If you’re racing the Little Sugar 100K in Bentonville, Arkansas, you’re signing up for one of the most puncture-prone courses in the U.S.
This guide breaks down tire recommendations, pressure insights, and what actually survived one of the flattest-per-mile races out there.

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🏁 2025 Race Summary

Condition	Description
Surface	Sharp flint gravel, limestone ledges, and endless loose-over-hard flow trail
Weather	Start in high 60s → finish in low 90s; humid early (~80 %)
Traction	Good when dry — slabby rock stays grippy; roots/rocks slippery when wet
Flat risk	Severe — pros were shredding tires and swapping wheels - maybe 50% of the pro field flatted

Keeping air in your tires is a big part of this race. Riders were nursing compromised tires everywhere - Keegan Swenson went through three wheel changes himself.
This course punishes hesitation and weak casings — but rewards smooth, confident cornering and smart risk management.

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🗺️ Course Overview

The 100K course starts in Coler MTB Preserve, linking Bentonville’s best singletrack:
fast, loose flow; techy sections with exposure in The Ledges; and a bermed-out finale through The Castle before finishing downtown.
The terrain demands constant attention — it’s punchy, rocky, and twisty. Success hinges on finding a tire that rolls quickly and shrugs off some sharp hits.

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What I Ran at Little Sugar

I raced a Kenda Rush 2.4 SCT front and rear, paired with Vittoria Air-Liner Lights and Orange Seal Endurance (≈10 oz front / 12 oz rear). Yes, that sounds like an absurd amount of sealant - and maybe it is. However, when you lose sealant from a large puncture that requires plugs - you tend to lose a lot of it and I wanted to make sure I wasn’t running dry after something like that.

Pressures: 16 PSI front / 18 PSI rear (rider + bike + gear ≈ 86 kg). Suspension: I ran it slightly softer than I normally do to help with flats from rock impacts but not so soft that I’d bottom out and risk flatting that way as well.

The Rushes felt very quick yet still confident in corners. On some of the really loose corners out there, no XC tire is going to offer great grip unless you run a truly heavy trail tire. I bottomed out a few times on the liners but never punctured.

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🛞 Tire Setups Considered

🔹 Kenda Rush 2.4 SCT — Front & Rear (What I Ran)

Dry, loose, and full of sharp rock — and the Rush SCT just ate it up.
It rolls faster than most XC race tires yet holds its own when braking and cornering. BRR clocks it at 30.5 W vs. the Aspen ST’s 31.6 W.

• ✅ Feels race-fast with a reasonable level of toughness
• ✅ SCT sidewalls shrugged off sharp hits
• ✅ Corners predictably when committed (don’t brake hard IN the corners)
• ⚠️ 120 TPI still a risk — I got lucky and it held up
• 💡 For lower risk: consider a 60 TPI option

📖 Front & Rear → Kenda Rush SCT 2.4 120 TPI

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🔹 Aspen 2.4 F - 120 TPI / Rekon Race 2.4 R - 120 TPI

A balanced “speed-plus-security” option — a bit heavier than something like a Rush (a characteristic of Maxxis tires) and thus a bit safer.
Would trade some acceleration for extra casing support and a little extra grip.

• ✅ Fast-rolling rear with extra bite up front
• ✅ Predictable in Bentonville’s marbly corners
• ⚠️ Slightly heavier feel on endless punchy climbs
• ⚠️ Still pretty lightweight if you’re unlucky or not careful

📖 Front → Maxxis Rekon Race 2.4 WT MaxxSpeed
📖 Rear → Maxxis Aspen 2.4 WT MaxxSpeed

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🔹 Rekon Race 2.4 WT - 60 TPI — Front & Rear

Check out 60 TPI options

The safest, heaviest pick — Payson McElveen and Jonathan Lee - w. Trainer Road ran 60 TPI Rekon Races here.
Grip is excellent, but they’re slower rolling and heavier than the Rush combo.

• ✅ Excellent cornering + braking traction
• ✅ Stronger casing than 120 TPI race tires
• ⚠️ Heavier acceleration cost on punchy climbs
• 💡 60 TPI = best chance of surviving sharp rocks and square edges

📖 Check out 60 TPI options on BTD → 2.35 WT MaxxSpeed 60 TPI w. tanwalls

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🔹 Ikon Front / Aspen Rear

Confidence up front, speed out back. Still a bit sketchy in terms of puncture protection for Little Sugar’s sharp rock. However, the Ikon performs so well in loose terrain that if you’re looking for cornering confidence - running an Ikon out front will not disappoint.

