What I Learned From Testing MTB Tires...

[@PaulThePunter]

Do you need to be a sponsors dream like me? Well I got there by picking up a T-Shirt from here 👉bit.ly/PunterStore

[@connorsears6028]

WE WANT JOEY!!!!!!!! W JOSH!!!!!!!!

[@TheButlerNZ]

The sponsors haven't noticed my RedBull rear shock yet... (250ml cans make a good air shock cover with a bit of servo tape... Might even give the staunchens a try...

[@remymetailler]

Yep, riding the lowest pressure you can without getting reliability issues or flex issues is the way to go, regardless the brand.

[@PaulThePunter]

There ya go!

[@Nit2315]

Ok Rémy but coming from a ''content creator'', and not an athlete, I don't think we should trust your opinion.

[@cornishcactus]

I'm not a content creator so I can't afford to use my rims to tell me what my tyre pressure is :D

[@jakejoevenazzo1478]

Perfect setup until you hit the dirt jumps

[@TrailFeatures]

@@Nit2315 If Rémy isn’t an athlete then I’m just a bag of meat that happens to know how to use a camera.

[@judevenalian5008]

This vid should be titled "Slow and Awkward meets Fast and Suave"

[@PaulThePunter]

Haha 😂

[@33R3X]

Best comment! 😂

[@LeAstrale]

What a golden opportunity missed! 😂

[@brianewing5530]

Paul, I hope you see how great the chemistry is in this episode and have Fabian back on soon. Love the good-natured shit he gives you and you're a great straight man.

[@Ryanaldred11]

I had been running 22psi for most of the winter by lately I've been experimenting with 24-26 psi. Inspired by this video, I tried running 20psi today. The traction was great but after an hour and a half I rode the tire off the rim going through a berm and took a tumble. I spent an hour cleaning sealant off the bead when I got home, re-inflated it and found sealant leaking out of 10+ places in the sidewall. You really are a tire companies dream

[@BIKINGWITHBOBO]

I love this guy! Keeping the Punter in check 😂

[@33R3X]

You need to meet him! Someone needs to roast you lmao😂

[@conman1395]

Imagine living in Squamish with a fear of slippery roots

[@MTBNomad]

It was so much better watching a tire engineer that shreds explain his theory about pressures! Great video and the chemistry between you two was funny. I laughed out loud a few times. Now I am off to lower my tire pressure.

[@MTBradley]

No true. Great video!

[@BrianVaughn]

So I think tire width also makes a huge difference in PSI. I feel I can easily run 21/23 in a 2.4" tire and 17/19 in a 2.6" tire. Rider weight is also a factor. To me the best improvement in tires the last 3-4 years has been sidewall performance. Tires just don't roll over like they used to.

[@MTBradley]

Definitely. Tire sidewall has improved and the rider weight does play an important role in tire pressure. Great points!

[@ryanmb21]

Awesome video! Watched it twice! What internal rim width are you and Fabian running? What Kendas are those? 2.4? Thanks!

[@hobmarg]

Cous Cous is awesome, hope you have him back in more videos. Great stuff Paul.

[@danielharris7313]

I love Fabian he’s so blunt😂

[@MyBetsie]

The Kenda Hellcat is a great tyre, would love to try a lighter casing version if it stays as robust as the current one. Hopefully they sort out the leaky sidewalls so they can be run tubeless. 19,21 or 21,23 are the magic enduro and Dh racing numbers at my speed. So many people run high pressures and say trails are rough, of course it's rough, the important part of your trail connection is too solid!

[@33R3X]

@1:53 That's cool of you adding that clip! That was hilarious 🤣

[@MTBradley]

Paul, I learned so much about tires, tire pressure and what to look for in a tire. Thanks man!

[@MrTonka]

People always scoff at my low tire pressure. I'm happy this information is making it's way out to the masses.

[@MTBradley]

Yeah, people have been surprised at the pressures I've ridden. Definitely stoked on this video!

[@jannis1333]

But when you Go uphill on a road Not a trail You are mich slower and its heavier to padel up?

[@MTBradley]

@@jannis1333 There is more tire resistance on the trail, but I've noticed increased terrain absorption with lower pressured tires so the ride is a bit smoother on the uphill climb. For me, it's worth it to run slightly lower tire pressures. I find the benefit out-weighs the extra resistance for me. Also, I do know people that inflate for the climb and deflate a bit for the ride down.

[@jannis1333]

@@MTBradley ah thanks

[@leeedwards4068]

Who knew you could get a tyre on that way without levers? best tip ever! Thank you. I find Kenda tyres lighter weight than others in ATC - love them.

[@trialsrob214]

Very interesting. I’m an XC rider so I’m more interested in rolling resistance so I would love to hear about that sometime

[@JeremyLawrence-imajez]

Lower pressures than was traditional also means less rolling resistance too. Tyres are your first form of suspension and just like bike suspension they help you go faster with less effort on rough stuff. Think of tyres as micro suspension for micro bumps which slow bike down just a big rocks and roots do.. Nino Schurter rides 15-18PSI and he's about the fastest XC rider around. Suspension also means more comfort, which also reduces fatigue which is a massive cause of slowing down.

[@BikingwithJP]

Definitely saw that you got that tire on without any help! You have to be pretty dialled in to give feedback on prototype tires 🤘

[@PaulThePunter]

Sure do!

[@nikoyannaros48]

First i would like to know if there is a difference between 27.5" and 29" tires with same pressure? Does the hardness feel the same? Second, I can't ride with 20psi.

[@mattkennelly5024]

The tan walls are also super cool 😍

[@MTBradley]

They are pretty rad!

[@armourbl]

Fabien is riding so fast. Man do I wish I had that skill.

[@Kingsoupturbo]

People are really attached to their tire pressures, I know lots of guys who run mid 20's who are same 200lb weight as me. I've been running 17\23 a long time on EXO, and now 17\20 with DD rear casing tires. We learned this from fat biking being very specific about pressures, keeping a digital pressure gauge on all rides to get it perfect (often put 35psi in for the first 300m+ climb, then air down). DH casing tires you can run park days at 14psi on rough runs and not hit the rim. This is on rough rocky steep descents in the rockies (relative trail data though, steep to me might be mild to north shore freeride maniacs)

[@darightcoast1912]

Thanks for the info. Never thought to run that low of pressure.

[@javman03]

The 30% off deal was awesome! I've been waiting for a while trying to make up my mind on what tires to buy. This made up my mind! I got premium tires for the price of average cheapos.

[@bdubs1967]

This is an interesting video because I was riding with a guy yestrday that had me do this exact same thing. Lower tire pressures that I normally ride. 18 front/ 22 Rear on loose over hard pack. I was surprised by how much it changed my ride. Like significantly changed my confidence level on turns. They weren't Kenda but wow.

[@MTBradley]

I know what you mean. A friend of mine talked be into lower air pressures too. It's made a huge difference in how well my tires hook up on corners as well as help absorb terrain features.

[@dk.650]

Running lower pressures in wet conditions is a no brainer. Take a look at pressure in Trials (footups) riding.

[@schaufelwerker]

2:35 that is exctly how i learned changing rubbers outside on tracks when i was yung

[@aaronwatson1379]

Well after watching this and having a new set of tires on last week so the rear tire was slowly leaking. I thought I'd try lowering the pressure as realized my last few rides were at a fair lower pressure than I normally run and had alot quicker times. So dropped from 28f 30r to 20psi f and r. Rear was 19 when I got home. No burping and had heaps of grip as the tire Had a bigger contact patch. 👌

[@PaulThePunter]

Great to hear!

[@MTBradley]

Yeah, I've had similar experiences. Definitely a fan of lower tire pressure.

[@jmd8270]

I was running the pinner pro for a few months it was amazing and did not see any difference from the usual dhf/dhr combo but eventually, the tire got a wobble. I emailed kenda waiting for their reply.

[@berniekida6715]

Damn, Fabien is a beast on the downhil!

[@livefreeandshred9818]

Here I am with 27 rear and cushcore and 25 front perfectly fine traction wise and breaking wheels

[@MTBradley]

Do you like the cushcore? I haven't decided if they're for me just yet.

[@livefreeandshred9818]

@@MTBradley can’t ride without it now. It’s in both bikes. Only rear. Enduro bike has a pro and the trail bike has an XC

[@braulio1o4]

I found the limit on My Minions at the same pressure, 21r, 19f... But now i'm looking for a Winter combo, can't wait to go out and test some new tyres in wet conditions

[@MTBradley]

I run my minions just above your numbers. Works great for me. Stoked to see other folks running lower air pressures.

[@sebmour]

Love Fabs input. Golden insights

[@bartbruin]

Love the transparent sidewalls, got them as well!

[@TheUlitamateStunt]

If you're running narrower rims then lower pressures can feel a bit sketchy as the tyre likes to roll, giving the sensation of losing grip when you actually aren't.

[@armourbl]

I'm using tires that have more air volume than my previous set and I've been experimenting with lowering the pressure, but I'm still way higher than what they are describing and I'm not even riding enduro conditions. I may need to try even less pressure.

