26" muni tire discussion

Unicycles and Equipment
1

Hi all: This topic has been touched on in numerous threads, but I thought it might be helpful to have a devoted thread. I particularly note there had been quite a debate about the need to accomodate 26x3" tires when KH first came out with the 26" frame (2009 KH lineup - details and info). I wonder what peoples’ experiences have been since then?

As to me, I’ve decided to put my new Schlumpf hub in a 26" wheel. I ride mostly xc, with lots of climbing. So my priorities are more on the end of speed and low weight to enable climbing. However, I’m 6’4" 190 lbs (plus clothing and pack weight), so I don’t want to go too light on the tire. And I do want to be able to get through the occasional rock garden as well.

I see KH has stuck with the Stout 2.3" as the default 26" muni tire, and had made positive comments on it in the thread referenced above. I’ve been pretty happy with the Stout on my 29er, so I guess this is my default tire choice.

So, maybe commments on various tires you’ve used, touching on the ± in categories you think are appropriate, including things such as weight, size, speed, and so forth.

Also, no intent to threadjack from the Larry tire thread (The Larry Thread). I figure that beast is in its own category altogether. I’m looking here to discuss 3" and smaller 26" tires that fit in the current 26" muni frames.

2

For 2011 the KH26 comes with a Maxxis Ardent 2.6 (KH Gear Update - 2011). I believe the Stout has been discontinued and that may prompted the change.

If you have specific tires you want to compare you can find detailed specs compiled by one person here: http://mtbtires.com/site2/tire-specs (they are spread over multiple tables so you have to search for the tires your interested in and compare the numbers).

3

For 2011 the KH26 comes with a Maxxis Ardent 2.6 (KH Gear Update - 2011). I believe the Stout has been discontinued and that may prompted the change.

The "official Muni Tyre Review Page has a lot of good info. As well as Tire widths on wide rims.

If you have specific tires you want to compare you can find detailed specs compiled by one person here: http://mtbtires.com/site2/tire-specs (they are spread over multiple tables so you have to search for the tires you’re interested in and compare the numbers).

4

Thanks, David, that really helps. Searching for “26” didn’t get me hits for “KH26”, and UDC still has it listed with the Stout. At the same time, I’m really looking for something a bit lighter. The regular (not DH) Ardent 2.4 might be a contender; KH has recommended the 2.4 width for the Ardent 29er tire.

The muni tire thread seems a bit lacking in the 26" tire area, and I’ve found the devoted 29er tire thread to be helpful. But if nobody else wants a devoted 26" tire thread so be it. :stuck_out_tongue:

5

I’ve been going over a lot of the same info as I’m also putting together a 26" and wanted something that has good volume but lower weight. I went with a Continental Trail King 2.4 (AKA Rubber Queen in other parts of the world).

I haven’t finished my build yet so can’t comment on the ride, but the tire has a lot of volume. Sidewalls are thicker than most 29er tires but not as thick as a true 26" DH tire. I’m planning on running it with a 24x3 tube to give it some additional support at the cost of some added weight (and because I had an extra).

There are a few people using it here and they all have good things to say about it. The few negative comments I found seemed to come from some negative experiences that bike trials riders have had with the tire.

6

The problem is that there is dozens of 24 and 29" tires out there that are suitable for MUni while there are hundreds if not thousands of 26" tires available. The other thing is that for some reason 24 and 29 are more popular than 26.

I have ridden a few different 26" tires and can give my opinions on the ones I have ridden but there is just so much choice out there that it is hard to compare tires when everyone has used a different tire.

When I want to know about a tire I tend to go to MTBR and check out the reviews. Tons of good info there but it doesn’t all translate to uni.

