ADVICE NEEDED. What Are The Best Tyres For Urban Downhill?

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ADVICE NEEDED. What Are The Best Tyres For Urban Downhill?
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flag deme113
Posted: Mar 11, 2010 at 7:41 Quote
Hi people iv entered the plymouth urban downhill and just wanted some advice on the best tyres to use etc.

Im currently running high rollers st 2.5 on a orange 223
flag deme113
Posted: Mar 12, 2010 at 13:02 Quote
anyone know about tyres?Madder
flag chazdog
Posted: Mar 12, 2010 at 13:11 Quote
lol, im at plymouth uni, the track will be fun, its all steps. im running dmr moto rts, but tbh there no noticably faster on steps than my wetscreams where.

run something like a highroller if you feel cheap and put a million psi in, or put some street tyres on, my moto rt's where cheap
flag caspor
Posted: Mar 12, 2010 at 13:36 Quote
What sort of weight do you want, and what's your budget?
flag tom666
FL
Posted: Mar 12, 2010 at 13:38 Quote
Get some tough street tires. If its all dry KHE mac2 tires are awesome for anything urban, dunno about on a dh bike though...Smile
flag Soed7
Posted: Mar 12, 2010 at 13:48 Quote
Awe no man, KHE tires suck. Get Hookworms!
flag
Posted: Mar 12, 2010 at 18:25 Quote
Just about any high-volume street/urban tire should work well. Look at things like the Hookworm (Maxxis), Micro Knobby (Intense), K-Rad (Kenda), Holy Roller (Maxxis), Crazy Bob (Schwalbe), Twinrail (Halo - many fun colours), and several more I'm sure, but I cannot think of them off hand, but that should give you a good idea of what to look for.
flag caspor
Posted: Mar 13, 2010 at 1:40 Quote
CheesyBurrito wrote:
Just about any high-volume street/urban tire should work well. Look at things like the Hookworm (Maxxis), Micro Knobby (Intense), K-Rad (Kenda), Holy Roller (Maxxis), Crazy Bob (Schwalbe), Twinrail (Halo - many fun colours), and several more I'm sure, but I cannot think of them off hand, but that should give you a good idea of what to look for.

Hookworm is unnecessarily heavy but rolls super fast and grips very well, the Holy Roller does not roll as fast (only slightly less) but even in the 2.4 is around a pound lighter (per tyre), and grips just as well, if not better than the Hookworm, and it makes a cool noise when rolling! Micro Knobby is okay, doesn't grip as well as the Holy Roller or Hookworm though, but it is around 140g lighter than a 2.4 Holy Roller, but not as 'fat' either. K-Rad is average and is standard in almost every way, it's heavy, doesn't roll particularly well, grip is bordering on truly lame, but it's fairly cheap, thus why it comes stock on so many complete, cheap, bikes. The Twinrail is the fastest rolling tyre of the list, is slightly heavier than a Micro Knobby if you get the black ones, all the colours add weight and loose grip (pink being the heaviest), they grip around on par with a Micro Knobby if not ever so slightly less, but the biggest problem for you would be the ability of the tyre to brake, it is pretty shocking, as there is only those two central rails that are in contact with the ground (if you have them pumped up fairly firm to hard). I have no experience on the Crazy Bob but it is heavy, like a Hookworm. The best tyres for you are probably the Holy Rollers in a 2.4, possibly even a 2.2 on the back aswell? Because of they're volume, tread pattern (which doesn't get flustered if there's some hardpack, to loose either), rolling ability, and grip, so 'just my 2 cents'. 2 cents
flag gordanfreman
Posted: Mar 13, 2010 at 10:32 Quote
i'd agree with pretty much all that ^^
flag tom666
FL
Posted: Mar 13, 2010 at 13:11 Quote
Yeah same. Hookworm are so fackin' heavy. they hurt your face when you try to go uphill. I snapped a tyre lever trying to get them on my bros bike. Also Don't get twin rails, also heavy (speicaly in colours) and have less grip than your grandad covered in lube. holy rollers are alright but I ride dirt more than street and use maxxis crossmarks which are, may I say, the tits for loose dirt.

[edit] just seen DMR supermoto tyres, light, grippy and fast rolling. Looks good to me!
flag
Posted: Mar 13, 2010 at 14:18 Quote
Never used the twenty-six inch version of the twin-rail, having them on my fixie, but are they really that bad? In wet weather the (purple) twin-rail courier's on my fixie just suck themselves to the ground, giving me endless grip on any paved surface, so I cannot imagine their smaller counterparts being much different... Guess I could be wrong though!

As to the other tires I listed, I've only tried a couple of them personally, and that was generally a bit of street use (either on my cruiser, or a fully rigid DJ bike), but I generally enjoyed both the Hookworms and the K-Rad, with the latter obviously a budget tire for those wanting something quick for cheap.

I think the best advice would be to physically assault anybody you see riding any of the tires listed in this thread, nick their bike, and give the tires a good testing, as thats the only way you'll know for sure. Or you could just be a giant vagina and ask friends that own such tires or a LBS if you can test ride a bike with the tires on. Either way really, your option.
flag tom666
FL
Posted: Mar 13, 2010 at 14:44 Quote
CheesyBurrito wrote:
Never used the twenty-six inch version of the twin-rail, having them on my fixie, but are they really that bad? In wet weather the (purple) twin-rail courier's on my fixie just suck themselves to the ground, giving me endless grip on any paved surface, so I cannot imagine their smaller counterparts being much different... Guess I could be wrong though!

As to the other tires I listed, I've only tried a couple of them personally, and that was generally a bit of street use (either on my cruiser, or a fully rigid DJ bike), but I generally enjoyed both the Hookworms and the K-Rad, with the latter obviously a budget tire for those wanting something quick for cheap.

I think the best advice would be to physically assault anybody you see riding any of the tires listed in this thread, nick their bike, and give the tires a good testing, as thats the only way you'll know for sure. Or you could just be a giant vagina and ask friends that own such tires or a LBS if you can test ride a bike with the tires on. Either way really, your option.

I've not ridden twin rails but am told they are not that great and both twin rails and hookworms are shit a brick heavy.
flag Getbent418
Posted: Mar 13, 2010 at 14:49 Quote
We ride downhill on street all day around here in quebec city, i run 2.1 sb8 and i love em, they tend to melt fast but thats a good sign imo.

Idk about the tire carcass strenght tho, considering stairs are involved.
flag deme113
Posted: Mar 14, 2010 at 11:13 Quote
Thanks people Big Grin

All i need to do is find some stairs and practiceRedface
flag brigand
Posted: Mar 14, 2010 at 11:51 Quote
try high rollers semi slick

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