I've ran Vittoria mezcals for two seasons now. Never an issue what so ever. East Tennessee is both rocky and rooty. I've ran them as low as 12psi. I weigh 137lb. Am an intermediate rider. I also run schwalbe nobby Nic's when things get muddy and nasty. Great tire for grip but slower rolling that the mezcals. I've used the ardents before as well. Not much tolerance in cornering. They would grip to a certain point and then go away very quickly with very little warning. Hope this helps someone out. 👍
Always loved the Ikon. That tire has more grip than it looks. Just tried the Barzo 2.35. Great for the front. Together these two are a great combo if one is not against mixing brands.
I know I’m in the minority here but I really like the specialized tires. I’ve had horrible experience with maxxis trail tires. The prices are high as well. I’m determined to run anything but a maxxis so any reviews of vittoria, specialized, schwalbe, continental, kenda, etc is appreciated. The Kendra’s that came on the intense Costco XC bike are pretty cool and durable so far.
i love my vittoria barzos. i'm a very aggressive xc rider, i ride new england (lots of rocks and roots) and i've only gotten 1 puncture in the year i've been running this set, and that was through the tread and fixed my sealant.
In the dry western mountains, Vittoria Mezcals are incredible... fast, smooth, and grippy. They are absolutely my go-to race tire for short to ultra endurance races.
@@danielchrabolowsky2859- well, I didn't say dessert sand so I have no idea what your point is. Most tires are a nightmare if they get a sidewall tear.
Attention FL riders the difference is Amazing. I live in FL and just replaced my Stump Jumper tires to Maxxis tubeless XC racing tires. Last weekend I was able ride and increase my mileage by 30% from DH tires. Guys I now really really enjoy my bike. I love speed in the trails. Please note that now my suspension also needs to be adjusted. Great video Gracias
Yeah Forekaster in front! I tried the ikon in back but prefer the ardent race for it's durability and edge grip. I'm in dry and rocky SoCal which eats up the ikon quickly. Just found your channel and now binging, nice work 👍
NICE setup, I've an old 26 xc hardtail (really old school I know lol) and I'm currently running Michelins, Force xc 2.10 front and Wild Race'r 2.0 rear 👌🏻🔝 great as long as it's not too wet or muddy. Love Schwalbe and Vittoria too
I ran to Victoria Mezcal in the cross country sidewall and ripped it about 30 minutes into a race. I can't remember if it was a pinch flat or a rock cut, but it was definitely the sidewall super thin way too thin with courses with a lot of rocks.
I was running Racing Ralph on my XC bike and was crazy surprised and impressed with how sticky they were. Awesome traction for a short knob tire. Compound I'd guess is what's magic about it. Despite all the rocks I ride in I never cut a sidewall in over 2000km. I then tried an ardent race for a bit and it seemed okay on the rear but just didn't have that great feel of the Racing Ralph. I bought a 2022 Santa Cruz Blur TR and using the stock tires which are Maxxis Rekon Race 29" X 2.4" WT 3C exo. I have about 900km on the tire and I love the width and supple feel of it but I just don't feel it holds the corners like a Racing Ralph. I'm also found that the sweet spot for tire pressure is extremely narrow. I'm 150lbs and at the expert level. It could be that I had so many miles on the Racing Ralph and just used to it though I did find that I loved that tire right away. Always looking for something better and was a bit disappointed that the Racing Ralph became a specialized rear tire with a different tread. If only I was rich and had multiple sets of tires with different wheels. Don't we all wish that
My XC bike came with Racing Ralfs 29 2.25 F/R. The original RoRa was good fast rolling tire and climbs well. The side nobs on the 2.25 though always felt a bit sketchy though on the decants. The newer RoRa I have not tired. Since then I have also tried Rocket Rons and Nobi Nicks. F/R. Rocket Ron F/R is best when riding rolling terrain in mixed conditions and very fast rolling, but the shallow nobs have limitations in looser terrain which is not well suited as a front tire in certain conditions. Where I ride is a mix terrain and the routes I chose to ride one is rolling which favors fast rolling setup with a few loose rocky sections. The other is try rough rocky and slightly loose gravel. Current setup is NobiNIck F / RoRo R. This has been a great combo but the RoRo wear faster than I like.( Adixx Speed) The new Racing Ralf with a Nick up Front would also probably work well with longer tread life. The Schwable tires have always been a challenge to get on tubeless where other brands like Maxxis have been a bit easier. Also have run IkON R / Nick F. Works well and fast rolling but the cornering on the Ikon is not ideal. Rekon / NIck : also works well but feels slower than RoRo or RoRa in the rear. Rekon has good grip and corning feels pretty good on the rear. May work better as a front tire. I may try a full Barzo setup next. Some tire types may also work better with larger profiles and the brands out there make the smaller version to fit that category maybe. May also try a bigger tire front and rear.
