Which Are The Toughest Tires?

[reed scott]

I need some super tough tires. I want to start exploring some really rugged jeep trails we have on the ranch. The Maxis Recons I have on now seem to be doing OK on the ranch main roads I've used them on so far but I'm about to go hard core. This is very rocky country here in SW Texas. Even our main roads are a challenge but they get used enough to temper the severity of the loose rocks. There's usually a somewhat smooth track somewhere in the road ... until you come to a completely exposed rock shelf but the shelves are usually at least 'smoothed' off.

Not so the jeep and 4 wheeler tracks. They're really bad. What I'm worried about are sharp rocks cutting a tire. I don't plan to negotiate these trails at speed whatsoever. All it takes is not missing one 3 inch ( or less ) rock to put me over the bars. But ... it's the little sharp rocks I'm worried about. You can't see them often and there are just so many of them.

So ... any recommendations? I just have no idea which tires have the reputation of being super tough. I don't care about weight or 'sporty' aspects. Just the ability to resist cuts. Thank you

 

[Browneye]

My trail ride in AZ consisted of some really sharp rocky terrain - obvious scuffing on the sidewalls, even a scratch or two on the rims...but no flats - Maxxis Minions. Frankly, I'm pretty surprised I DIDN'T get a flat.
Maxxis tires are made for that stuff. And their EXO+ protection is their most robust...maybe start there.

 

[reed scott]

My trail ride in AZ consisted of some really sharp rocky terrain - obvious scuffing on the sidewalls, even a scratch or two on the rims...but no flats - Maxxis Minions. Frankly, I'm pretty surprised I DIDN'T get a flat.
Maxxis tires are made for that stuff. And their EXO+ protection is their most robust...maybe start there.

Muchas Gracias señor! Just what I needed.

 

[Catalyzt]

Nice to hear good thoughts about Maxxis b/c I just got the Ikons (and really like them.)

The rear tire seemed a little soft after two rides -- particularly the second one, which involved a gravel track with a lot of little rocks, nothing as serious as Browneye's photo, and some trails with lots of foxtails.

However, it's been 48 hours, and it doesn't seem any softer. Maybe a little puncture and the sealant inside took care of it?

 

[Browneye]

Yeah, a tubeless with latex sealant in it is supposed to be self-sealing. That's the whole big advantage, and a little weight savings to boot. I still carry a spare tube and a pump. You don't want to be 10 miles from staging with a slashed sidewall and all the latex sealant run out.

Maxxis description on Exo and exo+:

Our EXO+ construction combines two of our best puncture protection materials: SilkShield and EXO. The SilkShield layer runs from bead-to-bead with a layer of EXO along the sidewalls. Combined, these two materials create EXO+ which improves tread puncture protection by 27%; sidewall durability by 51%; and resistance to pinch flats by 28%.

Exo - an extremely cut-resistant and abrasion-resistant material added to the sidewalls of select mountain tires. This densely woven fabric is also lightweight and highly flexible, ensuring that the performance of the tire remains unaffected. Choose EXO Protection for exceptionally rocky, treacherous trails where the chance of sidewall cuts and abrasions is high.

Here's the link to their technologies description, including what their max-terra designations mean. That stuff is always confusing to me. I do know, my last DHR I bought was a EXO+ with MaxTerra:
An intermediate compound configuration used in select mountain tires. 3C MaxxTerra is softer and offers more traction than 3C MaxxSpeed, yet provides better treadwear and less rolling resistance than MaxxGrip:

Homepage

www.maxxis.com

 

[reed scott]

Yeah, a tubeless with latex sealant in it is supposed to be self-sealing. That's the whole big advantage, and a little weight savings to boot. I still carry a spare tube and a pump. You don't want to be 10 miles from staging with a slashed sidewall and all the latex sealant run out.

Maxxis description on Exo and exo+:

Our EXO+ construction combines two of our best puncture protection materials: SilkShield and EXO. The SilkShield layer runs from bead-to-bead with a layer of EXO along the sidewalls. Combined, these two materials create EXO+ which improves tread puncture protection by 27%; sidewall durability by 51%; and resistance to pinch flats by 28%.

