Schwalbe Nobby Nic Question

Zziplex

Just want to double check that my Nobby Nics are the right way round, coz they don't look it.

I've put the tyres on according to the rotation symbol on the sidewall.

What looks strange (compared to other directional tyres I've had) is that the grip is angled inwards towards the centre of the tyre when following the rotation symbol, rather than outwards.

So is it right, or has the rotation symbol been put on the wrong way by mistake???

Tyres are Schwalbe Nobby Nic Evo 2.25 Inch bought from On One.

The pic below is what I see when sat on the bike.

nicklouse

the direction arrow are normally correct on tyres.

what you show above is what I see when on my bike.

you dont say where you are looking from.

.Brucey.

I fitted a pair this morning in accordance to the rotation arrow and thought exactly the same thing!

If im sitting on the bike and look at the tyre the picture above is the same as what I see.

aidso

I bought these recently for my race bike and had the same question. I fitted them both as per the rotation markings but I am led to believe through my Googling that previously you might have gotten more grip in the corners if you mounted the rear tyre in the opposite direction of the rotation arrow.

I would stick with what the tyre says

Tank-slapper

Yes, the knobs are supposed to angle in different directions.

Think about it: the front tyre needs to grip when going round corners, so the knobs are angled to prevent sideways slipping and the rear tyre needs to grip when pedaling so the knobs are angled to prevent spinning.

Zziplex

.Brucey. wrote:

I fitted a pair this morning in accordance to the rotation arrow and thought exactly the same thing!

If im sitting on the bike and look at the tyre the picture above is the same as what I see.

Yeah that's what I mean.

I reckon it's wrong though for a front at least, every other directional tyre I've owned has had the front with the angles pointing outwards and not inwards. Velociraptors as an example

The rear is usually a choice, outwards for less grip but more speed, inwards for more grip but less speed.

I'd swap it around and give it a go, but I've gone tubeless and not sure I can be arsed with the hassle. Maybe things have changed???

Zziplex

Tank-slapper wrote:

Yes, the knobs are supposed to angle in different directions.

Think about it: the front tyre needs to grip when going round corners, so the knobs are angled to prevent sideways slipping and the rear tyre needs to grip when pedaling so the knobs are angled to prevent spinning.

I'm not disputing that the knobs are angled, just the direction they will be pushing soil, inwards or outwards depending which way round you put the tyre.

You would think that to get better grip you want the loose soil squeezed out of the tyre so that you can get more grip on the harder ground underneath the loose soil. Not more loose soil pushed under the central contact point to the detriment of grip.

Look at a directional car tyre tread and how it displaces water to prevent aquaplaning.

Now imagine the same but with mud and or loose soil, it makes sense to expel it, not encourage more under the tyre, hence my tyre induced confusion. 8)

Tank-slapper

That isn't what I meant.

It seems that today's NN's are unidirectional and they are put on the same way round both front and back. In the past they were bi-directional and the front was put on the other way round to the back. The angle of the side blocks then changes direction and achieves what I was trying to describe above.

I am not sure why Schwalbe have made the NN unidirectional without changing the tread pattern. Maybe it doesn't make much difference in the real world, even if it does make more sense.

If you are worried that Schwalbe have got it wrong, try putting the tyres on the other way round and go for a ride.