Sponge Posted April 17, 2010 Report Share Posted April 17, 2010 G'day I'm on the verge of setting up a 24" bike. However, I've been researching around on a lot of parts and eventually came to realise how scarce realistic (rear) tyre options are for 24" right now? For example, these days we're after sub 1000g tyres, with around 2.4+ width. However, the options are fairly limited. I'm mainly asking on here because it is a little tricky tracking down every decent 24" tyre option elsewhere. So far, I've seen these as realistic options as a rear tyre: Maxxis High Roller ... But, the 2.5 got discontinued? The 2.7 seems overkill and too heavy Maxxis Holy Roller (2.4) Maxxis Swampthing (2.5) ... discontinued? But there's also the Schwalbes... which I'm very interested in finding out more on. Does anyone happen to know the widths and weights of these tyres, say? And possibly where to get a hold of them within the UK at a decent price?: Schwalbe Big Betty Schwalbe Fat Albert Schwalbe Mow Joe Any more Schwalbes? Furthermore, the next thing: TGS and Bar/stem options. I've been reading the immediate reviews of the new TGS-style 24" frames such as the Rockman Tractor and Because, however for the time being it seems there is a common consensus: 24" for TGS just isn't as good as 26" or 20". I am curious about this too, and it seems from several post-ride reviews e.g. Ben Savage and co. that the 24"s really don't tap nearly as well as a stock and for the time being a lot of riders are having a hard time getting their sidehops, gaps, and ups as high/far as they were on their 20" or 26". I suppose it could be a case of getting more accustomed to the new frame-type, but I'm hoping it's not a battle lost already? Bar/stem wise, would something very high and slightly long work in helping to convert a streetier 24" frame such as the Inspired or Dengs into more TGS-worthy machines? I can easily swap to the popular Onza PZ stem that Mark and Stan at Tarty use if I suddenly feel like riding more BMXy stuff. But, say I'd primarily like a fun day out on rocks, would something like the Trialtech 130x35 stem be ok for improving the manouevrability and agility of a streetier geo'd frame on the backwheel and on two wheels? In translation, I guess you could look at an Inspired or Deng 24" as the old 26" frames with +0 and +10mm BB rise... the sluggish feel for TGS. . so would a higher stem/bar work wonders for an old school 26" with low BB rise? Thanks in advance! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted April 17, 2010 Report Share Posted April 17, 2010 common consensus: 24" for TGS just isn't as good as 26" or 20". Depends which way you look at it. You could also say it's better than 26" and 20". If you've been riding 24" for a long time, you're going to notice the benefits. Also, Kenda Bluegroove tyre, 2.4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewoomaster Posted April 17, 2010 Report Share Posted April 17, 2010 Inspireds are the way Well tyre wise i got the holy roller 2.4, cheap and runs vnice, swampthings were mint (if u can find them), High rollers are mint unless inner wires pop out , heavy to my bike feels alot lighter not with holy rollers. Stem and bars are person choice i have a Echo 140 with Try all rage and its pretty high up front., feels mint for streety bits/ gappin is sweet too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
i like cunning stunts Posted April 17, 2010 Report Share Posted April 17, 2010 however for the time being it seems there is a common consensus: 24" for TGS just isn't as good as 26" or 20". I am curious about this too, and it seems from several post-ride reviews e.g. Ben Savage and co. that the 24"s really don't tap nearly as well as a stock and for the time being a lot of riders are having a hard time getting their sidehops, gaps, and ups as high/far as they were on their 20" or 26". This is all you need to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sponge Posted April 18, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 18, 2010 Keywords^ : for the time being I'm hoping as time goes by, we do see some good results. In any case, would having a long stem like the T-Tech Sport mod: 150x35 'ruin' the streety capability of a frame like the Inspired? I'd like to be able to pop into manuals and bunnyhops with relative ease yet maintain a TGSy edge. I will be running a T-Tech High rise bar, so there's not much more I can do to get the front end as hiiigggh as possible. This all being said, can anyone give some insight into the tyres? I am very curious about some of the Schwalbes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted April 19, 2010 Report Share Posted April 19, 2010 From the looks of Ben's Tractor (which everyone appeared to be basing their opinions on), his front end looked pretty low which won't really help things at all. Saying an entire type of bikes are shit purely because one bike you rode didn't feel as good as your's seems a bit odd. I've ridden some 24" bikes that have felt like total sheds, but I know that mine feels awesome - just riding other people's badly set up bikes