New Season, New Tires, New Thread

[HAB]

Be advised: Michelin's Wild <somethings> are NOT created equal. Find out what you have.

On second thought - don't bother. Just order Wild Rock'R2s.

For the record: EXO sidewalls are gonna suck for you. They are Maxxis' wimpy sidewalls. YMMV.

What he said. If you fuck up sidewalls and are going Maxxis, start at Double Down.

[Beaver]

Be advised: Michelin's Wild <somethings> are NOT created equal. Find out what you have.

On second thought - don't bother. Just order Wild Rock'R2s.

For the record: EXO sidewalls are gonna suck for you. They are Maxxis' wimpy sidewalls. YMMV.

Which ones are the burly sidewalls? I thought it was the EXO.

"Michelin, Wild Rock'R2 Advanced, Tire, 27.5''x2.35, Folding, Tubeless Ready, MAGI-X, Reinforced, 30TPI, Black" Seems to me 30tpi isn't that burly a sidewall. They do weigh a fucking KG+ (2.2lb) though so perhaps they're burlier than I might think.

[skaredshtles]

Which ones are the burly sidewalls? I thought it was the EXO.

Maxxis is currently sporting the following sidewalls:

EXO (flimsy despite the marketing) -> EXO+ (beefier, but I have no experience with how much more than EXO) -> DD (beefy) -> DH (probably overkill for *most* people that are not actually riding DH park)

[HAB]

Maxxis is currently sporting the following sidewalls:

EXO (flimsy despite the marketing) -> EXO+ (beefier, but I have no experience with how much more than EXO) -> DD (beefy) -> DH (probably overkill for *most* people that are not actually riding DH park)

Exo+ seems like it's pretty solidly in the middle between EXO and DD. They claim only 30g heavier per tire over EXO (which wouldn't be enough to do anything, probably) but it's actually more like 100g.

[adrenalated]

Maxxis is currently sporting the following sidewalls:

EXO (flimsy despite the marketing) -> EXO+ (beefier, but I have no experience with how much more than EXO) -> DD (beefy) -> DH (probably overkill for *most* people that are not actually riding DH park)

Maxxis makes tires that have no sidewall reinforcement as well, that would go before EXO on this list. Then there's SilkShield, which is next. Most everyone always forgets about them because they come on tires that nobody wants to buy anyway like Ikons and Aspens and Ardents and other such nonsense.

[rideit]

Having success this year with DD rear, EXO+ front.

[skaredshtles]

Maxxis makes tires that have no sidewall reinforcement as well, that would go before EXO on this list. Then there's SilkShield, which is next. Most everyone always forgets about them because they come on tires that nobody wants to buy anyway like Ikons and Aspens and Ardents and other such nonsense.

Yup - I excluded those because they aren't even worth mentioning in a grownup discussion.

[Andeh]

Well, I decided to try a pair of Enduro Fronts (GumX) a try. Still no sign of rain, and these look like they have a similar tread pattern to the Assegai (which I like), but without the pork. My 32.5 lb bike needs to go on a diet. Technically I do too but it's easier to buy new tires than stop eating bacon. We'll see if these live up to the hype.

[skaredshtles]

Well, I decided to try a pair of Enduro Fronts (GumX) a try. Still no sign of rain, and these look like they have a similar tread pattern to the Assegai (which I like), but without the pork. My 32.5 lb bike needs to go on a diet. Technically I do too but it's easier to buy new tires than stop eating bacon. We'll see if these live up to the hype.

Errr... you bought the wrong tire.

Those aren't the ones that are being hyped by some of us.

[grinch]

Its almost like he's trolling

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[rideit]

Have WTB vigilantes been discussed at length here, or just a passing comment?
(Besides WTB generally being knob vomit)

[toast2266]

Have WTB vigilantes been discussed at length here, or just a passing comment?
(Besides WTB generally being knob vomit)

I like them, in the right situation. New version has taller knobs than the old version. Generally predictable in every situation, but knob pattern doesn't allow them to really dig in and trench a corner. Which is an issue with almost every tire I've ever used that has transitional knobs. But if you don't like the on/off cornering of something like a DHF, the Vigilante is solid. It's kind of like a Hans Dampf or Nevegal if you fixed all the things that make those tires terrible. The tall knobs definitely want to stay in softer dirt though - they're squirmy on hardpack.

Light casing is similar to Exo or Exo Plus. Tough casing is similar to Doubledown, or maybe a bit burlier. Their fast rolling rubber compound is pretty hard - roughly similar to a Maxxis Dual Compound. Definitely harder than a 3C MaxxTerra. The High grip compound is a bit grippier than MaxxTerra, but not as grippy as a MaxxGrip.

Also, some thoughts on the Trailboss, since that's kind of the logical rear tire in WTB's lineup to mate with the Vigilante:
The new version is quite a bit different than the old version. New ones have some of the tallest tide knobs of any tire I've seen. They're great in soft dirt where they can dig in, but they're not super well supported, so they get pretty squirmy on hardpack. I also think they work best on a slightly narrower rim - on a wider rim, they're too square, which means 1) the side knobs are fully in contact with the ground when you're rolling straight, which is slow and wears them out quicker, and 2) it's very do-able to lean past the knobs. The center knobs are spaced close enough to roll pretty quick, but they definitely pack up with mud, which kind of narrows the usefulness of the tire - they need soft dirt, but if it's too soft, they pack up. Great tire in loam though. Climbing and braking traction is good, but not any better than plenty of other tires.

