I am still putting in a lot of work on my technique. Still making gains by spending time on it even to this day (DH times are still improving on my enduro rig). It is so hard to get cornering lugs engaged even when you think you are doing everything right.
But I also don’t know if I have enough time on the Ray/Ra combo in more loose conditions to say how well it worked. I feel like most of the racing I did on that combo was in close to ideal dry conditions. But I totally wasted the rear at True Grit so I am on Kenda Booster Pro right now.
Has anyone ridden both the Syerra and the Wicked Will? Currently using my stock Rekon Races on my Norco Revolver as a training/trail riding tire and throw Racing Ray/Ralph on for racing. As the Rekon Races aren’t long for this world am looking at other Syerra and Wicked Will as a replacement. Looking for toughness and durability and good grip on granite slabs, rocky conditions and some loose over hard and hard packed clay.
I ride to the trails from home on asphalt and then beat and smash over predominately rocky terrain so low tread, high volume, durable tires are popular.
I’m certainly not an expert here, but maybe just throw the Forekaster on the front? It’s typically considered a wet conditions tire, but people seem to like it in looser dry stuff as well. From my own experiences on 2.6 tires, I think it’s too wide for racing personally, especially if the tread is something as grippy as the Nobby Nic.
FWIW, my preference would be to not run a narrower tire in the front than in the back, so maybe even a 2.35 Ray would be better.
Yeah it’s a 2.25 front, 2.35 Ralph on the rear. I’m sure it’s a skill thing i need to work on more, in fact just holding more speed generally when decending, but for now i think i need all the help i can get from the tyres.
Thanks, that’s 2 opinions that 2.6 is too wide so I’ll maybe forget that option for now. Good shout on the forekaster, i might end up going in that direction. I was considering putting a Rocket Ron on the front but i checked and that’s a 2.25 (why did i buy so many 2.25s!?).
Are there any other Maxxis tyres which are considered on the more grippy, maybe slightly slower rolling but still ok for XC side? I’ve mostly dealt with Schwalbe so I’m not so educated in what Maxxis have to offer.
What pressures are you running? I never used those tires but many people around me use them and many of them are fast descenders (euro bombers). For the turns you mention a more aggressive profile is unlikely to help, unless you are already leaning the bike so much that small side knobs are not enough.
For those conditions if you are expecting a planted feeling that is not gonna happen. A good tire will loose the grip but in a progressive way and will gain it again as soon as it digs into the loose stuff and gains contact with the solid bottom. It is normal to keep sliding out slowly and exit the corner way outside of your entering line. Maybe you are not used to that.
Some tires grip well at 90 degrees but when leaned over slide out fast and never regain grip again. Some are quite the opposite. Some tires described as “unpredictable” by fast riders and as “grips like glue” by slow people. Or the other way around. It is rider and technique dependent.
Thanks for that! Yeah I’m sure my technique needs improvement and i need to get better used to this type of riding. I don’t think I’m leaning in enough on these turns. I ran 18psi front, 20psi rear at the weekend (I’m 60kg). If tread is unlikely to help in this situation, would simply higher volume make a difference (i.e. next width up) = more surface contact area.
I’d change up the front (which I know you’re doing) and stick with 2.35 /2.4" in the front. I’d never recommend a wider rear than front.
As far as Maxxis tyres go, I’m not so confident/experienced in their XC offerings. I’ve got the Rekon Race but don’t think that’d be a good option for you. The other one is the Rekon, which as far as I can tell is very similar to the Wicked Will/Syerra in terms of weight, pattern, and placement within the tyre lineup.
The Wicked Will I haven’t seen available anywhere. Only on PinkBike YouTube videos. It was supposed to be available by start of April, but now there’s “no delivery date”.
I would start with lowering the pressure and as others suggested size up the front. I am 65kg and run 16-17 psi. I race up to s2-s3 and a lot of fast fire rode descents. Never bottomed out my rims and happy with the grip and control I have (Conti Cross King 2.3-Maxxis Icon 2.35)
I am guessing if you are not very technical you will not jump, drop, land etc. If you are running these tires there is no rock gardens with big hits or s4 trails with off-camber drop offs
You can go even lower on pressures.
Thanks, lowering the pressure seems like a good idea, I’ll give that a shot. Not sure about trail gradings but probably about as technical as XCO courses get in the UK. Next race is on a course that was used for Commonwealth Games XCO, and I hope to race British Championship later in the year. I’ve hit some Tweed Valley Enduro trails on this bike but admittedly i had the 2.6 on for that!
I wondered where about you were from but have gave it away with the races you do. The trails you raced in at the weekend are local to me and I do them at least once a week. Bontrager XR2 seem to be popular with the SXC crowd as they come stock on trek bikes. I didn’t like them at all. I also tried Vittoria Barzo front and rear, they were an improvement but still not confidence inspiring. I eventually put Maxxis Forekaster F/R on my last bike and got so much confidence on the loose over hard that I kept them on even during the summer, even though they are suited to a mud tyre.
I got a new bike at the start of the year that came with Rekon Race Front and Rear. I tried to ride it the same as my forekasters and ended up with my face in a thorn bush as the front washed out. Got a forekaster on the front again and this is the set up I’ve settled on just now. I’ve been to Cathkin Braes and Glentress with this setup and never felt like I needed anything different. It’s not a popular choice and I’ve certainly never seen anyone running this setup in the Scottish XC but for my skill level and riding style it’s perfect.
Haha, awesome! I always wonder if there’s many locals (to me) on here reading these posts. From your user picture I wouldn’t be surprised if we’ve raced the same CX events. For what it’s worth, the Callendar Estate course was great, and I think everyone I spoke to enjoyed it. They managed to make quite a challenging and fun XC course from the trails there.
I think I’m going to give the Forekaster a shot on the front, given I already have one I might as well. Slightly more volume and slightly more aggressive so I’ll see how it goes.
I read a tyre test from an XCM team, and after testing all Maxxis tyres they started to run forekaster front on most courses. They said the same size tyre felt like it had more volume and control with no noticeable speed penalty. My profile pic was Fife college CX many years ago
I totally agree with the term drifty, but it is somehow all positive for me. The Aspen breaks traction and drifts rather than giving out and losing all grip, and I find it communicates each step in that process really well.
That being said I do not always run it as a front tire, but it makes a perfect rear tire if you are a confident bike handler. I need to experiment a bit more on front tire but right now my summer (non-race season) setup is always a Forekcaster in the front for some extra grip. That also isn’t necessarily my favorite tire, but so far I have come back to it for 1. Predictability 2. I have good confidence in the Exo protection with rocky terrain and 3. The volume/elasticity/casing on Maxxis feels the best IMO.
Would want to experiment more, but haven’t needed.
Thanks for this! I’m a recent convert to Forekasters running 2.35 front & rear on my Orbea Oiz & Vassago Mooseknuckle. They roll incredibly well considering what they look like & grip is great front & rear. I very much disagree that the corner like an Ardent Race which I find to be an ok rear tire but lacks grip up front. 1/2 or more of my riding is on leafy trails & the Ardent Race just slides over the top of them whether they’re wet & tacky or dry & super slick. For my terrain & climate in southern New England, the Forekaster is far & away my favorite tire & I’ve tried most Maxcis xc offerings aside ftom Aspens & I have significant time on Vittoria Barzos which are great if it’s dry but one of the worst tires I’ve used on wet rocks & roots.