Dude get on vittorias. They are super durable and fast AF. You can do agarro front and mezcal or barzo rear. Im currently on agarro fr/rr as Im a bigger dude approx 200lbs and not easy on tires. Agarro knobs support me well. Fast guys like the combo to be barzo front mezcal rear. Or mezcal all around but those are a bit too light for me. I dont run the tan casing. Always on trail casing. Good luck you wont regret it.
Have been using Rekon Race for a training tire and Racing Ray/Ralph for racing. Would like to try the Mezcal and Aspens. Do find I can feel the difference in suppleness and rolling speed of Schwalbes compared to the Rekon Races.
Racing the Go Nuts XC series here in the SouthEast, I found the Ardent front, Ardent Race rear to work well. Some of the courses incorporate rocky Enduro trails. Given that, strong sidewall and decent tread chunk is a priority. Tried the Recon 2.4 Front, Recon Race 2.4 Rear on my hardtail and the Recon Race is just terrible in anything except perfectly groomed hardpack. It doesn’t do well in southern pine forests with needles on the ground.
Like the forekaster in the front..but i would prefer something else in the back, like a rekon at least, or even rekon race/ardent race...ikon is not on my liking
For going just on asphalt, is there anything faster than rekon race? They came with the bike (scottscale 970), and I was surprised how much speed they pick up. But I haven't tried other top tyres, so I'm not sure. I ride a lot on asphalt (isle of man), and it easily picks up 50km/h downhill, peaks over 70km/h (specifically in the last part going from laxey to ramsey) with no particular wind conditions and without slipstream (i am heavy so i pick up quite a bit of speed, around 100kg, all data from strava). Also, I was curious to try the 29x2.35 (currently 2.25s). How much speed would you think I would lose? Or would it be negligible? Lastly, I am using rekon race on both front and rear (came with bike). Similarly as previous question, how much top speed would i lose on asphalt if i changed the front tyre to aspen?
I endet up riding Ikons front and Back for me they do a great job in pedal efficency and also cornering. I can recommend recon Race for Back ( I got 2.20) they roll better then the Ikon but are a little more slippery because the Nobs are not so Big. also the Profile is not going as far out so they slip more in corners and wet Grounds. vittoria Barzo and Mezcal are both super light and fast rolling tires ( would also lean out the window and say they are some of the fastest you can get) but the Point is they are very hard and in my opinion compared to a MAxxis or Schwalbe they can't com anyway near to grip performance .... they might be something for winter. but I see them honestly more in the Gravel area or mixed compounds like 60% streets and 40% some forest tracks....
my setup at the momnet is continetal tyre 2,3 mountin king front and cros king race sport at the rear works find for me for the winter set op and 1,9 bar rear and 1,75 front my weigt is 94 kg))🙂
The aspen is a great tire as well and if I could have another set of race wheels I would set them up with that combo. The forekaster has more bite but isn’t as good in the rolling resistance department.
I run 2.25 x 29 Rekon fr/rear on East coast. Definitely going to try Forekaster 2.4 up front. Can you do an XC leg exercise video for strength and conditioning? Thanks
Rekon is a better tire IMHO than the Icon. Better stopping power by alot. Def not a front tire though. I am intrigued by the forecaster though. May have to try that. Running Vittoria on my HT for the first time - Barzo front / Mezcal rear. REALLy surprised by the amount of grip on bone-dry trails. Corners quite well. the sidewalls were a bit concerning but haven't found them to be squishy in hard turns. Not sure about durability on rocks, but on typical XC trails, they're quite good imho.
