Fast rolling MTB tyre...

Surf-Matt

I think I'm after the impossible but...

I ran Spesh Fastrax Pros for a while and found they rolled really well on the road (I do a fair bit on the road, shocking as that may be) but are HOPELESS in any mud.

I'm not on Conti Mountain King Protections (2.2") and find them pretty good but the make a hell of a racket on the road and become slicks in sticky mud.

Now they are wearing down I'm on the look for something else - or maybe just the same?

I need fast rolling, rounded shouders (square edged tyres are hell on wet tarmac) that grip a bit in mud, are light and don't puncture every 5 feet.

Schwalbe Racing Ralphs and Nobby Nics look okay but are they too soft?
Maxxis Larsens worth a look?

Price is not too much of a problem.

Cheers!

zero303

Everything's going to be a compromise but 2.1 62a High Rollers might be up your street?

toasty

On tarmac I definitely found the harder High Rollers roll better than Nics and Ralphs. Nics and Ralphs also wear down very quickly if you do many miles.

On the Specialized front, I didn't mind old Resolutions for all purpose, not the most flashy tyre in the world but the center bead rolls quite quickly. Much better than the new Captains for mud and tarmac, they do strangely throw mud in the air more than any other tyre I've known though.

Bit of a personal choice though really I guess.

Surf-Matt

Might look at High Rollers.

Just want to make sure I'm not missing out on anything.

I'd be up for the Conti Race or Speed Kings but not available in Black Chilli rubber (harder wearing) Protection versions so far.

Stephen-Hawking

I'm looking at Conti speed king or mountain king, any thoughts I do a lot of different surfaces, including some road getting there. Any thoughts, and why not the Black Chilli rubber? looks like it solves quite a few problems to me.


Grateful for any advice - not bothered about cost - learned in my motorbike racing days that the little patch of contact with the ground is the last area you should skimp on!

Surf-Matt

Stephen - just edited my post slightly!
I really like the Black Chilli compound and think they might actually be the best tyres for me but I like to keep aware of other stuff.

The MKs are a great allrounder really - reasonable grip in most conditions rather than being great at anything. Only sticky mud foxes them.

The Speed King is not available in Black Chill rubber unless you get the silly light (and silly lack of flat resistance) Supersonic versions.

.blitz

Surf-Matt wrote:

I need fast rolling, rounded shouders (square edged tyres are hell on wet tarmac) that grip a bit in mud, are light and don't puncture every 5 feet.

Schwalbe Racing Ralphs and Nobby Nics look okay but are they too soft?

The Ralphs are very fast on road and have a great, rounded, stuff-it-into-corners profile but are not so hot off-road in dodgy conditions. Nics are like Ralphs with more tread and are more versatile off-road.

They are both incredibly light and grip well due to their sticky compounds but by the same token they wear out quickly. The only problem I have with them is that the sidewalls are paper-thin and there's a fine line between running them too hard and too soft.

toasty

I didn't find the Ralphs rolled that well on tarmac unless I used a high pressure, infact they didn't seem to like lower pressures anywhere really :?

I liked Nics for being genuine light trail tyres, still not convinced on Ralphs :S

ednino

Conti race kings are where its at

Stephen-Hawking

Right, think I've decided on Conti Mountain kings with the black sticky stuff.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Conti ... 360034655/

Seems to be balanced in all areas.

Stephen-Hawking

Right, think I've decided on Conti Mountain kings with the black sticky stuff.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/Cycle/7/Conti ... 360034655/

Seems to be balanced in all areas.

Recommended inflation pressure looks a bit high?

Surf-Matt

I do 40PSi for off road and 60 for mostly road/hard pack stuff with my MKs.

The Spiderman

Have you tried the new Ralphs?As fast as the old ones but grippier.
I run a Ralph on the back in the summer with a Nic upfront.Good fast rolling combo,but grippy enough not to wash out at the front even wen things get wetter.

Chaka Ping

I think you want the Bontrager Mud X 2.0.

If you can live with the relative thinness, it does everything you've asked for.

Grips much better than Nobby Nic too, IMO.

Turveyd38

Fastest rolling rear tyre with good volume 2.3's is the WTB Prowler SS, seemed to handle mud and everything last winter aswell.

Currently running, Maxxis Advantage 2.1 XC 70a's on the rear, they come up tall so good volume and role great on roads and seem to handle, mud and everything just fine, run them hard though or the knob's squeeze in for that slick feeling.

