MTen3 availability of decent tire

[kolmog]

As title... I've searched high and low. For those new to the topic: The stock tire on the MTen3 is not designed for a one wheeled vehicle... Turning is downright perverse on the MTen3. At a small radius it's fantastic and you will feel like an ice skater, but for getting somewhere it's just awkward, and it doesn't inspire alot of confidence at speed.

Is there any non Ninebot Mini tire that will fit it? The Ninebot Mini "version 2" tires are not in stock anywhere right now. I guess the reason they went with the ninebot mini tire was just availability.

[Tawpie]

5 hours ago, kolmog said:

it doesn't inspire alot of confidence at speed

You got that right FOR SURE.

I have no idea how much the tire has to do with it, but the MTen doesn't have the peak-thrust necessary to keep you safely upright on a typically maintained road when you're going very fast at all (granted, I have the 67V version, the 84V should have more headroom). So in addition to it wanting to get speed wobbles, and being generally squirrly at speed, I really don't think it's the right tool for getting from here to there. Period. Unless you're only going a very few miles and have plenty of time.

I believe @ShanesPlanet found a tire with stiffer (4 ply?) sidewalls that he fitted to his MTen—then went back to the party balloon stock tire. I think he detailed the tire he used in his MTen tire change video. Since I reduced my uses of the MTen to strictly goofing around, the tubeless it came with is fine.

[kolmog]

I've found a tire that looks like it might be a candidate [link], it's a 60/70-6.5 so if i understand correctly it's 10mm narrower, 3mm taller and it'll fit the rim. The profile of the tire looks like it might be quite decent, less width could be a bonus too. The bit I'm not sure about is if it will actually be possible to get the tire on.

2 hours ago, Tawpie said:

(granted, I have the 67V version, the 84V should have more headroom)

I have the 84v... Today going about 30km/h at 50% battery I got the alarm of 85% PWM.... But I still kind of like it for dense urban areas, and messing around obviously. What scares me is that it'll tramline a little too hard and just shoot off to the side. It's too sensitive at speed.

[.....]

Stock mten tire is the LEAST squirrelly tire you're gna find. Its basically play-doh. I tried a 4ply and it was MUCH harder and heavier. I will reinstall it once I wear this soft tire down (shouldnt take long). For feeling planted, the stock tire IS the best bet. Its so soft that the pebbles on asphalt dont induce much vibration. THe 4 ply I tried was VERY similar, but transimitted vibration a shade more Over time, I imagine it will put the feet asleep sooner. THe 4ply also was much more twitchy and liked to tram a bit more. The benefit of the 4ply, is it seems more puncutre resistant, offers less rolling resistance, and could possibly be a bit safer for the rim.

The reason the mten rides like it does... tire SIZE. I dont think tire compound will change this much. I get the same feeling at speed on the scooter. 10mph feels the sweet spot on my mten to me. I hit my speed beeps rarely, but when I do, I back off REAL quick. Even at a mere 130lbs, I just know the little bastard is waiting to drop me on my face. Im guessing low tire pressure+top speed+slight incline can add up to the perfect storm in a heartbeat.

There's a vid on my channel of my mten testing of the two tires. Its in there somewhere with all the rest of the near useless random crap I put out.

 

Edited October 28, 2021 by ShanesPlanet

[Tawpie]

I haven’t played with it much because I like where I gots it, but I do wonder if inflation pressure is a big deal with the stock tire. Deflated and it is flat, inflated it’s round. Rounder => squirrlier?

I’m still working on backwards riding and I did notice that when I was down about 3 psi from my usual 23 psi (slow leak), it was easier to make the forwards to backwards transition because the wheel didn’t want to flop side to side as much.

@ShanesPlanet you should put that new tire back on and try it at lower pressure. The sidewalls are stiffer, so maybe it’ll flatten the profile a hair. You did mention in your video that practice changing MTen tires was, in the grand scheme of things, good… (don’t look at me, mine ain’t broke and it ain’t getting fixed)

Edited October 29, 2021 by Tawpie

[.....]

I tried the 4 ply at very low pressure. I ride mine at a mere 20psi. I tried down to 15psi on the 4ply. It just had way too much sag and still wasnt as flatly stable as stock. Its hard to explain. Airing up the stocker REALLY high, got me a much harsher ride and I feared for how easily the tire may pop. Airing up the 4ply didnt make it drastically harsher, but did increase the turn in. I would say that the profile has a LOT to do with it, prolly as much as pressure. Once a person learns to ride an mten well, I dont think the agile profile of the 4 ply is an issue. I kind of liked it. The drawback was the vibration trnasmission on pavement. THe stocker just rides like its sucking up all the tiny rocks. Neither does much for big rocks or bumps at 20psi, tho the 4ply did seem a bit safer on the rim during small drops. If i used the mten to travel at all, or put lotsa miles on it, I'd go with the 4ply all day long. Longevity is MUCH better, as I find the stock to be barely passable. DO some 180 spind on concrete on the stockers and youll see rubber chunks a flyin'.

Practice is good. Removing cheap screws that seat into cheap plastic (over and over) = bad

Edited October 29, 2021 by ShanesPlanet