7

Well can I make a suggestion - why don’t we simple start or use this thread as a tyre review thread specifically for 26" muni tyres? I have recently bought 3 new tyres because as you say Eric, the bike reviews are only so helpful.Plus good tyres are expensive! So my suggestion is:

Tyre name: E.G. Tioga white Tiger
Profile: see attached picture
Cost: NZ$80 from LBS
Size: 26" x 2.5
Weight: 1300g - folding bead (also available in wire bead)
Specs: Non directional, slow rebound rubber, slits cut into knobs to improve traction.
Conditions ridden in: Gravel and loose rock, mud, pine needled forest, sand, road, limestone
Opinion: I like this tyre very much as it is light but still gives amazing traction. Not exceptionally good in hardcore mud as the profile is not very aggressive. Corners well in dry conditions and even on the road. Very fast in dry conditions. Handles gravel and rock no problem.Perfect for XC racing.
Overall rating: 4/5

tioga white tiger.jpg
tioga white tiger.jpg640×800 58.7 KB

8

Not sure if this helps, but I had a standard Nimbus 26 muni with 3” Duro Wildlife Leopard, as expected, it would go anywhere off road, but a bit of a heavy on tarmac.

My 20 year old Sem 26 was poorly, so I put a Hookworm on the muni for road use. For me 70kg/154lbs it worked great on the roads, rolled great & took any bumps/potholes well. I put shorter cranks on, as long cranks hurt my knees – must be getting old & I’ve got short legs!

I then started doing a bit more muni and the hookworm was surprisingly good on the dry stuff but, as expected, not good on the damp, just spinning up. (I laugh when I fall off, so it was great fun!)

So, I looked for a compromise and got a good deal on a WTB prowler race 2.3 folding. It was cheap (£10 delivered) & light (much lighter than the Hookworm or Wildlife and smaller inner tube saved even more weight). So far, as a compromise it works really off road and is good on tarmac. The lighter weight means that I can happily do most trails with the shorter cranks.

Tyre name: WTB Prowler race
Profile: see attached picture
Cost: £10 - delivered
Size: 26" x 2.3
Weight: 835g - folding bead

52709.jpg
52709.jpg700×528 131 KB

9

Unishark, that muni tire thread in the review section has a bunch or 26er tires, that’s what I ride, though there are also a bunch for 29er :slight_smile:

It really depends on what you want in terms of “ride quality”. A softer sidewall is going to ride nicer at low PSI, but it’s more likely to flat, so you either have to be careful or you have to ride higher PSI.

First off, unlike Unirox, KH< and many others, you’re heavy! I’m just a little heavier than you (200#) and running a typical single wall XC MTB tire has not worked for me, it just takes too much PSI to make it flat resistant, which then makes it ride harsh. I went to tires with 2 ply side walls which allows a lower PSI, gives a nice ride, but can be pumped up to make them faster if you want that.

In a 2.5-2.7" take a look at the Dissent, Intense DH, TryAll Stiky.
In a 3" the Duro or Arrow are really all you can get these days.
I’d avoid the Gazz Jr, even new old stock is at risk of failure due to dry rot.

I’ve had good luck “faking” a thicker sidewall by running a thicker muni tube like Nimbus sells in their muni completes. It may seem insignificant, but a firm rubber in the tube can bring a tire to life. I run one on my 29er with an RR 2.4 and I can get away with far lower PSI (18-20) with no flatting, whereas with a standar 29er MTB tube I had to run 22-24 to avoid snakebites.

For XC on a 26er, my fav muni styled tire is the Intense DH 2.5 folding. I can run 12-14PSI for tech stuff, no rim hits when dropping low stuff, still fast, long lasting rubber, great edge control, none of that sidewall folding you get with single wall tires. It’s not light, but then what DH tire is?

10

Oh, you want a lightweight tire? I think highly of Schwalbe, take a look at the tires in this list:

Knobby Nic snakeskin
Wiked Will regular sidewall
Racing Ralph snakeskin
Fast Fred kevlar

Lots of sidewall choices, mix and match. If you are riding fast, assuming you are avoiding boggy stuff and tech stuff, so a thinner tread like the RR is ideal, very fast, great quality, but expensive.

RR 2.4 Snakeskin, HD tube.

Zoom, zoom, zoom :slight_smile:

11

Hmm, this is a good point. So far I haven’t been doing much hopping, but most of my riding has been on the 29er, and with the 26 I hope to expand my technical abilities.

I just noticed the DH Ardent 3C is available at Jenson for only $18.99 (+shipping). I’d been hoping to go lighter, but I suppose if a little small-balled guy like Unirox ( :roll_eyes: :D) thinks a 1300g tire is “light” for racing, then I suppose I should be able to man up to the 1,170g weight of the 2.4 DH Ardent. I’m thinking the 2ply build with the tread pattern of the Ardent in 2.4 width might be a good all-mountain tire for me that won’t be too heavy for climbing.

