Duro leopard vs surly knard

Now that the new kh26 muni is coming stock fitted with the knard 26x3. Let’s here some opinions on the differences on muni riding these two tires. Only the 26 size.

surely a huge impact on the weight as the Duro is about 1.7kg !

I just got a knard in the mail yesterday and haven’t had a chance to try it out yet :frowning: I have high hopes that it will be a big difference!! When I held them next to each other, it was like the knard was floating in my hand and the duro was a lead brick.

OK I just took it out for a short ride, and I love it! Out of the box I was able to ride up a hill that I only have made it 1/2 way before!! I rode many hills that I have never been able to. It felt more nimble as well, very easy to make quick turns.
***Disclaimer…I am not the best/strongest/fastest/ rider out there, so your mileage may vary(only been riding for just over 2 years) I didn’t do any big drops, no idea how it will preform on that, but for me the fact that I could make it up that first dammed hill on my local single track made it worth it :slight_smile:
Riding 26 Oracle with 165/137 cranks. (rode in 137 today, really not liking 165)

Ive been huffing and puffing my way up the toughest hills on my Duro and making it to the top. This ‘superfeatherweight’ sounds good to me;)

I will get it and conquer that EagleRock in one shot:D

De gallus, Did you get the 120 tpi knard? What psi did you run it?

120 TPI, and around 20 psi

That’s exactly the question I had. I am really looking hard at the new KH26 after riding my 24 Oracle for a few years as my main muni and my main urban ride. I was also thinking of the Oregon, to replace the 24, but this new choice seems like a good, happy medium. And the KH26 is a lot lighter than both my 24 and the Oregon. And probably more versatile too.

Ok, just bit it, I mean…bought it.

120 TPI , time for my Oregon to go on a major diet!
WOOOHOOO!

I have the Duro tyre (both 26 and 24), and I am very happy with it because it performs so well on wet roots, rocks and mud. The big knobs “locks on” to roots and “paddle” through mud. I have never tried the Surly Knard, but to me it does not look as good as the Duro. I understand that terrain and probably riding style has something to do with tyre choice.

From what I’ve read, the Knard is good in mostly dry conditions. It grips like crazy on rocks when it’s dry. Duro is better for dirt but sucks as soon as you get hard surfaces, especially when wet.

I haven’t tried the Knard, I’m based on what I’ve heard from other riders, I rode a Duro for a while on my 24" a few years ago, I liked it for the snow but not so much in the trails.

Overall, I think the Knard will be better for most riders as it is lighter and does pretty much the same job as the Duro, the Duro just looks meaner :stuck_out_tongue:

Can’t go by the weights on kh website. Kris said some are not correct or updated to add brake weight. The 24 should always be lighter than the 26 with same components from the same company. Now put a light weight tire on the 26 and things change.

When it comes to knob size like the duro vs the knard. Just look at the motorcycle industry. Most or all trials bikes and enduros come with low closely spaced knobs. Compared to motocross with larger big knobs. Now a lot has to do with traction for acceleration but, mostly for dirt conditions. Most muni riders ride on very hard packed single track or hard trails. We don’t need or use the duro style knobs. They won’t even penetrate thru the dirt. The trials style creepy crawler knobs are perfect. Even look at bmx and jump/pump track tire knob patterns. There tracks are hard packed also. The knard tread pattern looks great for most of us muni riders I think. Now if your trails are very soft or loose, that changes the story and your tire choice. I will be trying a knard soon for my Oregon. :slight_smile:

Some Duro Wildlife weights:
1570g (http://www.unicycle.com/duro-wildlife-leopard-tire.html)
1650 (Rubber is heavy! Duro, Duro, Duro. 3" tires)
1860g (http://www.unicycle.uk.com/unicycle-parts/tyres/duro-wildlife-leopard-26-x-3-tyre.html)

Some Surly Knard weights:
804g (http://forums.mtbr.com/fat-bikes/26-x-3-knards-893188-2.html#post11167904)
875g (http://www.bike24.com/p2113031.html)

So the Knard is roughly half the weight.

Now that my Duro is getting old and worn and the knobs in the middle section are only 1-2mm, I feel that I loose grip earlier. Also it’s harder to got through soft mud. It would be really great to have a Duro style knob geometry but with the weight of the Knard (and the price of the Duro :D) What helped a lot in dropping weight of the Duro was going tubeless. How’s the Knard performing tubeless?

Which doesn’t provide much evidence about how well a different tyre with a tread pattern designed to use smaller knobs will grip when it is new and still has good edges to the knobs which a worn tyre doesn’t have.

Well I just pulled the trigger on a new nimbus oracle 24. I’ll answer my own question. The duro tire maybe heavier than most but you sure don’t notice it. Love this tire… The oracle 24 rips. I have a 20 trials and nimbus 26. But the 24 is goldy locks.

How do you find the 24" compared to the 26"? I was undecided about which to get, but eventually ordered the Oracle 26".

My dh trails I ride are narrow with a lot of switch backs with very steep inclines in the turn. some of the rock gardens seem easier to hop thru then plow over. I find for what I ride the 24 or even my trials 20 work best. If I was just on easy winding trails I would be on my 26.

Just changed from Duro to Knard (120tpi, plus another tube) and the Muni lost 500 grams (rotating mass). What a difference on hardpack and road!
Also it seems to be more 3" than the Duro.

So far I love it.

Greetings

Byc