Tour Divide/GDMBR - tires

[Slowerthensnot]

running Panaracer driver 29er's this year, diff on the lighter end of the spectrum but put 1800 miles before one was having trubble sealing with slime pro ride around SW utah lotsa rocks and roads with lotsa crap on them

[Foster]

Tire setup complete.  Saguaro TNT in front and Crossmark in back...got it to seat up with some different sealant that doesn't contain ammonia.    Liking it so far.

Here are some thoughts on stans sealant and tire issues...

Stans has ammonia in it...and looking back on all my years in the Chem lab it will affect the strength of rubbers by slowly breaking down certain compounds that are used in some tires...such as a zinc oxidant that is used to increase rubber bonding strength of the tire.  Ammonia is highly corrosive towards Zinc which after having stans in your tire for an extended period of time could lead to a dramatically reduced strength of the bead. This could explain problems with
your Crossmark UST.  To top it off, liquid ammonia is also corrosive to some rubber compounds. 

Now this isn't necessarily a huge issue but I think for some tires this could be a problem, who knows, I am just postulating.

[phil_rad]

I'm going with Saguaro's front and rear; also using Effetto mariposa's Cafe Latex, funny sounding name but the stuff works great. Even after 10 months of being in my tires, amazing stuff. Not using the TNT version as the normal one sets up easy and fast and is lighter; I used a floor pump to air them up. I also heard that they are an extremely tight fit on the Arch rims that I'm using. Almost impossible to get them off with cutting the tire. The normal ones are tight but still serviceable in the field. I know that there are lighter tires and more flashy looking tires, but the Geax line just plain works, never had an issue with one yet. Looking forward to seeing how they how up on the rigors of the Divide route. I've put 3000 miles on two different pairs and they still have enough tread to be ridden off-road.

Happy trails!
Phil

[Foster]

I am really liking the saguaro and i am considering putting it on the back as well just because its so reliable.  Also about the weight, an extra 100 grams for durability is not even a quarter pound.  That much extra weight is worth it for some extra durability and piece of mind, especially since you won't notice it with how strong we all are...or are going to be 4 days into the race.

What I learned about tires this week
Three things are of the importance for this race

1.  Rolling resistance
2.  Durability
3.  Weight

You can really only pick 2 of these items.  I choose rolling resistance and durability, which only added about 120 grams.  I think I will be happy with this decision.

[Rob Colliver]

For all my training, I rode SB8's; with 10 days to go (whilst training in Fernie) I put on a new pair of the SB's and some new Stans liquid..... rode all the way to AW with no punctures. There was no tread left on the centre of the tyre by Silver City, but by then, who cares? There were a shedload of thorns poking through when I finally boxed the bike to take it home, again, who cares?

I weigh 155 lbs - this may have helped the tyres last so long. 

I'd ride the race again with the same tyres, they were so surefooted and for the surfaces we ride on during the race, I could not fault them.

[sniz]

I am really liking the saguaro and i am considering putting it on the back as well just because its so reliable.  Also about the weight, an extra 100 grams for durability is not even a quarter pound.  That much extra weight is worth it for some extra durability and piece of mind, especially since you won't notice it with how strong we all are...or are going to be 4 days into the race.

What I learned about tires this week
Three things are of the importance for this race

1.  Rolling resistance
2.  Durability
3.  Weight

You can really only pick 2 of these items.  I choose rolling resistance and durability, which only added about 120 grams.  I think I will be happy with this decision.

Running the Saguaros 2.2 non-TNT front & back this year.  Durability & rolling-resistance were the deciding factor, emphasis on durability. Super happy with the rolling resistance on these, very similar to the Nanos I was running for the past 6 months. Better to keep moving forward with slightly beefier tires than not moving forward with a slashed tire.

[pedalhead]

How are you Crossmark fans getting on with the non-UST version?  I've sliced beyond repair FOUR of them in a single season riding my local trails.  I do really like the fast rolling and fairly grippy Crossmark tread though so have been running a UST Crossmark on the back for a a few months now with no problems.  I hadn't heard about the sealant/bubbling issue though...oops.  Might have to put something else on there for upcoming races instead.  There's quite a lot of loose flint where I ride, and this does tend to separate the men from the boys with regards to tyres.  Race Kings, Snakeskin Ralphs and the UST Crossmark tend to hold up better than others I've tried so far.

[zkantor]

How are you Crossmark fans getting on with the non-UST version?  ...

I can tell you that the LUST Crossmark is holding great flawlessly, though there is a weight penalty associated with this tyre. I agree that the non-LUST tends to get sliced, I had many issues with the delicate sidewalls of the tyre. My regular setup is therefore, LUST in the back and non-LUST in the front.