BTW Unirox, from your profile pic I swear you could be my wife’s sister! :slight_smile:

12

Has anyone had any experience going tubeless?

I haven’t but that would solve the heavier rider weight/flat issue wouldn’t it? From what I’ve heard though it can add weight to the tyre.

BTW: Unishark - that’s kinda creepy. I’ll be changing my profile pic soon, hopefully you’ll change your mind :wink:

13

Yeah, that wasn’t a very good joke IMO.

I haven’t ridden it, but the Maxis High Roller 26x2.7 looks good to me.

14

As a 275ish pound rider I think I qualify as heavy. As a Midwest rider, what I mostly have available to ride is XC, with a handful of short technical sections. I also use my 26" for light urban trials, and a few trips out west (Moab x3, Vancouver). For most of my riding I’ve been very happy with the ~2.5 tire size, I only want more tire when the drops get bigger than about 30 inches.

I have 2 tires that I switch between currently and like a lot; a Kenda Telonix 2.4 and an Intense Edge FR 2.5. They’re the same size (casing), have similar sidewall feels, both have kevlar beads, and they both weigh a claimed 1,050 grams. I’m guessing the Ardent you’re looking at would feel similar, so that sounds good too.

I’ve also used a Maxxis Highroller 2.5, which is a little smaller than most 2.5 tires. I like the tread pattern and sidewall feel, but the 2.5 is a little small, and the 2.7 might be a little heavier than you’re looking for. I tested a CST Cheyanne 2.4 for awhile, but the sidewalls were really, really thin and it’s quite a bit smaller than it’s rated size. Quite light and smooth rolling, though.

As a side note, I usually run regular 26x1.75/1.95 tubes. They feel good to me, so I consider it a good way to save a little weight. My only 2 flats in recent history were from jumping sideways with too little air from concrete, pinched on the launch.

15

I’d be very interested to see how you go with the ardent - last week I ordered a Maxxis DH high roller 2.7 over the Ardent and now am having second thoughts. My High roller hasn’t arrived yet but I will do a write up as soon as I’ve tested it.
BTW the Tioga does wear very quickly. I wanted to add that but wasn’t allowed to.

Does anyone have thoughts/hints on the compound choice? Most Maxxis tyres at least seem to have a choice between super tacky, maxxpro and 3c, a combination.

16

You need to add a comment category regarding whether the tire has a “mind of it’s own”. We have all experienced that…that the tire steers the unicycle instead of the unicycle steers the tire. Some tires or inflation levels are particularly responsive, other combinations are like riding a runaway train that goes where it wants.

Carey

17

I have gone tubless on a 24dx and my mounain bike. I is great for heavy riders that want to run low pressure ( I am 220lbs with 10lbs of air ). Tubless weighs less than a light tube if done right. WARNING! going tubless can be messy if you are doing it for the first time, and if you side hop hard you will burp air ( tire half unseats and lets air out.). you can run very light tires also.

18

Hmm, not intended to be creepy or a joke. I showed your picture to my wife and her best friend, and they both agreed with me. Similar build and hair, and she used to have glasses just like yours. So more just an interesting observation, intended if anything to be mildly (but not suggestively or web-stalkingly) complimentary. :stuck_out_tongue:

I’ll also post a review of the 2.4 DH Ardent once I’ve done some riding on it. My understanding is that the Ardents are high volume, but also fast tread, so I have high hopes for it.

19

I prefer to ride tubless too – I always leave the tub at home, and just clean up when I’m done riding. :roll_eyes:

20

I think a heavy treaded tire is going to be slower, which is why I suggested an RR.

If you wanna go fast and the 26er is going to be geared, I can’t see that hopping is where you’ll expend much time and effort, so speed and comfort are going to be most important; assuming I get your shrift.

Go with a thin tread that has a nice centerline knobby, high volume for cush, thinner construction but with good flexibility and strength. Play with tubes, pressure, etc…

For me weight is only an issue in terms of “flickability”