[@traildogisla]

Add in cushcore and you could get away with an even lighter casing, easily running sub 20psi on an enduro raced hardtail. Be interesting to see if tyres come out soon that are designed to be used with an insert.

[@MTBradley]

How do you like the cushcore?

[@traildogisla]

@@MTBradley wouldn't be without on any serious MTB now, massive improvement and really quite different from other inserts

[@gregcavanaugh6259]

Ok, cool video. But I do have a legit question: am I the only one who cares how heavy a tire is anymore? All this BC riding is so focused on downhill with jumps and drops, it seems the weight of a tire is super low on the priority list. I still ride a ton of miles that are more trail/XC but need grip and traction too, I just don't want 1200+ gram tires. I like my tires around the 900 gram mark. What do others think?

[@fatymcnasty2484]

Just purchased my new tires thank you for the discount

[@benreed1616]

Hopefully it's a prototype Hellkat AEC that doesn't leak like a sieve through the sidewalls. Or have the dreaded wobble. Had 2 so far with the same problem. I love the performance, but unless the qc gets sorted out, I'll be looking elsewhere.

[@TheButlerNZ]

It's a new video game. Mario Bros MTB. I've always loved gum sidewalls... I'd love some 2.8's on my chrome Giant Faith... (oh no... it's a 26' sigh..)

[@RanchDelivery]

You bounce the tire if you run tubes to get out pinching

[@kadencollins]

Would love to see a video in the UK if you ever come back

[@SAMTB]

Great Vid, Good to hear the encouragement to go to a lower tire pressure! How are you liking it?

[@josephhajekiii891]

This is a fantastic Video. lots of great information. I am going to reduce the air pressure in my tires a bit and see how it goes. It also got me to go to the Kenda website. I think they do need to work on their tire selection drop down a bit. I tried using and got no good suggestion. I am however contemplating a 29 x 2.6 Hellkat up front. Any suggestion on a fast rolling rear Kenda tire for the back?

[@PaulThePunter]

I would honestly just go 2.4 front and rear. A 2.6 just isn’t applicable really, especially when you get the right tire pressure!

[@SevenFlex]

This dude is freaking shredding

[@Rippy211]

My 240-pound friend once used his fingers to "feel" the tire pressure, after that, I said it "feels" too low, another friend gave him a pressure gauge and it landed on 12PSI. No pump, he decided to send it as normal against advice and ended up using his ribcage as suspension.

[@vegaone571]

Anyone knows which mudguard it is in the front of the bike?

[@JClark2600]

@5:15 Is Fab riding with cushcore or foam inserts? I ride where we have a lot of dust, high elevation and 98% of the rocks are really sharp granite. Does he run low pressure because you aren't riding anything sharp (like granite) and have foam to prevent rim dings?

[@PaulThePunter]

Nope, no inserts for either of us

[@TheVic256]

Well, one reason to stick with what you know and love, is that tires are expensive - at least when not sponsored :D

[@bananas700]

really interesting video never knew there was this much difference into tyres(the UK way lol)

[@PaulThePunter]

Haha yes I gotta pick on way of spelling it! There's a tonne, I would definitely experiement.

[@bananas700]

@@PaulThePunter yeh going to have a look when I get new trees for sure :)

[@matt46vale]

Thought I recognised his voice. He hals alot of useful videos on the trails in Queenstown. Bike Travel Destination, is his channel.

[@brokenlegz]

How do I find these videos?

[@matt46vale]

@@brokenlegz Bike Travel Destination

[@01nmuskier]

Fabian is such a skilled rider.

[@francoinvisser4058]

sheetballs - my stomach would be churning running pressures that low. And I would cringe for my rims... Will have to give it a try - on some borrowed wheels.

[@eltongolds6934]

Kenda Hellkats are one of the best all round tyre, raced plenty of Enduro on them. So predictable and have never had a puncture with them. I can't say that about Maxxis tyres

[@nooneknowsmaurice7277]

Hey, do you ride inserts in your tires? Because I'm interested in riding tubeless without a insert.

[@PaulThePunter]

No inserts

[@sgtmango333]

One thing a lot of these videos don't mention is that tire pressure is going to be largely dictated by your weight! If I ran my tires at these pressures I'd be burping on every corner! Maybe that's self evident, but I had to learn the hard way.

[@MTBradley]

Same here, but thankfully, I had a friend help me out when I first switched to tubeless.

