Rigid MTB tyre size..?

[faustus]

Just curious. This is mainly aimed at those who have rigid MTBs that are not +plus tires (2.8 upward?). I use my Unit X as a general purpose XC bike and run it 29x2.6 with mostly XC treads all year round, like Mezcal/Bonty XR2. As I ride mostly from my Berkshire door, then the riding isn't technical, but is undulating and nicely varied.

What do you use on your rigid bike?

Sometimes the compromise of cushion and grip is spot on, other times it can feel slow and a bit draggy. I'm contemplating going narrower tread and trying narrower rims (currently 30mm), how do others fair on comfort and speed and anything else, on their tyre (and maybe rim?) choice?

[voodoo_simon]

2.4 on a 30mm front and same but 19mm rear.

Used to be 2.3 on 19mm front and rear.

Bontrager XR3 front and rear

Short version is it’s a little more cushioned at the front but doesn’t seem to be any slower. All through feel rather than having data. Run them between 25-30 PSI. Comfortable enough but I run OURY grips rather than lock in grips and this seems to make the bigger difference to comfort

Riding wise, think more old school! Bit of road, but if duel track, some single track etc. Have done mountains on rigid and did do for many years but keep on hardtail for that now

[jobro]

Specialized Storm Control 29x 2.0

Niner Air9c mainly used as a winter bike. Would definitely use wider tyres if the bike was used more year round.

[Bearbonesnorm]

I shall be out tomorrow sporting 2.3 on some rims whose width I forget. It's not very long go that a 2.2 or such was about as big as most if us rode or could easily obtain. I'm not saying to a degree, bigger isn't in some ways better but I didn't die before, so am unlikely to now

[jameso]

2.4 Ardents for summer and loaded riding off-road, semi-slick 2.25ish XC race tyres for longer road/off road mixed rides, blockier 2.3 tyres like the older Purgatory for winter. 30mm rims. Riding is a real variety - southern XC, the Alps, Wales, etc. Happy with the all round performance though it does get a bit much when it's very rocky or the trails are steep and full of braking holes.

The tread change onto the XC race tyres adds a lot of speed and ime using big G-Ones on the same bike alongside C race tyres, in this 2.2 - 2.6 range it's mainly tread and casing that make a tyre roll fast, a smaller size makes less difference on smooth trails and is detrimental on rougher trails.

A 2.35 Mezcal F+R might be just the job, I wouldn't go for a narrower rim though personally. 30mm is ideal. Wide-ish rims are a great thing on an MTB and most tyres are meant for 25mm+ rims now anyway.

[johnnystorm]

This isn't based on experiences with my rigid bike as such but the sidewalls of my WTB "Tough" tyres are so stiff that with 18psi in them they still feel rock hard. I think the matter of rim and tyre width would pale in comparison where comfort matters!

[Dyffers]

2.2 Ikons. 25mm internal rims. Santa Cruz Highball CC with a carbon fork and Jones bars. I usually call it my "UK gravel bike" as it's much more suited to the mixed muddy conditions you get here than 40mm gravel tyres and drop bars IMO.

[Al]

I’ve got an embarrassingly huge tyre pile
For ‘normal’ 29er rigid I like ardent race 2.2 rear 2.35 (I think, maybe it’s 2.4?) as they’re nice and quick and you don’t fall off on the corners as much as ikons! Also used a 2.4/2.2 xr3 combo in wetter conditions which works very well.

I wouldn’t totally rule out fatter tyres if your after comfort - The purchase of a 29+ front wheel as an experiment turned out to be a gateway drug for me buying Andy’s stooge. That has had a 2.8 rekon on and it rolled surprisingly quickly. It was also noticeably more comfy than the same tyre in 2.6.

