So, I just put a WTB Moto Raptor on my groovy souped-up Sun 28er.
However, with the Sun frame being what it is, I discovered with no suprise that the outer nobs of the Moto Raptor were bumping against the frame’s interior. It could still spin, but not without that constant minuscule contact.
So I took an exacto knife, and carefully sliced a millimeter off each nob that hit the frame–just about every outer nob had to be “adjusted.” (edit–by adjusted, I mean SLICED across to shave some rubber off–I ended up with a tiny pile of about fifty or more little rubber rectangles of about one millimeter thick)
I took her outside for a test run–so far she rides great! Tomorrow I’ll give her a couple of miles on the bike path.
My Question:
Has anyone ever sliced off nobs from a knobby tire for this reason or any other? Is it bad for the tire? Or, is it just another one of those adjustments that unicyclers make to cycling parts that non-unicyclers deem to be “out of the ordinary?”
Paul Colley cut the knobs off a Specialized 24x2.5" at Moab last year so it would fit in his Torker LX frame. It makes the tire handle a little funny in sharp turns, but there’s nothing particularly bad about it. In general, though, I think you’d be better off with a smaller tire that actually fits.
That’s what I 've been trying to do. I ordered that tire at 3 different shops and no one came through. I guess it’s not worth the sale to special order it. I don’t think cutting the knobby will hurt, as long as it’s very little. I think they do it in motorcross, although thats a bigger knobby. So how does the tire ride on the street? Is there a very noticable difference? As for me, I might be getting a KH 29 soon, so I’ll hold off on buying the tire. You should also look into the Nano Raptor, it’s a little more between street and dirt. It would also fit the Sun’s frame.
I hope you are you going to the Greenbelt Ride this weekend with that tire!
Actually, I was checking out a few of the bike shops in my area in the city, and after 3 or 4 of them offering to order the tire for me (I declined each time–I like the instant gratification of getting it on the spot) I found a shop down by canal street that had it, so I just picked it up. I was lucky because 29er tires do seem a bit rare at themoment.
I have not taken it for any long rides yet, but from the riding I’ve done, it’s really great. A lot more substantial than the Transworld Street tire I had on it.
I’ll be there! Chopped up tire and all!
That would be the most excellent thing ever–unfortunetly, I threw the little rubber rectangles away…
My buddies who are into “rockcrawling” have a special tool that’s a lot like a hot knife (except it has a round blade) that they use to gouge the knobbies on their monster tires, making them a little lighter and a lot grippier, and the tires hold up just fine to the modification…
What dogbowl’s doing seems like the same thing everyone else is doing on these fora - wearing down the knobbies on our tires - although he’s accomplishing his “wear” a lot quicker than most of us I can’t see how it would harm the tire any… I don’t think you should worry even if you cut the entire “knobby” off! Just as long as you don’t gouge through the outer layer of rubber…
I can’t see how it would harm the tire any… I don’t think you should worry even if you cut the entire “knobby” off! Just as long as you don’t gouge through the outer layer of rubber…