Mountain Bike Kenda Tyres
Mountain Bike Tire Recommendations?
I’ve been riding on Kenda Blue Groove dual compound tires, front and rear, and have been happy with them, though it seems that they wore out pretty quickly. The conditions here in Southern Taiwan are mostly dry or hardpack with a lot of paved sections.
In the past I’ve favored Continentals for their high quality and durability. I had some Continental dual fighters that wore like iron and never flatted in 4 years of use. I’m currently considering the new Conti Race King as a replacement. Does anyone have any experience with these?
Lastly, buying tires in Taiwan is difficult because of extremely limited selection. I’d have to shop overseas if I wanted to buy either a Double fighter or Race King… could you recommend a retailer with cheap overseas shipping?
I really like the Velociraptor (or the Mutano Raptor) as a front tire, but for how you describe your riding conditions, I wouldn’t recommend it. The knobs are a bit aggressive and do better in softer soils/sand….and they wander on pavement. They are pretty durable tires, though.
You might consider the Maxxis Holy Rollers….enough tread to handle most trails pretty darn well, but they’re smooth enough to roll beautifully on pavement. If you have loose stuff on top of the hardpack trails, they may drift a bit in fast corners but they’re predictable. They do not do well in sticky mud, but in normal conditions they’re very good and climb pretty well, too. The Kenda K-Rad and DMR Moto RT are very similar tires.
If you want more of a knobby tire, I’d probably steer you towards a low-knob design like the Kenda Small Block 8, Maxxis Ignitor, WTB Nanoraptor, WTB Weirwolf LT (low tread, not the normal one), or even something like the WTB Vulpine and Kenda Short Track if you want a slick-ish tire with cornering knobs.
If you liked your Blue Grooves, you might like the Nevegal better….both of them will wear out on pavement a little sooner, but most tires will do that, especially knobby ones. Kenda has the dual-tread compound that will last a bit longer, too, so if you have the Stick-E version you can plan on them wearing out pretty fast.
I don’t know about retailers in your part of the world, but http://www.chainreactioncycles.com in the UK is great with international shipping and they have great prices, too. I’m in the US but order from them on a fairly regular basis.
Hope this helps you out….lots of tires to choose from, just remember that most do a pretty decent job and as the seasons go by you can try out different models when you have to buy new ones. It’s fun. 
)
Sea Otter Classic 2010: KENDA
|
|
Kenda Scorpion ATV Tire 22×10-8 ARCTIC CAT BOMBARDIER CAN-AM CANNONDALE E-TON HONDA KASEA KAWASAKI KTM POLARIS SUZUKI YAMAHA $60.99 Provides versatility for a mix of terrains and applications. Ideal choice for riders seeking knobby performance at a low price. Light weight easy rolling tread design. Please note: Tire sizes vary by machine please check your current tire and wheel size before ordering. Fits: ARCTIC CAT 150 2009-2012 ARCTIC CAT 300 2×4 2010 ARCTIC CAT 300 2×4 2012 ARCTIC CAT DVX 250 2006-2008 ARCTIC CAT DVX 300 20… |
|
|
Sunlite Bicycle Tube 26 x 1.90 – 2.125 SCHRADER Valve $2.08 TUBES SUNLT 26×1.90×2.35 SV… |
|
|
Kenda K838 Slick Wire Bead Bicycle Tire, Blackwall, 26-Inch x 1.95-Inch $14.99 Patterned after motorcycle tires, the Kenda K838 Slick Wire Bead Bicycle tires offer increased speed and reduced rolling resistance for MTB and hybrid bikes–without sacrificing traction. Unlike a typical MTB knobby tire, the K838 Slick provides a smooth and consistent rolling surface that allows the tire to gain and maintain speed on paved and hard packed surfaces. Meanwhile the tire’s wider, 1.9… |
|
|
Slime Smart Tube Schrader Valve Bicycle Tube (26 x 1.75-2.125) $3.99 Slime tubes.Factory-filled with a precise volume of Slime Tube SealantSeals punctures up to 1/8″ (3mm)Environmentally safe, non-toxic, non-hazardous and water solubleItem SpecificationsWeight320gValveSchraderISO Diameter559 / 26″ mtnISO Width44,50,51,52,53,48,49,45,47,46,54mmLabeled Size26 x 1.75-2.125″Valve LengthSchraderTube CompoundButylValve CoreRemovableValve ShaftSmooth… |
