbles" making contact at a time.

I'd definitely agree that they don't work well on wet, smooth rock - the kind that's bedded into the ground - and I suspect the 32mm slicks I have on the Surly would give me more grip there. But since there's very little of that kind of rock on the trails I ride, I can live with it, and stay off the brakes/power and keep a straight line over it. The loose rock isn't much worse when wet than it is when dry, presumably because the tread on the tyres can settle in round it and "hold on" more easily.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

on wet rocks it really doesn't make a difference what tires you use but just so you sleep well tonight on my boardman ht pro i have conti mountain kings and on my V10 I run a maxxis high roller on the rear and a maxxis minion on the front.

I can't agree. Whilst no tyres I've tried work supremely well on wet rocks some work better, noticeably better, markedly better, remarkably better, than others at, say, Nant Yr Arian.

Of course in real life, covering sensible distances outside the confines of the average trail centre you can be riding over a lot of different geology and your choice has to be a compromise. The last day of my autumn trans-cambrian I used mud tyres even though I had one stream bed style mountain side to ride down (it's wet 365 days a year, covered in slime and moss and is just bare rock otherwise). The descent was interesting but the rest of the day would have been miserable if I'd have gone for a tyre that suited that Welsh mountain side.

Ideally I'd say "Woman, meet me at grid reference such-and-such at 14:30 hours and make sure you have my spare wheels with you" but the lovely Helen would just give me a hard stare if I tried to pull that one....
























.... because she can't read maps.

 

[Motozulu]

Too many variables - someone could say..'fit these (insert tyre make here) I have never gone over on wet rock on these' but no two rock sections are the same are they? the one I split my knee open on is a gradual rock descent/steps that curves around with a 'wrong' camber towards the bottom and in the wet it mysteriously grows an instant, oily slime on it's surface. I could fit octopus arms around the wheels but if I take it too quick, distribute my weight wrongly or even look at the front brake lever I'm down.
Pick some tyres within your budget that you like the look of the tread on and ride the rocks accordingly, is my tuppence worth.

 

[jonathanw]

Bontrager Mud X's work for me on wet rock - most of the time !

 

[MacB]

Bontrager Mud X's work for me on wet rock - most of the time !

I've seen enough recommends for these that I have them on my list of future purchases

 

[Cubist]

Bit of threadmining here, but earlier Greg asked what kind of rock, and it does make a difference. Local rock is millstone grit, and I can comfortably ride it on Schwalbes. Both bikes have Nic trailstar compound on them. I run tubeless to keep pressures low and grippier. I would hesitate to run a harder-wearing compound on any other type of rock. Cubester has Maxxix Minion DHF on his hooligan tool, 40A compound front, and claims never to be under-shod.

Trails are rocky and wet at the moment, and although I wouldn't want to really rail a blashy rocky berm on anything, the Schwalbes have stood up to these sort of conditions pretty well. Here's some wet rock hardcore mincing :

 

[3narf]

Useful reply- thanks.