While not an optimized setup, some fast xc tires will get you more than halfway to an xc rig. The weight of tires is generally given too much weight compared to rolling resistance. Going from a knobbier trail tire to xc can save between 10-30 watts depending on casing and tread, more if you run a tank of a tire like the assegai. Good xc tires don’t roll much slower than gravel tires, so get something fast with some tread like a mezcal and you can make a massive difference. You can run something with less tread for even more speed, it the mezcal is a pretty forgiving handling tire as far as xc tires go.
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Ya, I’m guessing that my maxxgrip assegai and DHR2 combo is a little slow 
Was thinking of switching to either 2.35/2.5 icons, or 2.35 ground controls or wicked wills. Our early season XC races tend to be pretty greasy.
What are y’alls experience with Race King ProTections? As I’m planning on some XCM and gravel races, I’m wanting to try them as they seem to test better for rolling resistance and are a fair bit lighter (around 60g/tire) than my Bonty XR2/XR3s.
Pretty sure the 2.4 Rekon is really a trail tire too. At least it used to only come in the 60 tpi casing (as far as I could tell) and was fairly portly. Not sure if that has changed.
My Rekon 2.4 is ~840g and 120tpi (exo/TR), but Maxxis tyres are portly in general. I am now running it exclusively as the front tyre (when running Maxxis tyres).
On looking at the Wicket Will and Vittoria Syerra, they are both more akin to the Rekon than the Forekaster.
Sometimes I wish Schwalbe would make proper 2.4" Racing Ray, Racing Ralph, and Nobby Nic. Nic and Ralph used to be a super reliable combo back in the day.
This looks really cool. 10-48t would be the perfect ratio for me I think.
Oh that’s not bad at all. When I last looked, they only had the 60 tpi Exo/TR and it was a claimed weight of ~900g.
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The claimed weight is 890g I think. I might be misremembering, it’s been on the bike for several months, I do remember being pleasantly surprised though.
Noticeably heavier than my Wolfpack Tyres though. Pretty keen to give them another go. No chance of getting them sorted for this weekend though.
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I used one as a rear tyre for a couple of years, which I bought it on the basis of the low rolling resistance when tested by bicyclerollingresistance.com.
I liked it, and qualitatively it felt fast, but the annoying thing with it was that it continuously wept clear fluid through the carcass (I use Stans fluid). None of the other tyres I’ve tried over the last 10-15 years have done that, or nowhere near to the same extent as those tyres did.
I’ve weighed a few all around the 820g mark (both 2.4 Exo/DC and 2.6 Exo/3C). More importantly, they roll well. I consider them a nice mix between XC and Trail.
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Grip leaves some to be desired, not necessarily as fast as numbers would suggest. I’ve had better luck with mezcals, and surprisingly, pirellis.
Yeah, I had the 2.6 Rekons on my old bike. I like them. I personally run 2.35 Ikons mostly now (I also have narrower rims on these wheels and 2.6 tires would be too wide), but the Rekons do roll well and are predictable, making for a good option with a little more bite.
Those beeps are very suggestive
Guesses in order:
- fork - rear shock (tune) - cornering grip
BC boy as well. I think the chisel is a mistake, you’ll hit the limitations on that bike pretty quickly on our terrain. Your money is better spend on a good wheelset, which will reduce weight and improve ride quality on trail and xc rides. Then you can just run race tires when necessary to rescue rolling resistance. That instinct might hold you back on the easier races, but anything with some harder trails you’ll be fully at home (for example, back 40 in whistler). My buddy came top 10 at the revy 50 on a megatower because he absolutely flew down the descents compared to the xc guys.
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Again from MTBR. Not sure where it’s from originally, presumably IG. I’d love to know more if it’s legitimately the (near) production version.
That STA looks excessively slack 
, but it may be that it’s a large mechanic leaning on a small person’s bike.
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That is HAWT!!! Super clean lines with great bottle clearance. Will be interesting to see the full hose routing, but does enter in the area of the upper HS bearing.
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Can’t see the shifter. Might be a Zirbel or blip
Actual softail rather than STR. I like it.
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Sure could be some suspension compression in play considering the mech on the saddle. Add in the fact that this is clearly one of those bikes with a distinct difference between Actual and Effective STA. These seem to be ok if you’re in the range of the intended rider height, but can end with a rearward bias for those with extra long post settings.
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