[no skid marks]

So I'm running a 35mm rim, not sure why I abandoned my own conclusions of too wide rim cost you feel for drift/traction/crashing. Anyway I drank the cool aid and got the wide rim, figured it aided the use of carbon construction, then I drank more trying High Roller 2s(2.3)only to find they were terrible for feel and traction. Although I used to find they had great grip used on 823 26" in 2.5, but less feel than Minion. But I'm talking 27" now for AM/"enduro" and ideally faster rolling and lighter wheels for pedalling and chucking about. So I grabbed a 2.2 Ardent Race(3C). On the loose on hard pack I found them at least as grippy, dare I say more grippy for most of it, accept I'm yet to decide on really fast corners pushing it what had more grip, I found the Ardent more predictable when on the edge of traction. So I developed a theory that wide rims are where we should be heading. But with tyres designed for them, so instead of big side knobs that I presume evolved for the narrow rims we all ran. Perhaps small aggressive shaped side knobs might be better, but on wider rims, so the tyre has the same round shape but the knobs won't flex/bend as much and bite in more. Will this add or take from feel and traction though? I figured they'd have better more predictable traction and feel.
So picture your High Roller 2 with side knobs half as tall but the tyre opened out more so it basically has the same shape but stiffer side walls and knobs.
Cut loose with the knob jokes then support or debunk my theory please.

 

[EVIL JN]

Well cant really say to much with wide rims as I only run 23mm (inside) but I've felt that wider (for their size atleast) tires with smaller aggressive knobs that are spaced out a bit wider do give a bit better traction. On a roundish profile, to squared and I feel like they give away sooner.

But as always the dirt (surface) and general conditions matters the most in how tires feel imo. Some tires are ok on everything whereas some just slays it in certain conditions and are an absolute horror in other.

 

[weedkilla]

Spanner in your theory - Ardent race rips on a 23mm rim too.

 

[Muddy]

Weirwolf LT 2.55 - I'll match this to a 2.3" on 35mm Syntace rims. The design works well, but does not outperform the out of production Dissent. This tire is also out of production.
What you need if you want DH grip is something with a better graduation from center to shoulder knob; the HRII is too vague when transitioning IMO.

 

[wydopen]

Try a 2.4 HR2 in the front...works pretty good..it's more about the thread width vs. casing width to determine if a tire will work well on the wide rims...That said I'm stoked to be back on i25's

Mark my words you will be seeing plenty of wide rims with tires designed around them in the next year...it's called 27.5+ The rims you are trying to run a 2.3 on would be ideal for something 3.0+

 

[no skid marks]

Try a 2.4 HR2 in the front...works pretty good..it's more about the thread width vs. casing width to determine if a tire will work well on the wide rims...That said I'm stoked to be back on i25's
Mark my words you will be seeing plenty of wide rims with tires designed around them in the next year...it's called 27.5+ The rims you are trying to run a 2.3 on would be ideal for something 3.0+

yes good point on tread width, but still I'm after conventional style casing size, not some new marketing fun fat kook size that'll roll slower and have vaguer inaccurate feel. I'd actually possibly prefer smaller than stock bag size, hence why I tried a 2.2 Ardent R, it,s maybe too small, but will see.
Although a mate has raved about the "+" size tyres, but efficiency and speed weren't two words he used. We'll see, but I think the fatter theory is faster will have exceeded its worth before that point. People ran 2.5 Minions here in Oz, nobody touched the 2.7s, I personally never got this, but apparently it was all about speed, then all the other brands namely schwalblabble came out wider. Not sure of my points or their relevance here, just trying to stir the pot to attract more opinions.

Spanner in your theory - Ardent race rips on a 23mm rim too.

I don't really see that too relevant to the theory. The spanner is though, that I think on a narrower rim a same size tyre would have a better shaped contact patch for cornering(longer) but negates sidewall stiffness and stronger shorter knob bennefits(arguable).

