"Official" 29er Tire Reviews Thread

Unicycles and Equipment
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If you are swinging toward a lighter tire that rolls fast, and you want a Maxxis, take a look at the Advantage and High Roller, they both have a “regular” lug pattern on the outside edge, so unlike the Ardent they may not crown quite as bad.

I’m not saying that the Ardent is bad, just not as good as tires with similar casings and slightly different lug patterns. My biggest gripe with teh Ardent is crowning. Compared to the HD, the Ardent is quite the crowner.

The HD is plenty fast, far faster than a Duro Leopard, only marginally slower (if it really is) when compared to an Ardent. The real difference is in the weight, the Ardent is 200gm lighter than the HD, but for that extra weight you get a stiff sidewall, stickier rubber, and a better made tire.

If I were looking for a lightweight XC tire and didn’t plan to do any significant technical downhill, so true fast riding on mellow terrain, I’d be looking at the Racing Ralph or similar, the one with snakeskin is 2.25" and weighs 1/2 as much as the HD.

You can also cut weight by going tubeless.

Any of these tires will serve you well, also look at reviews on Tioga, Continental, etc…

Okay, so there’s volume based structure and casing based structure. Even the lightest XC tire, say the Racing Ralph, can take drops when run at higher pressure, but the ride will be firm. Having more volume allows a lower pressure, but the cost is either a heavier casing to support the volume or you get a flimsy ride with side wall collapse. When I rode the RR i had to run 20-22psi to get a ride equivallent to an Ardent at 17-18 psi or a HD at 16psi. All of these tires have about the same volume, the biggest being the HD and RR, but the two tires couldn’t be more different.

I’m not a weight weenie, I am currently switching back and forth between a 1250gm Knard and a 850gm HD, two very different rides, the biggest differences being the Knard is clearly heavier and slower with more cushion and the HD is ligher, faster, and has less cushion. If I were going for a long ride, I’d take the HD.

High volume and a stiff casing, when not overdone (ie weigh a ton) can give you the best of both worlds, which I think puts the 850gm HD at the top of the heap.

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I don’t want a Maxxis, I just want a good muni tyre that doesn’t weigh a tonne and drag a lot.

As it’s only marginally slower, I can get marginally fitter :p. Weight doesn’t bother me that much - sure it’s nice to save a few 100g but in the long run I’d rather have a better uni than a lighter uni.

My theory behind rolling resistance is that if the tyre rolls well enough it will cancel out the extra dificulty of turning a bigger wheel on climbs (or at least make it a bit easier).

Well I was kind of pushing it by saying ‘XC’. my trails aren’t hardcore muni (I’ll use my 24 for that) but they are, at times, a bit muddy. The RR’s tread is probably grippy enough but it’s far too flimsy and a bit low in volume.

I am tempted…

I think I might get one then. After all, I can always get fitter or ride easier trails for a while. It’s still beyong me why Schwalbe haven’t released a tyre like the HD but with a more rolly tread like the RR.

Thanks for all the help Ben (and everyone else)

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Ben, you mention crowning being the biggest issue with the Ardent. Is this pressure related or in general? Did it crown more at lower pressures, or just all the time?

I also think I saw you mention waaaaay back in this thread that you’ve also ridden a Dissent. Did the Ardent crown better or worse than the Dissent do you think? If I run my Dissent too low, there’s times I’m afraid I’ll literally go sideways off the trail if there’s any tipe of slope or crown to the trail, that last stretch coming down the hill on Antelope island being a prime example.

I’m just curious…

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Pressure “can” make a difference, but a tire that crowns is a tire that crowns.

Yeah, I didn’t like the Dissent, it didn’t crown so much as “autosteer” into the hill. The Kodiak was worse. It’s been a while since I rode a Dissent, I believe I rode an Ardent after the Dissent, so I must have liked the Ardent better at that time.

As the tires improve and we have more 29er tire choices, it’s easier to pick and choose based on rider preferences. Some folks really like the Dissent, one forum member swears by it and he runs it at 30-40psi!!

I don’t like fighting a tire as a ride down a straight section of off camber trail, it just burns me out.

So on that section where we traversed the ridgeline at Antelope Island, I was also struggling with camber on the Ardent, and the trail was easy and flat with a slight off camber tilt. But when I say struggle, it was not really a fight, more like a nagging bother that gets to me more when I’m tired. The Dissent would be a real fight!

In contrast, the Hans Dampf isn’t bothered by camber in the least.

I am definitely on the princess and pea side of things, so given a choice I’ll shop around until I find something I like. If you are thinking of getting a used Ardent (Burt’s), then yeah, go for it, you’d probably enjoy the weight loss and the added speed. If you have to pay retail for a tire, then get an HD, esp if you have plans to follow in Turtle’s footsteps :stuck_out_tongue:

If you can wait until June, I’ll bring my HD and Ardent out to Utah, then you can try them when we go riding :slight_smile:

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Yeah, we’ll see what happens. I’m gonna be getting some other stuff first anyways, mainly a brake :roll_eyes: , so I have plenty of time to think it out and try them in June.

