vs
Tires NANKANG or Maxxis
I have tried many tires. I ride desert southwest US, just about every trail is rocky, angular, chunky, loose stuff that can shred a tire. When it comes down to it- the maxxis tires hold traction longer than anything, and they last longer than anything else.
Pros: traction, long lasting
Another dhr could work. They roll super fast for their chunk.
Pros: roll super fast
I've had good luck with the Maxxis tires, I've had them on all three of our trailers without a failure.
Pros: no failures
I ride mixed terrain and a good all year tyre for me is the Assegai. With that said, I had DHF front and rear on my old bike and it was stuck to the ground like glue.
Pros: stuck to the ground
Very dusty here, prefer DHF over Assegai. Also prefer Dissector on rear, I find that combo rolls well and has heaps of traction in the dry.
Pros: heaps of traction
Cons: more rolling resistance
Assegai is very good but be aware it can be very cloggy with mud and needs speed to clear. From what you say of your riding it might not be a problem for you but wet clay especially on slower tech trails can pretty much just turn them into a slick.
Pros: pays back with grip
Cons: can be very cloggy
I don’t have enough experience on Spesh tires other than the Sworks Fasttrack/Renegade I bought last year on a similar sale. They weigh in at around 620g each in the 2.35 size, which is much lighter than my Rekon Race 2.4WT at 780g. Feels nice to lose that much rotational weight and the grip I found to be similar. Also similar efficiency. What I didn’t like was the flimsy sidewall. There’s a reason they are so light. Lots of tire squirm and feeling of folding over in turns unless I ran high PSI (+5PSI compared to the Rekon Race). This is on a 30mm IW rim. Also, I had to use my tire plug for the first time on the front tire (Fasttrack). I’ve gone back to a slow XC setup of Rekon/Rekon Race this year but with a race or two coming up I’m debating what to do. I’m intrigued by the Aspen/Rekon Race combo but Aspen’s weigh about the same as my Rekon Race.
Pros: similar efficiency, nice grip
Cons: flimsy sidewall, tire squirm
They are definitely not twice as good. I was riding a Rekon/Ardent race combo and replaced them with Fast Track/ Renegade while those were on sale and I don’t feel like I’ve had any drop in performance.
Pros: no drop in performance
Specialized control tyres and it’s not even close.
No it’s not worth the “premium” as they’re not more premium. The spesh tyres are specced on their £14000 bikes, they are also racing and winning world cups, cape epics, short track races, marathons for years with the rest of them. Spesh has led the way with a couple others with FEA and camps set up for surely testing their tyres with a refresh every few years. There is no “premium”. The stickers are fancier on the maxxis. But they’re heavier. Higher rolling resistance. Higher weight. No noticeable gain in traction to account for those either. Spesh offers sworks 120 tpi, softer and harder (T7 and T5 respectively) control tyres. All you’re choosing is 120 vs 60 tpi determining a less or more robust carcass.
A life long sworks 120 tpi snob. I went maxxis aspen and hated life. That’s a gravel tyre. Tore through the Vittoria barzo. Went ikon and they’re a great once was a race tyre now a recreational tyre— but been left for dead with rolling resistance, grip and weight by the competition. Rekon race won’t get a look in from the tyre tests and price and weight. Nah ta.
Pros: racing and winning world cups
Cons: heavier, higher resistance
Maxxis is a shit tire company. Their quality is atrocious pretty much post covid
Cons: atrocious quality, post covid
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