Use my cotic soul for local riding so lots of gravel and hardback and the odd trip to rivvy so I've got it set up with fast rolling, light gato 2 front and rear.
Problem I'm finding with them is as soon as you try to corner at any speed and lean the bike they try to kill you.
I'd like a fast rolling, light set up. Got a minion ss in the shed but I've Also Got very wide rims on the bike which people say makes the outer knobs make contact with the ground so they lose the whole point of them.
Any ideas? I woild have just put a DHF with that SS.
You're currently on Vittoria Gato 2's?
Try the Martello front and agarro rear, or agarro F&R. Can get them in 2.6 for your wide rims.
The agarro look good, sound like the kind of thing I need.
Yeah it's their inbetween tyre, between the trail/enduro martello and the XC tyres. They'll be fast rolling with the 4c compound. I run martellos all year round but may be overkill for you.
Depending on wheel size planet X have some bargain 26" Vittoria Goma - I'm running one on the front with a less grippy model on the back and finding it fast rolling but with plenty of cornering confidence too.
I need 27.5 hard to find the sweet spot because I like the XC nature of the Gato and they are light and quick. But I also would like a set up where I wouldn't be terrified when I take it to degla or rivvy if the Jeffsy is out of action. The gatos have gone from under me a couple of times when cornering at speed.
Xr3 2.4 . Fast but with the edge knobs of the Xr4.
Round profile so ok on wider rims.
Would a tyre insert not keep the fast rolling tread you prefer but give tyre support as opposed to going to a more aggressive tread tyre which would roll slower? the weight differences would be the same I think
So what width are the rims, what tyre width and what psi are you running them at.
I’d leave the Gato 2 on the rear and put something with bigger knobs like a DHR2 up front.
Never apologise for a tyre thread - they're the best.
Theyre 35mm x 25mm rims.
I Can't possibly have different branded tyres on F & R.
Currently on 2.2 Gatos. When riding locally I've got them at about 25psi.
Can't see how inserts would help when cornering, you just need bigger side knobs.
And 2 different tyre brands?! sacre bleu!
Bumped into my mate who runs the LBS bear me and he suggested ardents but I'm sure I've read bad things about them on here?
I sliced another gato 2 so went back to my trusty DHF/minion SS combo. But at the moment I'm riding flat dry, loose, gravel and they just don't work on it.
Want something fast rolling that won't try and kill me in corners.
At the moment the bontys sounds good to me.
“I Can’t possibly have different branded tyres on F & R.”
I used to feel like that too. Then I was forced to put a Magic Mary up front because it was the only decent front tyre I could get on the day I was flying overseas with my bike (the DHF on there had gone out of shape). And I already had a brand new DHR2 on the back. They’re so good together!
I now pretend that it’s a statement that I care about tyres so much that I’ll mix and match to get the best possible performance! 😉
Either way I think that a MM/DHR2 combo is way too aggressive for what I ride At the moment on the hardtail.
Chiefgrooveguru - I know you are right, I only wish my ocd would let me do that.
Agreed
“I only wish my ocd would let me do that.”
“Mad Girl” by Bryony Gordon is a very enlightening and darkly funny read on the horrors of serious OCD. It may be that bad for some MTBers but most of us are just being a bit anal or fussy.
By necessity of my location my rides include all types of surface.
I run Barzos front and rear on my29er.
Work OK for me in most conditions.
I ran some 29x2.25 WTB Rangers on my hard tail. They are an xc tyre so fast rolling but are good in the corners too. Available in 27.5
I'll have a look At the WTBs.
Can't seem to find XR3s about in 27.5 though.
Reckon I could get some 2.8s on my wide rims too.
