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Nevegals VS Weirwolfs

2K views 18 replies 9 participants last post by  #Cyclelife 
#1 ·
Just swapped out my heavy dual ply very wide 2.5 WTB Nevegal Stick E's for 2.5 Weirwolf single plys. While the WW tires are lighter they are noticeably not as wide as the Nevegal. I have a 2.55 LT WW on the rear. Worth the swap or keep the Nevegals? I haven't had a chance to test them on DH/FR runs as of yet. Any experience or opinions welcome.
 
#2 ·
Haha I guess I already asked this question here in the past but forgot so. When I previously asked this I hadn't swapped them out yet. Now they are swapped out. This post can either be deleted or feel free to add to it with your experiences and opinions.
 
#3 ·
In my experience, Weirwolfs hook up better in more condition than Nevegals and they also roll better.
However, depending on your definition of DH/ freeride, single ply Weirwolfs may not cut it for durability and performance.
I certainly wouldn't go back to dual ply Nevegals, there are way better tires out there-Maxxis Minion for example.
Minions will blow away your single ply WWs for durability and DH performance in loose and steep terrain and make your Nevegals seem like a relic from the days of purple anodizing.
 
#5 ·
I agree with pretty much everything Clydesdale says...

From my experience, I went from running Nevegals F/R to Weirwolf F/R. yes the weirwolfs run on the skinnier side, but the dual compound weirwolfs are animals. They pack up a bit in mud, I actually went down a couple times learning how the weirwolfs ride.

They feel smoother and faster on hardpack, and also I've noticed the front wandering a bit more through chop and rocks. That being said, braking traction is great and when It comes time to rail a corner, Lean the bike hard into the shoulder lugs and it's gonna griiippp!!!

Give it some time and see if you like them
 
#8 ·
The tires are going on a Giant Glory. So Nevegals = bad and WW is a temp improvement until I can get another set of tires. Funny, I've been running Nevegals for 3 years and never had an issue (or a flat) but I knew they were a big bulky slow rolling tire. They are now in re-tire-ment. LOL.
 
#10 ·
Wow Jenson does have some good deals right now. Those Maxxis for around a 100.00 are single ply and for all mountain I think. The 3C is more what I need I think. I could prob get away with using a single ply tire though.
 
#13 ·
Another vote for Minions, specifically the DHF. It runs a bit narrow, with the 2.5 DHF being about the same width as the 2.35 Nevegal. I had thought I might up-size to the 2.7, but it was pointed out to me that the 2.5 is being used all over the world cup circuit, so it must be plenty wide enough. The DHR is good, but it rolls sooooo slowly if you are going to be pedaling. The 3C Minions are great tires, but they are VERY soft, and wear very quickly. But if you want absolute grip, you won't find much better anywhere else. I personally prefer the standard 60a compound. It might lost a few percent in grippyness, but it lasts forever and is incredibly predictable.
 
#15 ·
Could you specify a bit more on how the nevegal sucked so much? i bought a pair of 2.5s nevs on sale (stick-E) compound, but may go for DHF 2.5s on the basis of this thread.

i saw a lot of nevegal vs. DHF threads, but none really went into specifics. does the nevegal not transition well from center to side knobs in turns? is it only the high rolling resistance+weight that make it suck?
 
#16 ·
Could you specify a bit more on how the nevegal sucked so much? i bought a pair of 2.5s nevs on sale (stick-E) compound, but may go for DHF 2.5s on the basis of this thread.

i saw a lot of nevegal vs. DHF threads, but none really went into specifics. does the nevegal not transition well from center to side knobs in turns? is it only the high rolling resistance+weight that make it suck?
The Nevegals I had gripped fairly well when going straight. They felt a tad sluggish in flats, but let's be honest; any tire in that class feels somewhat slow compared to a Racing Ralph or a Crossmax. They also didn't have much of a dead spot when transitioning from center to side knobs. Other tires like the Ardent have a large area where they are very washy before the side knobs hook up. The Nev was fine there. So what was the problem? Predictability and durability.

Durability first: I had the Stick-E multiple-compound tires, and they lost about 1/3 of their tread in one 4-day trip to Moab. Granted, the rock there does eat tires very quickly. But my Minions have lasted whole seasons with multiple week-long trips to Moab. I also did have a Nev's paper thin sidewall de-laminate on me once while going up the face of a step-up. The front end tucked under as I left the ground, and it resulted in a few broken ribs.

Now the big problem: Predictability. They would grip just fine while ripping down tight, fast trails. They would feel great. And then, for no reason at all, they would decide to break loose in a turn. I don't mean break loose a bit. I mean completely let go like I was on ice. It was never at some certain lean angle, or in certain dirt types. It would just decide it had had enough of tracking and would let go. I played with tire pressures, suspension settings, everything. It would just decide to let go at random. Some tires give a 'warning' of sorts when they are being pushed. My DHFs are that way. They start to feel a bit nervous or loose, but they don't just let go all of a sudden. The Nevegals do, and usually with zero warning. And when they do slide, they are very hard to control or bring back underneath you. I attribute a separated shoulder I got a few years ago to this fact. I was riding pretty conservatively, and the tire just broke loose on a large banked berm. It was a very mild turn, and I had been riding it all summer long. Broke loose, and couldn't bring it back. Swapped a few times, went down, felt something like ropes being cut in my shoulder, and missed 7 weeks of riding.

Sorry for the rant. I very much dislike them, if you couldn't tell.
 
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#18 ·
Not that I've got anything to add but I was looking for a replacement to some Chunky Monkeys I was trying out. They turned out to be way too thin so snatched a pair of dual ply Nevegal UST 2.3s to try out. The tire seems to have a generally good rep with awards and sh|t. Some people hate them. Some love them. I've got one of each in my riding group and figured for $40 a tire on sale I'll see what I think.

Then a couple days later I picked up a pair of dual ply DHFs from Price Point for $60 each. Never ran them before but I know these will be solid tires but I just mounted the Nevegals to see how I like them. If I like them I'll have a couple options for tires thereby increasing the chance that I'll be able to get a tire that's on sale when I need one :)
 
#19 ·
The Nevegals off and the WWs are on. I noticed a big difference in just 2 hrs of riding. Much faster rolling and the grip was superior to my worn out Nevs. I'm also running a 2.55LT in the rear and was testing these on a hike and bike snowy/muddy ride and they still hooked great. They are both single ply and I'm running an XC tube up front and DH tube in the rear. Bike feels lighter and for flickable now too. Will also buy the DHFs and toss them on when the WWs wear out but I like the difference already!
 
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