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... what would it be?
On a full rigid, MTB, for use mainly off road, long distance, multi-day, which will obviously include road to link it all up. Thinking: not mud plugging, good rolling, jack of all trades type stuff.
I'd be interested in the why & any opinions of differences between the options, and of course the tyres too.
I've got Specialized ground control (front) and fast track (rear) on my Stooge.
Seems to handle most stuff pretty well.
I use a rigid 29 and have either Maxxis Ikons (fast, light, flimsy) and Vittoria Mezcal G+ TNT (just brilliant)
Bit more info please: 2.1" / 3" / 6" ???
Rigid 29+ for me - Maxxis 3" Chronicles - they roll surprisingly quick on hardback (footprint no bigger than a regular 29") but loads more grip to cope with soft surfaces, wet rocks and roots - I prefer the bigger 'margin of error' when tired and want something I know that doesn't have funny handling traits. They are the absolute bomb downhill - just point it in the right direction and sit back and enjoy the ride.
On my now fully rigid Solaris I've a Bontrager XR2 2.2" on the rear and either a Bonty XR3 2.35" on the front or if I've the dynamo hubbed wheel then that's a 2/6" Vittoria Mezcal on it.
The full Bonty (ooh err!) set up is mainly for non-touring and for non-bikepacking. The Mezcal front is for longer multi-day rides, I got the wheel built up along with the larger tyre for last year's French Divide. Not sure if a Mk1 Solaris would take a 2.6" tyre on 35mm rims in the back.
The annual "bikes of the TDR" post is up on bikepacking.com - https://bikepacking.com/bikes/tour-divide-rigs-2019/ , quite a few using Mezcals there.
For that same use on my rigid 29er, 29 x 2.4ish. Ardent 2.4 EXO still a fave, esp on the back once worn smoother in the centre. Any bigger isn't needed most of the time (for me - 75kg and tend to pack fairly light) and any smaller isn't as quick over the fast small bumps eg UK byway terrain.
Mezcals look good up to 2.6, they're the Saguaro 2.4-2.5 I always wanted - Saguaro tread is great but 2.2 is still a bit small. I used 2.2 Saguaros for the TD and they were great but for multi-day a bit more comfort is good.
Tried B+ and wasn't so into it unless purely on rocky rooty stuff, it was better there but not dramatically so.
Cool, some great info.
Bagged a Krampus from the classifieds, came with i21 29er rims, kinda like to try out 3" on i40's just because that's how it comes and it just looks rad, but maybe 2.6 on i35s could be the answer, or 2.35s on the i21s 🤔
So many options.... can only have one. 🤔
#midlifecrisisbuild #twofeetfirstintothisbikepackinglark
29er with Teravail Sparwood’s at 2.2 wide, fast rolling and tough as old boots, they were designed for the Tour Devide so a regular bikepacking trip is unlikely to faze them.
29er, rolls better, smoothes out bumps better.
Probably about 2.25in width, you've got a good choice of fast rubber around that size.
If 32ers were a thing, that'd be the answer. Etc.
I'm looking at the same setup.. no experience directly but thinking 27.5+ is the way to go. Probably with 2.8s.
Swiss XM481 rims 240s hubs with Conti MK2 29x2.4 front 2.2 rear - tubed.
The question no one has asked is - how tall are you?
Big wheels and wee legs can limit luggage carrying options.
scotroutes - a very valid point. 15" 29er frame & 30" inside leg is the Achilles heel I have to accommodate. I have a small seat pack, but if that fouls a 29" / 3" tyre then a rear rack will be the only way forwards.
Similar problem here, which is why I ruled out a Krampus. My custom B+ hardtail also has a slightly higher BB.
For bikepacking I've run B+ on my mk1 SolarisMAX with WTB Trail Boss 3" light up front and (I think) a Ranger 2.8" tough on the rear on Hope 35W hoops. After the rear wore out I stuck on Maxxis Rekon EXO 2.8's (the rear lasted about 5 hours before a sidewall slash start of the descent of the Lairig & Laoigh... I've got a Trail Boss 2.8" tough to replace that with).
The above set up has done me well on multi-day trips over mixed terrain fully loaded.
Its a bit pants in winter/mud however (I also have Maxxis HR2/DHR2 2.8's run on scraper 45mm rims for them duties - but they are hard work on the road!).
I did the Hebridean Way couple years back and I put on a set of 29er's with Ardent 2.25's for that as it was majority on the road. The Ardents are good all round tyres and fast rolling but also crap in the mud.
