Winter Tyres

chrisash86
chrisash86 Posts: 34
edited December 2013 in MTB buying advice
does anyone have any views on what winter tyre I should put on the front of my 26 hardtail? I live in the pennines with a mix of rocks stones and mud. Currently riding on a 2.35 maxxis high roller but I am finding it a bit draggy

Comments

  • Kowalski675
    Kowalski675 Posts: 4,412
    There's a winter tyre group test in this month's What MTB, if you want to have a look at that.
  • Jacoba123
    Jacoba123 Posts: 3
    I currently run
    -Maxxis Ardent on one bike
    -Schwalbe Nobby Nic on the other.
    Both great, nobby nic better under braking, maxxis has stronger side wall
  • McNab_79
    McNab_79 Posts: 82
    Kowalski675 wrote:
    There's a winter tyre group test in this month's What MTB, if you want to have a look at that.

    What ^ Kowalski said.

    I'm thinking about the Schwalbe Nobby Nic Evolution 26" x 2.25 and be mental and go for the Black/White!

    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/schw ... -prod19166
    Tavish
    Noob
    It's my first MTB
    ROCKRIDER 8.1
  • poah
    poah Posts: 3,369
    got a NN pacestar on the back. wouldn't use it on rocks or mud though
    CCDB IL coil CS first impressions

    MTB Scotland youtube channel
  • chrisrobs
    chrisrobs Posts: 135
    Maxxis Beaver or medusa are a good winter tyre.

    They are light and only 2.0 so they cut through the mud instead of sliding over it.

    Think I got mine for 20 quid each off crc.
    Specialized Camber Pro

    http://s1363.photobucket.com/user/chris ... 3.jpg.html
  • Cqc
    Cqc Posts: 951
    Maxxis beaver are really hard to set up as tubeless if that's you're kinda thing, tried 3 years ago and never tried them again, got rock sliced day 4
  • njee20
    njee20 Posts: 9,613
    Depending on your mud Nics are pants, certainly not what I'd use as a winter tyre.

    Spesh Storm, Bonty Mud X, Schwalbe Dirty Dan would get my nod. Maxxis Beaver always get good reports too.
  • kevinharley
    kevinharley Posts: 554
    njee20 wrote:
    Depending on your mud Nics are pants, certainly not what I'd use as a winter tyre.

    My experience too! Mud that's drying out / compacted, they're fine, and very wet sloppy mud that's not too deep, also fine, but for anything that claggs, the tread just get filled up and its like riding on slicks!
  • McNab_79
    McNab_79 Posts: 82
    Ok, accept I got that wrong on the choice of tyre. I'll put that down to me still being a complete Noob and getting my tyres mixed up.

    So the Maxxis Medusa is rated for a winter then (sloppy mud?) - which one?
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/s?q= ... a+mtb+tyre

    Also, what about the Continental Mountain King II, which also has a good rating on here?
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/s?q= ... i+mtb+tyre

    26" and not running Tubeless.
    Tavish
    Noob
    It's my first MTB
    ROCKRIDER 8.1
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    I ride a 2.35 Maxxis Advantage up front - grippy but a bit less draggy than a HR. On the rear I've still got my Maxxis Aspen on - summer tyre really but been doing OK on manmade tails & (fast draining) Lake District bridleways to date. It's fast. Might change to a 2.1 XC pro soon though - we'll see. Again, most routes I do really aren't too mudy though - grip on wet rock is more important to me personally. I'd maybe try the Avantage front & rear if mud isn't a massive issue for you: good summer tyres if it doesn't work out!
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • McNab_79
    McNab_79 Posts: 82
    I'm riding mainly XC and recent rides have seen a lot of slop. I've got the original tyres on my RR 8.1 (Michelin Country Trail) as I've recently bought it. They're constantly caked in mud and I find myself slipping and sliding far too often!

    So what's the crack with and general rules for riding with different width and/ or types of tyre front and back?

    Sorry to the OP for hijacking this thred to some degree.
    Tavish
    Noob
    It's my first MTB
    ROCKRIDER 8.1
  • The Northern Monkey
    The Northern Monkey Posts: 19,174
    you lot are nuts... I ride the same tyre all year :lol:
    Just adjust pressure to suit conditions.

    Conti Mountain King MK2... been brilliant in all conditions apart from wet greasy rock (you know the type, slippy rock with green goo on and a bit of a shine - pretty sure no tyre will be any good on this!).

    The MK MK2 is probably the best xc/am tyre I've ever used.
    Santa Cruz Butcher
  • McNab_79
    McNab_79 Posts: 82
    The Northern Monkey wrote:
    you lot are nuts... I ride the same tyre all year :lol:
    Just adjust pressure to suit conditions.

    Conti Mountain King MK2... been brilliant in all conditions apart from wet greasy rock (you know the type, slippy rock with green goo on and a bit of a shine - pretty sure no tyre will be any good on this!).

    The MK MK2 is probably the best xc/am tyre I've ever used.

    Cheers. So a bit of an all seasons all terrain tyre then the MK II, with the exception of that slightly shining rock with snot-like stuff covering it.

    I wonder if anyone has considered making tyres from Octopus arms - their suction cups would no doubt provide resolve to the issue with the aformetioned rock type! :lol: Ok then, perhaps just a tyre with part of the tread design inspired by Octopus suction cups, as I do not agree with using any part of an actual Octopus! :lol:
    Tavish
    Noob
    It's my first MTB
    ROCKRIDER 8.1
  • Cqc
    Cqc Posts: 951
    The MK MK2 is probably the best xC/ AM tire I have ever used
    +1, I have the rubber queen, (same thing) and they're awesome
  • passout
    passout Posts: 4,425
    I found Rubber Queens puncture prone & not particularly good in the wet. Alswayd had mixed results with contis.
    'Happiness serves hardly any other purpose than to make unhappiness possible' Marcel Proust.
  • dhooper7
    dhooper7 Posts: 156
    passout wrote:
    I found Rubber Queens puncture prone & not particularly good in the wet. Alswayd had mixed results with contis.
    I run a 2.4 tubeless RQ up front and love it. Run it all year.
    Not found a perfect partner out back yet.
    Tried Maxxis High Roller 2, Spec Purgatory, Conti Baron...
    The search continues
    2011 Specialized Enduro Comp
    2014 Boardman Hybrid Comp

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