[@ervinrickmorales5355]

Well say hello to your tire bid extra effort to clean up, if it so lucky to survived on the trail without any leaks Hoping you can demonstrate on loose trail Im not trying to be someone but sharing to the environment that you riding thanks

[@luckylifeonwheels626]

What ever happened to the porky brand im a rider from the early 80s to mide to late 90s and always had porky's on my mountain bike but i dont see them in stores anymore

[@neilbeni7744]

Awesome video 👊🙂

[@derekjarman1638]

Hmm - going to have to try some lower pressures next time I go out👍👍

[@EddyOtway]

Lowest pressure possible 🤔 I think Sam Pilgrim would beg to differ 🤣

[@ziejekz2290]

Exactly, "make it 80psi, the comp spec"

[@therealesky5041]

Those tan walls look rad🤟

[@samhatfieldmtb4115]

50 psi in all conditions has got to be the one

[@Charlie_Broadbent]

That other guy in the vid has the same sponsors as Sam Reynolds: NS bikes, Kenda, SR Suntour

[@welson94]

I always thought you ran too much air in your tyres, Paul. Release that wind!

[@felixlleverino]

Does the same rule of "go as low as you can" principal relate to XC riding?

[@HenriArmstrong]

if i ran lass than 25 front and back id have blow outs everywhere

[@PaulThePunter]

You wouldnt

[@HenriArmstrong]

@@PaulThePunter I have a reputation in grass roots racing in the uk for breaking wheels and burping tyres off a rim. I have to ride above 25psi to prevent this as “riding the smooth line” as you know on uk bike parks isn’t a thing most of the time. I don’t think recommending people running super low tyres pressures is a great idea personally. Maybe people should try looking at there riding style rather than blaming there equipment if “grip (A cover word for skill)” is something they struggle with. Love your channel just don’t agree with you on this one

[@luciouskyles4500]

Anyone notice the push eleven-six shock?

[@roccoallen3735]

when will these be out

[@PaulThePunter]

It's all a test, but the AEC tires that are available now are top notch 👌

[@adammiller6932]

Talking of Roots! How about 🇬🇧 deals?

[@The_GreenMachine]

I want to see yall run that low pressure here I Austin TX or out in Utah or Arizona.

[@senorspiegel]

Easy, just aim for the least jagged part of the trail made entirely out of jagged rock

[@The_GreenMachine]

@@senorspiegel exactly!

[@davehause8571]

Yeah, I agree. Save the word athlete for those who cross finish lines.

[@ydin9]

Damn, this was some helpful stuff. I should try lowering mine when my hand heals. Didn't think the casing mattered so much! - I would appreciate an video about the actual patterns too

[@PaulThePunter]

Oooo maybe in the future!

[@MTBradley]

Great idea about video on the tread pattern. Knowing Paul, he'll deliver. Did you hurt your hand in a bike accident?!

[@ydin9]

@@MTBradley That's personal question but kinda, it's not clear what caused it but I can't take even small bumps with my other hand without feeling discomfort and pain on the wrist, it could be carpal tunnel related.

[@MTBradley]

@@ydin9 I'm sorry to hear that. Hope it heals up quick for you!

[@ydin9]

@@MTBradley Thanks, not that I ride much or that hard anyway but it would be nice to do without worry again..

[@juddsonvance]

Need some pinners. Tell kenda to hurry and stock them.

[@recyclednoob]

Would this concept work if I'm like 200plus lbs fully kitted out ?

[@PaulThePunter]

Why wouldn’t it?

[@recyclednoob]

Just kinda worried cos I'm a bit on the heavy side , currently on 26/28 and worry abt dropping any lower 😆

[@kyleewert2505]

I can't seem to get the 30% off to work by clicking the link. Is there a code I can put in? Nevermind I called kenda and the code is Punter2021

[@mtnbikerva1]

What SIZE? A 2.0 tire vs 3.0 is inflated with 2 TOTALLY DIFFERENT pressures.

[@nrg4285]

This Fabien guy was hilarious

[@TheNotoriousMIC]

Way better host. Whoever is running this channel needs to sack the other guy and me him full time host.

[@piercewasmund2042]

I like Fabian. Good content.

[@pedalhound]

I want a deal on Kenda tires, but I live in Canada...sigh...

[@ksearsor]

yes, as all of these youtube'rs i also change my tires on every ride. keep buying stuff people, it will help you, right? Do you ride EWS? UCI DH? probably, we all do.

[@leviviinikka404]

bruh, ive got like 30 psi front and rear, my bike is hella stiff

[@bikesavvy6314]

Shopkeeper - What tire are you looking for? Me - Preferably an inflated one.

