Your 2020 recommendations for Muni tires

Unicycles and Equipment
1

I’ve been searching the forums, but not a lot of talk about which tires people use as replacements. Plus I’m an old man riding a 26" wheel instead of 27.5, though I believe most companies are making their tires to fit both. My KH 26" from 2016 came with the Surly Knard 3.0, which I would love to replace. If you get the pressure right, that tire is like a magic carpet over the rocks & roots. But nobody seems to have any. What else do people love for riding on rocky, bumpy terrain? Last time I bought “random” tires, they turned out to be awful. That was for my old 24" Wilder. I ended up buying two of them to get in their minimum order dollar-wise, and those squared-off tires were awful for unicycles. Anyway, what are your favorites?

Thanks! Yes, this is another rare occasion of me creating a new thread…

2

Duro Wildlife Leopard 3"

I have it on my 24 but it also, exists in 26".

Weighs, sounds but most importantly, runs through heavy terrain, like a Leopard Tank :slight_smile:

3

I love my Schwalbe Magic Mary, because it has magic grip, also a lot of rolling resistance and I don’t think it has the “magic carpet effect” you are looking for, the version I have has tough sidewalls. WTB Ranger may be an option for you, as it is one of the only tires you can still get in 26"x3", I’ve only testridden it briefly on someone elses uni, but liked it as a relatively light rolling wide tire.

4

3" Maxxis Minion is my usual summer tire on my KH29 but so far I’ve left my stock 3 1/4" Duro Crux (winter tire) on.
I’ve been riding my KH36 a lot so even with the fatter tire the 29 it feels so small and easy to control.

5

I love the WTB 2.8 Ranger 26" tire. It’s more of a cross country tire and very light. I run about 18 pounds in mine. If cross country and climbing are your thing it’s a great tire.

6

Surly Dirt Wizard 26x 3.0 - the most aggresive Muni Tire in 26"

Vee Tire T- Fatty 26x 3.0

Good compromise between rolling and grip

Schwalbe Rocket Ron 27.5x 3.0:

Thats really a Rocket: Fast and light

Schwalbe Nobby Nic 27.5x 3.0 : Good Allrounder for Evertything

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7

I remember KH saying that the Dirt Wizard had an extremely similar feel to the Maxxis High Roller, which I love for rough terrain. And a lot of online shops are closing out the 26x2.75 Dirt Wizard really cheap right now. There’s also the 26x3.0 version, as pictured above, though that one’s not cheap…

8

Dirt Wizard 26x 2.75 and 26x 3.0 are different: the 26x 3.0 has reinforced and stiffer flanks, and deeper Profile. In contrast to the 26x 2.75, it can easily be driven with low air pressures.

9

I haven’t ridden either one (*). KH’s comments were about the 2.75", but I think it was an earlier heavier version.

KH from http://www.unicyclist.com/forum/unic…89#post2255389

and from http://www.unicyclist.com/forum/unic…08#post2281908

–
(*) I went and ordered a 2.75" Dirt Wizard from Tree Fort Bikes for $34 shipped; I couldn’t resist. So in a week or two I’ll know better.

EDIT: Tire came in today. It’s a weird mix of aggressive tread and very lightweight, flexible, 120 tpi sidewalls. I’m guessing I won’t like it. The 26x3.0 that unikum mentions sounds like a better choice, with its heavier sidewalls.

10

I just replaced the Kenda Havok 3.0 tire on my 27.5 nimbus with a nobby nic 3.0 and what an improvement!

I am used to a Duro Wildlife 3.0 on my 26’ nimbus, a stable tire good for dry conditions, with no autosteer.

After riding my new 27.5 nimbus I found that the Kenda Havok was very sensitive to camber and it felt like the unicycle was riding me and not the other way around. It’s fast, but very sensitive. I then replaced the Kenda with the Nobby Nic and now I have regained my confidence and control, feels very much like the Duro, maybe a bit faster. Excited to ride it more and see if there are any more differences.

11

If the Nobby Nic is still available in it’s APX version with APEX carcass (coming from motocross), then this is the tire of choice if you want the typical Duro feeling without the weight.

12

I can 2nd this. Made the same change 2 years ago and it was fantastic.

13

Thanks for everyone’s suggestions! I ended up with the Surly Dirt Wizard, 26 x 2.75. For some reason, the 3.0 version cost more than twice as much, so I “saved” a quarter of an inch. So far so good, though it’s not the “magic carpet” that the Knard was. I’m going to keep my eyes out for one of those, and now we also have this thread here to help us in the future, at least if anyone sticks with 26"…

I got a 26" because that’s what Kris Holm rides. Only by the time I picked mine up (Unicon 18 in Spain), he was already off on the 27.5, and little did I know the whole mountain bike industry would soon follow! That’s okay. Before my KH, I had a handmade Wilder (aluminum frame, before anyone else was making them), that I got in 2003. That was a 24". Of course with 3" tires, those are more like 26" anyway. Let’s see how long I go with this 26" before getting the next one… :slight_smile: