New Tyres

mastermosher

Hi all, hope you are well,
Just after some advice for new tyres for my local trails.
The trails are mostly hardpack with some areas of loose covered hardpacked. I will be riding in the summer so will not hopefully be after mud tyres.
I will not be racing but mainly just riding for fun.
Price is not really an issue.
Thanks all.

benpinnick

Kenda Small block 8. Your best friend on hardpack summer trails.

TheNorthernTrain

Maxxis Larsen is pretty handy on the dry, dusty hardpack. Not sure I'd trust it up front though, certainly a decent tyre to shove on the back. Show it the slightest hint of damp though and you might as well be riding slicks.

IBISMojoHDamon

I've found Continental Race Kings (summer use only, less tread & shallow) and X Kings (all year round except extreme gloop, more tread and deeper) to be great in Forest of Dean, Swinley Forest & Cannock Chase. I have 2.4's tubeless in both but they do a non tubeless version too.

I hated the Continental Gravity's and Mountain Kings and was totally put off Conti's until someone gave me some Race Kings but I'm sold on them now...

mastermosher

Thanks for the replys. How about the panaracer smoke and dart combination?

IBISMojoHDamon

mastermosher wrote:

Thanks for the replys. How about the panaracer smoke and dart combination?

It's not the 90's... Move on... Step away from them dated tyres.... :0)

sanchez89

if your looking for summer dry trail use only, which as we no our summer defo includes some rain at some point, i can highly recommed Kenda Small Block 8's.

front and rear 2.1 width, DTC compound, run between 26-30 psi, you will be laughing. not too bad when its a little bit damp, but mud or wet clay is a complete no go, they clog very quickly.

mastermosher

Hi,
Thanks for that. The Kenda's I have heard real good things about.
Cheers

Northwind

Smallblock is a fantastic rear tyre, one of the best IMO. But you need to be brave or good to put one on the front if you're riding with any pace. I'd suggest combining it with a fast knobbly on the front, Nobby Nic 2.25 maybe or Racing Ralph spring to mind, or an Ardent or Advantage if you don't mind the weight. The difference in drag isn't massive but the difference in cornering grip is pretty big.

SBs are surprisingly good in mud, but that's all relative- they look like they should be absolutely useless, instead they're merely quite bad. I've used them on both ends for xc racing in horrible conditions and it's fine as long as you can keep laughing, but if you stop laughing you'll cry

pseymour

Kendas SB8 are highly recommended. They are so quick with hard;y any drag. But if you have deep pockets, the Maxxis Ikon look pretty decent too. I ran a Kenda SB8 up front in damp conditions and came a cropper when the wheel turned, but the bike carried on forward. Not recommened up front unless you're a really decent rider or like going over the bars. They are not that bad in the mud, but then if you're riding in mud, you shouldn't really be running them.

mastermosher

Thanks for th xtra suggstions.
I am now dliberating ovr th X-mountain, Small Block 8's and th Ikon.
Price is not an issue, but I do not want a tyre soft as s$£t that wears really quickly.

mastermosher

Hi all.
Just got back from a weekend MTBing and from using the Conti X King 2.2.
Have to say really inpressed with them. The conditions were a mixture of damp/soft, hardpack and loose sandy, so a bit of everything and I felt they performed really well. No washing out in the corners, surefooted wherever I pointed the front wheel and fairly fast on the straights.
Great advice from all. Thanks all.