So with all the talk about rear tires/ trials tires and the like I thought I would do a quick write up on the tires im using in hopes it will be usefull to someone. I have been running Kenda Milleville sticky tires front and rear for about 15 hours now. The tires were pretty cheap (around $55 rear $45 front) and I had heard good things about the sticky series, so I decided to give em a shot. The millevilles are labeled mixed terain tires. First the front. In sand and softer type terain I like it much more than the pirelli I was running. Traction and handling are good and predictable as long as the terain is soft to sandy. The harder the ground gets the less confidence I have in them. In hard corners I can actually feel the knobs flexing (feels like a flat tire). Playing with pressure doesn't seem to help, they just don't like hard stuff. The rear has been awesome! I love this rear tire. It is showing normal wear and hooks up awesome in everything I have ridden it in so far. I ride in everything from a loose sandy MX track to hard and rocky, mountain trails and the tire hooks up and gives nothing but confidence at all times. I truly feel like I always know what the rear is going to do. I would definately recomend this rear for anyone looking for a new rear.
I had a Kenda Sponsorship a few years ago, ran all there tires. I thought the Milleville was just OK but that was not the "sticky" could be they changed things. I noticed the same thing, worked great int he loose stuff but horrible in the harder packed stuff.
I haven't switched yet. This front still has a lot of life left on it, so I'll just wait till the rear wears out and switch it then. Haven't decided yet what I wanna try next, any suggestions?
While we are talking Kendas: Have had real success with the Kenda Carlsbad for desert and baja. Even did a Baja 500 on them with the 510. Fronts do well, rears last a long time. Good hook up in sand, mixed, etc. The carcasses arent the toughest, but they took the rocks and thorns well enough. For a good and very reasonable priced southwest tire try the Kenda Carlsbad. I shredded the Millville i tried in baja in 150 miles.
Mike the Mill works good in loam like up here int he woods but yes, sux on hard and sandy and wears fast. The Carlsbad I had kinda sucked here but rode it in Idaho dez stuff and it worked very well there. North -v- south tires.
Interesting that you both report the milleville wearing out quickly. I expected mine to wear quickly too, especially given that it is the "sticky" version, and much softer than the regular ville i studded for winter use. But so far it is wearing exelent.
