Mountain bike tire recommendations?

[krisl6]

I've been riding on the road for serveral years now and recently got a mountain bike to mix things up a bit and use during the colder months. I usually ride trails that have a good bit of loose sand and dirt in spots and wonder if you gals have any recommendations on a good tire I could use? The ones the bike came with are pretty useless. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[crazycanuck]

What about Maxxis (can't remember the kind if have..will check)? They were recommended to me & use them with my tubeless tire setup. Seem to be fine n grippy!

RunningMommy & some of the racing chickas might have a better answer

[Becky]

I like Kenda Nevegals. 'Round here, we have a mix of dirt and sand, with lots of small roots and rocks. They're probably overkill if it's really dry and fast, but it's rarely super-dry here- always a little dampness. Time will tell how well they do when the ground is frozen

[SadieKate]

Tires are one of those things that are critical to the locality. I'd check around with the shops and local riders and ask what they like and why. And they may use different tires depending on the season.

[tzvia]

Loose sand? Loose sand with rocks, loose over hard, loose with roots; that's the stuff of all my rides out here in So Cal. In back, I like the WTB Weirwolf race 2.1. Enough bite to not spin in sand, but not a heavy slow tire like the Nevegal (which I have used). Up front, I prefer a wider tire to help float over the sand. Been using a WTB Wolverine 2.2 and find it a good performer. The Nevegal 2.1 up front wanders less in sand, but feels slow and heavy by comparison so it's a trade off. Next I plan to try the WTB Weirwolf race 2.3 up front. A bit heavier than the Wolverine and a bit wider than the rear tire. I had the Weirwolf 2.1 up front for a time, and it worked well for all but cornering, where it was a bit skittish. It is also narrower than the Nevegal (real width, not number on sidewall) so I am thinking that the 2.3 might do better. If only the Nevegal did not feel so heavy and slow... mine is gathering dust in the garage.

[sundial]

If it's primarily loose sand and not rocks and roots you might like the Kenda Small Block Eight or WTB Volpine.

If it's loose over packed with rocks and roots, take a look at WTB Velociraptor, Weirwolf and Kenda Nevegal.

[michaelcali34]

While most beads are steel, some tires use Kevlar cord instead. Using Kevlar ® for this purpose typically saves about 50 grams (2 ounces) per tire. Since Kevlar is much more flexible than steel, tires with Kevlar beads can be folded up compactly, which is convenient for touring or other applications where it may be advisable to carry a spare tire.

[nerdgirl]

I was using a Specialized Captain in the front and a Kenda Nevagal in the rear. It worked well for Mammoth last year, as well as Big Bear and all my local trails. Mammoth is loose and pumicey, Big Bear is a combo of perfect soil and loose & rutted out, and my local trails are a combo of things.

However, since I started riding more aggressively, I needed a fatter tire in the front. I now use an Intense 2.5 in the front (the fattest tire my rim can handle) and the Kenda Nevegal 2.1 in the rear. A fatter tire will give you more traction (great for berms!), but definitely slows you on the uphill and requires more effort.