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Good morning, welcome to the Tyre Pneus. The headlines this morning. Are Ignitors and Toros yesterdays news? Schwalbe resurgence continues and Maxxis Crossmark increasingly the weapon of choice.
Ignitors and Toros/Bulldogs, for so long the default choice of many Irish riders, are now coming under threat by a new wave of tyre choices. New names are being seen on MTBs throughout the land. Are we at the dawn of a new era, or is this just a burp on the tyre scene?
Schwalbe are appearing on ever increasing numbers of bikes, their Rocket Rons and Racing Ralphs proving particularly popular combination. The rocket Rons drew heavy praise from legend Ryan Sherlock, praising the open tread pattern and combination of fast rolling and predictable grip. Expect to see this combo a lot this summer. While Rons and Ralphs are up, Nobby Nics are down with their closer tread pattern and puncture resistance drawing criticism.
Meanwhile, the Maxxis Crossmarks, having been a somewhat left field choice for the last couple of years, are also an increasingly common sight. Riders such as Fergal of MAD enthuse about their grip and dependability. Richie Byrne of EPICMTB was seen sporting a 2.25 on his front wheel at a recent Club Race, albeit mounted with the wrong directional rotation as favoured by Hillbilly legend Stewart Carr. When asked why he said “They’re mounted what now?”
Don of EPICMTB had this to say “The dry weather of the last few months has seen riders experiment with new tyres that have a less aggressive tread patterns that are not designed purely for our muddy trails. This trend has seen Rons, Ralphs and Crossmarks become more viable choices, how they fair when the weather turns remains to be seen, but for now expect to see them on the trails on a regular basis."
In other news, there is uproar over a pre-race speech by EPICMTB’s Chairman Richie Byrne. The speech has drawn strong criticism from the animal welfare activists. “We encourage all pets owners to tag their cats, it is unacceptable that any animal should have to endure having it’s private parts measured in an attempt to ascertain ownership rights.”
