The Tyre / tire question

[BENDYCAT ELEVENTEEN]

At this moment i have got the bike from Jim yet, so i haven't actually seen the tires yet - but i do know they are Demolition Momentum in all black

this is only just a "what if " thought

tan walls - what's out there and what looks good -  what to avoid



another part is size - now i'm used to running the fat/skinny on the os and about 2004 i had a complete FIT with hookworms 1.95's

so whats the norm now - i know it's fat - but what pressures are running in both now ?

answers please and you can add pictures - graphs or even draw it in crayons 


cheers B 

[TwoBobRob]

You can get Fit FAFs in a tan wall and they do look good if you like that sort of thing.

Most common sizing seems to be a 2.3 up front and a 2.1 out back. Some people prefer to run the 2.25 up front but that particular tyre has a much chunkier tread pattern compared to t'others.

As for pressures, I've personally always ran high pressures, along with nice tight spokes. 120psi for me.

I know some people run pressures as low as 70, but I'm a fat knacker and FAFs feel positively flat to me at that pressure. Made worse in my opinion by the sidewall design - they need pumping up to perform properly.

[BENDYCAT ELEVENTEEN]

- they need pumping up to perform properly - just like woman 

FAF's seem to be one of the names you hear the most

and i guess there is not point in looking at kevlar one's ?

so are the new tires like car tires - some side walls can fell flexy and give a false feel or is that not a prob ?

[fugazi]

Have a ride on those Demolition tyres You've got on there now & see what You think to them, if You like them get the tan wall versions. I've used the 20x2.0 & thought they're really good 

[kev-s]

primo now do tan walls too so take a look at them, im currently running fit faf tan walls after running khe mac2's and tbh i rate the khe's better than the fit faf's, the khe's didnt wear as fast and felt a more solid tyre to me

as for pressures best bet is to have a play around and find what suits you for the type of riding u will be doing, i.e if you ride vert u will prob want 100+ psi but if u ride dirt/street where u will have big drops etc.. then u may want to run 70-80 psi

as for sizes remember to check your frames clearence before u go ordering a 2.3 as some frames wont take em, personally i run a 2.1 up front and out back, never really saw what difference running different sizes made to a park bike

[Dannywhac]

Just to add my 2p's worth - folding tyres (for me) wear quicker and I've had more punctures with em (note to self - avoid broken beers bottles) although if you go for the rotational weight hoo-haa they are a lighter tyre, Kevlar = too much money for what they are.

I run at the mo an Oddy Aitken 2.125 rear and an Oddy Plyte 2.25 front as I enjoy a bit of dirt (even though it's more mud at the mo) to 90psi. Park time I change to a smoother tread rear as it's like being on a bone shaker with a chunkier tread tyre, and up the PSI to around a ton.

I'd run the Demolition's till they're as smooth as Telly Savalas's head, as then you'll have a better idea of size/psi/tread etc, then swap em out for something you know you'll want rather than gentlemans relishing a wedge on new tyres you might not like as tyres now are fookin expensive (mourns the good old 90's when they were sub £20).

[TwoBobRob]

Bendy - all good advice you're getting here.

And yeah, you're right about the sidewalls, that's exactly what it is.

Most people have forgone the folding kevlar tyres for this reason. They are a little flimsy in the real world and any sort of street riding seems to kill em.

[SaMAlex]

I run a Kevlar Revenge "Fatty" 2.1 on the front, Kevlar FAF 2.1 on the rear.

I always run tires at 69psi, just for the comedy value (Thanks for that one Laz  )

[BENDYCAT ELEVENTEEN]

Your right guys - all good advice - and it's the kinda thing i need to hear, as i not going to go out and pretend to know it all - like any thing you got to learn and from the bottom up

haven driven cars with bad tires and the side walls change the handling for the worse, i did wonder and what it would do to a bike

and having ridden a skateboard since '86 i like control and understand that the slights difference can make a change to how the board feels and what you get back

information is there for every one - get enough and you build up a picture - then you can use what you need 

cheers all B 

[Betty]

Bear in mind some forks (and frames for that matter) don't have enough room for those tractor sized 2.3 size tyres, if your wheels even slightly out of true or the tyre isn't sat on the rim straight it'll be rubbing... 

Stick with 2.1's... 

[BENDYCAT ELEVENTEEN]

any idea on what size these look ?

[TwoBobRob]

2.1 would be a fair shout.

[Clean]

Exposure Chas and Daves! 

[Jaymz]

Exposure Chas and Daves! 

my fave fat thin combo, and superb value for money

[JT71]

leave the tyres on it and ride it. tan wall for old school!

[BENDYCAT ELEVENTEEN]

just had a look now i have it my hands (in bits)

Rear 2.20
Front 2.35