Tyre recommendation: not sluggish, not too heavy, but grippy

silly lily

Hi!
Just thought I'd ask: I run Pan Fire XC pro - superb tyres, rock'n'roll as known. Yet I find them a bit sluggish and am thinking of changing the front one to another that is a bit faster, has grip and not too heavy.
My FS is a racey machine and, yes, I can notice tyre weight.
Any ideas? Thank you.

BlackSpur

Changing the front is unlikely to make the bike much faster. You will notice s change in the rear much more easily - this is where the majority of rolling resistance is.
Are you looking for an tyre of all round use? Possibly put a Pana Razer or Razer MX on the rear (to match the front if you're a tart) or a COnti Speed King/Mountain King.

RichMTB

You could try Kenda Nevegals, I found them noticabley faster rolling than Fire XC

silly lily

BlackSpur wrote:

Changing the front is unlikely to make the bike much faster. You will notice s change in the rear much more easily - this is where the majority of rolling resistance is.
.

Oh, yes, I'm well aware of that fact... but I like how the Fire Pro climbs and grips on the rear. Would the Contis be as good?

NikB

I have the Mountain Kings and they do roll well however the grip isn't great when the going gets wet or muddy.

silly lily

NikB wrote:

I have the Mountain Kings and they do roll well however the grip isn't great when the going gets wet or muddy.

Well, you see that's the problem, then. Surely there must be a tyre that both grips and rolls well (p-lease don't say S Nobby Nic, my bike came with them and sold them straight away)?
My use is mainly trail/single track, some XC but not much and forest floor (where the mud is!)

supersonic

All tyres are a compromise of some sorts - some are better than others, but people prefer different things too.

More grip usually means more rolling resistance.

silly lily

True... which ones have you got?

supersonic

Conti vertical pros. Do run very fast, great grip in the dry... sufffer in the wet.

Tioga Red Pheonix on the Zaskar - seem a bit skittish, and dont roll that well.

Father Faff

I tried to do the same as you Willy Billy by changing my Maxxis High Rollers to Mountain Kings and I got the speed but lost the grip. I'm not sure it is possible to find the "perfect" tyre!

.blitz

silly lily wrote:

...am thinking of changing the front one to another that is a bit faster, has grip and not too heavy.
My FS is a racey machine and, yes, I can notice tyre weight.
Any ideas?

Schwalbe Nobby Nic. Fast rolling because of the minimal contact patch but very grippy because of the soft compound. Paper thin sidewalls make them very light, it feels as though the wheel is wrapped in insulation tape. Expensive but you're worth it

grumsta

silly lily wrote:

(p-lease don't say S Nobby Nic, my bike came with them and sold them straight away)?
)

.blitz wrote:

Schwalbe Nobby Nic.

High Rollers here - grippy bit not fast. Not sure there is really a catch all solution.

ride_whenever

I run a panaracer rampage up front with a razer mx on the back, in terms of speed, on tarmac I've moved from always using the middle to always using the big ring. Very fast and plenty of cornering grip, you do have to be a bit wary of the razer on the back as, like the nobby, it is a bit slidey.

.blitz

grumsta wrote:

silly lily wrote:

(p-lease don't say S Nobby Nic, my bike came with them and sold them straight away)?)

.blitz wrote:

Schwalbe Nobby Nic.

:oops:

Underscore

RichMTB wrote:

You could try Kenda Nevegals, I found them noticabley faster rolling than Fire XC

Though, if it's on the front, I replaced a Nevegal with a Kenda Blue Groove and it gives me more confidence in the corners. Will stick with the Nevegal on the back though...

_

silly lily

oooh, I like how this post's turning out... our friend missing my 'no nobby nic' comment is pretty cool!
Considering then Kenda. Thank you.

passout

How about lighter thinner but grippy tyres like a 2.1 Maxxis High Roller on the rear and something a bit bigger up front?

silly lily

passout wrote:

How about lighter thinner but grippy tyres like a 2.1 Maxxis High Roller on the rear and something a bit bigger up front?

Hi! I already got a VERY grippy Pana Fire X Pro, 2.1 which rocks, (hard to believe the Maxxix will be in any way grippier) and fear that a bigger one on front will come with too much extra and unnecessary weight.

grantway

Try the Fat Alberts

These are grippy and fast rolling and give mass confidence.
Great on clay soil in Epping Forest

Mountain Kings came with the bike and had to many offs in the
wet how they are classed has a All Mountain tyre is a joke
No grip at all
So try the Fat Albert the Nobby Nics are good too but less grip
than the Fat Alberts.
Better grip than the Maxxis High Rollers being the tread of the tyre is
all round the tyre and not in the centre and outer of the tyre.