I put these in after the first 400km. Great quality and no flats yet.:G

 

Ok, this is why I will check this forum before ordering anything and especially before talking to my local dealer. About 2 months ago I replaced both tires for TrkMstrsII and when the dealer asked me if I wanted to get tubes too I said sure. New tires new tubes, made since. When they asked me standard tubes or heavy duty, I asked what's the difference and they said weight and price, so I went with the standard. Dammit! After reading this I looked at the bike and to my surprise there's no rim lock on these wheels. Dammit! Had I only known ahead of time. Do I expect too much from my dealership? I would have liked just a little more questions and education from my dealer.

 

It's a $30 DIY job. Get a HD tube and a Talon rimlock (the best IMO) and spend an hour in the garage. You'll need to learn sometime. Start with the back as it's the most common for punctures. Pros can change a tube with rimlock in under 15 minutes. FWIW I don't have a rimlock on the front.
Get the bucket out. It'll be you best friend for resting the wheel on when you fit the tyre. Sprocket side down, save those fingers.

 

Umm....you were told wrong if its soft sugar sand like I got and we are talking about the front tire. Rear tire helps too, but it is not as noticable.

For example, I was riding sugar trails thru the palmettos trying to keep up with a group of buds that are on smokers. During the ride I was getting faster and faster .... so fast in fact the leader stopped the group to take a break and first thing he said...wtf FM you been practicing, you may not have to ride sweeper all the time.

yeah, yeah....I just laughed and said I must just be in a good groove today.....then everyone busts out laughing...Yo FM you front is FLAT.....lol....I'm like so thats why the bike was tracking so good....mind you my sand is way softer than most. I always ride real low pressure on the front now in sugar.

 

WestOzKLX, you are right. I found these youtube videos that show how easy it "can" be. I'll be ordering a rim lock as well as a set of spoon tire irons, bead buddy and C02 inflation kit to bring with me in the trails. I saved the old tubes for such an emergency.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw0B2...om=PL&index=39

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTata...A45FA&index=40

 

Good to know. What pressure do you normally run, front and back? I generally run anywhere from 10 to 12 psi here. I prefer 10 for the rear and a little higher for the front, mostly because the front seems to take the brunt of the abuse on those sharp square edged rocks and so forth and also because it doesn't have as much "squish volume" before meeting the rim, so I generally run a little higher like 12 or so in front to give me a little extra protection. At the Flat Rock hare scramble where the track was so beat up with sharp rocks and so forth, the Pirelli guys had a truck there helping riders out. After the pro race and before the amateur race, I asked their advice and they said 12 or 13 for this track to protect against most pinch flat type hits for the front. They did say go lower for best traction, though, even 8 not being unheard of. I've been doing that for quite a while (not 8, but 10 certainly) and that's been my experience too. Good to hear it first hand from the pros, though.

Of course, this is all eastern woods. Your mileage may vary in other terrains.

 

Brian, your in the same zone as me.
I play around in the 10-12 range.
The fronts always the tough one for me.
I like the feel of 10 but then I go 12 to reduce the risk of a flat.

I'm with Finger in the sand.
6-8 in the dunes.
Some guys run lower than that.

I carry a pump and gauge so its easy enough to adjust as we go.

 

If it is a sugar sand ride only...no rocks, no nuthin hard.....5 psi front 9 psi back.

I always carry a lil bicycle pump too.....just in case the plans change and someone wants a taco. Because I'm the only one that shows up without a trailer....adv in...ride...adv out..lol.

 

I've got rocks, big, small, all different shapes and sizes- as long as your not hitting them hard the lower the psi the more crawling you can do. I never leave the nut on the valve; this lets the valve pull inside when the tire does spin I don't have rim locks on the front yet and it has saved me 5-6 flats out in the woods.

 

i bought my bike on a saturday, went and rode it the next day, put 40 miles on the odometer, doing about 45 on a gavel road and the stem ripped out of the tube. took me down hard. wasn't very happy.