Tyre choice

JerryJ

Hi

Ive been thinking of trying out a set Schwalbe tyres. Ive been told to try Nobby Nic on the front and Racing Ralph on the rear, has anyone tried these tyres and combo out...

Thanks

chrisvanderkaap

typical combo for cross country, if that's your thing they should serve you well. get the Evo version as they're much more supple and TL-ready.

cooldad

Depending on what, where and on what you ride.

JerryJ

I mainly ride at Chicksands on the 4X track and down a couple of mini downhill runs. Its a very dry fast surface, I was going to try Maxxis High Roller but someone side they might be a little over kill for Chicksands.

chrisvanderkaap

I was also thinking about the highrollers. very unique tires and a little bit sturdier than the schwalbe combo you've mentioned. As the name suggest they're fast rollers so might not be such bad choice for 4x or the likes.

Tom Barton

If you only ride when its dry and your riding doesnt vary much - a kenda small block 8 tyre (or a maxxis larsen) on the back will be lightning fast and grippy in the dry. Combined with a more aggresive tyre up front with sturdier shoulder knobs for slamming into corners - a highroller is a good choice, I like the schwable Hans dampf tyres (good alrounders - served me well during the wet winter but seem to be equally good in the dry so far), specialsed chunder tyres are very grippy too.

So -if only ever riding dry stuff - a quick tyre out back with something grippier up front. Or if your going to be on varied surfaces/wet/mud etc (given what last summer was like..) - something alrounder like a set of highrollers/minions or hans dampfs would be the way to go.

JerryJ

Hi

Think im going to give the High Rollers ago...thanks for your views on the subject guys.

cheaterkiller

What about tyres for wet mud and loose surfaces?

lawman

Schwalbe do a specific compound for 4x called Gatestar. It's only available for the NIc's and Ralphs and makes for a grippy tyre, multiple 4x WC and World champs were won by Jared Graves on them so they seem ideally suited to your needs. I had them on my trail bike for a while but recently tried hans dampfs and they're my default tyre now but I imagine would be overkill. The Gatestar Schwalbes would be just the ticket imo.

swod1

I've just put a schwalbe nobby nic on front of my bike and my thoughts are its great, i went on two very long rides at the weekend over various surfaces and i had no issues grippy and fast rolling even on tarmac.

I was surprised about the size for 26x2.25 quite small compared with the bontrager xr4 in 2.2 that i was running up front before.

I run a specialized ground control on the rear and that is very good for the few months i've had it on even over winter.