Help finding the right tyre

ben11

Hey guys, really sorry to be posting another tyre thread, but the more I read into it the more difficult it gets! So i figured I'd post my situation and get some feedback.
I'm currently using my standard Ardents on my hoodoo and am looking for a lighter upgrade. I've been looking at either rocket rons or nobby nics but am a little concerned about all these stories people post about sidewalls and punctures etc.
Sherwood pines is my local and will be riding cannock chase occasionally too, i weigh about.. 12 and half stone. I'm yet to get a puncture and don't really fancy having to deal with them all the time. So i was leaning toward snake skin NN or Rocket Ron and going tubeless.

Cheers

an_original_name

The first Nic i bought was the standard one without the double defense protection. i ripped a hole in it on its first ride. After that i bought a double defense Nic, been running it for around a year now without any problems, and i do quite a bit of riding in the lakes so lots of sharp stone and slate etc.

.blitz

Nobby Nics are not so hot around Cannock esp with conditions as they are at the moment the rubble and loose drifty sand makes them struggle. Also Nics tend to be light for a reason - paper thin sidewalls - whcih as you've suggested makes them easy to tear and for me at least they are super-critical on pressure. The Snakeskin derivatives are much better on both accounts but of course they're heavier tyres.

I've used the 2.25 Nic F/Ron R combo meself and it is very fast in a straight line but fragile with it and hopeless on Cannock's loose corners.

Have a look at a folding 2.25 Maxxis Advantage on the front and a CrossMark on the rear. Not exactly the lightest combo but fast rolling and a front tyre you can depend on

ben11

.blitz wrote:

Nobby Nics are not so hot around Cannock esp with conditions as they are at the moment the rubble and loose drifty sand makes them struggle. Also Nics tend to be light for a reason - paper thin sidewalls - whcih as you've suggested makes them easy to tear and for me at least they are super-critical on pressure. The Snakeskin derivatives are much better on both accounts but of course they're heavier tyres.

I've used the 2.25 Nic F/Ron R combo meself and it is very fast in a straight line but fragile with it and hopeless on Cannock's loose corners.

Have a look at a folding 2.25 Maxxis Advantage on the front and a CrossMark on the rear. Not exactly the lightest combo but fast rolling and a front tyre you can depend on

Thanks for the advice, will these be faster rolling than my ardents? weight wise there's very little difference.

.blitz

Hmmm...Ardents are marginally faster than Advantages but not as fast as CrossMarks

An Advantage on the front grips exceptionally well in Cannock's roots & rubble but with a slight speed penalty (compared to an Ardent) that is offset by having a CrossMark on the back

An Advantage front and rear would be too slow imo while CrossMarks f&r will have you sliding off into the scenery on the first corner.

You could keep your front Ardent and combine it with a CrossMark on the back I have used this combo myself it's not too shabby at all. See how it goes and if you find the Ardent lacking swap it for an Advantage.

BTW Advantages & CrossMarks are fairly grim in mud the Advantage clogs up and the CrossMark spins out

angry_bird

I find a Maxxis Ignitor up front works great for me at Cannock, and a fair few other places for that matter, but it all depends what you like. Decent weight too in the folding version, also says there's some kind of puncture protection on the sidewall, not sure whether to believe it. Only time I've punctured one recently was when some knob put a knife through it judging by the gash in it :roll:

Not too bad in the wet/mud either, use it all year round on the front.

Incidently I use a kenda SB8 on the rear, most of the year too because I'm too lazy to change

cooldad

I use Ignitors both ends, all year round, mainly because they came with the current bike (wire beads) which worked fine so I've just carried on with them (soft compound folding), which are better.
Good all rounders.

ben11

Thanks for the tips peeps but I'm swaying towards Continental either Mountain king racesport or x king, or maybe mixing it up? Anyone use these? thanks

njee20

Rocket Rons will be fine around the Pines if you want a light tyre. Yes they're thin, but still my standard choice around the Surrey Hills. I've ripped 2, on exactly the same corner somewhere with more rocks!

cooldad

ben11 wrote:

Thanks for the tips peeps but I'm swaying towards Continental either Mountain king racesport or x king, or maybe mixing it up? Anyone use these? thanks

Nope but consensus seems to be get Black Chili or nothing.