Originally Posted by
mandrake
What about on a mtn. bike with knobbies? I have some tires where reversing the tread pattern look like it would decrease traction and not ride as well on smooth surfaces and maybe wear out prematurely. I always go with the direction stated on all tires. There is no apparent reason not to.
IIRC, the Tioga "Farmer John" was the first directional-tread mtb tire, followed closely by the Panaracer "Smoke" and "Dart", and the WTB "Velociraptor" (the best mtb tire of all time, IMO).
SP
Bend, OR