Best tires I've ever run for the trails up here is the Michelin M12 for the rear and S12 for the front, as far as performance, the only draw back is they wear pretty fast and are not cheap, however you can cheat by running a cheaper set of tires and siping the knobs, this makes a unbelievable difference even on worn tires. however say bye bye to the knobs after a few rides.
tires
- Thread starter Nighthawk016
- Start date
Really depends on what your riding on from day to day. I have such a nice mix if different terrain on any given ride. Typically I start out on the asphalt. Then I make my way through some grass. Then into some soft sandy type dirt. Then to hard pack. Then rocks. Then deep soft loose sand. Then more rocks. Then hard pack with rocks. Then sand with hard pack under it. Occasionally when and if it rains the hard back gets wet and kinda soft and the traction is fantastic. The soft sand gets kinda firm and grippy also when its wet.
But my typical ride sorta looks like this.
and this
But to answer your question. I like to run about 12-15 PSI in the rear, and 15-18 in the front. Remember that when you start riding the friction of the tire running across the ground makes the tire heat up. Thusly heating up the air in the tube. Therefore increasing your tire pressure. Its typically not that much but my experience is as much as 5 PSI but typically 2-3.
I read an article on the different ways to sipe and cut the knobs on tires. I read that when it comes to siping tires to only sipe the center knobs. By siping the shoulder and outer edge knobs does nothing th gain traction. At least that is what I read. But, I see countless tire manufactures doing this on the shoulder and outer edge knobs. Can anyone answer this for me. Does it or does it not give more traction?
I've siped my tires before, and I always sipe all the knobs, slightly more aggressive siping on the center knobs, but I get the outer also, I feel it gives better traction in the corners, I have also siped the front tires for slick snotty stuff, and it does make a tremendous difference in my experience.
post some pics. what psi do u run??
Don't have any tires right now that are siped, but basically in the center knobs, I usually go with 2 sipes horizontally, and one vertically, on the shoulder and side knobs I just do 1 h and 1 v, like a + sign. As far as pressure, I generally run between 9 - 14 psi On rear tire and maybe 11- 16 on the front, the lower side when muddy and wet, higher side on harder stuff.
I believe the rule of thumb is, and I could be wrong.You're flat landing.
I wouldn't worry about it unless the bike feels like its too soft through choppy terrain and the like.
Ryan Villipoto should be on high alert for you
I believe that your bike is supposed to bottom out on at least one jump on the track. So if that is the largest jump you have right now. You should be fine.