Like I said, I was mainly curious as to your take on tire pressures affect on crowning.

Thanks for the info Ben!

Edit: I actually just noticed that UDC has the Pacestar version of the HD for a not-as-crazy 70 bucks. LBS is selling for 100.99 :astonished: .

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I have to say I don’t really notice it on my Ardent, though I don’t have much to compare it with (the stock WTB Stout is the only other tire I’ve used on my 29). The main problem I have with the Ardent on off camber is that it’s kind of flimsy and wants to fold over on the slightest drop or corrective hop. I think it’s a good, fast XC tire for fast cruising trails, not so good for rougher stuff. But that works out OK, since that’s what I use the 29" for.

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Crossmark

Just to say that after putting some more time and km in on the Maxxis Crossmark, I still like it greatly.

There is almost no buzz on pavement, but I have never felt that the tyre let me down and caused me to slip until last weekend. To be fair, the track was very muddy, and the bikes were also slipping all over the place.

I prefer it to the Kenda Karma I had originally.

234

Look who’s getting a Hans…:wink:

Shame the KH29 frames are out of stock at UDCUK…

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Umm, the Oracle 29 frame with the Knard capable crown is in stock…

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I’ve already got a Oracle 24 so I fancy a bit of a change. Not that there’s anything wrong with the Oracle frames though.

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i need help…

what is the max diameter of the 29 x 3 knard?

thanks jogi

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…But unfortunatley you can’t get the KH29 frames until July :(. Looks like it might have to be an Oracle although I’ve been hearing bad things about the D’Brake of late link.

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Update: I though the whole D’Brake breaking thing sounded a bit ‘too bad to be true’ - my trust in Nimbus has been restored :smiley:

EDIT: Hans is here! I wasn’t expecting him to be so sticky (I bought the Pacestar) but other than that it looks like he’ll ride well. Can’t wait to get the rest of my 29er.

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Whereabout?
There are this information: It will fit a 29 x 2.5 tire with a small clearance.

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The Knard is 3", a true 3", so ~1/2 wider than a Duro Wildlife Leopard 3". Problems with fit are both crown height and frame width.

Josh has Knards for his bike, and he’s building up a Rabbit Hole muni wheel, so he would be the one to better answer the fit question, though he did tell me that the Oracle 29 crown was adjusted to fit a Knard.

If you wait, my guess is that UDC will update the descriptions and/or post pics with the Knard on a Oracle 29, but a call to UDC will confirm the fit, then it’s just a matter of someone ordering one and showing us the results :smiley:

Kris has also suggested he’ll bump his 29" frame to fit the 29+ tires.

Now that I’m riding the Knard on a Rabbt Hole 50mm rim, all I can say is that this is one big arse tire, so don’t expect anything bigger when the next round of 29+ tires are released.

But if you need to go bigger then build up a 26" x 4" (or 5") to get your thrills.

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Nope! Just been talking to Paul from UDCUK and they aren’t in stock yet.

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The official word, well at least the wor(l)d according to Josh at UDC USA:

The complete Oracle 29’s from the new container (#129) are the only Oracle frames that have been adjusted to fit the Knard. So, if you are contemplating the purchase of a new Oracle 29, and you plan to ride a Knard, you need to specify stock from container #129. Tara Lynn will know what you’re talking about when you “call in” your order.

In the meantime, all the bare Oracle 29 frames are old stock and will not fit the Knard.

There “might be” some adjusted Oracle 29 frames on the June container, but Josh wasn’t sure what had been ordered and realistically they won’t know for sure until they get the container.

Anyone planning to order a new Oracle 29?

I have no idea about the UK, that’s a question for Roger.

Meanwhile, the Oregon frame DOES fit the Knard very nicely :stuck_out_tongue:

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I plan to order a new Oracle 29, but the frame only, for a custom setting. I would prefer to order in europe, best in germany at Roland. If impossible in europe, then in USA.

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Got an HD today. Can’t vouch for how it rides yet, but it sure looks like it’ll be sweet. If it lives up to half the hype it’s gotten, it’ll be worth it.

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Well I eventually went for it and bought myself a 29er tyre with the most appropriate brand name for a unicycle tyre - just couldn’t resist the cheapness, given I could almost buy 3 of those for the cost of one HD.

Will report back when I’ve ridden it a bit more - have been injured and not really riding much or anything too hard. However on first impressions I quite like it - feels extremely similar to the Fat Albert I had on my 26er (which whilst it’s not a popular tyre itself, my understanding is that fundamentally it’s not all that dissimilar in construction and rubber compound to a HD, so should perform comparably). My first foray into 29er riding off road, so I’m mainly being impressed with how well it rolls over and up stuff, but I don’t think that’s down to the tyre.