The Maxxis Ardent 2.25 was a big hit with many riders when it came out, but there were not a few that were asking for the tread to be released in a wider version. Well, they got what they wanted and the Ardent 2.4 inch 29″er tire seems to be on a similar path to 29″er stardom as its smaller sister. If you missed the intro, you can find my post here. Let’s take a closer look at the Ardent 2.4″er and give some comparisons to the smaller version.
First of all, let’s get to some measures for the current tire on test here………
Weight: 810 gm/830 gm for our pair.
Widths: Mounted on a Velocity P-35 rim tubeless at 30psi: casing width=57.2mm- tread width outside knob to outside knob= 57.2mm
Mounted to a WTB Speed Disc rim at 40psi w/tube: casing width 54.2mm- tread width outside knob to outside knob= 57.8mm.
After 24 hours: P-35- 58.2mm/58.2mm WTB Speed Disc 55.4mm/58.2mm
Note: Measurements taken indoors at 72 degrees F.
Whoa! I know tires stretch, so let’s leave that for the time being and I’ll check back in with that after a few rides. In comparison to a Weir wolf LT and a Racing Ralph that I have had on Gordo rims, which are 35mm wide, the Ardent falls short now. Those tires were well over 60mm on Gordos mounted with tubes. Even now, mounted on 28mm wide Delgado Disc rims with tubes, those two tires measure wider than the Ardent on a P-35. But again….we’ll see if they stretch some before we pass judgments. Just so we are all on the same page, both these Ardent tires will be used tubeless on the P-35 rims. Once again I will remind you all that these are not tubeless tires by design. Twenty Nine Inches does not recommend that anyone run Maxxis Ardent 2.4 inch 29″er tires tubeless and we do so at our own risk.
Now, how do these compare to the smaller Ardent? Well, it is obvious that the 2.4 version has a different sidewall, at least it is thicker. The bead seems to be somewhat different as well. Finally, the biggest difference is in the size and depth of the knobs. The larger Ardent features both bigger and deeper knobs than its smaller sibling. In all it is certainly a “scaled up” version. Hopefully the casing on the 2.4″er “scales up” a bit more along the way!
Note: Pictured measurements were affected by outdoor temps which were 30 degrees F at the time of the photos.
Mounting the Ardents was an easy task both tubeless and tubed. They were not an overly tight, nor loose fitting tire. At the 800-ish weight, these seem fairly sturdy and should survive about as well as the Wolverine that Grannygear is testing for all around trail use. These will be tires that are more suited to an aggressive lean angle in turns, as the Ardent tread pattern lacks much for intermediate knobs. The casing really pooched out on the P-35, with the knob width and casing width being equal to each other. Should the tires stretch much, I am expecting the casing width to actually exceed that of the knob to knob width. Perhaps not a good match if sharp, rocky terrain is where your trails lead you with the Ardent on such a wide rim. The 28mm wide Speed Disc actually stuck the knobs out past the casings a fair bit, with the knob to knob measurement being the same as the P-35′s measurement. Something to consider with these tires and how they react to wider rims.
Well, we shall see after I get a few rides in and I will be back with my First Impressions post then with new measurements. Stay tuned……….
GT – the 2.4 prototype I got in June measures 60 casing and 61 tread running tubes on a Gordo. Maybe production models changed a hair? FYI – it’s a grip monster!!!
@GreenLightGo: Yes, I recall that and that others that had received the protos were saying they were getting similar results to yours. Imagine then how surprised and disappointed I was when I mounted these up.
There is no way the one I have here mounted with tubes on the WTB will ever be 60mm wide.
And…..I’ll be really surprised if the P-35 mounted tubeless one gets much over 2.4 inches.
We’ll see……..
GT,
Their profile appears more roundish? Is this the case or are the more square than they appear in the photo?
@JohnG: You see correctly. They are more rounded on the 28mm on the WTB rim, almost perfectly so, and slightly flatter on the P-35.
Some tires get wider when having been used tubeless, right? That’s like a high-definition tumble drying, folding the tire in every place, every way over. I bet you’ll gain well over a mm more, especially when ridden tubeless.
It wider now equal to better? And, do tire manufacturers know this?
Are their 2.4′s and 2.5′s the very widest they can make them still, or just how they’ve turned out? I know tire molding machines that can go wider are rare.
@Cloxxki: Some tires do better at stretching when used tubeless, that you are correct on. I may see these go over 60.9mm wide, (2.4″), but that is asking for a lot of stretch!
Is wider better? That is a great question. Shiggy is finding he prefers some tires on 28mm wide to 30mm wide rims instead of the wider Gordo/P-35′s out there. Certainly the tires we are putting on these rims are taking on different profiles and performance characteristics because of this. Are these performance enhancers, or no? That will be a good thing to be watching for from here on out.
The widest tires for 29″ers still seem to be limited by the mold machines, don’t they? I think we’ve been aware of this since 2003/2004 and since that time the “mythical mold machine” that held the promise of a really big 29″er tire has been the unicorn of the 29″er world. I am rather doubtful that it actually exists anymore.
That said, I do not really know that it is necessary that it does.
for years I have been lusting after tires going beyond the 60 mm width but with the new generation of tires I start asking myself wether this is really needed. I´d still like to try, if it don´t come too heavy, but my level of anxiety abut it is gradually decreasing.
Just look at what we have come to in terms of tire selection – pretty awsome, don´t you think?
I have been rooting for a Surly type 29″ tire. Relatively light, and then “mid” size : 3.0″. It would fit in a fatbike built for 26×4.0″, at least the Pugsley.
Aerodynamically faster than the current Surly fat tires, and a tad faster rolling. In deep sand and snow, I suppose it woul track straighter (be it good or bad), and work especially well when ridden up-tempo. Getting similar or better float (narrower yet longer contact patch), compressing or plowing less snow/sand per meter travelled. Plus all the traits we are accustomed to of 29″ tires.
Whether Surly’s mold would be able to make a tire this TALL…I don’t know. I know they’ve never brought anything to the market I’ve suggested to them, so the 29×3.0 will need to come from someone else.
An entreprising craftsman could make his own from 2 Surly 26″ tires, and one steel beaded (relative ease of work) 29″ tire. Cut out the Surly tire hooks. Get the wires out of the 29″ tires. Cut 2 equal pieces of Surly tire. Wrap excess tire wall around the wire (to make it narrower than before), and staple to centre, glue to make permanent, and stitch to hold. Then stitch the 2 pieces together to make a complete tire. Voila, super racer monster tire that will fit your Pugs. Due to it being 3.0″ rather than 3.7-4.0″, narrower rims would be in the sweet spot. Positive or negative, the tread would wrap further around the profile of the tire, and it might be oddly square or round/pointy. Less than $150 and some spare hours (make a round stitching mold out of a table top) and you’ve got something no-one has.