The best tires for sand?
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Question about tires in loose sand.
In really loose sand/gravel, would I be better off with a 1.95" tire with a knobby tread
or a 2.35" tire with a smoother tread?
Something else I was curious about... the area where I ride has tons of goatheads and cholla, so to combat these I cut the sidewalls off of some old wallyworld tires and used them as inserts. Because the tread on the tire liner adds a quarter inch of space between the inner tube and the goathead or jumping cactus piece that got stuck in the actual tire, I usually don't get flats. A side effect of this is the tire, when inflated properly, has more surface area and RR, which sucked for commuting on asphalt, but is kinda nice for loose dirt. Is there any cheaper/easier way to avoid flats?
or a 2.35" tire with a smoother tread?
Something else I was curious about... the area where I ride has tons of goatheads and cholla, so to combat these I cut the sidewalls off of some old wallyworld tires and used them as inserts. Because the tread on the tire liner adds a quarter inch of space between the inner tube and the goathead or jumping cactus piece that got stuck in the actual tire, I usually don't get flats. A side effect of this is the tire, when inflated properly, has more surface area and RR, which sucked for commuting on asphalt, but is kinda nice for loose dirt. Is there any cheaper/easier way to avoid flats?
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It seems like the smooth tread does better. I am riding sand now and I keep my semislicks on vs my knoby tires.
I guess the knobs dig in and move or shift the sand and thus your digging into the and while the smooth tires just push down on it and roll over.
I can sort of relate to this when I was in the Marines in 29 Palms CA we did runs out in the desert of pure sand and as your foot sank into the sand it would just sap the energy out of you and you would hardly move... A Hill? forget about it the sand came down nearly as fast as you go up so you almost stay in place. Now if you could step ontop of the sand instead of INTO the sand you could move faster and use less energy.
Does that make sence?
But for a beach (esp where the water has packed down the sand some) I think your stock setup will do you just fine.
I guess the knobs dig in and move or shift the sand and thus your digging into the and while the smooth tires just push down on it and roll over.
I can sort of relate to this when I was in the Marines in 29 Palms CA we did runs out in the desert of pure sand and as your foot sank into the sand it would just sap the energy out of you and you would hardly move... A Hill? forget about it the sand came down nearly as fast as you go up so you almost stay in place. Now if you could step ontop of the sand instead of INTO the sand you could move faster and use less energy.
Does that make sence?
But for a beach (esp where the water has packed down the sand some) I think your stock setup will do you just fine.
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Huh, talk about small world, I'm in Yucca Valley and have tried to ride some of the atv trails by dropping the pressure on my knobbies... but it's still really hard (impossible in the wash), but now that you mention it, having lots of surface area while not digging in would probably be the best.
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Sand has nothing holding it together, so unlike dirt where your knobs can dig in and push you all they will do on sand is dig in and push the sand.
Wider is better more surface area.
Reguardless of knobies or slicks as long as your knobs are sinking completly in your using the same amount of surface area so you should ge the same amount of support, I think the knobs might just take more energy away from you tho. In reality they probably perform very similar and the only real remedy is very wide tires and maybe a diffrent cycling technique (try to put your weight even on both wheels I think would be best)
give it a shot and come back with your findings.
Wider is better more surface area.
Reguardless of knobies or slicks as long as your knobs are sinking completly in your using the same amount of surface area so you should ge the same amount of support, I think the knobs might just take more energy away from you tho. In reality they probably perform very similar and the only real remedy is very wide tires and maybe a diffrent cycling technique (try to put your weight even on both wheels I think would be best)
give it a shot and come back with your findings.
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I had a weirwolf on my rear. Switched it out for a 2.3" panaracer fireXC, MUCH better. Now I just have to swap the front for something larger, so I can descend in the sand too.
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I went riding today with the 2.35" tire on the rear, and a 1.85" tire on the front and I was able to go through everything no problem, no more getting stuck in loose sand. Of course we just had showers yesterday, so that probably played a part, but I still thing that on completely dry sand I'd do just as well because the bike didn't have nearly as many problems with stability. The tread on both is on the knobby/large side, and they seem to work well.
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i've found that Mitsubishi Heats work best in the sand around here (very similar to a DH tread design)...1.95 rear, 2.1 front...i like a wider front as it "floats" on the sand and gives you better stability and steering control...a skinny rear works best for peddaling