didn't make me think an entire genre was toss... Sponge - something like the Tarty forged (120-125 x 20-25 ish) would be fine on that with a spacer or two. The Because Trial we have here with that on feels so good to mince around on I almost bought one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr.tattoo Posted April 19, 2010 Report Share Posted April 19, 2010 i endid up with a 110x20 on mine feels really nice for both style of riding. standard it felt shite with the 80x15 or whatever it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted April 19, 2010 Report Share Posted April 19, 2010 The Because Trial we have here with that on feels so good to mince around on I almost bought one. Do it! I use a trialtech forged stem and rockman bars. Great combination! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted April 19, 2010 Report Share Posted April 19, 2010 Might get one one day, but for now the Inspired's too much fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0zzy Posted April 19, 2010 Report Share Posted April 19, 2010 it didnt seem to stop savage sunday and thats for pure trials!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Posted April 19, 2010 Report Share Posted April 19, 2010 I have been driving my Tractor for just over a week now and I’m finding it sooo much fun. I have ridden a 26" for years now so I was not sure how the smaller wheels would feel. But the bike rides really well. I can side hop / gap / pedal up just as far as I can on my 26". Obviously the smaller wheels make it a bit harder to tap but I’ve still done quite a few decent sized ones. The back wheel control is amazing by far the most control I’ve ever had on a bike. I can flick the bike around just like a 20" which makes it wicked for small techy lines. I would not say my front end is low. I am running a 145 x 20 stem with Rockman riser bars. If anything, I would like to slightly lower it by a few mm. The DRM moto digger tyre I have on the front is pretty good (far better than I thought it would be) I have cut a few bits off to open up the tread a bit. The swamp thing 2.5 on the back grips pretty well, very little fold too. Ben. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sponge Posted April 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 22, 2010 Thanks for all the responses guys, some very interesting opinions! Has anyone tried a bigger stem on an Inspired? Say a 150x35 with a high rise bar? I'm so so curious as to how the bike'd handle with that. Anyone know anything about those Schwalbe tyres though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted April 22, 2010 Report Share Posted April 22, 2010 Might get one one day, but for now the Inspired's too much fun You should try mine! Although not before I fix the chain issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted April 22, 2010 Report Share Posted April 22, 2010 Get yourself up to Shipley and we'll talk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Revolver Posted April 23, 2010 Report Share Posted April 23, 2010 Get yourself up to Shipley and we'll talk I'll let you know when Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sponge Posted April 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2010 Mark --- I know a high front end is preferable for streety feel, but how come you and Stan are running an 85x20 stem instead of say a 35 degree'd stem? Is there a setback to having the angle 'too high' or something? If anything would it not make it easier to lift? I'm very keen to get the easiest and lightest feel when pulling up mainly because my right wrist isn't well enough to handle a bike that'll have a sluggish time pulling up. I actually considered the 150x35 stem; though a lot of people are recommending against it. I know having the stem that long will do one thing at least: Kill spins. But on the plus side, what can that big stem offer me? I'm trying to look at it from a perspective where people put mod stems on their stock bikes to make them easier on the backwheel. Would a 150mm length make it easier/harder to bunnyhop/manual? How about for backwheel control and power for gaps/ups? I'm partly experimenting and can always switch out stems if it really doesn't work.. but if any more experienced riders can give their theories or ideas on if this 150x35 is a TOTAL no go with no possible benefit OR a stem size that could prove to have benefit. That'd be great! Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted April 23, 2010 Report Share Posted April 23, 2010 A 150x35 stem would just feel bad. Riding Inspireds with the 'long' Trialtech forged stems felt about as long as I'd ever want to go, let alone adding another 30mm or so on top of that. It just wouldn't be good. If you feel your wrist is so weak you'll have to totally ruin the feel of a bike by using a random stem on it, it might be worth either going to a doctor or getting a wrist support... The reason we went for the 85 x 20 is partially the ease of availability, but also 'cos you can just use spacers if you need it that bit higher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cai Posted April 23, 2010 Report Share Posted April 23, 2010 This always helps me pick out the geo of stem I want.. If you look at where the 80X20 stem would position your bars, then where the 150X35 stem would position your bars, you can see just how much you'll mess up the feel of your bike! If your after a higher front end why not use one of the System X stems? They're all at a 35 degree and range from 90mm up to 130mm. The 100X35 or the 110X35 should feel nice, as it'd put the bars in a similar position to the 85X20 - just 3cm higher.