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29er version,do they roll well ,grip all year round ,heavy,light ? But most importantly will they be easier to get on Crest rims than Ardents !!! S Works The Captain looks good ? Trail riding Deffo not racing !
Ground control s works goes on 29er crests with quite a bit of a fight, once you get the technique its not too bad but still not easy. Not died the Captains but quite liking the Ground Controls.
Spesh 2bliss tyres are reasonably easy to get onto rims IME. I've tried Captains and Purgatory. Currently running a Captain on the front and Racing Ralph on the back. Purgatory gave excellent grip but was noticeably harder work on the flats and uphills.
26" here, captains were pretty standard, eskar 2bliss running tubes tho has been excellent on the front!
The S Works versions are nice and light. Renegade is the fastest rolling for dry conditions, but you pay the price with less grip.
For typical mixed summer conditions, I am running Fast Trak front and Renegade rear. Have had no problems fitting them to Stans Crest. I like them.
I run Ground Control front and rear at the moment, when it gets a bit muddy, Ground Control rear and Purgatory front.
Never had any problems getting them on Crest rims or setting them up tubeless with just a track pump.
Good value, and very easy to get on and off flows, and very easy to set up tubeless, IME. I ripped a big hole in the sidewall on some S Works Captains first ride out on them. They are a bit flimsy IMO, certainly for a heavy/clumsy rider like me on rocky Lakes stuff.
The Control versions are a bit tougher I think. I have a Purgatory Control on at the mo that seems fine.
eskar 2bliss running tubes tho has been excellent on the front!
I think the Purgatory has replaced the Eskar now.
You're right, I think the S-works ones are not meant to be particularly durable. I've had no trouble with my Captains in the Lakes, and I'm pretty clumsy on rocky stuff.
S-works Captain feels a bit tougher/thicker than the really racy S-workses (my Fast Traks were tougher than they felt, but then they felt like sausage skins, the Captains have a bit more substance)
Only used the Pergatory 2Bliss and am pleased so far.
Very very easy to fit, find they roll well. Do notice the front a bit more willing to wash out more on loose mud/hard cornering compared to my previous Conti Verts but all in all a good tyre. That could be down to being a 29er as always had 26" prior to these.
Current tyre setup (all 26in) on mine and the girlfriend's bikes are purgatorys up front with a 2.1 ground control rear on mine and a 2.2 captain on the back of hers. I find her bike rolls much better than mine and corners just as well. The 2.2 captain is a larger volume tyre, might actually be bigger than the old 2.3 eskar I used to run.
My 2.2 Captains are the same size as 2.3 Purgatory.
I have older Specialized OEM Captain tyres (26) on my full sus, and they seem pretty good grip wise, but then I've not ran many tyres since getting back into mtbing. They are heavy though at 760g each.