Bike Tires for the Playa

lithiium · Post by **lithiium** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 6:04 pm

What type work best? Any advice?

Token · Post by **Token** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 7:23 pm

Big Fatties for this year. Lot of reports of deep silt and playa serpents.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Wed Aug 22, 2007 8:50 pm

Fat smooth tires. Knobbies don't help.

misfit · Post by **misfit** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 8:47 am

>>>>Knobbies don't help.<<<<

huh.?. sure they do. especially on loose playa.

.. 2.125 size tires are best.

Jp · Post by Jp » Thu Aug 23, 2007 10:16 am

so i'm curious bob about your suggestion for slicks. I think i can see both sides and i had previously been thinking of switching out my slick cruiser tires for a pair of knobby mtn bike tires but now i'm not sure. So if you're driving in playa dunes, knobbies are gonna grip more and maybe get you out, but if you're really in deep dust you're still gonna be screwed, and otherwise it seems like knobbies might just tend to rip up the playa and throw chunks everywhere and get gunked up whereas slicks would tend to skim the surface? is that your thinking?

thanks
Jp

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 11:02 am

Not slicks. Road/touring tires work best IMO. Way too much friction w/ knobbies, they dig in too much.

Trixy · Post by **Trixy** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 11:17 am

playa dunes? throw playa chunks everywhere?

I'm not sure what kind of playa you have been on, but the last 5 years I've been there the playa is almost like concrete. I know it's supposed to be extra dusty this year, but I've never seen a real playa dune. There is the occasional spot where dust has collected on the back side of some object, but then you aren't riding over said objects.

On the open playa, where most riding happens, there's nothing to stop the dust blowing, and thus the surface stay's compacted and hard. I feel that wide tires are best, as some streets do start to break down later in the week and get a little loose, but I've never need nobbies to get thru.

And I don't think most people apply enough pressure when peddeling to "throw up chunks" as might happen with a motorcycle during a peel-out. Yes, I said "throw up chunks", which I haven't done at BM and plan to keep it that way :)

So take either tire, as long as it's wide. I really don't see any difference of either knobby or smooth, I've used both and didn't notice any difference.

Most importantly, bring your best attitude, and an extra bottle of booze to gift to your favorite bar.

Jp · Post by Jp » Thu Aug 23, 2007 12:09 pm

well trixie, i've seen the playa surface the last seven years and have seen everything from pretty deep playa sand dunes to hard concrete to flakey crusty top so that would be the playa i'm talking about, if you wanna be snarky.

that said i haven't really experimented with too many types of tires out there to see which have the ultimate performance, usually end up with a mid-range
cruiser tire so i was curious what bob, a veteran of many more years than i, thought about tires.

Jp

Jp · Post by Jp » Thu Aug 23, 2007 12:10 pm

oh and thanks bob for your input, that's helpful

Trixy · Post by **Trixy** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 2:41 pm

sorry JP, not trying to be snarky (but I guess I was), just putting in my 2 cents worth (well, maybe 1.5 cents worth)

Jp · Post by Jp » Thu Aug 23, 2007 2:49 pm

no problem trixiy, everyone's got their own idea of what works and doesn't
and their own perspective on the condition of the playa.

funny how playa condition is the most obsessive topic of discussion, even
though it really doesn't change much, aside from '01 i think it was, that
was a crappy year for riding bikes always kinda haunts me i guess and
conditions my thoughts about bikes.

Jp

Dork · Post by **Dork** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 3:01 pm

Yup - when they talk about dunes and thick dust, they're talking an inch or so. The only real hassles are when the playa is really wet or when it was wet and someone drove through it causing a rut. Hint - if it's raining hard or a water truck just passed by, don't drive or ride your bike until it dries out. It will happen quick enough.

Cruiser tires are great. Mountain bike knobbies work fine. Skinny road bikes may be hard to maneuver in spots, but overall it should still be easier than walking.

Hoolie · Post by **Hoolie** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 10:44 pm

Bob wrote:Not slicks. Road/touring tires work best IMO. Way too much friction w/ knobbies, they dig in too much.

I agree. I used knobbies one year. I didn't like the ride and I felt like I had to pedal harder to move along. I switched them out the next year for some tires with tread very similar to this:

http://www.specialized.com/media/equip/ ... illo_d.jpg

Much better for the playa, IMO.

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Thu Aug 23, 2007 11:01 pm

I was out there two weekends ago, riding a bike in fact. Sugar crust over dust.

Knobbies were made for going downhill on gravel. Easiest ride I've had on the playa was on a 60's large-frame Peugeot w/ 1-3/8" touring tires pumped to about 50-60lb.

lithiium · Post by **lithiium** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:16 am

Hoolie wrote:
Bob wrote:Not slicks. Road/touring tires work best IMO. Way too much friction w/ knobbies, they dig in too much.
I agree. I used knobbies one year. I didn't like the ride and I felt like I had to pedal harder to move along. I switched them out the next year for some tires with tread very similar to this:

http://www.specialized.com/media/equip/ ... illo_d.jpg

Much better for the playa, IMO.

Thanks, this is what i needed. yay for not having to buy tires.

Hoolie · Post by **Hoolie** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 11:57 am

Bob wrote:I was out there two weekends ago, riding a bike in fact. Sugar crust over dust.

Knobbies were made for going downhill on gravel. Easiest ride I've had on the playa was on a 60's large-frame Peugeot w/ 1-3/8" touring tires pumped to about 50-60lb.

Knobbies are important for going uphill on dirt too since the high torque involved in hill climbing will cause smoother tires to spin out underneath you. But as you and I both know, there are no hills on the playa.

Good call on the tire pressure too. If the pressure is to high, it can get squirrelly in the loose dirt, too low and you're flirting with a pinch flat.

Hoolie · Post by **Hoolie** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:03 pm

lithiium wrote:
Hoolie wrote:
Bob wrote:Not slicks. Road/touring tires work best IMO. Way too much friction w/ knobbies, they dig in too much.
I agree. I used knobbies one year. I didn't like the ride and I felt like I had to pedal harder to move along. I switched them out the next year for some tires with tread very similar to this:

http://www.specialized.com/media/equip/ ... illo_d.jpg

Much better for the playa, IMO.
Thanks, this is what i needed. yay for not having to buy tires.

Cool. See you out there.

blyslv · Post by **blyslv** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:04 pm

Hoolie wrote: But as you and I both know, there are no hills on the playa.

well fuck that noise, I'm staying home this year!

Bob · Post by **Bob** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:07 pm

OTOH there're so many dunes on the event site you might want knobbies & full padding.

Hoolie · Post by **Hoolie** » Fri Aug 24, 2007 12:10 pm

blyslv wrote:
Hoolie wrote: But as you and I both know, there are no hills on the playa.

well fuck that noise, I'm staying home this year!

Just ride directly into a 50mph wind, and it will feel like you're climbing a hill.

Bike Tires for the Playa

Bike Tires for the Playa

slick vs. knobbies?

surfaces i've seen