I e been riding the Vittoria in all conditions all over the world and have NEVER had a sidewall issue ever. Vittoria Barzo 2.35 back, Vittoria Syerra 2.4 front. Or Barzo 2.35 front and back. PERIOD.
For Barzo, which sidewall option? Protected anthracite/ grey trail version with a bit more weight, or the slightly lighter tan XC race version without sidewall protection?
I am currently running Rekon Race R and Forekaster F. What could be a good replacement for Forekaster as less agressive tire but still good front xc tire?
I like content like this, your personal insights and experience. I hope you'll do more of this type of videos, why you do/use what you do /use. Waiting for a dropper/brakes/rotors video, if you do it eventually :) I'm just curious, you said you ride whole setup whole year. You don't change anything for autumn /winter? My xtc slr came with 2.25 rekon race front and rear that I like, but I was thinking going something beefier for wet and mud. Just a bit. On different topic, this morning I saw Giant introduced Fathom 2022. It seems components are worse than on 2021, at least model 2. It will be interesting to watch next year's lineup from manufacturers, what they will be able to supply components wise. Don't think next year will be great for getting new bike, unless you have to. Keep up with the great work Mossie!
I actually meant I don't change tires for the "race year" which is typically spring through fall. Sorry about the confusion! I love a good, heavy, beefy tire in the winter to train on. I am super curious about the new lineup of bikes but I agree with you on it being a bad year to get something new. I think Giant will try to hit the same price points which will require de specing the bikes. I'm glad you enjoyed the video!!
No sidewall issues with Vittoria yet though i had with a 3 Year old Conti. OK i am riding most on easy teraain. Modrn Tires have improved enourmously. Conti equals Speed, Vittoria is great Thick for Winter Race for Summer. In europe Maxxis are more expensive so i let them down. Schwalbe i dont like though its a german homeland brand
Lately I've been looking for videos and information on the Forekaster as a front wheel but I'm also interested in the Continental Cross King and the Vittoria Barzo. Which tire do you think is better in terms of grip, lateral protection and durability? I would appreciate if you answered me, very good video 👌🏻
I haven’t personally ran the Barzo but a lot of people I know do and love the tire. Excellent grip and durability is what they tell me. I stick with the forekaster for now simply because I know exactly how the tire reacts. I haven’t used continental the past two years because they had a massive sidewall tubeless problem. At least half of the people I know that we’re running conti’s at the time had to have them warrantied because the sidewall would weep sealant. I’d hope they would have fixed the issue by now but it left so many people with a bad experience that I don’t know anyone that has tried newer continental tires.
First time viewer to this channel and found the video very helpful...so I subscribed and look forward to viewing more of your videos. About your comments regarding your tire pressures, can I ask how heavy you are?
Maybe good but too heavy for XC for most people who race. Assume you have it on a trail bike or just like thrashing your XC bike down crazy rocky trails. I could of course be wrong.
Ususllay used IKONs front and rear. Last year used an ikon front and aspen rear. Have a forecaster for mud but never tried it in loose dry dusty Cane creek courses. Did it work well at MayoDan and Manzeppa? Had front end washing issues at those places with the IKONs
Icons are not great. If maxxis it is, I find you get almost the same rolling resistance but more aggressive cornering performance with a Rekon race. The Rekon race does have a nervous characteristic at at initial lean angles, but grips well enough once leaned over properly and definitely holds corners better than the Ikon. Even for rear, I'd rather have an Aspen or Rekon race instead of the Ikon, because the Ikon fails to have aggressive enough side lugs vs it's center tread.
My race tire as of late has been the Vitoria Barzo front and back. I was nervous about the sidewalls on the race ones also so I went with the grey wall and have been very happy with them. Rocky rooty technical stuff has all been great. That being said I still put on a beefier front tire for trail riding when I’m not racing
I got a new bike in April and they came with the Barzo. It's the closest thing I've come to the perfect tyre in terms of versatility. It's fast rolling, mud is not a problem, light but still descent puncture protection (1 sidewall puncture during this time and I've ridden the shit out of them to be honest) etc. The only small complaint I have is that the rubber isn't the best I've tried when it comes to slippery roots n rocks.