Weirwolf LT 2.55 - I'll match this to a 2.3" on 35mm Syntace rims. The design works well, but does not outperform the out of production Dissent. This tire is also out of production.
What you need if you want DH grip is something with a better graduation from center to shoulder knob; the HRII is too vague when transitioning IMO.

That tyre doesn't look agressive enough, but I agree the HR2s "drift zone" is also arguably too large.

 

[wydopen]

Trust me I'm not advocating for 3.0 tires...just that rims with i30 are too wide for any tire thats much less than that...rim width has to match tire size otherwise you end up with a casing that's wider than the tread...

 

[no skid marks]

Trust me I'm not advocating for 3.0 tires...just that rims with i30 are too wide for any tire thats much less than that...rim width has to match tire size otherwise you end up with a casing that's wider than the tread...

Yeah nah, wasn't saying you were and didn't think it. Even my Ardent 2.2 tread is still wider than casing though. I did fit a continental or something 2.2 to the 35mm rim on my 29er but and yes that was the case.
So adding that to the requirements, tread beyond casing width. Could still have a standard or smaller sized casing/bag for stiffer side walls. Maybe even a small rubber inner tube or whatever to protect rim and against punctures might be more feesable then.
3" tyres would be fun, I don't doubt that, just doubt they'd be as fast.

 

[yd35]

Wait, this thread isn't about drunk Brits on a stag party?!

 

[kidwoo]

Wait, this thread isn't about drunk Brits on a stag party?!

I thought it was about obnoxious women athletes.

 

[yd35]

I thought it was about obnoxious women athletes.

I saw Hope Solo's knob on Reddit. It was pretty big.

 

[kidwoo]

Is that Han's daughter?

Damn they grow up fast.

 

[yd35]

Parts of her grew a little too fast. There's about a footlong sandwich worth of roast beef down there.

 

[kidwoo]

Here I am making an innocent little star wars joke and then you go and get all porny.



Good stuff.

 

[Udi]

Did you get the HR2 in 3C as well? I found the lesser compounds are pretty hard and sacrifice grip noticeably as a result. It's a shame they don't make a cheaper super tacky version, the choices are either 3C for grip or the cheaper versions which are like plastic. The faithful DHF always seemed to work the best in loose/dry conditions, but doesn't roll very fast.

The new Minion semi-slick might be a good option to try when available!

 

[wydopen]

Did you get the HR2 in 3C as well? I found the lesser compounds are pretty hard and sacrifice grip noticeably as a result. It's a shame they don't make a cheaper super tacky version, the choices are either 3C for grip or the cheaper versions which are like plastic. The faithful DHF always seemed to work the best in loose/dry conditions, but doesn't roll very fast.

The new Minion semi-slick might be a good option to try when available!

I run HR2's in 60a and Dual on loose sketchy dirt and dont have any problems...3c's last me about 2weeks in the rear and not much more in the front...unless you are willing to spend allot of $ on tires or dont ride allot the harder compounds are the way to go IMO...

 

[no skid marks]

Did you get the HR2 in 3C as well? I found the lesser compounds are pretty hard and sacrifice grip noticeably as a result. It's a shame they don't make a cheaper super tacky version, the choices are either 3C for grip or the cheaper versions which are like plastic. The faithful DHF always seemed to work the best in loose/dry conditions, but doesn't roll very fast.

The new Minion semi-slick might be a good option to try when available!

yeah I'd like to try a Minion. Yeah HR was 3C. LOL at that Minion semi, looks exactly not what I am after. It's got longer meat curtains on the side than Hans Daughter.

I run HR2's in 60a and Dual on loose sketchy dirt and dont have any problems...3c's last me about 2weeks in the rear and not much more in the front...unless you are willing to spend allot of $ on tires or dont ride allot the harder compounds are the way to go IMO...

a mate swears the harder ones are grippier as the knobs don't fold, might be the case for heavier 90kg + dudes, for me they,re as slippery as ...