• ✅ Great braking + cornering feel
• ✅ Fast rear tire
• ⚠️ Limited sidewall protection
• 💡 Solid mixed or wet weather combination

📖 Front → Maxxis Ikon 2.4 WT MaxxSpeed
📖 Rear → Maxxis Aspen 2.4 WT MaxxSpeed

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🔹 Kenda Booster Pro 2.4 SCT — Front / Kenda Rush 2.4 SCT — Rear

A grippier front paired with a faster rear — the Booster / Rush combo is a really smart pick for racers who want more confidence through corners and on sharp, off-camber rock, without giving up much speed.
The Booster’s aggressive tread hooks up better in loose or mixed conditions, while the Rush keeps things fast on smoother singletrack and paved connectors. This combination offers comparable level of confidence to the Ikon/Aspen combination listed above but in a lighter package (~154g lighter in total).

• ✅ Better front-end bite than dual Rush setup
• ✅ Still rolls fast thanks to the Rush rear
• ✅ SCT casings on both ends = solid puncture protection
• ⚠️ Slower acceleration than Rush F/R
• ⚠️ Both tires are on the lighter side which could come at the cost of puncture protection

📖 Front → Kenda Booster Pro 2.4 SCT
📖 Rear → Kenda Rush 2.4 SCT

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✅ TL;DR — Best Little Sugar Tire Combos

Combo	Pros	Cons	Puncture Risk
Kenda Rush F/R (SCT)	Fastest feel, durable sidewalls, adequate cornering/braking	120 TPI still risky	⚠️ Medium
Aspen F/R (120 TPI)	Light, fast-rolling, adequate cornering/braking	Possibly the most exposed carcass in the tread	⚠️ Medium
Rekon Race F/R (60 TPI)	Grippy, tough, predictable	Heavier, slower	✅ Low
Rekon Race F / Aspen R (120 TPI)	Great mix of speed + control, good cornering and braking	Heavier than Rushes or Aspen/Aspen	⚠️ Medium
Kenda Booster F / Rush R (SCT)	Excellent front grip + fast rear, durable SCT casings, lightweight	Slightly slower than Rush F/R	⚠️ Medium
Ikon F / Aspen R	Excellent cornering/braking without giving up too much speed	Slower than other options	⚠️ Medium

🎯 Not sure what tires to go with?

Use the RaceDaySetup Tire Selector to get personalized recommendations based on terrain, riding style, and your goals.

Try the Tire Selector →

Related Guides:
👉 Firecracker 50 Tire Picks →
👉 Breck Epic Tire Guide →
👉 Grand Junction Rides & Vibes →

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💨 Pressure Notes

I ran 16 PSI front / 18 PSI rear with Vittoria Air-Liner Light inserts.
You can dial in your own baseline in the RaceDaySetup Tire Selector → — it factors rider + bike weight and terrain automatically.

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🧰 Gear That Kept Me Rolling

• Kenda Rush 2.4 SCT
• Vittoria Air-Liner Light XC Inserts
• Orange Seal Endurance Sealant
• Dynaplug Racer Pro Plug Kit × 2 (8 plugs total on bike)

🪣 I also left extra bacon strips at the Lumber Yard aid station halfway through.

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👀 What Pros Ran

• Payson McElveen — Rekon Race 2.4 60 TPI F/R
• Keegan Swenson - Aspen 2.4 120 TPI F/R
• Alexey Vermeulen - Rush 2.4 SCT 120 TPI F/R

All three of these riders flatted during the race. I think Keegan took the prize for most flats though with his 3 wheel changes.

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☔ Wet-Year Setup Notes

If Bentonville gets rain, Little Sugar turns slick fast — clay-heavy dirt packs tight and limestone ledges become slippery.
Traction and mud-shedding replace puncture resistance as top priorities.

Recommended wet-year combos:

Combo	Strengths	Notes
Maxxis Ikon 2.35 F/R (60 TPI EXO)	Predictable grip, clears mud better than Aspen	Excellent performance in mixed-wet conditions
Vittoria Barzo F / Mezcal R	Excellent wet-corner grip + roll speed	Slightly heavier but more versatile
Kenda Booster Pro F/R (60 TPI SCT)	Hooks up on wet roots + drains fast	Great Bentonville all-rounder in mixed conditions
Aspen F / Aspen R (120 TPI)	Riskier grip wise but clears mud well	Pure speed setup for wet conditions

💡 If rain is forecast, avoid closely spaced treads like the Rekon Race — they’ll pack up quickly.

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🔄 What I’d Run Next Time

The Rush SCTs were flawless — light, fast, and surprisingly durable.
If anything, I’d keep pressures identical but maybe play with running suspension even a little softer than I already did.

This course rewards riders who pick fast-rolling tires with just enough armor — and the Rush nailed that balance.

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📽️ [Watch my Little Sugar recap post 👇]

Related Gear

Kenda Rush Pro 2.4 SCT (120 TPI)

Fast-rolling XC tire with ample grip, superb handling, and SCT protection for rocky, technical terrain.

Read my review →

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Specialized Purgatory 2.4

Trail tire with aggressive knobs and solid volume for traction.

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Kenda Booster Pro 2.4 SCT (120 TPI)

XC race tire with aggressive knobs and SCT protection — a lighter, confident alternative to the Maxxis Ikon.

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