Exo - an extremely cut-resistant and abrasion-resistant material added to the sidewalls of select mountain tires. This densely woven fabric is also lightweight and highly flexible, ensuring that the performance of the tire remains unaffected. Choose EXO Protection for exceptionally rocky, treacherous trails where the chance of sidewall cuts and abrasions is high.

Here's the link to their technologies description, including what their max-terra designations mean. That stuff is always confusing to me. I do know, my last DHR I bought was a EXO+ with MaxTerra:
An intermediate compound configuration used in select mountain tires. 3C MaxxTerra is softer and offers more traction than 3C MaxxSpeed, yet provides better treadwear and less rolling resistance than MaxxGrip:

Homepage

www.maxxis.com

Something tells me I better order asap if I want to get them by the time my present Recons are shot. Six months or so.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I subscribe to Chris' praise of Maxxis Minion (DHF for front, DHR for rear). Of course tubeless setup helps but not every wheel is tubeless ready, and often the inner tube has to be used anyway. The reason I'm not riding the Minion DHF (front) and High Roller II (rear) anymore is the fact these tyres are purely off-road; riding paved surfaces on them really makes your ears suffer (Rekons are a tad quieter but still noisy).

 

[linklemming]

I subscribe to Chris' praise of Maxxis Minion (DHF for front, DHR for rear). Of course tubeless setup helps but not every wheel is tubeless ready, and often the inner tube has to be used anyway. The reason I'm not riding the Minion DHF (front) and High Roller II (rear) anymore is the fact these tyres are purely off-road; riding paved surfaces on them really makes your ears suffer (Rekons are a tad quieter but still noisy).

Definately agree on the DHF as a front tire. Its by far the best purely offroad tire I have ever used and the most popular pure offroad tire ever according to worldwide cyclery and many other sources I have checked.

Worldwide cyclery has alot of good youtube videos on this

I cant comment on the rear tire although the DHR or agressor is probably a good choice. IMHO, most traction problems/solutions I experience are at the front tire and the rear tire is just along for the ride (or climbing traction which would favor the DHR or other profile with wide horizontal knobbies).

I have a 27.5x2.8 ebike with nobby nics and its a monster as far as traction(although fragile) and has never done me wrong. It doesnt even compare to the traction I get with the DHF at 2.4 (although its way more comfy)

I cant even imagine what a 27.5x2.8 DHF would feel like other than warping space time ...and making you deaf on the road

 

[Browneye]

I have a 27.5x2.8 DHF if anyone wants it. A new take-off. I would have to snap a pic of the sidewall designations. I think it's an exo, I've never installed it, but ran a DHR on back for a lot of miles, then got the exo+ in 2.6 - more better size, better tire.

I run 2.6's on the trance, and yeah, traction is stellar.

 

[kmccune]

My trail ride in AZ consisted of some really sharp rocky terrain - obvious scuffing on the sidewalls, even a scratch or two on the rims...but no flats - Maxxis Minions. Frankly, I'm pretty surprised I DIDN'T get a flat.
Maxxis tires are made for that stuff. And their EXO+ protection is their most robust...maybe start there.

Wonder if they make them in 26" flavor?( its hard for me to pullup any meaningful sites from time to time)
Ah ha!, found and bookmarked , thanks.

 

[Browneye]

Lots of 26 sizes, just no Exo+. They're still great tires. As mentioned, are more or less the most famous offroad tire in the world. Great all around performance.
Gee, I sound like a maxxis ad, or fanboyz.

For really rough going, and/or greater flat protection than even tubeless, are the Tannus Armor inserts. Lots of fans for them, although they can be fussy to assemble. It's a foam liner for the tire, installed with a slightly smaller tube:

Tannus Armour Inserts

Tannus Armour protects your tube against 90% of common bike flats using 15mm of multi-cell foam. Say goodbye to pinch and puncture flats.

tannusamerica.com

 

[reed scott]

FWIW, Pushkar of Wattwagons believes in them. He showed us a pic of like 3 huge boxes of Tanus Armour he ordered and is offering them for Wattwagons bikes.

EDIT: I've got it in my head to one day have wheel sets made up with decent hubs for my Bolton/Frey bike. When I can stand the wallet shock. I could order them up with Tanus and the Maxis Minions and then I won't have to fiddle with any of the reported PITA some talk about with the Tanus. That is IF we can actually get parts and tires one of these days.

