why bigger tires?

educate me, discuss or call me an idiot, doesn't matter ;-)

What's the deal with different tire sizes? Tuff grrl keeps telling I should
go bigger, but being the weight weenie and cheapskate I am, I "just say no".
Is there a reason an XC rider would want bigger tires? More traction, more
stability? I always figured bigger tires were for primarily big hit/DH
riders. Do bigger tires contribute more to trail erosion, or only if
skidded?

care to elaborate, any one?

penny

pas wrote:
educate me, discuss or call me an idiot, doesn't matter ;-)

What's the deal with different tire sizes? Tuff grrl keeps telling I
should go bigger, but being the weight weenie and cheapskate I am, I
"just say no". Is there a reason an XC rider would want bigger tires?
More traction, more stability? I always figured bigger tires were for
primarily big hit/DH riders. Do bigger tires contribute more to trail
erosion, or only if skidded?

care to elaborate, any one?

penny

What size tires do you use now?

--
- Zilla
Cary, NC
(Remove XSPAM)

Zilla wrote:
pas wrote:
educate me, discuss or call me an idiot, doesn't matter ;-)

What's the deal with different tire sizes? Tuff grrl keeps telling I
should go bigger, but being the weight weenie and cheapskate I am, I
"just say no". Is there a reason an XC rider would want bigger tires?
More traction, more stability? I always figured bigger tires were for
primarily big hit/DH riders. Do bigger tires contribute more to trail
erosion, or only if skidded?

care to elaborate, any one?

penny

What size tires do you use now?

2.10

Zilla wrote:


What size tires do you use now?

pas wrote:

2.10

IRC serac on the front, Michelin Hot S on the back.
I guess I haven't been paying much attention to tires. I've been gifted with
lots of new ones (thanks you know who you are...) and so for what I've
noticed about tires is, "worn" or "new". I've experimenting with less tire
pressure, and boy does that sure change the ride from #40 psi. Maybe I
should pay more attention to tire type/size/tread?

penny

pas wrote:
Zilla wrote:
pas wrote:
educate me, discuss or call me an idiot, doesn't matter ;-)

What's the deal with different tire sizes? Tuff grrl keeps telling
I should go bigger, but being the weight weenie and cheapskate I
am, I "just say no". Is there a reason an XC rider would want
bigger tires? More traction, more stability? I always figured
bigger tires were for primarily big hit/DH riders. Do bigger tires
contribute more to trail erosion, or only if skidded?

care to elaborate, any one?

penny

What size tires do you use now?

2.10

For XC riding, my 2.10s (IRC Mythos, and Jones XC) do
fine at 35psi.

--
- Zilla
Cary, NC
(Remove XSPAM)

care to elaborate, any one?

You get more rubber on the ground, in technical sections where you depend on
friction you simply have more of it, e.g., rockgardens. On lose muddy trails
you sink down less. Going on wooden plank bridges
http://www.lowdin.nu/Mtbruntuppsala/...nsenled11e.JPG wide tires
makes it less likely that you slip between the planks and get stuck with
your wheel. We have a lot of those where we ride in Sweden so we always use
2.1" tires.
http://www.lowdin.nu/Mtbruntuppsala/.../lunsenl3c.jpg
http://www.lowdin.nu/Mtbruntuppsala/.../lunsenl28.jpg

Per

pas wrote:
educate me, discuss or call me an idiot, doesn't matter ;-)

What's the deal with different tire sizes? Tuff grrl keeps telling I should
go bigger, but being the weight weenie and cheapskate I am, I "just say no".
Is there a reason an XC rider would want bigger tires? More traction, more
stability? I always figured bigger tires were for primarily big hit/DH
riders. Do bigger tires contribute more to trail erosion, or only if
skidded?

care to elaborate, any one?

penny


They're definitely not only for big hit or DH. As Per already explained,
more contact area, which is great not only going DH over rougher terrain
, but climbing up techy stuff too. They just roll over stuff easier.

Of course the downside is the weight. Also, more importantly than size
is the tread and sidewall stiffness. Give me a narrower, stiff side
walled, good knobby designed tire over a wide flexy, crappy tread one
any day.

--
Slacker

Of course the downside is the weight. Also, more importantly than size
is the tread and sidewall stiffness. Give me a narrower, stiff side
walled, good knobby designed tire over a wide flexy, crappy tread one
any day.

Pliable sidewalls = less rolling resistance.

Here we go...

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

ZeeExSixAre wrote:
Of course the downside is the weight. Also, more importantly than size
is the tread and sidewall stiffness. Give me a narrower, stiff side
walled, good knobby designed tire over a wide flexy, crappy tread one
any day.


Pliable sidewalls = less rolling resistance.

Here we go...

Stiff sidewalls = better handling

Who cares about rolling resistance if they fold on you?

Slacker - off to the races ;-)

Slacker wrote:

ZeeExSixAre wrote:

Of course the downside is the weight. Also, more importantly than size
is the tread and sidewall stiffness. Give me a narrower, stiff side
walled, good knobby designed tire over a wide flexy, crappy tread one
any day.



Pliable sidewalls = less rolling resistance.

Here we go...

Stiff sidewalls = better handling

Who cares about rolling resistance if they fold on you?

Slacker - off to the races ;-)

Supple sidewalls = better traction and smoother ride

miles