XC tyres tough enough for Flint?

Slow1
Slow1 Posts: 71
edited September 2012 in MTB buying advice
I ride a lot of XC over the North Downs on my hardtail and the terrain is very mixed. There's loads of flint and I'm looking for a tyre tough enough to cope but that doesn't destroy the feel of a lightweight XC bike.

I'm going to go up a tyre size (currently on 2.1 Rocket Rons) as am a big lad and want to keep the pressures a little lower.

Am looking at
Maxxis Advantage 2.25 Team Issue Folding 700gms
Bontrager XR4 2.2 Team Issue TLR 609gm

Any thoughts?
Norco Aurum 2 2012
Spec Stumpy Expert EVO 2011
Scott Scale 50 2011
Scott Speedster S30 2010

Comments

  • u05harrisb
    u05harrisb Posts: 531
    rocket rons get ripped up by most things i find however schwalbe do a snakeskin or some wording reinforced side wall that might be worth looking at. i have racing ralphs with the side wall thing and there great! youll have a bit more grip and durability with racing ralphs too!
  • benpinnick
    benpinnick Posts: 4,148
    XR4s are great. Tough enough and good traction.
    A Flock of Birds
    + some other bikes.
  • felix.london
    felix.london Posts: 4,067
    The Black Chilli Conti Mountain King 2 Protection are lighter than the Bonty
    "Why have that extra tooth if you're not using it?" - Brian Lopes

    Votec V.SX Enduro 'Alpine Thug' 2012/2013 build

    Trek Session 8
  • benpinnick
    benpinnick Posts: 4,148
    felix.london wrote:
    The Black Chilli Conti Mountain King 2 Protection are lighter than the Bonty
    Only according to Conti, in real life they are actually slightly heavier.
    A Flock of Birds
    + some other bikes.
  • felix.london
    felix.london Posts: 4,067
    benpinnick wrote:
    felix.london wrote:
    The Black Chilli Conti Mountain King 2 Protection are lighter than the Bonty
    Only according to Conti, in real life they are actually slightly heavier.

    The whole thing is so ridiculous. What's the point in putting weights & widths on their websites?

    I would like to try out the XR4's. Maybe for my upcoming AM build. They're certainly cheap enough
    "Why have that extra tooth if you're not using it?" - Brian Lopes

    Votec V.SX Enduro 'Alpine Thug' 2012/2013 build

    Trek Session 8
  • benpinnick
    benpinnick Posts: 4,148
    Yeah, but Conti is the worst. I did a review with weights here: viewtopic.php?f=20005&t=12753858&hilit=Mountain+King+II+review
    A Flock of Birds
    + some other bikes.
  • Slow1
    Slow1 Posts: 71
    I managed to track down an XR4 TLR . It seems quite thin and the tread quite soft. The core doesn't seem much different to my stumpy Purgatory tyres that haven't faired that well. Are they tougher than they look?

    Have ordered a Maxxis Advantage to compare against the XR4
    Norco Aurum 2 2012
    Spec Stumpy Expert EVO 2011
    Scott Scale 50 2011
    Scott Speedster S30 2010

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