I prefer the grip and comfort of B+ for bikepacking. But I run 29ers on the non-b/p hardtail and FS.
29plus with maxxis chronicles as above. Great all rounder.
I run just normal 29ers with bontrager XR2/XR3 in 2.2/2.35 most of the time for bikepacking. Have also run ikons, but they were non-EXO and too fragile, and maxxis beavers for wet trips (which work surprisingly well on hard pack and tarmac too). But I generally run a suspension fork.
I'm going to put a rigid fork on for an upcoming spanish trip with lots of double track, and am wondering whether to go mezcal 2.6 up front on that (and mezcal 2.25 on the back). May have to pick Bob's brains on that one...
I've never been out riding and found myself wishing I had smaller tyres. Just gone from 2.8" to 3.0" on my Longitude (27.5") and I have 4.8" Jumbo Jim's on my fatbike. Bigger the better in my opinion, just pump them up hard if you've got a long road section to do.
27.5 plus been running WTB Ranger tough casing 3.0 tyres around the lakes during the winter I pop on a Dirt Wizard up front!
Cheers all, currently veering towards i40 & 3" ..... just because!
Those of you running 3" tyres, what internal rim width are you using ❓
I should have said, 29 x 2.4 on 30mm rims, would go to 35mm / 2.6. for 3" I'd want 45s, that was a good rim size for B+.
Hmm, yea, the Krampus originally came with the i45 Rabbit Holes, they now come with an i40 WTB ST, so I'm thinking 40/45 internal. Rabbit Holes are an option, supposed to be strong & light, but newer tubeless designed rims are now available, like the WTB KOM Tough, and no faff with rim tapes or tubeless ghetto shenanigans.
WTB rims have been great ime and TCS2 fixes the only issue I had with TCS and other t-c rims. KOM-Ts 40mm would be fine with 3" and you may end up on 2-6-2.8 anyway.
Whatever I fancy?
I've got CX/Gravel, XC and fat bikes, all get used for bivis.
The fat bike is the least noticeable when loaded up (it's effing heavy but it's balanced) but it's still the slowest.
Depends on you view, do you want the challenge of riding for 2 days (fat bike) or the challenge of riding as far as you can (gravel/xc).
Tried various combos off road from The Cairngorms to TdMB and from 2.25" Ralph's to 4.0" Maxxis Minions. The best combo for speed, comfort and fun is 29+ Chronicle, currently on i35 front/i30mm rear carbon rims. Moving these wheels over to a Stooge and will be replacing them with WTB i40 rims. The Chronicles just work well in nearly all situations, granted I wouldn't smash out laps at a bike park with them as they don't have the protection or grip but for doing big distances quickly they're great.
the Krampus originally came with the i45 Rabbit Holes, they now come with an i40 WTB ST, so I’m thinking 40/45 internal. Rabbit Holes are an option, supposed to be strong & light, but newer tubeless designed rims are now available
But you still have to tape tubeless rims.
I've had no problem with Rabbit Holes run tubeless for nearly 6/7 years now. Two layers of tape, one facing outwards to fill the holes.
In fact RHs are probably the best tubeless rims I've used, once the bead's on the rim then it's properly on! You get an airtight seal.
As to tyres a Chronicle rear is good, as is a Vee Tyre T-fatty.
Front I'd maybe go a bit grippier. DHF is great, and not as slow rolling on the front as you'd expect.
I’m a big fan of 29 x 2.3ish at the back and 29+ (Knard or Chronicle) at the front. It’s a good combo for techy off-road and linking road sections.
No right or wrong here, but the OP is asking for the combo if I had to choose one to rule them all.
Probably another vote for Maxxis Chronicle 29 x 3 on a 35 - 40 mm internal rim.
Cheezpleez+1
Where to begin...
I used to run 29x3 front, with 29x2.2 rear on my main bikepacking bike (Stooge). I still commute on this combo, singlespeed.
Now on a Jones I run 650b x 3.8” front, and 29x2.2 rear. I also have a 29x2.6 front for faster rolling stuff. The 650b replaced a 26x4 and it’s much faster overall, at the expense of some weight.
Any one bikepacking rigid 69r? I've got an old on-one that seems to be a good candidate as a test bed for bivying and/or overnight commuting.
The frame would give me decent storage room I think with a frame bag and room for a seat pack.
On a rigid bike I’d want 27+ 2.8 tyres. WTB Tail Blazers are a good compromise for off / on road. If you’re tall, 29+ is even better.