The stupid questions thread.

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
Me too :) 130/140mm.

Like you say, tyres make a huge difference to trail character and the difference between pushing a 2.5" Assegai around up front vs a 2.35" DHF is massive.
I have seen your soon to be bling Nicolai, very nice :)

Some of the videos I have watched lately, the blokes riding the short travel trail 29ers like the Spur, Ripley, Podium DC and the likes have Assegais, Minions, Big Bettys ect fitted.

I my case and opinion it kind of defeats the fast snappy feel they should have. Maybe Dissectors or Michelin Force XC/AM, something with a bit of grip but also with speed (yeah pick one).
 

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
:D:D:D:D:D

So much hope, so much delusion :p
Permanent if he breaks it, loan if its returned... he's already scored the top tube :rolleyes:

4500km and me and it have never spent time on the ground, wasn't a mark on it.

May be able to salvage XX1 11spd and XTR brakes, also got a very light ~1400g Nextie/Tune wheelset on there. Surely he cant smash it all :oops:
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
I have seen your soon to be bling Nicolai, very nice :)

Some of the videos I have watched lately, the blokes riding the short travel trail 29ers like the Spur, Ripley, Podium DC and the likes have Assegais, Minions, Big Bettys ect fitted.

I my case and opinion it kind of defeats the fast snappy feel they should have. Maybe Dissectors or Michelin Force XC/AM, something with a bit of grip but also with speed (yeah pick one).
I can understand the logic of running a more aggressive tyre on the front, as it's more likely to work well with the more progressive geometry if you want to ride the bike aggressively (though not necessarily on rougher trails). I reckon the rear tyre makes up about 75% of the rolling feel/acceleration of the bike, so if you have smoother but steep trails and can get away with a lighter rear tyre it can be a good efficient trail bike setup.
 

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
I can understand the logic of running a more aggressive tyre on the front, as it's more likely to work well with the more progressive geometry if you want to ride the bike aggressively (though not necessarily on rougher trails). I reckon the rear tyre makes up about 75% of the rolling feel/acceleration of the bike, so if you have smoother but steep trails and can get away with a lighter rear tyre it can be a good efficient trail bike setup.
I would purposely want it to be different, too many times I have overlapped bikes and one of them poked it head in front as a winner, the other collected dust, grew a little older then was sold.

Then again, as you have said, if it was an only bike I would definitely be looking for the grip of an aggressive tyre knowing it was only a tyre swap away from an XC race.
 

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
@ozzybmx - so a 160 mm sled for trail smashing and a hardtail for light duties with the 130/140 being a nice to have?
If I was to get a 120mm trail bike (I refuse to call it downcountry), that would be a 2 x MTB combo for me. 120mm trail-XC and the 140/160 Highlander.

I would keep the Nukkie HT as a spare bike as they are constantly breaking shit and use it, it also cost me $1000, not worth selling as its better that the non-covid tax price suggests ;)

I have a list of people waiting for it too.
 

leitch

Feelin' a bit rrranty
Then again, as you have said, if it was an only bike I would definitely be looking for the grip of an aggressive tyre knowing it was only a tyre swap away from an XC race.
This is kind of more where I was heading. Swap a big-treaded heavy tyre on for enduro race/shuttle days/whatever, back to a narrower version of a grippy trail tyre for general duty when liveliness/pedal friendliness is higher on the list than all-out grip. Obviously can do that on any bike but there's a threshold where the lighter tyre stops making sense on a big bike.
 

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
Led to one of the bigger stacks I've had because the Highlander disguises speed very well.
K'oat it does !

I went out on it yesterday, got a sprinkling of rain leaving roots and rocks with a wet covering, came down a trail in Belair NP called "Bullshit cliff" its as rocky and rooty as f%#k, wasn't trying to go hard, just enough to make me smile... that bike is the smoothest bike I have ever ridden and I will probably still be messing with the suspension settings in 6 months time as its like that with basic settings.

It tracked over those 45° roots as if they weren't even there and the rocks just disappeared. That was with me not able to drop the 180mm dropper all the way down and not able to pedal standing up (knee op recovery), its awesome.
 

HamboCairns

Thanks for all the bananas
I reckon the rear tyre makes up about 75% of the rolling feel/acceleration of the bike, so if you have smoother but steep trails and can get away with a lighter rear tyre it can be a good efficient trail bike setup.
I popped the DHF back on the front and kept the 2.4 Rekon on the back. I reckon that will be just right for me!

I can put the front Rekon back on for when it's dry as fuck.
 

moorey

call me Mia
@ozzybmx - so a 160 mm sled for trail smashing and a hardtail for light duties with the 130/140 being a nice to have?
This is my ethos.
My 140’s can do everything the 160’s does...just not quite as well.
The 160’s can do everything the 140’s do....just not quite as well.

If I had a tweener 150...say a new Tranny Scout....I would probably have both the best and worst of both worlds...
 

beeb

Dr. Beebenson, PhD HA, ST, Offset (hons)
This is my ethos.
My 140’s can do everything the 160’s does...just not quite as well.
The 160’s can do everything the 140’s do....just not quite as well.

If I had a tweener 150...say a new Tranny Scout....I would probably have both the best and worst of both worlds...
I look forward to when "if" becomes "when". :)
 

ozzybmx

taking a shit with my boobs out
This is my ethos.
My 140’s can do everything the 160’s does...just not quite as well.
The 160’s can do everything the 140’s do....just not quite as well.

If I had a tweener 150...say a new Tranny Scout....I would probably have both the best and worst of both worlds...
IMO that's why they have to be different beasts. Several times I have bought a bike to complete the set and the other bike it was meant to compliment got abandoned and sold.

I don't want to compromise tyre choice on the Highlander because I have to ride up and down trails with others on XC bikes.

The HT does about the same job as the Highlander, maybe a little faster climbing due to no rear suspension but its still 14-15kg and 150mm front with about a 65°HA.
 

moorey

call me Mia
IMO that's why they have to be different beasts. Several times I have bought a bike to complete the set and the other bike it was meant to compliment got abandoned and sold.

I don't want to compromise tyre choice on the Highlander because I have to ride up and down trails with others on XC bikes.

The HT does about the same job as the Highlander, maybe a little faster climbing due to no rear suspension but its still 14-15kg and 150mm front with about a 65°HA.
I don’t do HT’s any more.
More often than not, I do complete wheel swaps. My shed looks like Homer Simpson’s wardrobe unless you look closer at the tyres.
Tranny has daily wheelset with basic EXO TR minions for around Ballarat, wheelset with mish Wild Enduro’s for gravity and racing days, and a wheelset with DH casing minions for DH racing (no DH bike now).
Spitty is set up for same wheels/rotors etc and can bang any of those on to replace it’s wheels.
They all have cassettes and rotors ready to rock, it’s a 30 second swap. Fuck swapping out tyres, peasants.
 

Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member
This is my ethos.
My 140’s can do everything the 160’s does...just not quite as well.
The 160’s can do everything the 140’s do....just not quite as well.

If I had a tweener 150...say a new Tranny Scout....I would probably have both the best and worst of both worlds...
Based on the videos @Minlak has a 6" tranny would be rare.
 
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