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Two riders, two bikes. We've been in the Alps for two weeks and have twelve more weeks to go.
Both bikes came out on my standard enduro setup of relatively new tyres on Sunday best wheels. F: Michelin Wild Enduro; R: Bonty SE4.
I dredged the shed for anything useful and found the wheels that I'd panic bought two years ago in Morzine still mounted with the tyres they ran then. I also have a pair of new MSC Gripper DH casing 3C tyres.
My rear wheel ended up slackening some spokes last week so I subbed in the spare rear wheel running a long past its best Butcher Grid. This tyre has now taken a week of abuse and is shortly going to be down to the canvas. It has probably sharpened up my skills because I can still get decent grip out of it if I get it leant over.
So what is my next move?
I have:
- a two year old HR2 ST 2.4 (barely worn, previously used up front)
- a two year old Butcher DH 2.5 (barely worn, previously used up front)
- two new MSC Grippers
Normally I don't like a High Roller on the back but at two years old I'm not sure I trust it on the front.
We're in prime dry and dusty time of the year so maybe any rear tyre will have a limited life so perhaps it is all moot.
I'm thinking MSC front and HR2 rear with the Butcher as my next/spare rear
Absolutely nothing
Say it again
i've just replaced a front HRII 3C after a year and a year and a bit of primarily alps and Fianle abuse.
the middle tread is still good, but the side knobs are ripped to pieces. you could feel the front wandering to the outside on corners.
replaced with another HRII.
will take the old one as a spare for the rear when i go to Italy on the weekend.
but at two years old I’m not sure I trust it on the front.
How long do you think they sit in the shop?
Have they been outside weathering for two years or hidden away in a dark corner?
Dark corner. Fingernail tests suggest the rubber isn't ST any more.
Well I've put the HR2 on the back and an MSC Gripper on the front. The Gripper comes up huge looking for a 2.4 (63mm on the carcass and 67mm on the tread blocks; rim is 28.5mm internal) but is a rounder profile than I'd normally expect to run on the front.
Just done a test run on hero dirt so not too much to read into it all feeling grippy and secure.
Theyll be fine. Ive just put a minion dhf on the front for my alps trip i dug out of the back of the shed, must be about 4 years old unused. Its supertacky, itll still be supertacky* when i hit the trails in two weeks.
*Unless it isnt, in whcih case ill be swearing as 26” decent tyres are like rocking horse poo. Id have bought a new one if i could.