ed 

https://kendausa.com/en/home/bicycle/...excavator.aspx

Sixty Fiver

Looks like it will shed dirt and mud really well... not that we ride when it is muddy.

Sixty Fiver

And how much is Kenda paying you to shill for them ?

Am working on a deal with Schwalbe myself.

ed 

They've been good to me...they don't pay me though

I'd buy Nev's and Excavators even if I wasn't on their Rider Support Program. They're both excellent. I've been riding Nev's since before I became their PIMP.

lubes17319

Crap!

I thought it was gonna say that they released the 29" x 2.55" Excavators.

Daspydyr 

Chel, make me a recommend if you would. The Scott I picked up has 1.9 SML BLK 8s. It keeps spinning out in gravel and climbing on anything but dry dirt or rock. The front tire is a 2.35 Karma and seems to hold everything. I need something better on the back. Would this next hold better? It almost has a paddle look to it which works pretty well in our dry gravelly crap.

lofnsjoke

is it just me, or does that tire look exactly like the high roller from maxxis?

ed 

I haven't tried them yet, but the Slant six looks pretty nice. Less rolling restance than the Nev, but chunkier than the SB8. My personal fav is Nev R / Excavator F. When I hit the dirt, I don't notice the resistance. I don't spend time on pavement.

So, a sure thing would be a Nevegal, but a good option would be the 6. You may try the Nexcavator too...Hmmm...

Daspydyr 

I gonna be the Lab Rat and order up a Nexcavator. I'm gonna go 2.1. I'm 220 pounds and wonder if that isn't part of the problem with the 1.9 SMLy8.

dminor 

+1. Excavators made me completely forget I'd lost my Maxxis support. I'm still dinking around with my 2.35 Nevegal folders - - they seem a bit squirmy but maybe I'm just too used to wire beads and burly DH casings.



Other than both have wide-spaced knobs, no. Looks to me like they are set up to be a better-braking pattern than the HR. I'll have to say, though, that they look like my new High Roller alternative . . . maybe the new 'Beacon tire.'

shiggy

You may have a long wait. The Nexcavator was not even talked about at this year's interbike, and Kenda is just starting to ship new tire models that were shown last year.

Daspydyr 

Yeah, I haven't found them anywhere. I may try that High Roller though. Kinda looks like an old Velocirapator.

shiggy

Not at all similar.

Dannihilator

Yeah, high rollers work better.

dminor 

High Rollers are the schizz . . . errr . . . well, they were. Now they're just another tire.

Dannihilator

Then how come I keep finding myself back on maxxis?(Using crossmarks ATM and am really liking them.)

Daspydyr 

OK, killer D's (Dannih and dminor) which do you recommend for gravelly single track? ATMs or HRs?

shiggy

I would put Excavators on both ends.

Maxxis Advatage would work well, too.

dminor 

Because you have that choice. Y'know, Dan, in thinking through this whole High Roller-alternative thing: my reservations about both the SB8s and the Slant Sixes for other than buff XC riding are the knobs are so small and closely-spaced; plus, the profile is pretty rounded - - no big-bite shoulders. Now, granted "Brian Lopes is a dick," but have you tried the El Moco? It strikes me (pattern-wise) as a more suitable replacement for the High Roller.

Maybe if nobody here has run them yet, I'll be the guinea pig


I wouldn't recommend the HR for those conditions. High Rollers shine on buff, packed decomposed granite base with maybe a dusting of loose DG over but the don't have enough bite when the surface gets as skittish as you describe. I think I would try the 2.1 Excavator DTC. Yeah, you're going to give up some in rolling resistance but you'll be thankful for the grip in the marbles. If you really are bothered by the rolling resistance, and you feel handy with a razor blade, you could do a bit of ramping to tha 'paddle' blocks in the center to ease that some.

shiggy

The El Moco is fine if you ride like Lopes. The "gap tooth" design (no transition tread blocks) makes it squirrely if you just progressively lean the tire into the corners or ride a lot of hardpack. It likes to be tossed straight from the center knobs to the edge blocks.

The Kenda tech blog has an article by Carter on how to groove the Excavator for different trail conditions.

Daspydyr 

I have a Kenda Karma on the front that has been a treat on a couple of loose gravelly corners. Its that back tire that perplexes me. I like a paddle in the middle for getting up gravelly hills. shiggy, thanks for the tech blog info, I'm gonna check that out.

shiggy

I am surprised the Karma is working in the gravel. I suspect if you put a grippier tire on the rear you will find the front tire to be moving around more.

Daspydyr 

The Karma is a 2.35 IMHO, there is enough space between knobs to grab the gravel and hang tight. It seems sticky enough to hold dry corners. The 1.9 SMLBK8 has been my main concern because it spins and slides around.

BlueSKy has the Advantage and HR on sale, along with some Nevegals.

https://www.blueskycycling.com/cat-tires-accessories/3/n

I thinking of going Maxxis, if I buy Kendas people might get the idea that I'm a dminor homey....

Dannihilator

I've never run the El Moco, but have friends that do use that particular tire and they said to cut the center tread down some.

shiggy

I will assume you mean 2.20 as there is no Karma 2.35.

I has used the big Karma and find it OK at best in chunky gravel.

I stand by my comment about keeping a reasonable front/rear grip balance. Most of the tires you have been considering would shift the grip to the rear.