Modern Buddy

I had a Buddy 50 on which I put a 3.5x10 Zippy 1 on the rear and a 90/90-10 Zippy 1 on the front. Those tires did great for me! I recently got a Buddy 125, though, and I’ve been a little confused about tire traction and size.

I was originally planning on doing a 130/70-10 Zippy 1 on the rear and a 110/80-10 or 100/90-10 Zippy 1 up front. But recently I’ve come across some info that says a wider back tire doesn’t mean better traction. Sometimes a wider back tire can be worse for traction, especially wet traction. The reason being that traction has a lot to do with friction, and when you have too wide of tire for the amount of weight that will be on that tire you end up spreading out the weight on the wide tire and reducing the friction per square inch.

So I’m wondering what’s the best balance? Should I go 130/70-10 on the rear,l? Or should I do 110/80-10 or 100-90-10 (or stock 3.5x10) on both front and rear? What’s the best for traction, wet and dry? Also, what’s the best tires for traction, wet and dry? I’m not worried about lifespan of the tire so much...I just don’t want to hit the payment with my noggin.

Thanks everyone!

Keep it at the stock 3.5x10 size. You are going to notice more of a difference just between brands and tread pattern than you will by mixing up the tire size.

I tried the 130/70-10 and liked it, but I don't think it is worth the extra money(~$15.) If the 130/70-10 cost less I would probably run one. When I ran it I figured out that I needed to keep the tire inflated 2-3 PSI higher than what I ran in the smaller tires. The biggest difference I noticed running it was that ride quality was better, that fat tire soaked up a lot of the smaller bumps.

I used to run 100/90-10 thinking bigger is better but now I am running 3.50-10 because they are usually cheaper and they handle the same. If you are going to pay someone else to mount your tires I would recommend the Michelin S1, they handle well and last a decent number of miles. If you are going to change your own tires I recommend the Kenda K-329, they handle well and are cheap, but they wear out faster. The Zippies are good tires but can be a little expensive.

I have ran all those tire in the rain without crashing.

Stanza wrote:Keep it at the stock 3.5x10 size. You are going to notice more of a difference just between brands and tread pattern than you will by mixing up the tire size.

Thanks for the advice! What tires do you ride on? Do you know if there is a significant difference in wet and dry traction between the Zippy1’s and Michelin S1’s?

scootERIK wrote:I tried the 130/70-10 and liked it, but I don't think it is worth the extra money(~$15.) If the 130/70-10 cost less I would probably run one. When I ran it I figured out that I needed to keep the tire inflated 2-3 PSI higher than what I ran in the smaller tires. The biggest difference I noticed running it was that ride quality was better, that fat tire soaked up a lot of the smaller bumps.

I used to run 100/90-10 thinking bigger is better but now I am running 3.50-10 because they are usually cheaper and they handle the same. If you are going to pay someone else to mount your tires I would recommend the Michelin S1, they handle well and last a decent number of miles. If you are going to change your own tires I recommend the Kenda K-329, they handle well and are cheap, but they wear out faster. The Zippies are good tires but can be a little expensive.

I have ran all those tire in the rain without crashing.

Thanks for the help!

I run the 130/70 10 for the slight added ground clearance while turning. I can't tell much of difference in traction given the different sizes. However I've tried several different tires and the michelin S1 is good and the heidanau k61 is the best I've tried, very sticky.

lovemysan wrote:I run the 130/70 10 for the slight added ground clearance while turning. I can't tell much of difference in traction given the different sizes. However I've tried several different tires and the michelin S1 is good and the heidanau k61 is the best I've tried, very sticky.

Thanks for the feedback! Do the heidanau k61 get great wet traction, as well?

I ran the K61 in 3.50x10 last summer and while l liked them overall they weren't my favorite in the rain. They were great on dry pavement but I didn't trust them as much on wet roads as some other tires I have run.

This spring I put a pair of 3.50x10 Zippy 1 on and have been happy with them. They seem more confident in the wet and I would rate them near the top of what I've run on my Buddies so far. (Also run includes the original Cheng Shin and Maxxis, as well as Michelin S1 and S83, Bridgestone Hoop, Heidenau K47, K58 and K61, IRC MB-90 and Pirelli SL26.)

A new tire that I am interested to try is the Pirelli Angel Scooter. I believe it was released late last fall and I am curious to see how it compares to the old standards. It seems like most current scooter tire designs are 5 or more years old. They are pretty reasonably priced too. I ordered a pair and will give them a try once the Zippys are finished later this summer.

https://www.bikebandit.com/tires-tubes/ ... re/p/60362

+1 Stanza
All major brands are good. If you ride conservatively, even the off brands aren't going to matter to you.

350kmi wrote:This spring I put a pair of 3.50x10 Zippy 1 on and have been happy with them. They seem more confident in the wet and I would rate them near the top of what I've run on my Buddies so far.

I agree. We have had several tires on our Buddy thru time. The Zippy 1 is definitely our preferred choice - and it is what is on our Buddy as it sits in the garage this evening.

mattsyd wrote:

lovemysan wrote:I run the 130/70 10 for the slight added ground clearance while turning. I can't tell much of difference in traction given the different sizes. However I've tried several different tires and the michelin S1 is good and the heidanau k61 is the best I've tried, very sticky.

Thanks for the feedback! Do the heidanau k61 get great wet traction, as well?

In the wet I ride carefully. I did some guided laps at race track and it poured rain. I did okay. I didn't push any limits for sure.