Barzos are great and super versatile. does everything well. using Barzo trail 2.35 front and a Barzo race 2.25 rear. near perfect for texas hill country type stuff. You can always roll faster but making up time and fixing flats isnt part of the ride i look forward to. great vid.
@@Nexxxus1 hi I’m in Dallas. I need to bike on road to get to a beginner trail to practice. Would you think barzo front and rear is good or mezcal front/rear, or barzo front, mezcal rear? I’m looking for best year round setup, rain or shine. I’d be on 2.1 on 650b. Thank you if you can recommend!
I’ve been running Mezcal’s for last 2 seasons and absolutely love them! However, I’m always a little timid on ripping through corners with them and thus have just ordered the Barzo’s, stoked to hopefully have a little more bite cornering and still have same fast rolling resistance
maxxis makes by far the heaviest tires ever even their XC is like 2 pounds a pop?? 4 pounds on just the 2 tires?? maxxis, common ,this aint the 90s anymore time to innovate and re imagine that being said, ikons ardents and the DTH are some of my fave tires of all time
Specialized XC tires are great, a couple years ago the moved to a plant in Viet Nam to get better control, and changed all the compounds, but still have Gripton, the factory only makes MTB tires for Specialized, and only MTB tires for them, I've had a few different tires in different possitions, the all work great on XC hard pack, I thought they were kidding me at first, they were so slow compared to the last compounds, but once I wore the little nubs off the knobs, the were way faster, and hooked even better, Specialized start making tires before bikes, they know tires... below is Annika Langvad, XC/Marathon/Cape Epic terror, on the Specialized XC new tires... th-cam.com/video/9Lj_Vt3nHsA/w-d-xo.html
Right now I’m running Victoria barzo in the front and mezcal in the rear of my bike. Sidewall does seem thin but I’ve scraped a few rocks and no problems yet
@@garrethammond7082 that's good to know, I was a little skeptical when I first picked them up😅 I think I'm going to try them once I run through my current setup.
@@MossieRidesBikes I'm also on the Barzo/Mezcal combo and haven't had any issues. I am running the TNT casing which has noticeably thick sidewalls without too much of a weight penalty. I've seen many people run the TNT casing for technical XC races (as I do). Also, great vid! Always great to hear another racer's perspective.
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I've ran Vittoria mezcals for two seasons now. Never an issue what so ever. East Tennessee is both rocky and rooty. I've ran them as low as 12psi. I weigh 137lb. Am an intermediate rider. I also run schwalbe nobby Nic's when things get muddy and nasty. Great tire for grip but slower rolling that the mezcals. I've used the ardents before as well. Not much tolerance in cornering. They would grip to a certain point and then go away very quickly with very little warning. Hope this helps someone out. 👍
Always loved the Ikon. That tire has more grip than it looks. Just tried the Barzo 2.35. Great for the front. Together these two are a great combo if one is not against mixing brands.
First time I’ve watched your channel. Great info! Great video! We need more XC content on TH-cam!
Thanks
I'm glad you enjoyed it!
I know I’m in the minority here but I really like the specialized tires. I’ve had horrible experience with maxxis trail tires. The prices are high as well. I’m determined to run anything but a maxxis so any reviews of vittoria, specialized, schwalbe, continental, kenda, etc is appreciated. The Kendra’s that came on the intense Costco XC bike are pretty cool and durable so far.
i love my vittoria barzos. i'm a very aggressive xc rider, i ride new england (lots of rocks and roots) and i've only gotten 1 puncture in the year i've been running this set, and that was through the tread and fixed my sealant.
In the dry western mountains, Vittoria Mezcals are incredible... fast, smooth, and grippy. They are absolutely my go-to race tire for short to ultra endurance races.
If you get a puncture on the side wall you're done. They're a nightmare if you ride hard in the desert.
@@danielchrabolowsky2859- well, I didn't say dessert sand so I have no idea what your point is. Most tires are a nightmare if they get a sidewall tear.
