which all round tyre

johpat
johpat Posts: 39
edited May 2009 in MTB buying advice
hiya

got a scott scale 60 (09) less than 2 months old and need new tyres already. I cycle 30 miles on tarmac from work to home and 30-50 miles on weekend gravel, muddy track, cycleway and bridleway. I only have one bike and want a tyre that will last forever and give optimum performance on all of the above. Suggestations please.

cheers

Comments

  • Big dave 3
    Big dave 3 Posts: 304
    I have these & like them:

    http://www.specialized.com/gb/en/bc/SBC ... spid=42109

    specialized crossroads armadillo elite.

    I havent done much serious off roading with them, but they have been good IMO on the road & on paths & trails. I havent got a puncture yet either :D
    /

    Marin Team HT (customiosed commuter)

    Boardman Team HT (customised commuter)

    Giant Defy 1 2014.

    Ribble Sportive Azzurro
  • oldholborn
    oldholborn Posts: 114
    Fast Fred on the rear, will be good for summer
  • nokian gazza 2.3 from halfords for 20 quid each best tyre I have ever had in about twenty years of riding.
    Ok maybe not the lightest but at 2.3 width you get cracking grip, stopping abiltiy and value.
    They dont seem to wear out and despite the size they roll really well, in fact so well im leaving mine on this summer.
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    Tioga FS100, fast and grippy last forever.
  • batch78
    batch78 Posts: 1,320
    I don't think you'll want a 2.3 if your doing 30 miles on the road!!!!

    My Fire XC Pro has lasted for years and stays on all year round as a front tyre, pumped up to 60psi its not bad at road work, then dropped down it deals with most conditions off road, don't go with anything too soft on the rear, it'll wear out in no time on the road, I alternate between Speed Kings in the summer and Trail Rakers this winter but neither would suit your needs.

    Maybe two cheap tyres for the rear?
  • Airienteer
    Airienteer Posts: 695
    Maxxis Ignitor.
  • blister pus
    blister pus Posts: 5,780
    edited May 2009
    There is no such thing as an all round tyre really, but 30 miles of road and some light weekend XC is Continental Traffic 09 territory, brilliant silent road rollers that stick like sh!t to a blanket in the wet and dry, tough as nails when you get the right pressure in them on the road, can cope with most light XC stuff choice of 1.9 / 2.1 depending on level of off road.

    They work out a little heavier than most at 800g but for the price and performance you shouldn't really care too much, cheap enough to try out and not get stung at 12 quid a pop. I find myself with these on a lot of the time and I've got quite a few different tyre sets that are all better at doing different things but none I've found come close as an all round choice 'get around tyre' for me.
  • MrChuck
    MrChuck Posts: 1,663
    You don't want much do you?! Fire XC pros are great all rounders but no XC tire is going to be that great on the road. Up to you where you want to make the most compromise. I'd have thought that if you go for the more off-road option then your 30 mile commute will just wear them down very quickly- 2 sets of tires perhaps?
  • blister pus
    blister pus Posts: 5,780
    It's the best way to do it if you're only doing road during the week and off road at weekend and never the twain shall meet. Might be a pain changing tyre sets over but you'll get the benefit and a tyre set change doesn't take that long when you've done it a couple of hundred times.
  • alfablue
    alfablue Posts: 8,497
    2 sets of wheels an option? Costs of wheels and cassette and second tyre set, you could go for slicks for the road. 3 minutes to swap. I did this for a while.
  • Surf-Matt
    Surf-Matt Posts: 5,952
    I used Conti MK Protections - pumped up to 65PSi for mostly road rides, down to 50ish for off road. Yes they are a bit draggy but they work fine for me.

    Mind you, I might get a Tricross soon for more roady rides.
  • rowlers
    rowlers Posts: 1,614
    Airienteer wrote:
    Maxxis Ignitor.

    my choice too!
  • bannedbiker
    bannedbiker Posts: 382
    maxxis highrollers, they rule everywhere execpt in soggy mud. stick with the standard hard compound n they should last plenty long.
    Giant Reign - now sold :-(
    Rockhopper Pro - XC and commuting
    DH8 - New toy :-)
  • lawman
    lawman Posts: 6,868
    intense system 4 exdc lite

    bloody expensive but the best tyres ive ever used ..... and there have been a few :P
  • gpsBRM
    gpsBRM Posts: 123
    Michelin XCR Dry2 are pretty good especially if your doing lots of road riding. Can handle the mud with ease. Have ran then all over the place on muddy terrain (ie dusk til Dawn 08), round various trail centres, the Alps and the snow at back in Feb. Don't last that long though so if longgevity is what your after try the non XCR version.
  • hairy_boy
    hairy_boy Posts: 345
    I would second blister pus on the 09 Continental Traffics.

    I used the 1.9 inch versions recently for a 175mile 4 day ride around the midlands. Riding on a mix of roads, canal towpaths (lots of glass) and converted railway line cycle tracks and they were brilliant.

    A few members of our gang had punctures - :( they were using schwalbe marathons (not sure if they were plus's) and Panracer Mach SS's. All the punctures were from tiny pieces of glass getting into the tyre and then working their way through !

    No problems with my Conti Traffics :lol:

    Also used them for a go round Dalby Forest witht my son and they coped admirably even in the stinking rain and mud we had the day we went :?

    If your going to try them then make sure you get the 09 as they're different from the 08.
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Whatever you choose, make it smooth on the inside, knobbly on the outside- with these many miles anything but a slick centre is just daft IMO. Hybrid tyres, basically. Even the fastest mtb tyre is like riding with the brakes on compared to a road-biased tyre, but a good hybrid tyre can still offer reasonable performance for the milder end of offroad.
    Uncompromising extremist
  • blister pus
    blister pus Posts: 5,780
    Northwind wrote:
    Whatever you choose, make it smooth on the inside, knobbly on the outside- with these many miles anything but a slick centre is just daft IMO.

    Except those Conti Traffic 09s because they still have the Conti endless edge centre ridge down them which makes them effective road rollers.
  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    Ah, yeah, should've been clearer- they're almost a centre slick themselves.
    Uncompromising extremist