Lastly tubeless tires are IMO the biggest improvement you can do from a performance stand point to any off road bike. They save weight. cut down on flats,and let you run a grippier,softer and faster, lower pressure.
BW:
- Are you saying that running tires at lower pressures make them roll easier and therefore faster, or that you can ride faster with low pressure when traction is limited. I assumed that higher pressures allowed them to roll easier (like with car tires) on the road, but at the expense of traction off the road. We've been riding with higher pressures for the easier rolling at the expense of grip in some situations.
- I have Mavic CrossRide wheels and Kenda Karma tires, both are tubeless compatible but the bike came with tubes. Do you think I should ditch the tubes?
- What SPD pedals do you use or recommend?
1. Lower pressure about 25 psi for most people, actually rolls faster for most people off road. The lower pressure is more supple and in an off road situation will let the tire absorb terrain instead of being deflected. Not only that lower pressures are easier to ride on and have more traction and ride smoother. Now if your riding alot of pavement or really packed gravel then yes a higher pressure will roll faster but that is not the same situation as singletrack, or rough double track riding. On rough enough gravel road the lower pressure will roll faster.
the other things most people dont understand is off road a wider tires roll faster, because the contact patch is shorter than a narrow tire there for the leverage against it is much less meaning less deflection. Deflection is what causes a tire to slow down. Deflection is simply a tire being to hard.
http://www.mtbonline.co.za/info/mtb-tyre-rolling-resistance.htmhere is a test conducted with a power meter. there can be as much as 50 watt difference between a 2.1 tire inflated to 40 psi, and a 2.4 tire inflated at 23 psi.
please before someone comes in here and post that higher pressure on narrow tires I want you to find scientific data stating so. This is a measurable quality and if it was true someone would have been able to measure it, or you can go a find a power meter and measure it yourself. I love debating, but debating a know fact that is proven in science is like debating whether or not the sky is blue.
Also lastly I just want to add that the defacto tire setup for most men racing on the World Cup XC, is a 2.35 ish inflated to 20 to 30 psi mounted tubeless. The last time a tubed tire won a WC was 1999. The physics behind this has been know and applied for that long.
2. should you ditch the tubes?
yes! you have a wheelset and tire that have more weight so they can be run tubeless, and then you add more weight with a tube. I will never ride a MTB(or any bike really) with a tube in it again. there is no advantage to a tubed tire.
3.On pedal I like SPD and here is why.
SPD vs Crank bros
SPDs have adjustable release meaning you cannt get stuck in them
SPDs are a stronger design that is less likely to break
SPDs now have an open design as well meaning they will not get clog with mud like the old ones
SPDs dont get you stuck in the pedals at all.
Cranks bros are lighter
overall Id rather take a heavier more reliable pedal that actually let me release foot, than the death trap Crank Bros that get your feet stuck in them, and break when they see a rock on the trail.
I personally use 540s, and mine have last about 2200 mile thus far. I think if you picked out your weight and budget you couldnt go wrong with them.