Attention FL riders the difference is Amazing. I live in FL and just replaced my Stump Jumper tires to Maxxis tubeless XC racing tires. Last weekend I was able ride and increase my mileage by 30% from DH tires. Guys I now really really enjoy my bike. I love speed in the trails. Please note that now my suspension also needs to be adjusted. Great video Gracias
Which Maxxis xc tire did you switch to
Yeah Forekaster in front! I tried the ikon in back but prefer the ardent race for it's durability and edge grip. I'm in dry and rocky SoCal which eats up the ikon quickly. Just found your channel and now binging, nice work 👍
I could definitely see the ardent race being a viable rear tire. I've only tried it on the front and didn't care for it. I appreciate the sub!!
NICE setup, I've an old 26 xc hardtail (really old school I know lol) and I'm currently running Michelins, Force xc 2.10 front and Wild Race'r 2.0 rear 👌🏻🔝 great as long as it's not too wet or muddy.
Love Schwalbe and Vittoria too
Vittoria Barzo and Mezcal is a awesome combo. Trail versions are still light and tougher than the race versions. Swear by this brand now
I ran to Victoria Mezcal in the cross country sidewall and ripped it about 30 minutes into a race. I can't remember if it was a pinch flat or a rock cut, but it was definitely the sidewall super thin way too thin with courses with a lot of rocks.
I was running Racing Ralph on my XC bike and was crazy surprised and impressed with how sticky they were. Awesome traction for a short knob tire. Compound I'd guess is what's magic about it. Despite all the rocks I ride in I never cut a sidewall in over 2000km. I then tried an ardent race for a bit and it seemed okay on the rear but just didn't have that great feel of the Racing Ralph. I bought a 2022 Santa Cruz Blur TR and using the stock tires which are Maxxis Rekon Race 29" X 2.4" WT 3C exo. I have about 900km on the tire and I love the width and supple feel of it but I just don't feel it holds the corners like a Racing Ralph. I'm also found that the sweet spot for tire pressure is extremely narrow. I'm 150lbs and at the expert level. It could be that I had so many miles on the Racing Ralph and just used to it though I did find that I loved that tire right away. Always looking for something better and was a bit disappointed that the Racing Ralph became a specialized rear tire with a different tread. If only I was rich and had multiple sets of tires with different wheels. Don't we all wish that
My XC bike came with Racing Ralfs 29 2.25 F/R. The original RoRa was good fast rolling tire and climbs well. The side nobs on the 2.25 though always felt a bit sketchy though on the decants. The newer RoRa I have not tired. Since then I have also tried Rocket Rons and Nobi Nicks. F/R. Rocket Ron F/R is best when riding rolling terrain in mixed conditions and very fast rolling, but the shallow nobs have limitations in looser terrain which is not well suited as a front tire in certain conditions. Where I ride is a mix terrain and the routes I chose to ride one is rolling which favors fast rolling setup with a few loose rocky sections. The other is try rough rocky and slightly loose gravel. Current setup is NobiNIck F / RoRo R. This has been a great combo but the RoRo wear faster than I like.( Adixx Speed) The new Racing Ralf with a Nick up Front would also probably work well with longer tread life. The Schwable tires have always been a challenge to get on tubeless where other brands like Maxxis have been a bit easier. Also have run IkON R / Nick F. Works well and fast rolling but the cornering on the Ikon is not ideal. Rekon / NIck : also works well but feels slower than RoRo or RoRa in the rear. Rekon has good grip and corning feels pretty good on the rear. May work better as a front tire. I may try a full Barzo setup next. Some tire types may also work better with larger profiles and the brands out there make the smaller version to fit that category maybe. May also try a bigger tire front and rear.
Maybe try Rocket Ron up front? Even more grip if to compare with Racing Ralph.
Dude get on vittorias. They are super durable and fast AF. You can do agarro front and mezcal or barzo rear. Im currently on agarro fr/rr as Im a bigger dude approx 200lbs and not easy on tires. Agarro knobs support me well. Fast guys like the combo to be barzo front mezcal rear. Or mezcal all around but those are a bit too light for me. I dont run the tan casing. Always on trail casing. Good luck you wont regret it.
Good info and well presented. You got a new subscriber.
Great product, easy to clean -worked out great !
