Tyre Advice please

Gess

Hi All

I'm currently running Kenda Small Block 8s (26 x 2.1) for my commute - 7 miles on canal path, 4 miles on concrete. However the canal path is getting a bit soft and sticky with all the rain, and the tryes are sliding about a bit.

So - do I get two new grippier tyres, or just a grippier tyre for the front? And what tyre/ width do you recommend? To be honest I'm a bit confused with all the options on tyre type/ width..I'll mostly be commuting, but also need something that can the handle the odd wet/ muddy, blue/ red trail in Scotland in winter...I'm tempted by Nobby Nics and Rocket Rons, but not sure if these are the best option, and if so what size to go for.

Any advice much appreciated!

Dawesy92

Ive just put some Panaracer xc pros on (26x2.1) feel great, I ride red and blue trails plus a 10mile commute to work via road and they're fine for me :-)
Plus can be had in black, red, yellow and blue.. worth a look :-)

Gess

Thanks for the reply, they sound like the kind of thing I'm after.

I've also seen some Schwalbe Racing Ralph HT Tubular Bike Tyre, down from £80 to £20 (http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/schwalbe-racing-ralph-ht-tubular-bike-tyre/rp-prod86594) - looks like a bargain based on the price reduction...anyone tried them? Any good as a bit of an all-rounder?

Thanks!

Long_Time_Lurker

I use Racing Ralphs as a 3 season tyre. They are essentially the Schwalbe equivalent of your Small Block.
If your Small Blocks aren't cutting it, I doubt these will either.
(I have moved to mud-specific tyres, but I doubt that you will need something that extreme for a canal path.)
How muddy do you think the canal path likely to get? I'm assuming that it is mud on top of a hard-base?

The Rookie

XC Pro's aren't the best on tarmac, to be honest they aren't the best anywhere, but where they score is not being really bad anywhere either. Your decision really depends on how much you are prepared to sacrifice off road for the on road performance, if the answer is 'nothing' then the XC Pro's are a great compromise.

My Summer tyres are Michelin dry mountain2's they are amazingly fast rolling, have more tread than the SBs but the compound isn't good on roots/rocks when wet.

Gess

The canal path gets pretty soft rather than muddy, enough to start the small blocks sliding around, but not enough to warrant full-on mud tyres. I'll keep the SBs for the spring/ summer/ autumn commute, I'm really just looking for something that will handle the soft stuff better over the winter, and will be happy on a trail when it's wet...

Nobby Nic's sounds like they'll do the job, but are a bit more than I was hoping to pay (although I see the 26 x 2.25 or 2.1 wired for £11.26 on a German website - http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/a90227/nobby-nic-performance-dc-26-x-225-wire.html?lg=en&cr=GBP&cn=gb&gclid=CNCzlord0roCFRMctAod2UoAdQ - anyone bought tyres from them? Is it worth spending more for the folding?)

Thanks again!

The Rookie

Nobby Nics in dual compound are OK, much like an XC Pro though personally I don't think they are quite as fast rolling on taracl, I'd get wired XC Pro's if you are on a budget.

swod1

if your getting new tyres spend the extra and go for folding as these are much lighter than the steel wire bead tyres.

i've been running for the past few months schwalbe racing ralphs which were ok on tarmac not super fast or anything like that.

what about schwalbe land crusiers ?

passout

Maxxis Aspen on the front maybe?

Gess

I did look at land cruisers but thought they were too similar in style to the SBs I.e.better on hard stuff than soft. I guess I'm looking for something more suited to wet and soft ground but not too bad on the harder stuff, I'll still be using my current tyres when it's dry enough...the xc pro's sound like they fit the bill.

Thanks for all the advice!