Hey So its that time for a new rear tire. Been running std mid terrain MX tire but wondering if anything better for trails. My east coast woods are everything fom hard pack to soft leaves / pine needles. My tire is worn about 1/2 but yesterday I must have checked for a flat tire 10 times. Knobs are rounded over I know but I was throttle steering the rear whether I wanted to or not. Got to be something better.
Thanks
Rear tire?
- Tyl3r
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Re: Rear tire?
ive been running the dunlop mx51's. I live in south west PA, so I probably ride pretty similar terrain (mud, hardpack, wet leaves, rocks, creeks, roots, hillclimbs, tight woods). I remember having my heart set on a different mid terrain tire earlier this season, but literally every bike shop around me was only stocking the MX51's in the size needed. So I gave em a try and I am very pleased, put it on the front and back. Front is still barely worn and the rear is about halfway done after a whole season of riding on them. I will probably buy another mx51 for the rear for the start of next season. I'd suggest trying it if you cant find anything else. Also, I figured if 5 shops within a half an hour of my house are only stocking the same MX tire, than it must be a good tire for the terrain we live in... or else no one would buy it. Trying calling your local shops, maybe you have the same scenario as me with a different tire and want to try that.
04/05 KX220 Hybrid all decked out
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18 KTM 500 EXC-F Dual Sport/Sumo toy
24 KTM 300XC-W Cheater bike
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Re: Rear tire?
Thats a good point! Thank you!
- rbates9
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Rear tire?
If you want to stay with a knobby I would suggest the Maxis IT for the rear. Front I like the Michelin M12.
But I have found it very, very hard to beat the Michelin rear trials tire. I have had the same one for three years now and can still make it up hills that a brand new knobby just spins out on. I have even stopped on a bad section of a hill climb to help someone get going or turned around and then been able to take off and make it the rest of the way up. They are one of those things that you can't really understand until you try one. And they do come with a bit of a learning curve before you can get the most out of them. I have three wheels with tires mounted. The trials, a knobby, and screwed ice tires. I haven't had the knobby on in a year and a half. But with everything there is some trade offs. A trials tire isn't great in mud. I have yet to get stuck with it but they just kinda inch through it. Not much lifting the front wheel in the mud. And to get the most out of a trials tire they like to be run pretty low on pressure. I go between 6 and 8 Psi. This lower pressure makes them a bit squirrley at high speed. You can control them but be careful until you get to know the limits.
But I have found it very, very hard to beat the Michelin rear trials tire. I have had the same one for three years now and can still make it up hills that a brand new knobby just spins out on. I have even stopped on a bad section of a hill climb to help someone get going or turned around and then been able to take off and make it the rest of the way up. They are one of those things that you can't really understand until you try one. And they do come with a bit of a learning curve before you can get the most out of them. I have three wheels with tires mounted. The trials, a knobby, and screwed ice tires. I haven't had the knobby on in a year and a half. But with everything there is some trade offs. A trials tire isn't great in mud. I have yet to get stuck with it but they just kinda inch through it. Not much lifting the front wheel in the mud. And to get the most out of a trials tire they like to be run pretty low on pressure. I go between 6 and 8 Psi. This lower pressure makes them a bit squirrley at high speed. You can control them but be careful until you get to know the limits.
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Rear tire?
So far I've been impressed with artrax se3 tires. You can only get them at Motosport.com. they are 90$ for a front and rear set or 50ish for just a rear. I've got pics of em on a post I did recently(tires for pnw).
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Rear tire?
For my east coast off road (woods) riding, I think there are two good choices.
Trials tire: Short, super soft knobs, closed pattern. Great traction, especially when going straight, seems to mold itself to whatever is underneath it, nothing hooks up on slippery roots and rocks like a trials tire. But I find their cornering manners to be unpleasant, mushy feel and traction break away point in corners seems abrupt, harder to steer with rear, harder to pivot/slide around trees, etc.
Soft terrain tire: tall, stiff knobs, open pattern. Good for eastern woodlands, which I find to be mostly soft terrain, hooks up well going straight and in corners, slides predictably, but poor on big rocks (the size that doesn't move when you ride over them)
If I want to traverse technical terrain, roots, rocks, ledges, etc. with the most security and the least drama, or if I’m riding mostly on big rocks, then a trials tire.
If I want to pivot around trees, powerslide corners, roost mud, etc, then a soft terrain tire.
Trials tire: Short, super soft knobs, closed pattern. Great traction, especially when going straight, seems to mold itself to whatever is underneath it, nothing hooks up on slippery roots and rocks like a trials tire. But I find their cornering manners to be unpleasant, mushy feel and traction break away point in corners seems abrupt, harder to steer with rear, harder to pivot/slide around trees, etc.
Soft terrain tire: tall, stiff knobs, open pattern. Good for eastern woodlands, which I find to be mostly soft terrain, hooks up well going straight and in corners, slides predictably, but poor on big rocks (the size that doesn't move when you ride over them)
If I want to traverse technical terrain, roots, rocks, ledges, etc. with the most security and the least drama, or if I’m riding mostly on big rocks, then a trials tire.
If I want to pivot around trees, powerslide corners, roost mud, etc, then a soft terrain tire.