Have been using Rekon Race for a training tire and Racing Ray/Ralph for racing. Would like to try the Mezcal and Aspens. Do find I can feel the difference in suppleness and rolling speed of Schwalbes compared to the Rekon Races.
Racing the Go Nuts XC series here in the SouthEast, I found the Ardent front, Ardent Race rear to work well. Some of the courses incorporate rocky Enduro trails. Given that, strong sidewall and decent tread chunk is a priority.
Tried the Recon 2.4 Front, Recon Race 2.4 Rear on my hardtail and the Recon Race is just terrible in anything except perfectly groomed hardpack. It doesn’t do well in southern pine forests with needles on the ground.
I do love Vittoria, they last a very long time for all the tarmac i have to ride to get to any trails
Thanks for the video is this based on the new version of the forecaster?
Schwalbe Rocket Ron EVO soft - up front, Racing Ralph EVO speedgrip - rear end. Both in 2.25 width.
Like the forekaster in the front..but i would prefer something else in the back, like a rekon at least, or even rekon race/ardent race...ikon is not on my liking
For going just on asphalt, is there anything faster than rekon race? They came with the bike (scottscale 970), and I was surprised how much speed they pick up. But I haven't tried other top tyres, so I'm not sure. I ride a lot on asphalt (isle of man), and it easily picks up 50km/h downhill, peaks over 70km/h (specifically in the last part going from laxey to ramsey) with no particular wind conditions and without slipstream (i am heavy so i pick up quite a bit of speed, around 100kg, all data from strava).
Also, I was curious to try the 29x2.35 (currently 2.25s). How much speed would you think I would lose? Or would it be negligible?
Lastly, I am using rekon race on both front and rear (came with bike). Similarly as previous question, how much top speed would i lose on asphalt if i changed the front tyre to aspen?
I endet up riding Ikons front and Back for me they do a great job in pedal efficency and also cornering.
I can recommend recon Race for Back ( I got 2.20) they roll better then the Ikon but are a little more slippery because the Nobs are not so Big. also the Profile is not going as far out so they slip more in corners and wet Grounds.
vittoria Barzo and Mezcal are both super light and fast rolling tires ( would also lean out the window and say they are some of the fastest you can get) but the Point is they are very hard and in my opinion compared to a MAxxis or Schwalbe they can't com anyway near to grip performance .... they might be something for winter. but I see them honestly more in the Gravel area or mixed compounds like 60% streets and 40% some forest tracks....
my setup at the momnet is continetal tyre 2,3 mountin king front and cros king race sport at the rear works find for me for the winter set op and 1,9 bar rear and 1,75 front my weigt is 94 kg))🙂
Pretty close. I’m planning to run an Aspen/Ikon 2.35 combo. I’ll look at the forecaster.
The aspen is a great tire as well and if I could have another set of race wheels I would set them up with that combo. The forekaster has more bite but isn’t as good in the rolling resistance department.
@@MossieRidesBikes for me it depends if I can get enough traction out of 2.2’s. If I need to go to 2.35 then I’ll have to change it up.
@@MossieRidesBikes Aspen front and Rekon (race) rear?
I run 2.25 x 29 Rekon fr/rear on East coast. Definitely going to try Forekaster 2.4 up front.
Can you do an XC leg exercise video for strength and conditioning?
Thanks
My friend sold me Teravail Ehline Tire ( he didn't like the tan wall) for $20 each and man they roll fast and have amazing grip. 29x2.35
Quality review Mossie
Thank you!!
Excelente información, probaré Forekaster delantera y Recon Trasera ✌️
Could you make another video on your current tire combo? Thanks brotha
Rekon is a better tire IMHO than the Icon. Better stopping power by alot. Def not a front tire though. I am intrigued by the forecaster though. May have to try that. Running Vittoria on my HT for the first time - Barzo front / Mezcal rear. REALLy surprised by the amount of grip on bone-dry trails. Corners quite well. the sidewalls were a bit concerning but haven't found them to be squishy in hard turns. Not sure about durability on rocks, but on typical XC trails, they're quite good imho.
