Tyre recommendations

deelam

Retro Guru
Just a quickie - I have some Kona Scratch and Sniffs but the original forks leaked oil on the front tyre, this has kind of "aged" the rubber and although it's still flexible it's kinda crusty. Do you think they will be safe to ride on?

Also, what's a good summer tyre for dry single track and rocky surfaces - not concerned with it being retro particularly but if anyone has anything on offer.....?
 
I wouldnt personally use tyres that are perishing, the tread will rip off & potential carcus rips are pretty easy.
panaracer fire xc pros are good all rounders, i'm about to try the cinder as thats sposed to be pretty good as well.
 
Took the Trailrakers off my main bike earlier this year (they are good tyres in our Winter gloop) and fitted Continental Explorers that I've had in the garage for ages (they came on some wheels I bought). Found them to be pretty good in the dry conditions we've had thus far. I wasn't expecting much, just trying to save the Trailrakers but I've got to say I've been impressed. The depth of the tread is less than say a Survival (another of my faves) so there's less rolling resistance but the profile is good so I've been able to crank it over around the bendy bits. Like I say I'm impressed. Never bought them before as the tread pattern didn't look aggressive and grippy enough, how wrong I was!

:)
 
I'd shyed away from conti explorers etc due to the shallow tread depth (as in limited wear!) however blagged some earlier this year & even in ths stinking mud they're waay better than expected (rode them in the french alps a few wks back).
 
How about unused tyres from back in the day? Even if they've never been near a rim, is 10yr-old rubber going to have perished?
 
Tubular tyres for the road are often left to dry by pro team for a few months before they use them .
 
a few months yeh, but not 10years!
I still wouldnt personally BUY contis due to the limited life expectancy. cinders are looking a good choice as the tread is real deep.
 
scant":1c42cuv1 said:
a few months yeh, but not 10years!
I still wouldnt personally BUY contis due to the limited life expectancy. cinders are looking a good choice as the tread is real deep.


Yeah, I think I may be with you on that point scant.
 
Rode on a new pair of Panaracer Fire XC Pros at Newnham on Sunday - two rear punctures (pinch flats) within my first half hour :cry:

I can report that the very soft and flexible sidewalls (nice for changing tubes without levers) = very sensitive to air pressure. Once I had them down to 35lbs to save on more innertubes (and mental anguish), I was then getting some real tankslappers downhill!

Also rode on some 10 year old Specialized Ground Controls recently for the sheer retro hell - one hot and rocky downhill later I was down to the carcass and tube :shock:

Deduction - The fresher the rubber, the safer I'll be in future. Rertrorubber is for B.O.T.W photosessions only :cool: or as Confucius might have said, "old rubber works worse than old rider" :cool:
 
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