Tyre choice for husky, Ron, Ralfh or Crossmax

[milux]

Trying to work out tyres for Husky, i run a Larsen TT on the back, but was thinking of Schwalbe rocket ron, raceing ralph or the ever trust crossmax on the front. Haveing not used Ron or Ralph before they are an unknown, and i normall ride over rocky mainly shaly terrain that destroy sidewalls.
What are the tracks like? Puncture risk? Any other Ideas?

 

[gixer7]

I'd choose Ralph. If you are running (UST) tubeless I'd reckon punctures would not be much concern. Tubes would be a different story although probably no worse than any other 100km race.

Some parts of the track can be a bit sandy and Crossmark is not at it's best in that. Ron would be good I think but I have not used it myself yet.

 

[Antsonline]

Given the wet, and having seen some of the tyres chosen for Cap Punishment, I would take into consideration tyhe spacing of the blocks on the tyre - allowing them to shed easily.
Ralph would clog badly, as would Crossmark (although I can never imagine a scenario where a Crossmark is chosen over a Ralph other than impending bankrupcy).
Ron would be the go, or a Kenda Karma, or even a Nic if you can find them.

This advice assumes it will be wet. The mud is like clay, so once it gets a hold of your tyre, unless it clears easily will be come a slick..

 

[milux]

I've got a nic and ron i ordered for a mate, he's been slack and not picked them up yet both 2.1 ust's. I'm doing an order to replace capital punished drivetrain and i've found that the crossmax are great in wagga where it is not allowed to rain, but are challenging in the rain (white knuckled fun).
So was getting a ron and ralfh for me, will be testing the ron out today up front. How does Ron up front and Ralph out back combine?

 

[pinkbike]

Ron would be the go, or a Kenda Karma, or even a Nic if you can find them.

This advice assumes it will be wet. The mud is like clay, so once it gets a hold of your tyre, unless it clears easily will be come a slick..

I ran a knobby nic on the front at capital punishment - was awesome... just a pity about the small block 8 on the back - oopps

 

[nayto]

Agreed at CP i ran a nic front, and ralph back @ 28psi front 30psi back and had plenty of traction. Schwalbe are my favourite tyres by far now.

 

[Greg882]

i use Small Block 8 rear and Larsen TT front
I am fairly light so the block 8 works ok

Fast in the dry but sideways in the wet

 

[RED_RACER]

I ran a knobby nic on the front at capital punishment - was awesome... just a pity about the small block 8 on the back - oopps

I ran Race Kings front and back, they seemed pretty quick through the mud, I guess they are a little more sparse than the small block 8 so shed the mud quicker?

 

[nzhumpy]

+1 on the Nobby Nics, I ran them front and back on the CP and they shed the mud really well, the only time they looked like really clogging up was in Majura, but everyone around me was having the same issues with falling of the trail.

 

[Jackstack]

If it's wet in nowra won't matter what tyre your running that stuff on the fire trails down there sticks like s@#t to a blanky. Maybe take a scraper in your back pocket!!

 

[Gone Riding]

Ron upfront and Ralph outback!

I've got a nic and ron i ordered for a mate, he's been slack and not picked them up yet both 2.1 ust's. I'm doing an order to replace capital punished drivetrain and i've found that the crossmax are great in wagga where it is not allowed to rain, but are challenging in the rain (white knuckled fun).
So was getting a ron and ralfh for me, will be testing the ron out today up front. How does Ron up front and Ralph out back combine?

Exactly what I was going to suggest as a good option, I know nothing of the Husky trail but I've been running Rocket Ron 2.25 UST up front and Racing Ralph 2.25 UST on rear as my race tyres since mid-last year... Forrest 6 Hour (wet), Otway Odyssey (dry), Mont 24, and Dirty Weekend 6 hour and this combo has been bullet proof, fast rolling and great grip all-round so far. It would have to be real wet for me to change from this combo at the moment. If guaranteed dry and hard, then maybe Ralph both ends would be better...

 

[gixer7]

I ran Race Kings front and back, they seemed pretty quick through the mud, I guess they are a little more sparse than the small block 8 so shed the mud quicker?

I had a Race King on the rear for the Sydney 24 this year and I expected it to be pretty average in the mud. Could not have been more wrong. Not sure how they work but they do and that's good enough for me.

 

[Gone Riding]

Was it a 2.2 UST Race King Gixer? I have one on the back of mine for everyday use at the moment and it ripped up a steep gravelly climb that can be hard to get traction on at the best of times - I was well surprised - has not had much use in the mud yet though. Also got a 2.2 UST Mountain King on the front and that has the smallest bag for a 2.2 that I've ever seen...

 

[Newton]

If it's wet in nowra won't matter what tyre your running that stuff on the fire trails down there sticks like s@#t to a blanky. Maybe take a scraper in your back pocket!!

+1 that, the clay base will build up quickly, if it's wet, pack a plastic scraper & some rags, you'll be doing some mud removal to prevent you drive train from not shifting ...

 

[gixer7]

Was it a 2.2 UST Race King Gixer? I have one on the back of mine for everyday use at the moment and it ripped up a steep gravelly climb that can be hard to get traction on at the best of times - I was well surprised - has not had much use in the mud yet though. Also got a 2.2 UST Mountain King on the front and that has the smallest bag for a 2.2 that I've ever seen...

Yes 2.2 UST RK.

I tried the 2.0 first back in July and that was a mistake. I would not have thought it would make much of a difference but the 2.0 had so little traction in mud (or anywhere else really) I put my neck out from the front washing out so many times.

But the 2.2 I could get out of the saddle up some muddy climbs and not lose traction - was well impressed with it. If only it were as light as the Racing Ralph!!

One caveat is make sure you get the tread direction right - I mounted it back to front the first time and could barely stay upright on the bike - my mates thought it was hilarious however!

 

[milux]

Thanks everone, took the Ron out today and was impressed with the grip up front. That said we had rain last week and the larsen on the back took a lot of the fun out of some muddy short climbs, half way up and just spinning.
So looking at the replies I'm going a ralph out back and ron up front. Now how do i get the FAT F*#K in the middle to go faster??? Are electric hubs and batteries allowed in 100k races??

 

[throwback]

I ran Ignitor front and Crossmark rear at CP and it worked pretty well. Back end was a bit loose but I don't mind a bit of movement at the back as long as the front has got bite. I'd rather have something fast rolling on the rear. I have also run Nic front and Crossmark Rear which I like as well.

For a full medium to muddy set up the nic / nic set up is great traction. Probably not quite as fast on the flats but depends what you prefer

 

[pinkbike]

I ran Race Kings front and back, they seemed pretty quick through the mud, I guess they are a little more sparse than the small block 8 so shed the mud quicker?

The small Block 8 was actually a little odd - I didn't seem to loose forward traction with it (except is parts of majura where everyone had issues) but at the same time it was slipping and sliding all over the place through Kowan which lead the guy behind me to ask how I was still even upright.
Clogged up good and proper in Majura tho - it felt like that last 5km or so of single track took hours.
The Nic didn't slide except in the worst bits of Majura.