Couldn't stick the Speed Kings, did like the new rubber but crap tread pattern dragged like hell on the roads.

Stephen-Hawking

Last question on the subject from me:

I've been running Hutchinson Pirahna 26x2.0 am going for the Mountain King things, but I'm reading that the Conti's are narrow for their size, should I stick with 26X2.0 or go up to 2.2 ??

Surf-Matt

Stephen - AFAIK they only come in 2.2 or 2.4. I have 2.2 and they are almost exactly the same size as my old Fast Trax 2.0 (I have to set the circumference for my computer and they were one decimal place different!)

likewoah

Schwalbe Smart Sams are very fast on road, will handle some off road, not great in mud though and will spin out on loose uphills.
Kenda Small Block 8s look good too, but again don't seem to handle mud very well.

Stephen-Hawking

AFAIK?

Anyway, you're rifgt I was looking at race kings, d'oh. 2.2 it is - adding to my basket.

Thanks for your help.

Steve.

toasty

Stephen-Hawking wrote:

AFAIK?

"as far as I know"

Stephen-Hawking

D'oh - for the second time today!

So only minor outstanding problem is breaking it to she-who-must-be-obeyed that I've spunked a hundred quid on tyres, chains etc while I was supposed to be working at my desk today!

Just doing my bit to ease the credit crunch and put a bit of fluidity in the market

Surf-Matt

Use the old "it's for my own safety" card - usually works!

mudslinger

Matt - how puncture proof are the MK Protections?

I'm pi$$ed off with punctures but don't want to go down the tubeless route. I'm a bit concerned about how they perform in mud so would prefer the Bonty Mud-x but puncture resistance is a big consideration.

The Spiderman

As normal this has descended into a "What tyre?" I`m in total confusion,thread!

So what have we learned?

What you need is a tyre that has all the best bits of Nics,MKs,Ralphs,Sams,High Rollers,Pirahnas,Mud Xs............

mudslinger

I think we've learned that there is no such tyre so are trying to make the best compromise!!!

Anyone tried or know anything about the Slime inner tubes?

cullen_bay

yes,

advantages - they add weight meaning you develop bigger muscles so that when you realise they are useless and pointless pieces of rubber, and you get proper tubes, you go slightly faster.

downsides- doesn't heal holes any larger than a pin-prick. better off going tubeless, its lighter and tubless tires generally do seal

Surf-Matt

mudslinger wrote:

Matt - how puncture proof are the MK Protections?

I'm pi$$ed off with punctures but don't want to go down the tubeless route. I'm a bit concerned about how they perform in mud so would prefer the Bonty Mud-x but puncture resistance is a big consideration.

I would say better than average but still no miracle tyre.
The sidewalls are strong but the main bulk of the rubber seems not a lot more flat resistant that other tyres.

I reckon I get one every two weeks. Another slight downer is that because the sidewalls are quite stiff, they are a b**tard to get off the rim!

Stephen-Hawking

Surf-Matt wrote:

mudslinger wrote:

Another slight downer is that because the sidewalls are quite stiff, they are a b**tard to get off the rim!

Thanks, you never told me that before I ordered them

At least I've had plenty of practice with the last lot

omegas

Mountain kings are an excellent tyre for dry hard pack trail centres. They offer little or no grip on mud, you only have to look at the size of the tread and how far they are apart to see why they slide all over the place.

The only answer for tyres in the UK is to have more than one set and change them as the seasons change. (but then sometimes we can have 4 seasons in one day) Was that a song?

Sarnian

Just thought I would add one more to the list that has not been mentioned. I started using Maxxis Larsen Mimo's about 3 months ago, so far they have turned out to be a very good all rounder, I ride on all sorts of terrain, grass, mud, hard pack ground, sand, rock and there not to bad on the road.

amt27

I got Spec Resolution Pros on my bike (similar to Fastrax), great for the summer, crap puncture resistance, but got the best out of the bike (summer use)

then rode Trailrakers on a few occasions, don't really get on with them, terrible rolling and knobbles too high for stability,

switched to some 2.4 Mountain Kings, great rolling but unpredictable cornering, possible because the tyres were too wide, very fast wearing

now I am on some Spec Storm Controls, they are dual compound like the Resolutions, so you get the fast rolling centre knobs and grippy side knobs, they are a narrower than Trailrakers (I had a problem with mud clearance, no problem now), they are also reversible,

not amazing, but possibly what you are after,