While the Trailboss looks like it pairs well with the Vigilante on paper, it can be a little weird just because, at least in soft dirt, the Trailboss will hook into a corner a bit harder than the Vigilante. Which can make for some not great cornering characteristics. I think a Vigilante would actually pair pretty well with a DHF type tire, but the sizing is way different - it'd take some experimentation to find the right size DHF to pair with a given Trailboss.

[rideit]

The whole goal is really to find a true 2.6 DHF, which in Maxxis’ infinite wisdom would be a 2.8...which they don’t make. My current DHF WT on a 30mm Rim is more like a 2.3 or 2.4.

[toast2266]

The whole goal is really to find a true 2.6 DHF, which in Maxxis’ infinite wisdom would be a 2.8...which they don’t make. My current DHF WT on a 30mm Rim is more like a 2.3 or 2.4.

My 2.6 Vigilante on a 30mm rim measured 69 mm at the widest point (outer edge of the tread). So that's more like 2.7". Widest point of casing was about 63mm, so roughly 2.5".

Doesn't ride exactly like a DHF. But I also thought the 2.6" DHF kinda sucked - felt super slow, and was a bit vague in corners. As far as 2.6's go, I liked the Vigilante better. And that's coming from someone who runs a 2.5 DHF up front probably 90% of the time.

[HAB]

The whole goal is really to find a true 2.6 DHF, which in Maxxis’ infinite wisdom would be a 2.8...which they don’t make. My current DHF WT on a 30mm Rim is more like a 2.3 or 2.4.

I've got a 2.5 DHF at 2.52 tread width, 2.36 casing on a 30mm rim. How are you measuring?

[Andeh]

I'm aware that most of the Michelin fanboys here prefer the Rock'r, but there were some saying good things about the Enduro also. I wasn't interested in the Rock'r one due to weight and mud clearing (once the rain starts). I don't need the extra reinforcing. They share the same rubber compound, and both have good looking lug patterns, so it's worth a try at ~$45/tire.

[rideit]

I've got a 2.5 DHF at 2.52 tread width, 2.36 casing on a 30mm rim. How are you measuring?

Just by eye.
I'll pull out some calipers, but this one I have mounted up front is definitely narrower than the 2.5 that I put on the rear.
Been on for a month, so I don't think it'll stretch any.

[toast2266]

The 2.6 dhf I had measured a hair over 64mm. I believe that was on a 35mm rim. So that's a bit over 2.5"

[Beaver]

Ended up with a set of double down Minions. Stuck them on and rode them. They have a far more substantial sidewall then the Michelins I pulled off. They are a tight fit on my 2015 giant reign rims. No toobs, no sealant, I just pumped them up and rode.

[Andeh]

Is it normal for Michelins to loose a ton of pressure the first night? I mounted up the Enduros (very snug, required a tire lever), put in 2 oz of fresh Orange Seal Endurance, and left them at 30 psi. The next day I gave them a squeeze and they were really soft, like around 5 psi. No sidewall seeping, and the tape was fine before they went on. I did the old Stan's trick of bouncing them while rotating to get sealant all over the inside, then leaving them on both sides over a bucket for 5 min, so I'm pretty sure I coated the insides well enough.

[D(C)]

Is it normal for Michelins to loose a ton of pressure the first night? I mounted up the Enduros (very snug, required a tire lever), put in 2 oz of fresh Orange Seal Endurance, and left them at 30 psi. The next day I gave them a squeeze and they were really soft, like around 5 psi. No sidewall seeping, and the tape was fine before they went on. I did the old Stan's trick of bouncing them while rotating to get sealant all over the inside, then leaving them on both sides over a bucket for 5 min, so I'm pretty sure I coated the insides well enough.

I've had success getting porous tires to hold air by rubbing sealant into the inside surface of the tire with a rag. That could be worth a try.

[jono]

I had some loss the first few nights on a Michelin, first with no sealant (held up ok for a long ride, but had 14 psi about 30 minutes after). Added 2 oz orange "subzero" and it still went flat. Aired it and rode twice and now it is fine. I didn't like my top tape layer at the valve much, but the leak was pretty slow, even without sealant, so likely the sidewalls? Good news is it sealed up fine, whatever the case.

[YaBoyBlue]

Have WTB vigilantes been discussed at length here, or just a passing comment?
(Besides WTB generally being knob vomit)

I've been running the Vigi 29x2.5 on the front and Trailboss 2.6 on the back, "light" sidewalls. These are definitely a step up from the 2.5WT AssGuy that came with the bike. The EXO+ casing was okay, but the new TB Light is a step up: better sidewall support, damp rubbery feel on trail imperfections. Both tires were a bit squirmy in dust-on-hardpack sections, the WTBs less so. The Maxxis would have a vague feeling at medium lean angles, I think it was just sitting on top of those flat center knobs without letting it really bite in enough. If I had my druthers I'd get a heavy casing on the back but they were out of stock when I pulled the trigger.

[grinch]

Cool. We dont hear enough on those . They look good. Was considering some 2.6's. Wonder how wide a wtb 2.6 is compared to a maxxis 2.6?

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[HAB]

Cool. We dont hear enough on those . They look good. Was considering some 2.6's. Wonder how wide a wtb 2.6 is compared to a maxxis 2.6?

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I don't ride 2.6 anythings, but WTB's latest in 2.4 or 2.5 are significantly bigger than the same nominal size Maxxis.