hey, i have a santacruz chameleon with 2.35 kenda nevegals. i really like them but they are worn, so i'm getting another 2.35 nevegal for the rear, there is no way a bigger tire will fit, but for the front i am thinking about getting a 2.5 kenda blue grove. will the 2.5 blue grove be overkill with the 2.35 rear tire?
thanks
colin
it would be really cool if somebody could take a picture of a 2.35 nevegal and a 2.5 blue grove next to eachother so i could see the size difference.
It would work great with the 2.35 but in SoCal on a hardtail it's probably overkill.
The blue groove is a great tire if you like to drift but on a hardtail I'd go with another nevegal. You had it right the first time.
ok, maybe i'll get a 2.5 nevegal, but i can't put a 2.5 in the back cuz the tire will rub the frame. so would a Minion DHF 2.5 and a High Roller 2.35 be a good setup? i know u can't tell me if it would be better or not cuz every place is different, but they are both kinda equal? and the tires sizes are about the same?
I ran DHF 2.5 in the front and a 2.35 Highroller in the rear of my chameleon. It railed, Deer Valley, Brian Head, the best set up that I have ever used.
Ahhhh... So the swampthing is best used for muddy conditions eh? I might as well get a pair of 2.5s when the rains come...
BTW, the shop owner I asked about for tires told me that since I ride a hardtail and will go DH (but most likely Super D until I get a DH frame), I should go with a thinner rear tire, a 2.35 perhaps, with a 2.5 front. But when I checked his bike, his hardtail FR has Nokian 2.6s on both front and rear.
What are the pros and cons of riding a thinner rear tire compared to both tires having the same width?
Your shop owner doesn't know a whole lot if he running those tires. I have a pair and they suck. They were nice 7 or 8 years ago.
IMO you cannot push a hardtail hard enough to ever need anything more than a decent 2.35. You will be giving up a little in terms of rolling resistance. Not to mention you will gain a lot of rolling weight. The jump from 2.35 to 2.5 generally means you will also have to run a much heavier tube also. We're talking about a half pound or more each wheel. Unless it's slick where you ride upping the tire size will do nothing for performance. The biggest place you see an improvement in traction from a bigger tire is braking traction and the nevegals already have tons. Run the 2.35s. I BTW run 2.7s on my FS AND 2.35s on my HT. I like bigger tires when you need them. You live in california. It doesn't rain there.
When you're descending the front tire has a lot more stopping power because it's pretty well planted. When people run a larger front tire it's generally to get a little extra traction for stopping without the added rotating weight in the rear. Rotating weight (wheels and tires (especially rims and tires)) has more of an effect on acceleration and overall performance than weight anywhere else on the bike.
A bigger tire also needs a wider rim to be stable.
Steering improves IMHO with a bigger tire up front as it rolls though everything (with a nice fork). All people I see run both tires the same or a bigger up front and I WONDER WHY... :madman:
I don't live in California, in fact, I don't live in the US.
I live in the Philippines, and the mountain where the bikers go (and where I live and study) has a combination of volcanic soil and slippery rocks. It is slippery, especially when it rains, and the trails have a lot of stones and rocks.
There may be some sense in running 2.5s, but I decided to know what more experienced people think. After all, I'm still green at this.
And another thing: I also read in this forum (i think) about the Maxxis 2.5s are closer to being actually 2.35s, am I right?
I don't live in California, in fact, I don't live in the US.
I live in the Philippines, and the mountain where the bikers go (and where I live and study) has a combination of volcanic soil and slippery rocks. It is slippery, especially when it rains, and the trails have a lot of stones and rocks.
And another thing: I also read in this forum (i think) about the Maxxis 2.5s are closer to being actually 2.35s, am I right?
You didn't start this thread. The OP lives in cali. If you live in the Philippines then you MIGHT could use the extra traction. I stand by my assertion that a hardtail couldn't take advantage of the larger tire. I've ridden my hardtail in 8" of fresh snow, mud, roots, and rocks in a place that is one inch of rain a year short of being a rainforest and haven't once wanted a larger tire. (I have Highrollers on my HT)
Maxxis tires are indeed a hair under and Kendas run a little big.
tacubaya said:
Steering improves IMHO with a bigger tire up front as it rolls though everything (with a nice fork). All people I see run both tires the same or a bigger up front and I WONDER WHY... :madman:
What about the Maxxis Mofo? I know they don't make it anymore, but I might be able to get one in the right size (2.35), is it any good, or should I just go with the Minions?
Never used the Mofo. Tire companies don't quit making tires that work.
Go with Minions, Highrollers, or Nevegals. (these are the standard idiot-proof choices)
Minons are Front and Rear specific. F=front, R=rear.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Mountain Bike Reviews Forum
15.4M posts
515.2K members
Since 1990
A forum community dedicated to Mountain Bike owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about bike parts, components, deals, performance, modifications, classifieds, trails, troubleshooting, maintenance, and more!