How about a forkaster front and rear
I e been riding the Vittoria in all conditions all over the world and have NEVER had a sidewall issue ever. Vittoria Barzo 2.35 back, Vittoria Syerra 2.4 front. Or Barzo 2.35 front and back. PERIOD.
For Barzo, which sidewall option? Protected anthracite/ grey trail version with a bit more weight, or the slightly lighter tan XC race version without sidewall protection?
@@JeanPierreVanRiel I’ve been using the grey wall without a single Isis
I am currently running Rekon Race R and Forekaster F. What could be a good replacement for Forekaster as less agressive tire but still good front xc tire?
Rekon
I like content like this, your personal insights and experience. I hope you'll do more of this type of videos, why you do/use what you do /use. Waiting for a dropper/brakes/rotors video, if you do it eventually :) I'm just curious, you said you ride whole setup whole year. You don't change anything for autumn /winter? My xtc slr came with 2.25 rekon race front and rear that I like, but I was thinking going something beefier for wet and mud. Just a bit. On different topic, this morning I saw Giant introduced Fathom 2022. It seems components are worse than on 2021, at least model 2. It will be interesting to watch next year's lineup from manufacturers, what they will be able to supply components wise. Don't think next year will be great for getting new bike, unless you have to. Keep up with the great work Mossie!
I actually meant I don't change tires for the "race year" which is typically spring through fall. Sorry about the confusion! I love a good, heavy, beefy tire in the winter to train on. I am super curious about the new lineup of bikes but I agree with you on it being a bad year to get something new. I think Giant will try to hit the same price points which will require de specing the bikes. I'm glad you enjoyed the video!!
Specialized S-Works Renegade T5/T7. Seriously the fastest XC tire I’ve ridden.
One of the best xc semi slicks yeah 👊🏻
Thank you kind sir. Much obliged.
No sidewall issues with Vittoria yet though i had with a 3 Year old Conti. OK i am riding most on easy teraain. Modrn Tires have improved enourmously. Conti equals Speed, Vittoria is great Thick for Winter Race for Summer. In europe Maxxis are more expensive so i let them down. Schwalbe i dont like though its a german homeland brand
Lately I've been looking for videos and information on the Forekaster as a front wheel but I'm also interested in the Continental Cross King and the Vittoria Barzo.
Which tire do you think is better in terms of grip, lateral protection and durability? I would appreciate if you answered me, very good video 👌🏻
I haven’t personally ran the Barzo but a lot of people I know do and love the tire. Excellent grip and durability is what they tell me. I stick with the forekaster for now simply because I know exactly how the tire reacts. I haven’t used continental the past two years because they had a massive sidewall tubeless problem. At least half of the people I know that we’re running conti’s at the time had to have them warrantied because the sidewall would weep sealant. I’d hope they would have fixed the issue by now but it left so many people with a bad experience that I don’t know anyone that has tried newer continental tires.
First time viewer to this channel and found the video very helpful...so I subscribed and look forward to viewing more of your videos. About your comments regarding your tire pressures, can I ask how heavy you are?
I appreciate the sub! I currently weigh 155lbs
Hello, Mossie! What XC tyres do you use for wet condition? Thanks in advance!
I run vittoria Mazza/Barzo trail and they are great tires.
Maybe good but too heavy for XC for most people who race. Assume you have it on a trail bike or just like thrashing your XC bike down crazy rocky trails. I could of course be wrong.
Love the content. "Shwoble" lol
try the tnt reinforced vittorias, those are more reliable.
I also like the XTC SLR 2.
What wheel width?
I ride Oiz with DT Swiss xcr1200
Spline 25c Will this wheel make use of the wider tires?
I really like maxxis but I ran victorias on my old xc bike they were really good but a pain in the but to seat properly. Maxxis is easier.
Anymore more thoughts on Ikon in the front???
I never liked the Ikon on the front. I found it washed out too fast in the corners for me and my skills.
Ususllay used IKONs front and rear. Last year used an ikon front and aspen rear. Have a forecaster for mud but never tried it in loose dry dusty Cane creek courses.
