@Wile_E: Reference tyres and tyre pressures? I cannot think of one reason for running tubes in 2020 other than a recent puncture on the trail and some weird oversight that means I don't have a tubeless capable spare tyre in my workshop (even a partially used one).
I felt that Ride Aligned was recommending pressures that were slightly too high or biased towards high speed jump type trails over technical traction.
I weigh 216 lbs (riding weight) and I run 22 psi front and 24 psi rear with a range of 3 psi on the front (so 20.5 -23.5 psi) and 4 psi on the rear (22 - 26 psi) depending on the terrain and season but I also never go to the park or choose a jump trail over a tech trail. Traction on roots, rocks, mixed soil and steep terrain at low and medium speeds is my set up priority.
But I also only run Continental Protection Apex model tyres as I find that they have more stick than MaxxGrip, roll as fast as MaxxSpeed and last longer than anything else I have ever run (that actually grips through its entire life cycle).
Usually I run Der Baron Projekt 29 x 2.4 front and rear if I want all round grip, speed and predictability and I run the Der Kaiser Projekt 29 x 2.4 on the rear in early spring and late autumn if I want more of a climbing edge bite on damp roots and rocks when the ground has more moisture in it and mud clearance is not an issue (The Der Baron Projekt clears mud better but gives up a bit in climbing traction due to the smaller centre knobs). If I was riding somewhere that was just dust or loose over hard pack I would use a Trail King 29 x 2.4 on the rear as a fast rolling tyre that has great side knob grip strength. I have also run Trail Kings front and rear and Der Kaiser Protection front and rear in dry loose terrain and in the bike park (which is all dust over rock).
Effectively I get a DD casing in toughness and wear at an EXO weight and without the Maxxis prices and SKU nightmare. Despite trying other tyres several times per year (on demo bikes as well as my own bikes) I always end up back on Continental.
Aug. 9, 2020, 4:48 p.m. - AndrewR
@Wile_E: Reference tyres and tyre pressures? I cannot think of one reason for running tubes in 2020 other than a recent puncture on the trail and some weird oversight that means I don't have a tubeless capable spare tyre in my workshop (even a partially used one). I felt that Ride Aligned was recommending pressures that were slightly too high or biased towards high speed jump type trails over technical traction. I weigh 216 lbs (riding weight) and I run 22 psi front and 24 psi rear with a range of 3 psi on the front (so 20.5 -23.5 psi) and 4 psi on the rear (22 - 26 psi) depending on the terrain and season but I also never go to the park or choose a jump trail over a tech trail. Traction on roots, rocks, mixed soil and steep terrain at low and medium speeds is my set up priority. But I also only run Continental Protection Apex model tyres as I find that they have more stick than MaxxGrip, roll as fast as MaxxSpeed and last longer than anything else I have ever run (that actually grips through its entire life cycle). Usually I run Der Baron Projekt 29 x 2.4 front and rear if I want all round grip, speed and predictability and I run the Der Kaiser Projekt 29 x 2.4 on the rear in early spring and late autumn if I want more of a climbing edge bite on damp roots and rocks when the ground has more moisture in it and mud clearance is not an issue (The Der Baron Projekt clears mud better but gives up a bit in climbing traction due to the smaller centre knobs). If I was riding somewhere that was just dust or loose over hard pack I would use a Trail King 29 x 2.4 on the rear as a fast rolling tyre that has great side knob grip strength. I have also run Trail Kings front and rear and Der Kaiser Protection front and rear in dry loose terrain and in the bike park (which is all dust over rock). Effectively I get a DD casing in toughness and wear at an EXO weight and without the Maxxis prices and SKU nightmare. Despite trying other tyres several times per year (on demo bikes as well as my own bikes) I always end up back on Continental.