Another "which tyre" question...

Bike Bloke
Bike Bloke Posts: 172
edited August 2008 in MTB buying advice
My dad's got a rather heavy Mongoose Teocali Elite, while it's a great bike, it probably wasnt the one he should have got last year (it weighs around 34lb which makes keeping up with my 22lb bike a struggle!). It's currently got basic kenda nevegal tyres (2.35 front, 2.2 rear), there's no real problems, and front grip on descents is great, but they cause some serious drag, especially on the flat and roads which makes up a large amount of the riding.

As a "cheap" option to try and make life a little easier i suggested some new tyres might be a worthwhile upgrade. Hopefully a lighter and faster rolling tread would speed things up a little.

Looked at 2.2 Nobby Nic's but durability seemed an issue, it'd be nice if these new tyres lasted!! So I looked at 2.2 Continental Mountain King's which seem to get good reviews, but couldnt decide whether the supersonic version would be too weak but have the speed, and if the protection version would just make them too heavy (but they'd be more value for money). I know the 2 models really are at different ends of the spectrum and finding the tyre that does everything is impossible but :?

Another option was the a 2.3 Speed King Protection for the front, or just 2.2 mountain king's front and rear.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!! There seem to be so many contrasting opinions out there!

Comments

  • BlackSpur
    BlackSpur Posts: 4,228
    Are these tyres for all round usage? I just ordered some Kenda Small Block Eights to replace the draggy Nevegals on my Avalanche for the summer months. I think I might end up using a Nevegal front, SBE rear in intermediate conditions, but when the SBE arrive they're both going on so I can enjoy the few days of dryness!
    "Melancholy is incompatible with bicycling." ~James E. Starrs
  • Bike Bloke
    Bike Bloke Posts: 172
    We're off to Arran (Scotland) at the end of the week, which is alot more hardcore than riding around the flat's here near p'boro. So we'd probably keep the grippy tyres on for that - although the mountain king's should be good for that.

    But when we're home something alot faster would be nice - but needs to be able to deal with road use too.
  • jammieeeee
    jammieeeee Posts: 389
    I have some continental verticals in 2.3, they seem quite responsive and they are have protection sidewalls so puntures are not a problem.

    Maybe consider specialized fast trak in 2.0 with kevlar bead, these are pretty light and big for a 2.0 also.
  • grantway
    grantway Posts: 1,430
    A friend of mine runs the Fat Albert up front and a Noby Nic on the rear.
    Its a mix that seems to work very well and looking to buy this myself.

    They also make a Alpen Cross Fat Albert which has is a stronger tyre
    but is the same tread pattern of the Fat Albert.

    I have the Mountain Kings that came with my bike and are a pile of crap
    in the wet and on wet off camber riding forget it.
    Also suffer punctures too.

    I hope this may help.