another tyre question...sorry guys! All Year All Rounder

stevekoz

Hi all,

I'm here to ask a well worn question but figured it was worth getting a fresh look after much (and somwehat contradictory research).

I'm currently running a hartdail with 26"er wheels. The rubber is ok - Scwalbe Black Jack 2.1. But as i'm gaining experience and challenging myself more on single track and dedicated trails etc i'm finding grip and stability in certain scenarios to be an issue. My tyres are worn, not massively, but enough to start to be of question. So in an effort to find more grip and ease some of those less than confidence enabling issues on single track and trails i'm looking to change the tyres. However, i have a couple of things going against me. One i'm quite lazy, so i'm not looking to swap my tyres over on each and every type of ride/weather im doing - so i'm after an all year all rounder. Second i'm a fairly heavy dude so that is going to have a bearing on the width and strength i'd be looking for i guess.

I normally ride around Cannock Chase (for those that know it) & Sutton Park in the West Midlands. So the trails there are quite sandy, a large proportion are littered with tree roots and large rocks/pebbles etc, which can be tricky if wet. Additionally i find myself often in the region of both Brechfa and Nant Yr Arian, so there are some welsh trails included in my future plans. So i'm after something that offers grip that inspires confidence in both wet and dry conditions, including wet roots/ rocks and increased grip in the dry too, in cornering and aids in stability during any such air that i may get (haha!) I'm not a racer so speed isn't a massive thing for me really, grip and stability are more key for me at this stage to build skill and confidence - which i hope will eventually equal speed into the equation. Don't mind having two differing tyres one front one rear. I've heard lots of examples. The top ones i've picked out for myself so far are as follows -

Bontrager xr4 TI
Nobby Nic
High Roller
Maxxis Advantage
On-One Smorgasbord

But as always with tyres there are lots of comments for and against. I am totally expecting same here, but any advice is always good advice.

Cheers All

Adotparker

I ride regularly around Cannock ............. Monkey and Dog ....... I have some advantages run the rear tyre 5psi less haven't had any nasty washouts, can be a bit frisky in seriously bad weather amongst the rockier sections... would highly reccomend them, My orange has the Nobby nics ...... seem to be a bit draggy in the muddier and wetter sections...

stevekoz

Adotparker wrote:

I ride regularly around Cannock ............. Monkey and Dog ....... I have some advantages run the rear tyre 5psi less haven't had any nasty washouts, can be a bit frisky in seriously bad weather amongst the rockier sections... would highly reccomend them, My orange has the Nobby nics ...... seem to be a bit draggy in the muddier and wetter sections...

Thanks for the advice, good to get someone with local knowledge of the same trails to give an opinion on the tyres.

Adotparker

That's what this Forum is for!!! ......... that, and bigging up Halford bikes :S..... i'll be at Cannock Thursday Morning.... i'll be the one with a bright red Orange, and green/pink helmet :S

cooldad

Adotparker wrote:

That's what this Forum is for!!! ......... that, and bigging up Halford bikes :S..... i'll be at Cannock Thursday Morning.... i'll be the one with a bright red Orange, and green/pink helmet :S

And so easy to avoid.

leaflite

I also ride at cannock chase.

Im currently running a 2.35 high roller front, 2.1 advantage rear, but ive just bought a continental rubber queen to try up front(£27 in black chilli from on one!). Will report back soon.

Clank

I'm running the Maxxis Minion DHF and DHR combo in the 60a compound. Used them all winter over at Cannock (in all weathers), and recently changed back to Nobby Nics for the summer.

I've just learned how much better the Maxxis are, so the Minions are back on for the foreseeable.

Also used the Minions in Surrey, Wales and Derbyshire. Very happy with them.

SWMBO is running the Bonty xr4s and in the sandy stuff and rocks they are excellent, but they get a little overfaced by mud. I would say they're better than the Nobby Nics.

.blitz

Advantages most excellent for trail riding on the Chase - they are completely unfazed by the rubble and loose sandy terrain

Ardents very similar slightly faster but also slightly less grippy

Combine either with a CrossMark on the back

HR makes a decent front if you like square-profiled tyres

Nobby Nics fine providing you don't lean more than 5 degrees off vertical

Adotparker

cooldad wrote:

Adotparker wrote:

That's what this Forum is for!!! ......... that, and bigging up Halford bikes :S..... i'll be at Cannock Thursday Morning.... i'll be the one with a bright red Orange, and green/pink helmet :S

And so easy to avoid.

Fortunatley i'm one of those with friends....... which is a rareity on here.

cooldad

Adotparker wrote:

cooldad wrote:

Adotparker wrote:

That's what this Forum is for!!! ......... that, and bigging up Halford bikes :S..... i'll be at Cannock Thursday Morning.... i'll be the one with a bright red Orange, and green/pink helmet :S

And so easy to avoid.

Fortunatley i'm one of those with friends....... which is a rareity on here.

I'm sure you all have a speshul relationship.

Adotparker

cooldad wrote:

Adotparker wrote:

cooldad wrote:

Adotparker wrote:

That's what this Forum is for!!! ......... that, and bigging up Halford bikes :S..... i'll be at Cannock Thursday Morning.... i'll be the one with a bright red Orange, and green/pink helmet :S

And so easy to avoid.

Fortunatley i'm one of those with friends....... which is a rareity on here.

I'm sure you all have a speshul relationship.

very ""speshul'' whatever that may-be :S

leaflite

leaflite wrote:

I also ride at cannock chase.

Im currently running a 2.35 high roller front, 2.1 advantage rear, but ive just bought a continental rubber queen to try up front(£27 in black chilli from on one!). Will report back soon.

UPDATE: despite telling me they were when I emailed them, the Rubber Queens On One are selling are not the black chilli version.

stevekoz

I've ordered an advantage for the front and a crossmark for the rear to see how they go. All in all, they seem to have the best kind of comments from what i see. I'm off to Brechfa in Carmarthen on Thursday with the new set so i'll report back should i survice the welsh mountain summertime ;-)