Nobby Nics

miket-62
miket-62 Posts: 227
edited February 2008 in MTB general
Advice again please chaps!
I like riding with Nobby Nics as I find them really fast rolling, grippy enough but well beat in thick gluppy mud.
Now while I was out riding the other day with a few mates, we got talking about tyre conbinations etc
One mate said Nobby Nic on front and Racing Ralph on the back is the best combination. Quoting all sorts of reasons.
While the other mate said completly the opposite?!?!
Who is right? Any ideas?

Comments

  • Shadowness
    Shadowness Posts: 44
    Ive also read that nobby nic on the front and racing ralph on the back is good. I wouldnt mind reading waht people think here as its what im probably going to run when I get my insurance for my bike sorted :)
    07 Scott Ransom 30
    Dan Freeman Photography
  • capoz77
    capoz77 Posts: 503
    A continental Vertical Pro on the front and back. The reviews speak for themselves.



    September 2003 - Enduro tyre test

    - "..An excellent tyre.." !
    “Another big tyre that has found favour with the Brits, largely due to it's ability to handle practically every trail surface with sure-footedness. The ProTection is instantly recognisable by it's pentagonal-shaped lugs, Conti's Endless Edge system, and twee spiders web motif. But don't let the gimmicks fool you; this tread sticks to dirt like bogies to a men's toilet wall. The difference between the standard and Vertical ProTection is the latter's Duraskin wall, which adds sidewall toughness at the cost of some 20 grams in weight. If you ride in rocky terrain, the pay-off is well worth it. The knob profile is roundish, making for effortless transitions from upright to right over, but the closely spaced lugs mean the tread will pack up in really claggy mud. Everything else though, the ProTection takes in it's stride. We know riders who swear by these tyres and we can see why. If we were to choose one tyre to serve us all year round it would be the Continental Vertical ProTection. This tyre is mid priced and so offers good value. In performance terms, it is well worth the extra two quid over the main contenders..”

    2001- Extracts from three separate tyre tests from MBUK during 200/2001

    - "..a hard riders rubber dream come true.." !
    “One of the best tyres money can buy….is so predictable that it practically has time to write you a letter of intent before initiating a slide...If there was any justice in the world, the Vertical Pro would be the most popular tyre of the year. Try it....Greg Herbold and Smiff were given some of the first prototype Vertical ProTection tyres to test on the demanding terrain surrounding Lake Garda, Italy. Smiffy & Greg spent hours trying to puncture them, but one wrecked wheel later and no puncture, the two gave up. Suffice to say, they're good, reinforced or not. The grip is amazing, the weight is good and the 2.3" size is just perfect. It'll sit happily on the back of hardtails and still offers reasonable clearance thanks to it's shape. It's not overly wide, more like tall & rounded. If you thought Continental tyres were all about road bikes, think again. The Vertical Pro & ProTection are a hard riders rubber dream come true." Test result 5/5

    2002

    - "..we heartily recommend them.." !
    "2.3” wide tyres usually mean heavy, big downhill behemoths but Continental’s Vertical ProTection treads come in at under 600g per tyre. To get to this weight Conti have used their skills in tyre construction to lay up a thin carcass with extra protection where it matters on the tastefully brown sidewalls. The 2.3” size allows you to run fairly low tyre pressures for traction yet still have plenty of air volume left to prevent pinch flats. The tread pattern is close, with small knobs spread across the round tyre profile with tread blocks progressing far down the tyre sidewall. For quirkiness, they also have little spider webs hidden within the knobs – Cute. They can be run as either a front or rear tyre with arrows indicating tyre direction".

    "In the past 10 month’s use around the Pennines and Lake District we’ve been very impressed with the handling and durability of the tyre on the loose rocky trails common to these areas. The tread pattern clears mud quite well and maintains contact with the ground at quite scary lean angles. The close knobs even mean the tyre isn’t too slow on tarmac either. If you can run 2.3” wide tyres in your frame, then we heartily recommend them. One of our favourite tyres."



    taken from

    http://www.conti-tyres.co.uk/conticycle ... ical.shtml
  • Blundell
    Blundell Posts: 308
    I've got Nics on the front of two of my bikes, they work a treat. I did originally try my klein with a pair of nics on but I didn't like them on the back at all. They seemed to clog up and slip a little too much for my liking, especially on wet pebbles. Also I noticed the increased rolling resistance on the back.
    I've not got a ralph so I can't comment on them.
    Sh....itespeed http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/1729687/
    Scott snail http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/1801990/
    Klein bad attitude http://www.pinkbike.com/photo/1802002/
  • capoz77
    capoz77 Posts: 503
    I did have ralphs but got a lot of punctures, since having the conti verts with sidewall protection and puncture resistant lining ive been good *touches wood* :P
  • Johnclimber
    Johnclimber Posts: 92
    NN front and back on a wet winter or when good grip is needed.

    NN front RR back when damp but not soaking

    RR front and back when dry/hot


    RR's do pick up thorns well, got one this morning :evil: but it stayed in and blocked the hole until I got home. IMHO they are worth it for the speed gain.
  • gthang
    gthang Posts: 293
    Nic on the front and Ralph on the back is standard issue for most of the Cube bikes. http://www.cube-bikes.com.
    My Bike
  • miket-62
    miket-62 Posts: 227
    Cool cheers chaps
    I'll pass this post on to them :wink:

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