Just got new tyres, now i need a new pair.

Thewaylander

Ok gang sorry for the slight absence recently i know you missed me

Ok recently at Coed Y brenin, i destroyed my specialized tyres that came with it( was non plussed as i wasnt the biggest fan off them, presented with the problem of needing new tyres fast i had to spend big at the local bike shops there ( who rip you off big time).

I decided to try the nobby nic's as i heard many good things, but i also heard they were narrow, my old tyres were 2.0 but seemed a little large, so i decided to try 2.1 nic's there really not even 1.95 there so narrow.

I can't stand these tyres for Welsh trail centers, they can not hold a decent line(never known a tyre deflect so easily) and as soon as they see some rough rocks and roots they struggle BIG time. I have had several crashes since the change on my local trails. finally after a wetish ride today i have decided after 4-5 rides there destined for the bin(£70 wasted) they would be fine on Fire tracks or smoother trails but welsh trails are not smooth.

So some advice on decent tyres, I have been recomended Kenda and possible panacrer fire xc pro in 2.2 i know with the rocky trails i need a slightly wider tyre so please suggestions, (not nobby's please for any one trying to be funny :P )

Cheers ladies and Gents!

Larok

maxxis high rollers or conti mountain kings?

or how about panaracer smoke and dart. They're all good off road

shame to throw your schwabes away

Splasher

You can't get Fire XC Pros in 2.2 only 2.1 and smaller.

I'd recommend Cinders in 2.25 or Rampages in 2.35 from Panaracer or Ignitor 2.35s from Maxxis

Thewaylander

Cool, keep um coming,

Schwabes truly are only fit for the bin, i have never had so little confidence in a pair of tyres in my life, they have truly scared me

Cps

Kenda Dred Treads!!


Look up some reviews - I did

cliffhangermatt

If they are really that bad maybe you could donate them to a worthy cause (me)

Thewaylander

sure come pick them up lol

cliffhangermatt

Newport IS a long way. Postage would only be a few quid

Thewaylander

LOL, i wouldnt wish them on you mate, trust me

cjw

Have you tried lower pressures? I have Ralph's and the grip was terrible until I lowered pressure to 28 psi (tubeless) from 38. Feels like a totally different beast. Still crap in the wet though...

Andy B

Nobby nics have has loads of folks complaining bout their grip on rocky sections, as well as their durability, the side knobs disintegrate at the sight of a pebble :shock:

I use Panaracer Fire XC Pro's (2.1") all year on all trails, they're not too bad as an all rounder.

cliffhangermatt

Thewaylander wrote:

LOL, i wouldnt wish them on you mate, trust me

Go on....you know you want to

KonaMike

Im riding the same Trails as you Waylander (Mostly Cwmcarn) and I have a 2.3 Conti Gravity up front with a 2.1 Conti Vapor on the back,I find this works very well but its down to personal preference I suppose. Also they are a bit puncture prone if running under 40PSI.

Anonymous

Conti verticals work well in wales. get the 2.3s.

toasty

Is the lack of confidence soley because you've come from a massively wide tyre to a much narrower one and ridden the same track? Even 2.25" Nics are about the same size as 2.0" Specialized, if anything they're still smaller. Smaller tyres need more pressure to keep you off the ground, hence deform a lot worse and deflect off rocks much more.

I'm using Nics and Ralphs on both bikes, 2.25" x 2 on the Stumpy and 2.25" RR + 2.4" NN on the Meta, the trails around here are soft enough to not kill them, so light and quick it'd be pointless to use anything heftier. I've got some High Rollers if I'm going anywhere too hard wearing.

As Larok says, I'd probably try High Rollers or Mountain Kings. Bear in mind both Continental and Maxxis BOTH also come in smaller sizes than you're used to with Specialized. My 2.1 High Rollers are also smaller than my 2.0 Resolutions.

Thewaylander

yeh,

I can't run them below 40-45 on my bike as i havent gone tubeless and cant see me going that way for a while yet, and below that on these trails these would be dead,

Welsh trails are so rocky i think a wider tyre is a must on the most part so will have a look at the conti's maybe

toasty

The newer protection ones (with a tougher sidewall) come in at almost the same weight as standard, they also work pretty well with stans conversions apparently. Supersonic and Protection models all have the new Black Chili compound as well which supposedly grips better.

2.2" MKs or 2.3" Verticals would probably be your best bet, both about 600g as well. Might be wise seeing if any stock bikes in your LBS come with them for comparing the width

Steve_b77

Definatley 2.42 Mountain Kings, they're plenty grippy enough on rocky trails like the Marin and roll really well on Har pack, at 2.4" they come up at about 2.25-2.3" and are plenty grippy. Bloody cheap too.

Or another one worth looking at is the Maxxis Advantage, they come in 62A compound in 2.25" wide and are more than grippy enough for Welsh terra firma.

uk_mr_brownstone

I've recently gone from High Rollers (2.35) to Mountain Kings (front 2.4- speed king on the back) with the black Chilli compound thing, so can compare as such:

-pretty similar in overall size but different profile
-mountain kings WAY lighter- almost half the weight of the high roller single ply. certainly feels like half the weight
-the black chilli compound feels really grippy- I've not used supertacky highrollers but would imagine they've got a similar feel

So, so far the mountain Kings are winning, however, on loose surfaces (riding in the cotswolds there's plenty of loose 'chalky' descents- talking about small stones a bit bigger than gravel, but not 'rocky') I had much more confidence in the high rollers. I've recently also changed my wheels which are now much lighter overall at the rim, esp with the mountain kings, so maybe they feel a bit less 'planted', but I'm sure a bit of it is the tyres. Without a doubt there's sections where the mountain kings don't feel as 'safe' as the HR's did

I'd probably just about prefer the high rollers if they came close in weight terms, but it's got to be the mountain kings for weight and price (plus they're really good- only noticed a down side on that one type of surface)- if you're quick Wiggle are doing 20% off- get the black chilli versions.

Rode the mountain king front and speed king rear at a fairly wet cwmcarn and they were great on rocks and roots- it was the my first time there though so I wasn't slow but wasn't hammering it either!