Bought a thing

"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
05/28/2020 at 18:14 • Filed to: None

Hoping this reduces my number of flats on the mountain bike. I’ve now gotten three flats while riding the same area. Some logic might tell me to avoid that area but it’s too much fun! Considering the sad state of the current tire, it’s unsurprising that this would happen.

Plus who doesn’t like upgrades anyways? I’ve gotta order one for the rear too but I’ll get around to that. I’ve not really ridden any trails loose enough to have a traction issue even with the current crap tires. I plan to order another DHF for the rear if I like this one.

Looking forward to a weekend of riding!

(taken yesterday on a hike to the area I'll go bike)

DISCUSSION (21)

BeaterGT > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/28/2020 at 18:18

Ooh, I still need to get me some of those.

benjrblant > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/28/2020 at 18:30

That tire is definitely due for replacement! Good choice on the DHF.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > benjrblant
05/28/2020 at 18:36

It was quite damn rabbit hole researching bike tires. But this was one of the most highly recommended tires that werent like $100 a piece. Plus I had a $20 dividend from REI so it made this even cheaper (I guess I spend too much there). I ride too much on roads and hard stuff I think but I guess this gives me an excuse to focus more on trails instead.

PowderHound > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/28/2020 at 18:45

I’ve been very happy with my maxxis ardents. Similar to these but I think the center nuns are a little smaller or rounded for less rolling resistance. I will say nothing about flats for fear of being jinxed

Nom De Plume > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/28/2020 at 18:47

Are you running 650b wheels on a 26" bike?

Ssfancyfresh > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/28/2020 at 18:58

I run a DHF on the front and it’s got a tremendous amount of grip in a lot of different terrain. I can’t comment on whether it will be more reliable than your current tire where you ride, but it’s yet to leave me stranded.

Recently, I accidentally aired it down to 9psi and survived. Made the adjustment mid-ride and didn’t have a gauge. Just felt squishy/firm enough. Survived just fine on rooty / rocky tech trails.

Anyway. Fine choice, happy trails!

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Ssfancyfresh
05/28/2020 at 19:02

I was getting pinch flats at 40+ PSI so anything is bound to be an improvment on flat protection. I am in debate of doing DHR or DHF on the rear, seems to be much debate on this. Or doing an entirely different tire.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > PowderHound
05/28/2020 at 19:03

Thats what my bike came with. I believe they are just incredibly worn to uselessness rather than being inherently bad.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Nom De Plume
05/28/2020 at 19:04

Its got 27.5" wheels on a 27.5 frame but I have no idea the specs otherwise, assuming they are just the original equipment to my Giant Talon 3. Its the XL frame size as well so it fits me rather well at 6ft.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/28/2020 at 19:06

The DHF is pretty much the tire by which other tires are measured. For flat protection and grip they can’t be beat. For rolling resistance there are better. Also set up tubless if you can.

facw > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/28/2020 at 19:08

Hope it works well! The rear tire on my “new” road bike is pretty squared off, and I’d rather avoid another wear-through blowout. Was going to pick up a new pair, but Amazon was selling the one that’s on there (Mavic Y ksion P ro P owerlink) for a suspiciously cheap price, so I figured I’d try that first, and set a camelcamelcamel alert for the tires I’d like which aren’t priced especially well right now.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/28/2020 at 19:11

650b = 27.5"

700c = 29"

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever
05/28/2020 at 19:13

I guess I could do tubeless but havent looked into it much. Seems to be all the rage nowadays at least. I was originally looking for a tire with better rolling resistance specifically but I gave up on trying to find a good compromise. Since the only reason I was buying was to reduce flats anyways. So I figured going with the easy standard good tire was a good choice for sure. I want to do some downhill lift served stuff later in the summer so I figured having a proper tire would help. Yeah I should just rent a DH demo bike for that but im not doing hard trails either way.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/28/2020 at 19:20

All you need for tubeless is to gorilla tape the rim, insert a valve stem, seat the tire and squirt about 4 oz of seala nt in there. That would last a season before you need to refresh the sealant.

Ssfancyfresh > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/28/2020 at 19:44

I had an A rdent in back. I’m now running a Bontrager XR2. Bit faster tire grippy enough for what I ride. It breaks away predictably.

I saw in another reply that you’re running tubes. It’s time to go tubeless. I resisted for a long time. Then I had a season of flats. One h appened during a race. Now, no more tubes. Lower pressures are king when max grip is a must.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > TheRealBicycleBuck
05/28/2020 at 19:48

I learned this with some quick Google-fu. But yeah its a bike frame meant for those wheels . I'd probably do well with a 29er but I didn't want to spend that kind of money.

functionoverfashion > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/28/2020 at 21:43

Clearly an excellent choice of tire. I’ve got Minion DHF front and DHR rear, and you see an awful lot of similar tire tracks on local trails. I also went tubeless and run pretty low PSI (20 is as high as I go) , and I never get flats, however, that’s always been true for me, so take that with a grain of salt. Still a really good tire.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/28/2020 at 21:46

I bought jet a 29er and occasionally wish I’d bought a 27.5. Just because it should be more nimble. For urban adventures, and trying to learn tricks a 29” XC is a terrible bike, but it eats up single track.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > functionoverfashion
05/28/2020 at 22:43

I think I plan to run the tube I have and as soon as I get a flat, I will switch to tubeless at that point rather than buying any more tubes.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
05/29/2020 at 11:43

The DHR will have slightly less rolling resistance than the DHF, and you can generally get away with running a less grippy / lower rolling resistance tire on the rear. I would talk to a local bike shop and see what they suggest for a rear tire in your area. Unless you’re doing almost exclusive shuttle or lift served downhill I would pick something with less rolling resistance than the DHF to put on the back of the bike though. The DHF will be great going downhill, but will suck the life out of your legs when pedaling uphill.

My setup is a DHR on the front and currently a Bontrager XR4(?) on the rear. The rear is whatever came on the bike until it wears out, then probably switch to something like the Maxxis Agg ressor. The bike came with XR4's front and rear and the front kept washing out on slippery corners. It’s a much happier bike with the more ag gressive front tire, but it’s still easy to pedal with the lower rolling resistance rear tire. The added bonus of grippy front and less grippy rear is the front sticks going around corners and if they’re slippery you get some dorifto action.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much
05/29/2020 at 19:27

Yeah definitely had some dorifto action today. There were some turns tight enough where it was a 180 switchback so it made more sense to just pull the rear brake and slide around it than try to somehow turn that tight. Countersteering a drift comes naturally to me although being on two wheels instead of four is a bit more unnerving.