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Best tire for So Cals dry dusty conditions?

58K views 345 replies 107 participants last post by  kragu 
#1 ·
Hey guys. I've noticed that the factory tires that came on my Rocky Mountain Vertex 29er seem to be somewhat lacking in the traction department at times and I'm looking for some suggestions for So Cals dry, dusty trails.
 
#306 ·
I looked up those crossroc wheels and it seems they are pretty narrow... so I'd guess intended use is very XC oriented and might not handle abuse well.

Mrmatt- If you ride fairly aggressive trails, and want wheels that will hold up well and with a little better traction (then crossroc) via a wider rim, I'd consider the Hope/Flow wheels for around the same price (Merlin/Chainreaction?). They're generally regarded as one of the best value/performance/durability wheelsets, and despite months of solid abuse they are treating me right.

My .01
 
#46 ·
Cut Nevegals, THE BEST.....

Minions
high rollers
clutch
purgatory
captain
wtb
excavators

Are great tires for socal just to name a few. But we have such a wide variety of trail conditions; from cement dirt to loose over hardpack to soft compound up in the mountains. We have it all.
 
#75 ·
I've ran the Trail King (AKA Rubber Queen) in 2.4 Tubeless. They were a very well behaved tire, very predictable, no sketchiness really in them alll, even when pushed close to their limit. The only reason I don't run them is because they died well before their tread wore out, due to the casing tearing (landing a moderate sized drop funny enough to twist the tire) or just springing a leak that was too big to hold air at a decent pressure (the bead was slightly damaged in one spot from mounting and unmounting it with standard yellow pedro's plastic tire levers). Both issues were denied warranty due to "tear", under the wear and tear clause.

Beware there's a few rubber compounds they use. They have a cheaper version that's made in in SE Asia and they have a higher quality version made in Germany which uses their Black Chili compound. Keep that in mind when you buy. Also, to the uninformed, it's easy to confuse Trail king with mountain king or whatever, and the cheap Mountain Kings happen to be the absolute worst tire I've ever tried on SoCal dirt.
 
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#163 ·
Well, my NN's sure didn't last long. Already got a nice hole in them that stans wouldnt seal. I have a tube in there for now, and will keep the tire for the rest of its useable life, but the knobs are showing severe wear already. People weren't kidding when they said that Schwalbe's wear out fast . . . at least as a rear tire. The HD in the front is still good. Next up is a continental . . .
 
#295 ·
I bring this one with me on the trail (link/pic below). It takes both threaded and non-threaded Co2 cartridges. The only times I have used it were to practice so I made sure I knew how it worked before going out on the trail, one time when I was still running tubes and got a thorn type puncture that I patched and was able to inflate with this, and another time while riding a rented bike running tubes in the bike park at Snow Summit and got a pinch flat. Every time I was able to inflate the tire just fine to a pressure that would get me down the trail. I bought a hand pump awhile back and returned it after trying it out before hitting the trails and realized it would take me too long to pump up a tire. Now I just carry at least 2 Co2 cartridges and if I am on a remote ride I will carry 3.

As far as the PSI goes, you can carry a reader in your pack but for me when I get a flat I am just trying to get back to the car/home to avoid any further issues to where I would have to walk so PSI isn't important as long as it feels firm enough to ride on.

Genuine Innovations UltraFlate Plus CO2 Tire Inflator

 
#304 ·
The bike shop in my area would charge about $15 to transfer the rotors and cassette, and somewhere around $40-$50 to mount new tubeless tires.
I would just do it myself if I were you. It doesn't take much to do it and everyone should know how to work on the basics IMO.
The new hub may be offset slightly from the old one, so a rear derailuer adjustment of the limit screws will most likely be needed to shift cleanly. Plenty of videos on YouTube to watch and learn how.
 
#307 ·
thanks guys for your help! i will look into those hope/flow wheels. What kind of specs should i be looking at for my 650b? With those recommended wheels, do i need to buy new tires? if so, what size recommendation would you put on those wheels?
I am new to the upgrading aspect of biking and want to make sure i buy the best bang for the buck.
 
#326 ·
Originally had Hans Dampf / RR, then tried Knobby Nic / RR and now have RR / RR and really like the RR as a front tire. I was skeptical on the traction but am quite pleased at least with the moist dirt we have now. It's lightness also reduces the under steer often felt on 29'ers. The RR front and back is a super fast combination and the first ride I went out with blew away all of my PRs and that was after a 4 mile run. Ride Pivot Mach 429 Carbon, with PSI set to 25 front and 30 back.

On my Mach 6 I have the tried and true HD / RR combination.
 
#4 ·
I really like the Maxxis Ardent 2.4, but it is kinda of big and heavy, but it rolls fast.
I think you really cannot go wrong with the Specialized Captain Control 2.0 or 2.2. It is a fast rolling tire, but has tons of grip, and is really easy to ride. Sets up tubeless really well.
 
#7 ·
It really depends on how much of a weight weenie you are.

If weight isn't a concern, then a Maxxis Ardent/Ignitor combo is hard to beat for grip and durability. Rampage is another good front tire choice in this range.

If you want something lighter, I've had good luck with a Schwalbe racing ralph front and Maxxis Ikon rear. No way it can compare to the heavy tires above in terms of grip, but they the setup works surprisingly well.
 
#8 ·
I don't think there is any "one" tire that is "better or worse" for use on SoCal dry trails. Use ANY tire, just deflate to a lower PSI for better traction in the "loose stuff".

Works for me (Maxxis Ignitors as of most recent). Now, after 20+ years mtn biking, I can say I have tried just about every tire (1.95 to 2.35 size) out there!
 
#11 ·
Got my first 29er in August, I ride it almost every day. Geax Seguaros are working really well for me, the TNT 2.2" version running tubeless on Flow rims @ 28 pounds. They hook up much better than the SB8's on my 26er, on the same trails.
Buddy of mine runs Captains, he spends time most rides fixing sidewall tears...
FWIW.
 
#14 ·
Tires for SoCal

I had the same question back when I moved out here from the Midwest, where I rode in mud and snow and the occasional dry summer dirt. I found that my heavy aggressive tires weren't necessary out here, and made the long climbs much worse. I've been running less aggressive tires for the last couple of years, like Hutchinson Barricudas and similar. I'd get a pair of Small Block 8s because they look ideal, with lots of small gripping surfaces but no large gaps to create rolling resistance, but I refuse to spend $30 on a bicycle tire. If you go up to Big Bear or any other spot with soft loose dirt then I'd put the Nevegals or some other meaty tire on. For Backbone or Cheesebro I do fine with faster models.
 
#15 ·
I ride a SC Tallboy 29er. Best set-up I ever used is the Schwabe Nobby Nic on the front and Racing Ralph on the back. RR was great at first but didn't last 1/2 as long as NN and they are spendy as well. I've also had great experiences with Geax Saguaros and I'm currently trying out the Panaracer 'CG' model that are so highly spoken of in the tire forum. I like them more and more each ride. I've got (2) friends that run the Small Block 8's and love them down here in San Diego.

I ran Kenda Nevagal's on my other bikes and thought they were fine until I tried all the newer, less aggressive tread patterns mentioned above. In comparison, Nevegals SUCK in *my* opinion. I wouldn't use them again if they were free.
 
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