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Hi,
<p style="text-align: left;"><span style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0);">I’m off the Bikepark Wales next week for my first trip and am also planning on doing FoD the day after on the way back.</span></p>
At the moment I have Barzo XC tyres on my Full-sus 150mm travel bike, these are what I’m used to at the moment and imagine might be helpful doing the XC trails at FoD. Am slightly concerned I’ll struggle with the more downhill trails at BPW and FoD though.
Should I look into getting something beefier or will I survive as I am? Would lowering my tyre pressure help as this is substantially cheaper and easier than changing tyres!
Thanks
James
Weather forecast is fine. Go for it.
“Would lowering my tyre pressure help as this is substantially cheaper and easier than changing tyres!”
I’d be adding more air if anything, so they survive all the rocks!
Would lowering my tyre pressure help
Sounds like you're worried about grip? I'd be worried about damaging them or the rims, in which case higher tyre pressure.
Really for a first trip away there, you might enjoy it a lot more on a more suitable tyre, even if it's just what you happen to find on sale.
On the one hand, it's just riding your bike, so gripwise it's not ideal but if it works for you normally it'll probably work fine for you there, especially if the weather's decent
But, it has a few trails that are pretty brutal on wheels/tyres, and also if you do multiple laps you're likely to end up hitting them faster than you tend to normally.
Would lowering my tyre pressure help
If you don’t want to splash out on new tyres I think you will be fine. Tyre pressures don’t want to be too low or you risk pinch punctures or rim damage but what pressures are you running now? I’m about 73Kg and would go 22psi front 25psi rear with 2.3” to 2.5” tyres, not sure what width yours are.
And also note I’m a middle aged mincer so not pushing any limits just enjoying myself
You’ll be fine on the blues and the green, will probably struggle with grip and/or punctures on the reds and above.
Just avoid trails like Rim Dinger. I once cut an EXO casing on the rear. By the time I’d stopped the rear rim was ruined.
The blues will be rocket fast on an XC tyre I’d have thought.
Agree with Kramer, it really depends on which routes you plan to ride. You’ll be fine on the blues and some reds but once it gets rooty or rocky it could become less fun with an xc tyre up front.
In my opinion most of the blues are more like reds and plenty of the reds are tougher than usual so you might find that you don’t venture much past the blues. Depends where you are used to riding.
<p>Thanks everyone. I have an old Assegai which I’ve found and will stick on instead.</p><p>Would probably have been fine but would rather not take the risk</p>
I wouldn’t say BPW is very ‘cutty’ in relation to sidewalls. In the past I’ve generally run a 2.5 exo dhf front and 2.3” dhr2 probably. Never had an issue. With previous tyres with tubes I’ve pinch flatted there a few times. If you can stick an Assegai up front you’ll have way more grip on the turns so that sounds sensible. Blues are just fast and open - the main risk is you go faster than you think you’re going as the trails are quite easy and wide.
The reds are a real mixed bag - vicious valley isn’t hard on tyres at all - but then you get sneaky ones with bigger features than you expect. E.g locomotion is a short red off a blue and it has 2 or 3 blind drops that you totally don’t expect. The red+ trails are really mixed - watts occurring in particular you’re not quite sure if you’re coming to a jump / gap / drop as you come up to stuff - so it takes a few runs to get comfortable with it.
If you’re running light casing tyres I’d make sure you have at least 25psi in the rear, or more if you’re heavier.