Race Tyres

aidso
aidso Posts: 493
edited January 2011 in MTB buying advice
I'm probably asking for the winning lottery numbers here, but I'm after a recommendation for race specific tyres for XC. I have a set of stock tyres on my bike and they feel like they are really dragging.

Having looked around I've come across a set of Panaracer Fire XC Pro (http://www.wiggle.co.uk/panaracer-fire-xc-pro-folding-mountain-bike-tyre/) but the reviews often conflict.

I specifically want a tyre with little rolling resistance but sticky enough to keep me on the circuit. Some of the tracks are pretty rocky but i'll not be railing berms at Mach10, so side grip would be nice but not high on my wishlist. What you running?

Comments

  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    Schwalbe have a good range of tyres. In order of decreasing gnarliness they are:
    Nobby Nic
    Rocket Ron
    Racing Ralph
    Furious Fred

    I have used a Nic on the front and a Ron on the rear it works really well but for proppa racing you might go with a Ron on the front and a Ralph on the rear, two Ralphs, a Ralph and a Fred or if you're feeling lucky two Freds.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    .blitz wrote:
    you might go with a Ron on the front and a Ralph on the rear, two Ralphs, a Ralph and a Fred or if you're feeling lucky two Freds.
    Sounds like a really bad porn movie.
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  • .blitz
    .blitz Posts: 6,197
    Don't get me started on Dirty Dan, Muddy Mary and Big Betty :)
  • whyamihere
    whyamihere Posts: 7,716
    Fire XCs are the perfect tyres for people who hate changing their tyres. They're ok at everything, but don't really excel anywhere. I am a lazy git who hates changing tyres, so I tend to run 2.1s in the summer and 1.8s in the winter to cut through the mud a bit better.
  • aidso
    aidso Posts: 493
    cooldad wrote:
    .blitz wrote:
    you might go with a Ron on the front and a Ralph on the rear, two Ralphs, a Ralph and a Fred or if you're feeling lucky two Freds.
    Sounds like a really bad porn movie.

    I proper lol'd :).
    cooldad wrote:
    whyamihere wrote:
    Fire XCs are the perfect tyres for people who hate changing their tyres. They're ok at everything, but don't really excel anywhere.

    Are you using them for racing or just milling about the forest?
  • whyamihere
    whyamihere Posts: 7,716
    On the rare occasion I do a race (D2D most years, occasionally a shorter race at Cannock Chase or something, might do SITS this year too) I'll use them because of not wanting to buy more tyres or change them still. For HONC (combining road sections with off-road), I change them for tyres with lower rolling resistance.

    When I do race, I don't tend to be particularly bothered about how well I do, it's just for fun. If I was taking it more seriously, I wouldn't use them.
  • ride_whenever
    ride_whenever Posts: 13,279
    aidso wrote:
    I'm probably asking for the winning lottery numbers here, but I'm after a recommendation for race specific tyres for XC. I have a set of stock tyres on my bike and they feel like they are really dragging.

    If you're racing you'll probably want a few sets of tyres. I have a variety that I use as conditions change through the year, but for racing you want to try and have ideal ones for every race.

    I'd probably suggest a pair of Nics and a pair of Ralphs as a starting point then flesh your collection out with rons and freds as you get a bit more flush!!!!
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  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Fire XCs are the perfect tyres for people who hate changing their tyres

    Yep, they're terrible all the time IMO!
    If you're racing you'll probably want a few sets of tyres. I have a variety that I use as conditions change through the year, but for racing you want to try and have ideal ones for every race.

    I'd probably suggest a pair of Nics and a pair of Ralphs as a starting point then flesh your collection out with rons and freds as you get a bit more flush!!!!

    This, although I'd probably go for Nics and Rons, rather than Ralphs. The Ralphs are heavier, with less grip than the Rons. If you're going somewhere where you're worried about the fragility of Rons you can use the Nics.

    Freds are an incredibly fast tyre, but there are literally only a handful of places I'd recommend using one on the front, they're a great rear tyre though.
  • aidso
    aidso Posts: 493
    I'm edging towards a pair of Nobby Nics. I can't find a decent review of the Ron's. Is it ok to run two Nic's or is mixing-and-maxing the better choice?
  • fearnsy
    fearnsy Posts: 278
    I've got two nics, feels fine :)
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  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Rons are significantly lighter than Nics, so make more sense for racing IMO, not as durable, so possibly not if you're somewhere v rocky.
  • peter413
    peter413 Posts: 4,909
    Can I be the first to recommend Maxxis? The Ignitor is a very good all rounder. Crossmarks are quick but not the grippiest so make a great rear tyre with a grippier tyre on the front. I am thinking of running an Ignitor on the front with a Crossmark on the rear for any XC racing stuff I do, either that or Advantages but haven't ever used them so are a bit unknown to me.
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  • Dave_P1
    Dave_P1 Posts: 565
    I've ran these on and off for a few years and overall I've been very impressed with them. Apart from in deep mud they offer plenty of grip in all conditions. If your into your racing then I would have a set of tyres to match the surface of the race, whether it's wet or dry, plenty of mud or hard pack.
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  • Dave_P1
    Dave_P1 Posts: 565
    Just had another thought about this, as long as it's not too wet than Mavic Crossmarks are very good with hardly any drag.
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  • getonyourbike
    getonyourbike Posts: 2,648
    peter413 wrote:
    Can I be the first to recommend Maxxis? The Ignitor is a very good all rounder. Crossmarks are quick but not the grippiest so make a great rear tyre with a grippier tyre on the front. I am thinking of running an Ignitor on the front with a Crossmark on the rear for any XC racing stuff I do, either that or Advantages but haven't ever used them so are a bit unknown to me.
    the advantages are a great, grippy all round trail tyre in 2.25, a nice bit of volume to them too. You can get lots of Maxxis tyres in the Exception series, which is basically the race weight version. In the winter, Maxxis Medusas are a good bet.
  • tofu21
    tofu21 Posts: 359
    whyamihere wrote:
    On the rare occasion I do a race (D2D most years, occasionally a shorter race at Cannock Chase or something, might do SITS this year too) I'll use them because of not wanting to buy more tyres or change them still. For HONC (combining road sections with off-road), I change them for tyres with lower rolling resistance.

    When I do race, I don't tend to be particularly bothered about how well I do, it's just for fun. If I was taking it more seriously, I wouldn't use them.

    What tyres are you going for on HONC?

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