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Have done about 100 miles so far on the trials tire. About 60 on rocks and about 40 on softer loamy sandy clay.

On the rocks. Wow. Made my bike a completely different bike. Would lift the front so much easier. Getting over fallen trees etc. Was a no brainer. Nearly looped out the first time I pulled it up. Climbing long rocky rooty trails was nearly effortless.

On the softer trails I found that the rear end stepped out a bit more but not enough to worry about. Over all the grip was really good.

The next test will be mud...

frankenschwinn wrote:The next test will be mud...

Which is the straw that breaks the camels back for me. Too much wet clay where I live to run a trials tire. For me anyway.

Main thing is rear braking is not as effective, otherwise in all conditions is awesome. Sometimes in fast, flowing, bermy trails when leaning it over you lose a bit as well. Have had one for 2.5 years, ridden everywhere (Kamloops, Blue Mountain, Utah, my cabin) and never wanted another tire. So, I'll go on a limb and predict you'll keep liking it.

sped66 wrote:

frankenschwinn wrote:The next test will be mud...

Which is the straw that breaks the camels back for me. Too much wet clay where I live to run a trials tire. For me anyway.

Not sure what trials tire you tried, or what pressure you ran, or if you haven't actually tried one.

My favorite riding spot is almost entirely red clay, and when it gets wet, it stays wet for weeks. Huge mud holes, long slippery climbs. I love the trials tire in that mess. Drop the pressure a bit, and ride like it's any other day. I'm in northwestern NC, and also do some riding in VA, WV, TN. I have yet to find a spot that made me wish I had a knobby, except for deepish snow. I assume your conditions would be similar to mine. Same mountain range and all that....

Trials tire is great for single track, slow going and crawls. I had one on my KDX until if finally wore out, which by the way is an abrupt event, one second you have velcro like traction and in an instant you're on a racing slick. Anyway, if I'm carrying any speed at all the handling goes out the window on the trials. I would never put one on my KTM for several reasons.

I'll disagree, to a large extent. If you up the pressure for aggressive riding, the trials tire will handle just fine. I run 4-6 lbs for single track, and as much as 10 - 12 if I'm riding wide open. The only place I have found a knobby to be marginally better is in deep snow.

I ran 10 - 12 regardless. The thing just doesn't handle as crisply in the turns as a knob. The physics involved with the tall soft sidewall dictates this.

juliend wrote:Not sure what trials tire you tried, or what pressure you ran, or if you haven't actually tried one.

A buddy had one (new) & I rode his bike for several hours one day. I thought the trials tire was great for most everything but deep mud. It was truly awful for that. I think the guy left it on for a handfull of rides before switching back to a knobby. (He's a veteran rider btw.)
I see very, very few racers using TT's in the VCHSS series in VA. Maybe one in fifty. You'd think everyone would run them if they are so great for VA. But to each his own. The few who do run them are happy I suppose & that's all that matters.

Do you know which tire it was, and what pressure he was running? As stated, I find my trials tires to do no worse in deep mud than any knobby I have used. Pretty much everyone runs them here in the NCHSA races, mud or no.

I lost nothing in aggressive riding. I don't brake slide into turns at all but my buddie does. He was having some difficulty with braking. Overall my speed was as it has been.

Maybe I'm a sloppy rider. Or maybe I'm fast as hell..... Either way, I can tell a difference in general handling between a trials tire and a nice Pirelli XC. In the turns, bumps and jumps it's just not as crisp. Again, if I'm crawling single track and exploring, I want nothing but a trials tire.

Yikes, I'd die if I installed one on my Katoom 300 on the first uphill - due to the insane grip.

juliend wrote:Do you know which tire it was, and what pressure he was running?

Can't remember the brand, but knowing this guy it had to be one of the better tires. I want to say he told me 6lbs, but I won't swear to that.

Braking was the largest adjustment for me. I have always relied more heavily on the front brake, so it wasn't too bad.

sped66 wrote:

juliend wrote:Do you know which tire it was, and what pressure he was running?

Can't remember the brand, but knowing this guy it had to be one of the better tires. I want to say he told me 6lbs, but I won't swear to that.

And, that's why I wondered about the brand. The Mich X-11, while arguably the "best" trials tire, will feel really sketchy at high speeds running 6lbs. It's just SO soft.

I stopped talking about trial tires with my friends. I lost a lot of minutes talking about that and they still ask questions and questions and they know they will never try it... they prefer eating their lunch alone at the bottom of the hill

Michelin X-11 LITE is the better trial tire for tial purpose.