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sponge Posted April 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2010 Ah gotcha, does even a 120mm feel fairly gash then? I mean, bearing in mind, these days stocks all seem to be running pretty massive stems anyway. What could be so bad about running a stem longer than 100mm on a 24? I do want to be able to have a bike that'll comfortably ride trials as well. I don't take backwheel control and comfort as an indicator of a 'good bike' but it's definitely preferable and for me at least makes the bike so much more enjoyable to ride. I feel an 85x20 might be a bit too small for TGS comfort. I'm still looking out for recommendations. I'm curious what all the Because Trials and Rockman Tractor riders are running stem-wise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cai Posted April 23, 2010 Report Share Posted April 23, 2010 If you want to try a longer stem then it'll be trial and error really. Most people are comfortable on their 24's with a shorter set-up. I recently switched from my 85X20 set-up to a 120X17 Trialtech Sport stem on my 24UK, and it doesn't feel that bad - definatly feels more 'trialsy', but has lost alot of the 'streetyness'. So i'm now looking for a new stem that'll lie in the middle. I've narrowed it down to the 110X20 Trialtech Race stem, or the 110X35 System X stem. Trialtech will allow for more trials, System X will aloow for more street. Bit of a hard decision really Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sponge Posted April 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2010 If you want to try a longer stem then it'll be trial and error really. Most people are comfortable on their 24's with a shorter set-up. I recently switched from my 85X20 set-up to a 120X17 Trialtech Sport stem on my 24UK, and it doesn't feel that bad - definatly feels more 'trialsy', but has lost alot of the 'streetyness'. So i'm now looking for a new stem that'll lie in the middle. I've narrowed it down to the 110X20 Trialtech Race stem, or the 110X35 System X stem. Trialtech will allow for more trials, System X will aloow for more street. Bit of a hard decision really Thanks, these are the kinds of answers I'm really after So completely completely ignoring spins, but just focusing on how easy the front wheel pops up (this is as 'street' as I care to get my bike) is a longer stem still going to be OK? In short I'm after a bike that'll around as TGSy as a stock and have comfort on the backwheel and enough leverage/power for ups/gaps... but just with the ability to pop up into manual/bunny easily. Spins aren't a concern for me at all, for now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted April 23, 2010 Report Share Posted April 23, 2010 TGS = low front end. Manuals and spins = high front end. You can't really have both. Bikes sit on the back wheel better if you've got a mega low front end, although they'll feel harder to get there. Bikes with a higher front end will be easier to lift, but because your bike's effectively sitting lower, it's harder to hold there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sponge Posted April 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2010 TGS = low front end. Manuals and spins = high front end. You can't really have both. Bikes sit on the back wheel better if you've got a mega low front end, although they'll feel harder to get there. Bikes with a higher front end will be easier to lift, but because your bike's effectively sitting lower, it's harder to hold there. Interesting, hmm, I always found a higher front end helped me sit on the backwheel better. Would you go any longer than 85mm on your bike Mark? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark W Posted April 23, 2010 Report Share Posted April 23, 2010 I'm getting a 90mm stem in the next few weeks, but that's for a different reason. Other than that, I might go as long as 110mm but it feels perfect for me as it is so I wouldn't bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cai Posted April 23, 2010 Report Share Posted April 23, 2010 (edited) I can't believe I forgot to mention this.. Back when I ran an Onza Zoot frame, my front end was far too low (my steerer was really short!) so to get a higher front end I put on a mod Viz Welded stem - 150X 30 - and it rode so trialsy it was unbelieveable! More so than my stock did, which really surprised me! EDIT: I couldn't manual or bunnyhop it though, so switched back to my 24UK. Edited April 23, 2010 by cai Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.