I’m returning to my higher volume lower psi days on the rigid 29er. With no upcoming races to train for and just fun riding on the horizon I’ve decided to go with increased comfort and grip at the expense of more weight, more rolling resistance and more noise.

For the last few months, the 29er has been set-up with a Maxxis Ignitors and a front suspension fork. I consider the Ignitor to be a mid-volume sized tire at 2.1 inches wide and a claimed weight of 705 grams which is neither light nor heavy in the 29er tire world. This setup has worked as a great race front tire in So. Cal. conditions with, in my opinion, an ideal blend of volume, low rolling resistance, grip and weight.

But since I’ve gone back to rigid and I’m not racing anytime soon I’ve decided that I’d like to add a little more comfort to the equation. Because of this I slapped on a Panaracer Rampage 29 up front. The Rampage is definitely a high volume tire. At a claimed weight of 800 grams the Rampage is getting a bit portly for my normal type of riding (think XC / light AM) but because I’m going rigid I’m willing to take the weight penalty for the ability to run a lower PSI and gain the comfort of the higher volume.

Panaracer Rampage 2.35″ of rubber = high volume

I was running my Ignitor at about the 35-ish psi for the races and fast training rides prior to the race but for the Rampage I set it at just under 25 psi which feels so much better. I’d like to run it even lower but changing tires on the WTB Laserdisc wheels are a HUGE hassle so I’m careful not to run it too low and be prone to pinch flats.

I was able to get in a quick shake down ride of the Rampage / eXotic carbon 29er fork setup with Moe & RL this morning. We rode a quick 7 miles which had only 1 half mile descent. Once I got on the trail I could instantly tell the new setup would be more comfortable than the Ignitor + eXotic carbon fork setup but I really knew this to be true on that mild descent. The eXotic carbon fork does a great job muting the tiny bumps on the trail. The Rampage does a great job of muting slightly bigger bumps. Combining them together meant more comfort for my hands. I can’t wait to ride some more on it.

Click here for info on the Panaracer Rampage.
Click here for info on the eXotic carbon 29er fork, which has been awesome under my 215 lbs.

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I’ve had the Panaracer Rampage as my front tire and the Maxxis Crossmark on the rear for a little over a month now. I’ve got over 150 miles on them in that month (yes, I know that some people put that many miles in just a couple of rides, but I’m a recreational mountain biker so it takes a little longer) and I just wanted to do a quick update on how they’ve been for me.

First off, both are in great shape (as they should be). I’ve ridden through the same area that tore my XR Jones a few times and not a peep from either tire. I’ve taken them through some rock gardens, rolled them on a few boulders & did small jumps with them. They’re still good. On a local trail they’re doing some maintenance and putting in a lot of the same rocks you would find next to railroad tracks. I’ve ridden through these jagged rocks a few times without any problems either.

Quick thoughts on each tire: The Rampage definitely increases my confidence. The tire grips so well that I’ve been able to dial up my speed on different parts of the trail knowing that the tires (and in particular, the front tire) would grip. I’ve also begun to rely more and more on the tires getting me through tricky spots rather than my brakes.

One particular section that I’m thinking about has an off camber climb that goes into a downhill. The downhill has a sharp left that leads to more off camber downhill that ends in a sharp right turn. With my old XR Jones, I applied the brakes as soon as I reached the crest to modulate my speed during the quick left/right downhill section. But with the Rampage up front I get to the top, pedal and carve the left/right downhill with ease, lots more speed and no brakes. SWEET!

The 2.1� Crossmark is also a very solid tire. They’re not quite as beefy as the Rampage, but thats what I wanted for my rear wheel. I do find that there is a little slippage during standing climbs but I also need to improve my technique on that as well. The Crossmark seem to be very versatile. They work fine in all but the deepest sand pit or muddiest trail.

I showed my mechanic friend (another 29er aficionado) the Maxxis Crossmarks and he suggested running them backwards for the rear. The knobs just inside the edge knobs have a slanted side and a vertical side. Running them backwards would allow the vertical side to bite into the ground giving the tires a bit more grip for better climbing. I just might try that next!

Keep checking back in as a full review will be coming soon.

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