Show off your Mountain Bike!!!

Yes, so many good places to ride. I cant complain because between Santa Cruz, Tahoe, and a little place called Downieville, I have some pretty good options myself.

Your daughter looks like a shredder! what category is she racing? any sponsorships other than Daddy Warbucks? lol

 

Those are great places for sure to ride, my daughter gets help from Commencal, Schwalbe tires, 5.10 shoes, and a couple of others. She is racing Cat 1 but is starting to think about riding more for fun, traveling to hit up good riding spots.

 

Yeah, never turn your hobby into your job. It can turn something you love doing for one reason into something you hate for another.

On the FS or HT argument, I would go FS. It may be a bit overkill for some trails, but still fun, and it opens up more possibility for fun on other trails that would just not be as fun on a HT. I have both (granted, the HT is a 29+), and I have certain trails where I pick one over the other depending on terrain and sometimes length of ride (for an epic long day where you are going for distance, I may opt for the HT and just take rough sections a bit slower). It's good to have options, though.

 

So, thoughts/opinions on tires. For reference, I have 2 main bikes, a Fuel EX8 27.5+ and a Stache 29+. Both came with Chupacabras. I have been impressed with the Chupacabras, and they are pretty good all around, but better on hardpack dirt. Once it gets rocky or there's a lot of loose gravel mixed in, they just don't have the bite I would like. While the terrain in NW Arkansas and the SW St Louis area is similar, the terrain here in AR has quite a bit more rock/gravel mixed in and not as much hardpack, so I find myself wanting for more bite at times. The 3.0" tires on the Stache are less of of problem since there's a big contact patch, so I will stick with what I've got there until they wear out. The 2.8" ones on the Fuel are just not inspiring a lot of confidence as I learn the local trails and build speed, though.

I used to run the newer Bontrager XR4's on my old Fuel 29er, and I loved those tires. It appears that they have released these and the SE4 in their plus sizes and don't even list the Chupacabras on their site anymore. But, they don't have any stock and tell you to check your local retailer. We have a decent shop here, but they don't stock a lot of stuff that isn't standard fare (but I will check).

Anyway, I was looking at the Schwalbe Nobby Nic or the Maxxis Rekon as an alternative. Trek is shipping their new plus bikes with the Nobby Nic -- I am assuming this will switch the the XR4 or SE4 once they get production up. However, everyone I have known that runs Schwalbe tires gets flats. Whether it is a puncture or sidewall tear, flats on nearly every ride. So far, I have only had one puncture in a Chupacabra that wouldn't seal, just fixed it with a tube patch and it has been fine. I like the Maxxis tread better anyway (knobs seem to be spaced really far apart on the Nobby Nics), but Maxxis tires tend to be a bit narrower than others in the same size, and I am running 45mm rims -- so it may flatten the profile too much, and bite when cornering is what I am looking for.

What to do. Wait until I can find the XR4 or SE4 in stock (same tread, SE has tougher casing)? Try my luck with Schwalbe? Hope that the Rekon is true to size? Anyone have another tire to look at?

 

Its definitely an area that you should try to get to, Whistler has something for everyone, but nearby is Squamish and Pemberton and they both have really good XC, all mountain trails, or road biking if thats what your into with awesome scenery.

 

I just put Maxxis minions 2.6” tires on my FSR 6fattie.........love em.

 

Yeah man.....one day!! To say you are lucky is putting it softly that you are close by. Looking at that scenery on the YouTube videos is nuts!! If/when I go, I’m never gonna want to leave.

 

Its a good place and your dollar goes far with the exchange right now, next summers holiday for you!

 

.....huh, I never thought about the exchange rate.

 

I had them once on a long-travel bike and didn't like them -- for me, they had a dead spot where they lost traction. If I was leaning but not hard, they got sketchy, would have to lean it over more to get the side knobs to bite. Probably could have gotten used to it over time, though. I want 2.8" minimum. Did you got with the DHF or?

 

Not all MTB's, but there are 5 in there.
Bianchi BASS SS - Commuter
Black Sheep SS
Niner RKT - Wife's
Focus Izalco Pro - Road Bike
Redline Conquest Pro Carbon CX
Trek Road Bike - Can't remember the model - Wife's
Lenz Leviathon - For Sale if anyone is interested.
Spot Custom SS - Wife's
Redline Conquest CX - Wife's

 

DHF

 

Sunset ride in Northern Arizona

 

Cool, that's pretty much the gold standard as fare as MTB tires go, just didn't work well for me.

I read some reviews and ordered the Rekon+ with 3C MaxxTerra and SilkShield. No bad reviews, one compared it to the Nobby Nic and said it outperformed the Nic in everything except mud, and I don't ride in mud much. BUT, some indication that it is prone to punctures, so I got the 120 tpi version with the SilkShield protection. Maxxis folks replied to a MTBR post indicating that their OEMs and riders are switching to SilkShield on the rear. I just went with one of each, when the rear wears out I will move the front to the back and may try a DHF on the front.

 

Yeah I got no complaints yet.....I would however like to find something with a little more nob on the sidewall...

 

You may be running into the same thing I was talking about -- you have to lean those things way over to get the side knobs to bite, there's a dead spot with sketchy grip in between. At least that was my experience. Excited to try out the Rekons.

 

Yeah I see what you mean as I kinda felt them slipping a tad as I made a few turns...I know more in a couple weeks as I’ve only ran them twice so far.

 

I think my Fox X2 will finally show up today and I can call this new Jeffsy build done, for now. Since I got it I swapped the Fox 34 Performance Elite for a 150 Pike, Put Double Down tubeless Maxxis DHF and Agressor tires on, Renthal 30mm stem and Carbon Fatbars. Also trimmed all of the hoses and cables to be a whole lot cleaner. Just gotta get this X2 on and this thing should be a ripper. Eventually will be swapping out the e13 wheels for Stans mk3 Flow's on i9 torch hubs, but thats a few months out.

 

my wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeels arrived !!! and I am building this hog in the next few days

https://industrynine.com/trail-enduro/pillar-enduro-275

I do not jump much of anything
but ride chunky rock and big roots all damn day.

 

Those wheels are the shit!! I had the DH wheelset and those things were damn near indestructible. And in my opinion, those are absolutely the best hubs on the market. Engagement is stupid fast. Will be putting them on my new trail bile but laced to Stans Flow mk3 hoops