[@denoxidase]

"I'm tired of pressure" I read comments for ad vice

[@tgsparkyoriginal]

I kept thinking Fab was putting on the accent 🤣🤣

[@dirtsurfernz]

That's some pretty quality content for an athlete 😜

[@TheMediocreMountainBiker]

That is some crazy low pressure!

[@PaulThePunter]

At one point these riders came passed and Fab said “they could probably run 8 psi” 🤯

[@themiddleagemasher8108]

Jason. Dude. I run 30 psi rear and 25 front !!! I cannot imagine the low pressure stuff

[@TheMediocreMountainBiker]

@@PaulThePunter That’s fat bike territory!

[@TheMediocreMountainBiker]

@@themiddleagemasher8108 I’m usually 21/24 - trying to protect my rim - BUT I have NOX rims with lifetime warranty so maybe I can risk lower pressures. 🤔

[@thim8009]

Fabien could probably ride better on slicks than I could on dhf. Its not just the tires.

[@anthonyrosso6942]

This was really cool

[@lauriemay755]

I wish other foreign countries could get the 30% code of

[@PaulThePunter]

That's how it goes Laurie!

[@lauriemay755]

I know right

[@Fincher123]

So as a German we use "Bar". Now iam searching for a good pump with PSI scale on the go! Any suggestions?

[@dimitardimitriev]

If you really want to fine tune the pressure I think it's easier to go with digital air checker. I use the one from bike-discount - (SKS GERMANY Airchecker - Digital Air Pressure Gauge). Does the job, it is very small and its around 20 euro. Hope this will help.

[@cornishcactus]

This last year of lockdown thanks to eBay and local sellers I've probably done more tyre testing than Fab :D I've come to a couple of conclusions. Tyre testing and reviews are done by pros who know how to get the most out of the bike and tyres. Your average Joey like myself isn't going to slap on the latest hot rubber and suddenly turn into a god, they can behave very differently to what you may be expecting because you can't work them. I honestly believe there's also a market/need for tyre reviews by average riders who are a large number of consumers and who Paul seems to be aiming his channel at now. More grip isn't more speed I've got a Whyte T130 and I was on a quest for more grip in the few times I'm on something proper steep or techy and I feel like I'm lacking grip to keep up with my mates in front ( ignoring they've years experience on me and are riding enduro bikes ) My standard combo is DHF/DHR for winter and DHF/Aggressor for summer. As it was Winter first I tried a Maxxgrip version of the DHF before I found myself getting Assegai front and rear. Result, no speed and seemingly worse grip than the DHF, the bike was horrible, did I need more tyre again, mud spikes? everyone keeps banging on about Wild Enduro's do I need to try those? Marys seem popular in UK mud. A chance conversation about a bikes happy speed was a lightbulb moment. I've got a lightweight ( ish ) trail bike and there I am lumbering it down with DH tyres, I really had to be getting a lick on to get in the now very narrow window it came alive and with those tyres that was hard getting and staying there plus they also damped the bike down and made it feel dead. Step one in the end of winter half mud slop was a Dissector which paired with a DHR up front was great. As things dried out the Dissector went up front and the Aggressor out back but the real turning point was a Rekon on the back which was far better in the sort of dirt that still clogs an Aggressor. On flowing singletrack trails I was now demolishing PB's and on a downhill still slick techy track I equaled my best on the very first run while taking it easy. I've got less grip but the bike is more lively, you can feel what it's doing, it's far more agile and trustworthy so I'm going faster everywhere; it's around 700g lighter at the rims over the Assegais! Funny enough it's also what bikes like the Spur come with and it's the ideal Downcountry combo which is pretty much what I'm doing. So do you need that DD TSG Super Gravity casing, the huge knobs and velcro soft rubber when you're not on the world cup tour? Maybe not, it might be slowing you down.

[@stevethepokieman]

Your in Canada but Americans get sweet deal? 🤔

[@ziejekz2290]

I'm still not buying it, at least for the way and places I ride. Sure, I need to patch my inner tube sometimes or replace it but that's not all. My tyre is worn half way, lot of life on the tread but through the slashes in it you can see the inner tube in 5 different places. That means (at least) 5 different occasions, where fluid wouldn't work. So 5 new tyres? Or going tubed? Let my wallet decide. Sure tubeless is better in some situations, like pinching your inner and alike. All depends on style and places you ride.

[@oliverchrisocampo7668]

Nice 100%

[@JB50713]

Lives and rides in Canada. Discount only available for USA. Booooooo! Lol good video

[@MrMatishoshani]

I would love to watch a channel with just your Italian friend.. so cynical and dry.. perfect humor.

[@BlueLineRider]

knowing that fab is Team Manager of a UCI team, consider this as TRade secret