The tires of Trans-Provence...

[slyfink]

Anyone know what tires the top 20 finishers of the Trans-Provence ran? I'm curious to know about rim, tire casing, width, brand, tubeless (UST or conversion or tubes) and how many tires a rider might go through on that race.

I'm asking caus' it seems that's the kind of terrain I like to ride, and I've had lots of problems with rims and tires this year on my "trail" bike. I'm wondering if there's better options out there for me, or whether I should just change my riding style a little. I'm thinking it's a mix of both...

[shirk007]

Tobias did a bike check on vimeo

Trans-Provence 2012 bike check on Vimeo

Trans-Provence 2012 bike check on Vimeo

DHF EXO front DHF 2.35 dual ply rear

Jerome's bike check form 2011

http://mpora.com/videos/VknDoqER6

Pic of Seb's bike. Running Maxxis something...


Lars posted some stuff on facebook before leaving. Had the bike mounted with EXO's, took DH tires with him. In one of his updates after Day 1 he said he switched to DH tires.

[NoUseForAName]

Pic of Seb's bike. Running Maxxis something...

650b?

[shirk007]

650b?

No, I know he mentioned taking a Kenda BBG UST/DTC with him and it's only 26.

The bike is some sort of Santa Cruz mule, he had posted a week before the race that he was looking for a bike.

[slyfink]

thanks!

ok, so maybe my question should be is anyone not running DH tires? and what would they be?

[batts65]

thanks!

ok, so maybe my question should be is anyone not running DH tires? and what would they be?

Just curious what tire/rim combo you are running and what issues you are having, just flats?? Tube or tubeless? If running tubes are they xc tubes or more freeride tubes?

[NoUseForAName]

No, I know he mentioned taking a Kenda BBG UST/DTC with him and it's only 26.

The bike is some sort of Santa Cruz mule, he had posted a week before the race that he was looking for a bike.

Yeah, spotted it looked like a mule, so started to wonder.

[norbar]

Just curious what tire/rim combo you are running and what issues you are having, just flats?? Tube or tubeless? If running tubes are they xc tubes or more freeride tubes?

Most of the guys use UST on the Mega so I doubt it's different here. Freeride tubes are used by pros? Outside of special tracks?

[kidwoo]

The 2.35 dh casing minion 60a durometer tires are the best thing to happen to UST setups on trail bikes that get the crap pounded out of them.

I'm a fan. They're only marginally heavier (if at all) than some of the non dh casing tires sold as tubeless setups with a little burlier casing (EXO from maxxis, SX from specialized etc....)

I couldn't find them anywhere domestically and had to order them from chain reaction which sucks......but they're around.

[slyfink]

since you asked... I run tubeless on my trail bike. I've run Flows, Arches, WTB Laser TCS Tail, i23s, and I'm having a Flow EX built up right now. I went through 3 wtb rims this season.

Over the past two years, I've run Michelin Wild Grip'R Advanced (2.25), Specialized Eskar (2.3), High Rollers (LUST 2.3), a 2.3 Ingnitor (blech!), HansDampfs (2.35 in both trailstar and pacestar compound), WTB Moto (2.3), and a Specialized Purgatory (2.25 - Armadillo). My problems have all been on my rear wheel.

I've been killing tires and rims usually from airing into rock gardens... My rear tires, I've been cutting the sidewalls. Usually a tear at or around the bead when airing into said rock gardens... and the rims just get crushed once the air is all gone from the tire! One time I tacoed a front rim when I landed on a crooked rock I hadn't see caus' it was covered in leaves. I don't think much would have helped there, tubes or no tubes.

I think I've been riding my trail bike a little too much like a DH bike, so I'm going to modify my approach... But I love to ride my trail bike like a DH bike. The lines I hit I am totally familiar with, and I know that with the right precision, I can ride it out, but sometimes it doesn't go that way.

I'm really curious to know what tires Weir and Ben Cruz rode there caus' I'm pretty ok with the WTB tire I have now (the Moto). I especially like the price compared to the Specialized and Schwalbe tires... It's a little squirmy in the hardpack, but works great right now that things are wet and slick, soupy and swampy. And once you get them on edge, that vagueness is pretty well gone, even on rock faces and such.

I'm also going to look into the dh casing, 2.35 DHF... might be worth a try.

[in the trees]

I went through 3 wtb rims this season.

Out of curiosity, which one(s)? I23?

[slyfink]

Out of curiosity, which one(s)? I23?

2xi23 and one Laser TCS Trail.

Like I said, one was unavoidable, the impact would have tacoed any rim. the other two were the result of airing into a rock garden and airing a creek gap and casing into a more than square-edged rock...

I really liked having a proper UST bead, never had a tire come off. But then again, I've never really had issues with Stans rims before. So as the old saying goes, once bitten thrice shy?

[kidwoo]

I can'te believe how well the rims on my mavic crossmax sx wheels have held up.

Mavic doesn't make a 21mm free standing equivalent rim do they?

[Zark]

I can'te believe how well the rims on my mavic crossmax sx wheels have held up.

Mavic doesn't make a 21mm free standing equivalent rim do they?

Yup, that's a nice rim only available as a proprietary wheel.

['size]

Mavic doesn't make a 21mm free standing equivalent rim do they?

they don't, and i haven't read any internet bitching about that in a long time - maybe it's time for another 'discussion'...it is the off season after all.

"819 is too narrow for my maxxis 2.5 EXO's, 823 is to heavy to pedal on my trail bike. where is the 821, mavic??????!?!?!?!?!?"