Did it work well at MayoDan and Manzeppa? Had front end washing issues at those places with the IKONs
Icons are not great. If maxxis it is, I find you get almost the same rolling resistance but more aggressive cornering performance with a Rekon race. The Rekon race does have a nervous characteristic at at initial lean angles, but grips well enough once leaned over properly and definitely holds corners better than the Ikon. Even for rear, I'd rather have an Aspen or Rekon race instead of the Ikon, because the Ikon fails to have aggressive enough side lugs vs it's center tread.
Still riding these Mossie??
I want more Buddy 🐶
Double Rekon
It's the only tire I would use as a front and a rear
@@MossieRidesBikes Rekon 2.4 front, Rekon Race race 2.35 back on xc. Trails with a little downhill and rocks Rekon 2.6 front Rekon 2.4 back.
You dont want the tan sidewall Vittoria, not as durable or tubeless
Reckon are the best
I Run 23 F 19 B 😎 LW Rider
I thinks it’s pronounced “shwall-buh” but if I’m wrong please correct me.
Anyone having experience with pirelli scorpion 🦂 tyres 🤔
My race tire as of late has been the Vitoria Barzo front and back. I was nervous about the sidewalls on the race ones also so I went with the grey wall and have been very happy with them. Rocky rooty technical stuff has all been great. That being said I still put on a beefier front tire for trail riding when I’m not racing
I got a new bike in April and they came with the Barzo. It's the closest thing I've come to the perfect tyre in terms of versatility. It's fast rolling, mud is not a problem, light but still descent puncture protection (1 sidewall puncture during this time and I've ridden the shit out of them to be honest) etc. The only small complaint I have is that the rubber isn't the best I've tried when it comes to slippery roots n rocks.
Barzos are great and super versatile. does everything well. using Barzo trail 2.35 front and a Barzo race 2.25 rear. near perfect for texas hill country type stuff. You can always roll faster but making up time and fixing flats isnt part of the ride i look forward to. great vid.
@@Nexxxus1 hi I’m in Dallas. I need to bike on road to get to a beginner trail to practice. Would you think barzo front and rear is good or mezcal front/rear, or barzo front, mezcal rear? I’m looking for best year round setup, rain or shine. I’d be on 2.1 on 650b. Thank you if you can recommend!
I’ve been running Mezcal’s for last 2 seasons and absolutely love them! However, I’m always a little timid on ripping through corners with them and thus have just ordered the Barzo’s, stoked to hopefully have a little more bite cornering and still have same fast rolling resistance
maxxis makes by far the heaviest tires ever
even their XC is like 2 pounds a pop?? 4 pounds on just the 2 tires??
maxxis, common ,this aint the 90s anymore
time to innovate and re imagine
that being said, ikons ardents and the DTH are some of my fave tires of all time
Specialized XC tires are great, a couple years ago the moved to a plant in Viet Nam to get better control, and changed all the compounds, but still have Gripton, the factory only makes MTB tires for Specialized, and only MTB tires for them, I've had a few different tires in different possitions, the all work great on XC hard pack, I thought they were kidding me at first, they were so slow compared to the last compounds, but once I wore the little nubs off the knobs, the were way faster, and hooked even better, Specialized start making tires before bikes, they know tires... below is Annika Langvad, XC/Marathon/Cape Epic terror, on the Specialized XC new tires...
th-cam.com/video/9Lj_Vt3nHsA/w-d-xo.html
Maxxis are so overrated…Loving the new Specialized tires
Schwable 😂 mate, it's schwalbe.
Schwabble?
starts off with saying the ardent is good? cya dummy
Wassuppp
Wassssssup
Right now I’m running Victoria barzo in the front and mezcal in the rear of my bike. Sidewall does seem thin but I’ve scraped a few rocks and no problems yet
@@garrethammond7082 that's good to know, I was a little skeptical when I first picked them up😅 I think I'm going to try them once I run through my current setup.
@@MossieRidesBikes I'm also on the Barzo/Mezcal combo and haven't had any issues. I am running the TNT casing which has noticeably thick sidewalls without too much of a weight penalty. I've seen many people run the TNT casing for technical XC races (as I do). Also, great vid! Always great to hear another racer's perspective.
Seriously mate, stop waffling and get on with the vid. You TH-camrs really need to learn to get to the point
Over 4 minutes of nonsense and then tuned out....yawn