 

[Muddy]

Did you get the HR2 in 3C as well? I found the lesser compounds are pretty hard and sacrifice grip noticeably as a result. It's a shame they don't make a cheaper super tacky version, the choices are either 3C for grip or the cheaper versions which are like plastic. The faithful DHF always seemed to work the best in loose/dry conditions, but doesn't roll very fast.

The new Minion semi-slick might be a good option to try when available!

I am replacing 3C HR2 right now, would swap the rear with the EXO, DH 3C, DH 60a but the tread pattern does not work the crankset.
The Weirwolf combo I use is surprising, once deep in root beds they reach their limits. I think I did my first Endurpo at Burke with them, took a fifth.

 

[mtg]

That's an interesting theory about knob size vs rim width. I've always seen knob size as a function of terrain: smaller knobs for harder terrain, and larger knobs for looser terrain. Not saying you're wrong at all, though.

But, the Onza Canis and Schwalbe Racing Ralph sound like something to look into. The Canis has a pretty round profile on an i25 rim, so on the wide rims, you could still get some lean angle before cornering on the casing. The Racing Ralph can also be had in a Double Defense casing, which is actually pretty burly. I've run it before as a rear tire, and on hardpack to a slight amount of loose over hard, it works awesome.

 

[kidwoo]

a mate swears the harder ones are grippier as the knobs don't fold, might be the case for heavier 90kg + dudes, for me they,re as slippery as ...

It's true.

They also thickened up the outside of the sideknobs a year or so ago.

Soft tires roll slower...noticeably so. If you're not on trails where speed is as easy as letting go of the brakes, it's not that big of a deal. But brakeless mach silliness.........I'll always run a harder tire in the rear.

 

[no skid marks]

That's an interesting theory about knob size vs rim width. I've always seen knob size as a function of terrain: smaller knobs for harder terrain, and larger knobs for looser terrain. Not saying you're wrong at all, though.
But, the Onza Canis and Schwalbe Racing Ralph sound like something to look into. The Canis has a pretty round profile on an i25 rim, so on the wide rims, you could still get some lean angle before cornering on the casing. The Racing Ralph can also be had in a Double Defense casing, which is actually pretty burly. I've run it before as a rear tire, and on hardpack to a slight amount of loose over hard, it works awesome.

yeah the knobs do need to penetrate the dirt if they can, hence why wet tyres have massive knobs, but all relative to the center knobs within reason, not like the semi slick thing UDI put a pic of.
I have a Nobby Nic to try next, then I'll try an Ardent in 2.3 or 2.4 whatever I can get in 3C.

It's true.
Soft tires roll slower...noticeably so. If you're not on trails where speed is as easy as letting go of the brakes, it's not that big of a deal. But brakeless mach silliness.........I'll always run a harder tire in the rear.

Yeah I was being left behind on the HR2, very noticeable and it was just on the front.

 

[mtg]

Heads up on the Nobby Nic: there's not much of an open channel between the center-ish knobs and the side knobs on normal rims. So, on your wide rims, it probably won't be very aggressive for cornering.

 

[kidwoo]

So, on rims, it probably won't be very aggressive for cornering.

clarified

 

[no skid marks]

Heads up on the Nobby Nic: there's not much of an open channel between the center-ish knobs and the side knobs on normal rims. So, on your wide rims, it probably won't be very aggressive for cornering.

yeah it was a freebie, so I'll just use up what goodness it might have new on the front, then throw it on the back.

clarified

Check.

 

[Jm_]

Strong enough for a man, but made for a woman.

 

[kidwoo]

There are about a dozen 20yr olds who just read that and have no idea how awesome it is.

 

[jstuhlman]

You'll just have to keep it a Secret then, won't you?

 

[Bikael Molton]

I know some dudes that fit that description.

 

[Jeremy R]

Aggressive with small knobs...