[whitestone]

Front - either a Bontrager XR3 2.25" on a 21mm wide rim or a Vittoria Mezcal 2.6" on a 35mm rim
Rear - Bontrager XR2 2.2"

The Mexcal is a surprisingly fast rolling tyre but it's really only for dry conditions, it's a bit of a handful in the wet and especially mud

[benp1]

I was running a 2.4" on the front of mine, usually a Maxxis HR2 or Ardent. Although I had 2.1" Nanos and they were great

But about a year ago I went for a plus wheel/tyre up front. I'd had it for a while and not got around to fitting it. It's a straight swap between both wheels but since putting it on I haven't switched back. It's running a 3" Knard on a Dually rim and it's made the bike even more comfortable

[faustus]

Thanks for the thoughts so far, all useful! I think i've been sticking to 2.6 front and rear partly out of laziness, but also because it suits the heft and feel of the unit - it's not a light frameset! I think i've been missing the speed and agility of narrower tyres, I have good memories of using 2.2-2.4 tyres rigid on an Inbred 29er and a V2 Scandal 29er. I have a rekon race 2.35 which I can try on the rear - though when I fitted it before the shape didn't seem quite right on the 30mm rim. I'm pretty committed to rigid 29er, as i've been riding them on and off for some years, and recently sold my old Reba fork which had been unused for some time.

Dyffers - interestingly my thoughts have been leading more towards a lighter XC bike with Jones bars as a more general purpose all terrain bike, more suited to what I want in terms of speed and covering all my local terrain. Good to know it works for you as your local riding used to me my local riding, and not dissimilar to where I live now - though that part of Dorset is more flinty!

[Scattamah]

RaceKing 2.2s with Shield Wall all year round here. Swore by Nanos, NineLines and Wolverines for years...all in the 2.0-2.25 range.

Greetz

S.

[FLV]

2.4 or 2.6 rear
2.6 or 3.0 front

For rigid bikes.

[fatbikephil]

More is always more. You then can claim "I ride rigid" bragging rights but it makes it a bit easier on our aged bodies.

[jameso]

More is always more. You then can claim "I ride rigid" bragging rights but it makes it a bit easier on our aged bodies.

I find going slower most of the time does the same thing and has other age-related compatibilities

[L2R24]

2.6 front, 2.35 rear (Mezcals). Have room for a plus tyre on the front and 2.6 rear so was going to try that for a bit of extra cush. But ending up finding a Cane Creek eSilk suspension seatpost on sale so think sorted for rear cush now! TBF, the 2.6/2.35 combo seems a pretty good balance of weight/rolling resistance/cushion

[Loki]

I am running 650x2.5 on my Bridgeclub, finding the 2.3-2.6 size pretty sweet, gives a nimble feel while still keeping some float.

[Alpinum]

Just curious. This is mainly aimed at those who have rigid MTBs that are not +plus tires (2.8 upward?). I use my Unit X as a general purpose XC bike and run it 29x2.6 with mostly XC treads all year round, like Mezcal/Bonty XR2. As I ride mostly from my Berkshire door, then the riding isn't technical, but is undulating and nicely varied.

What do you use on your rigid bike?

Sometimes the compromise of cushion and grip is spot on, other times it can feel slow and a bit draggy. I'm contemplating going narrower tread and trying narrower rims (currently 30mm), how do others fair on comfort and speed and anything else, on their tyre (and maybe rim?) choice?

Good context.
For what you describe above I guess I'm mostly on 2.6" Mezcals (no pun intended). Have been using them since they first came out and find it's a superb tyre. Everything about it.
Superb rolling, decent grip and anstonishingly well in corners, supple, good weight and last but not least, quite tear resistant sidewalls. My girlfriend and I have ridden across Iceland twice on Mezcals and despite some 1000 km of sharp lava rocks, not one cut.
For the messy/snowy time of year it's then 2.6" Forekaster rear and 3" Minion front, unless the snow is as deep as currently here abouts, then it's my other (rigid) bike with 26 x 4.8 Al Mighty
The Mezcals are quite some work riding ssp (which my rigid bike is) up loose and muddy stuff, due to skipping, so that and the frequent layer of snow are reasons I swap round about November and then back again in spring.

Have recently put some 2.6" Onza Purcupine on the short travel trail bike. More tech riding, deeper grounds. Only very limited riding with them so far, but might become my new winter tyre for the rigid bike too. Huge volume, fantastic grip, supple sidewalls, good weight for the intended use, likely with a lack of precision on rocky and dry surfaces, but ideal for muck/snow seasons. For this bike in summer I've been riding 2.6" Ikon (rear) and Forekaster (front), which too is a good combination, but I collect many punctures and cuts, especially on the rear. Perhaps I should use Mezcal on the rear instead...

Riding rigid I believe I get more benefits on 2.6" than 2.4". To me rolling resistance seems to be more about tread and compound, rather than volume.

So... mainly 29 x 2.6"