In all my experience with Crossmark during the last years I never had issues with the sealant. I'm using Joe's no-flat.

Hope it helps.

[mcmurv]

How are you Crossmark fans getting on with the non-UST version?  I've sliced beyond repair FOUR of them in a single season riding my local trails.  I do really like the fast rolling and fairly grippy Crossmark tread though so have been running a UST Crossmark on the back for a a few months now with no problems.  I hadn't heard about the sealant/bubbling issue though...oops.  Might have to put something else on there for upcoming races instead.  There's quite a lot of loose flint where I ride, and this does tend to separate the men from the boys with regards to tyres.  Race Kings, Snakeskin Ralphs and the UST Crossmark tend to hold up better than others I've tried so far.

Yikes, you must have some rocky trails.  My very first pair of Crossmarks, I put 1,200 miles on them.  During last summers TD and follow on riding, I put 2,200 miles on one pair.  No repairs, no flats with Orange Seal Sealant.  These were the non LUST Crossmarks. 

[pedalhead]

yes the local flint is hard on sidewalls.  In addition to the four Crossmarks, I've sliced a Nano, Ignitor, Mud-X, Ikon (£50 ouch) and Racing Ralph in the space of less than a year. Maybe I need to pay more attention to my line choice 

[BobM]

yes the local flint is hard on sidewalls.  In addition to the four Crossmarks, I've sliced a Nano, Ignitor, Mud-X, Ikon (£50 ouch) and Racing Ralph in the space of less than a year. Maybe I need to pay more attention to my line choice 

Could be a market in your area for stainless steel sidewall protectors.

[DocTrike]

I have been testing the Schwalbe Rocket DD Ron, tubeless with DocBlue (stan's)  last several days, I don't ever get flats but have chucked tires. I have been trying to flat these tires hitting railroad tracks , curbs, riding rail side in sharp deep quarry gravel, going through thorns and glass. So far they are perfect and even with extensive street use there holding up very well.

I want to try the Nobby Nic next.

[Georg66]

And here goes my gear list:

http://kgdeck.blogspot.de/2012/05/2-weeks-till-start-all-my-bags-get.html

[pedalhead]

Ok I take it back about the LUST Crossmark...I put an unseal-able hole in it last night.  In fairness, it was a little piece of flint resembling a shank...extremely sharp!

[vmjim]

For all my training, I rode SB8's; with 10 days to go (whilst training in Fernie) I put on a new pair of the SB's and some new Stans liquid..... rode all the way to AW with no punctures. There was no tread left on the centre of the tyre by Silver City, but by then, who cares? There were a shedload of thorns poking through when I finally boxed the bike to take it home, again, who cares?

I weigh 155 lbs - this may have helped the tyres last so long.  

I'd ride the race again with the same tyres, they were so surefooted and for the surfaces we ride on during the race, I could not fault them.

Are you riding the SB8 that are rates 80 PSI max with Stan's and what pressure do you ride at?
Or, are you using the SB8 SCT (selent com patable tire) that are rated 50 psi max?  I tried these and got a tread blister after 400 miles on my rear tire.  I went back to the 80 psi type with a tube.  I still have the SCT one with Stan's on the front. I could not get a replacement SCT in time for the TDR. 

Jim

[Rob Colliver]

I rode the 80psi tyres with double compound - I set off with the standard 'squeeze-the-tyre-and-it-feels-hard' psi -  and 2.5 scoops of Stans jollop, and left well alone until beer time at AW.

[SimonK]

I don't know about this whole Stans ammonia problem. Is it a myth? I've run the following tyres with Stans for a season at least, and no problems.
Continental Explorer and Vertical Pro (non UST)
Stans Crow and Raven
Kenda Nevegal (non UST)
Racing Ralph (non UST and not snakeskin - these took a week to seal well)

I had no punctures on the Great Divide (was running Crows).

[Veetack]

I'm kinda interested in making this thread resurface with the Grand Depart for 2013 Looming just months away. I'm about to change to Stans Crest rims, and I was thinking about the Racing Ralphs, but now I'm not so sure. May actually stick with Small Block 8s.

[krefs]

Racing Ralphs last about 500 miles for me on the front before the side knobs are about to tear off. On the rear, they last ~250 miles. And that's on an unloaded bike. You could get the "performance" model that supposedly uses a harder rubber compound, but in reality, that tire is far knobbier than you need for the GDMBR.

[Veetack]

What did you use when you won it, Kurt? I thought I read something about Small Block 8s, which I'm considering just because I know they're fast rollers, but I'm a bit worried about grip especially in mud. For some reason I've hit a mental block trying to decide.