Does slime still work with Tanus?

 

[Browneye]

Any tube can have slime added to it. Personally I have always hated the stuff - if you ever puncture the tube it makes a giant mess. In fact, if you put it in your car tire, the shop won't touch it - it's new-tire time.
Also in fact, this is my chief complaint about latex in tubeless setups - that stuff is a mess if it gets out as well. It's one thing when you pop a bead on the bench and pour the stuff out, then remove the tire to hose it out with the garden hose. But dealing with it trail-side could well convert a rider back to tubes. I have not yet had the pleasure.

Some folks seem to have a real problem with punctures, others not so much. In the past thirty years I cannot recall a single time I got a flat tire on a bicycle. And I rode tens of thousands of miles on motorcycles, with both tubes and tubeless, and can count the number of flats on one hand. One should obviously be prepared for it, but if you're having a lot of trouble with flats, you must be doing something wrong.

 

[Browneye]

I've shared this one before...a riding buddy that has ridden his dualsport thousands and thousands of miles, carries a spare tube in a container mounted to the lower downtubes on his bike. I was with him a few years ago, some 50 miles from civilization in the Death Valley area, when he got a flat on the front tire. He threw down his $1200 riding jacket so as not to get dirt in the axle bearings, removed the tube and put his spare in. He got it all put back together, hooked up his 12v pump, and it wouldn't hold air - it had bounced around for so many miles, and likely some rubber rot, it had holes in it. So he had to take it all apart again and use MY spare tube.

Mid-change the second time around I declared this was all just too funny and I needed to get his pic. That was kind of the first thing we did if someone crashed - you got their picture first, THEN you helped them or rescued them. Hilarity material took priority.

 

[Catalyzt]

Great shot!

Hey, thanks for this, guys-- I looked up the type of Ikon that I have, and it has EXO/3C/TCR. I'm not sure if I have a slow leak, actually... maybe it's just how the tires are, because after a week, the rear had lost about 6 PSI and the front had lost 4 PSI. Big whoop-- that's why I bought a compressor w/ a gauge months ago.

I'm loving the Ikons, it has really changed the personality of the bike-- it's actually a little scary on the steep downhills because it seems to pick up speed much faster. It seems like the bike used to be saying, "Okay, where do you want to go?" and now it's saying, "Hey, let's check out that trail! Why don't we add another couple of miles to this ride?! Push a little harder, we can stay over 10 MPH climbing this hill!"

The only downsides I've seen with the Ikons compared to the Riddlers is I feel some of the little hits a bit more-- not all of them, it's just some smaller bumps of a certain particular size-- even through the suspension (not distracting), a tiny bit more wheel spinning going up steep inclines on dirt (not distracting, and could be that I'm riding more dirt now) and more skittish on ridges in the road that run parallel to the direction I'm traveling (distracting, but rare.)

I'm carrying a can of Vittoria Pit Stop and a pump, not worrying too much.

 

[kmccune]

Lots of 26 sizes, just no Exo+. They're still great tires. As mentioned, are more or less the most famous offroad tire in the world. Great all around performance.
Gee, I sound like a maxxis ad, or fanboyz.

For really rough going, and/or greater flat protection than even tubeless, are the Tannus Armor inserts. Lots of fans for them, although they can be fussy to assemble. It's a foam liner for the tire, installed with a slightly smaller tube:

Tannus Armour Inserts

Tannus Armour protects your tube against 90% of common bike flats using 15mm of multi-cell foam. Say goodbye to pinch and puncture flats.

tannusamerica.com

Thank you.

 

[Browneye]

The IKON is a faster version of the REKON. They're what I have on my OCCAM - ikon rear and Rekon front. They sure roll easier, but the pedal bike is still slow with me pedaling! LOL
That CF lightweight cost as much as my TranceE! The Ebike is the greatest thing ever!

 

[kmccune]

My trail ride in AZ consisted of some really sharp rocky terrain - obvious scuffing on the sidewalls, even a scratch or two on the rims...but no flats - Maxxis Minions. Frankly, I'm pretty surprised I DIDN'T get a flat.
Maxxis tires are made for that stuff. And their EXO+ protection is their most robust...maybe start there.

Looks like Mars!( EBike will function there if rider can respire)