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I recently bought a pair of Schwalbe X One Bite Evo LiteSkin tyres for the winter months on my CX / Gravel type bike and I think the best I've managed between punctures is two miles running tubeless. Most recently last night riding gingerly down a gravel track seems to have pinged a knob off *fnarr* resulting in a fountain of Stans' and a rapid halt.
Is this typical and I've just mis-bought by going for the LiteSkin? There seems little point in a slightly lighter tyre if it needs vast quantities of extra sealant.
Is there any suggestion that there are any faulty batches being sold off cheap at the moment?
Or is this typical of these Schwalbe tyres in general and I'm better off with a different brand?
Generally, I'm really pleased with how they ride, they roll really nicely are nice and progressive and have got me up climbs that I'd have doubted a CX bike would make. I've been running them around 45-50psi so they've not been battered against the rim and when they've gone flat they're still firmly seated on the rim, so I think they're fitted correctly.
I have Dirty Dan XC Evo Liteskin pacestar on my 26" hardtail and they grip like nothing else on muddy climbs but they also feel fragile and I'm sure they won't last long. One of the knobs (fnaar) has split. No punctures yet but they are 2.00 x 26 so obvs thicker skin than yours. Still only weigh 500g each though which is pretty light for a mtb tyre so I guess something has to give?
Yeah, I'd be happy to accept them wearing quickly, or getting cut up over sharp flints or something, but two miles of Kent bridleway pottering as I get over flu doesn't seem reasonable. Not sure if I'm unlucky or the LiteSkins are just pushing the envelope to far...
They are great for CX racing in the mud, fantastic grip as you've found out. Sadly that is all they are good for though as they will puncture or split at the sign of a rock/stone/sharp edge. For general riding you've bought the wrong rubber I'm afraid.
🙁 I feared that was the case, but at least they were cheap(ish) in a sale...
In that case, do I go for the Microskin / TLE version, or another tyre entirely for general riding in the winter?
For anyone who follows in my footsteps, I ordered a pair of the newer Microskin / TLE veriosion of the tyres. They're a bit heavier (410g vs 360g), but feel a whole world apart. Much sturdier feeling sidewalls, and they were far easier to fit tubeless - none of the weeping through porous sidewalls, no need for compressor and no going down for the first few hours.
Quick test ride last night and they're still firm this morning. 🙂
No noticeable difference in the grip or rolling resistance, both seem fantastic.
Ho hum, one to chalk up to experience, then. Should have done my research better!
phew!
started reading this, thinking that my microskin ones on the crosser might be doomed (have been fine but only over 2 races so can't really say much more about them. DO seem DED grippy though)