I’m after some advice regarding you guys experience with Nobby Nics. I’ve got the 2.25 version with triple compound and, whether run at front or rear, I find they wash out really easily. Now, almost everywhere I look these things get great write ups so is it me it are these tyres just not up to mountain biking terrain?*

Anyone ran these and swapped to something else that impressed far more?

Cheers guys, Si.

* as far as I can tell, what I call mountain biking has been pigeon holed as ‘all mountain’ by some marketing hype wagon.

What other tyres have you used?

I personally think the best tyres for everything is Panaracer Fire XC Pro, brilliant for all kind of surface but can clog up a bit in very muddy ground though.

I’ve been running nic on front last 2 months but thinking going back to high roller. Don’t like front end feel.

HR front and ignitor rear but runnig Ardent up fron and crossmax on rear its so dry they work well at low pressures 20 – 25psi tubeless

I always say it, but Nobby Nics are easily the worst tyres I’ve used. Utter guff. Lost all confidence on the bike, had so many punctures and made the bike feel so sketchy. Use High Rollers now and am so much happier. Sorted.

You tried a Fat Albert?

I know it’s a bit of a cliche, but FA on the front and NN on the back works really well for me.

Maxxis AdVantage 2.25

get the pressure right and i think they are a good compromise between rolling resistance and grip on the front

nuff said

Ox, not tried a fat albert but I have had a go with a Minion up front and quite liked the feel. Still found that the Nic as a rear wasn’t inspiring confidence, as coogan says, very sketchy feeling.

Number of times when I had a Nic on the front and, banking the bike over to go round a corner, ended up on the deck had become pretty tiresome! Someone recommended the Minion DHF so I gave it a go. Sadly, he seemed to think the Nic would be good on the back. I’m not convinced.

Rudedog, as well as the Minion DHF I’ve had continental verticals (not bad but draggy as a rear) and a racing ralph (which is only really any good for very dry, firm terrain IME).

I couldn’t stand the Nobby Nic on the front, that was quickly changed to a bonty XRC, however I find the Nobby Nic on the rear to be great.

Have you tried running them in the wrong direction?

I got some 29er ones on the front. I like them but you get a different feel if they are run at too high a pressure. On 2.25s I’ve got about 20psi, running tubeless and they have been faultless

Conti Rubber Queens 2.2 black chilli

I always say it, but Nobby Nics are easily the worst tyres I’ve used. Utter guff.

In your opinion of course. Me on the other hand use them and have had no such issues. But tyres are a personal thing and you need to find what you are most comfortable with.

Right, I’ve Googled every tyre mentioned on this thread and pulled the trigger on the rubber queen in 2.2 with black chili. Seem to get very favourable reviews (although so do nobby Nics) Fingers crossed it’ll be what I’m looking for! Thanks all for your suggestions.

You tried a Fat Albert?

Easily the worst tyre I’ve ever tried! And that’s a double defence, triple compound, 2.25″ version with a £52 rrp! Utter toss… I’ve run much crippled semi slicks, and that’s in the soft stuff!

As a hard condition rear tyre, I’ve tried several but nothing has yet beaten the 2.3″ Michelin Dry2 I’ve got on the back right now. Seriously! MUCH grippier than it looks, and only £10 from On One… 9/10 review on bikeradar.com too.

Just about to try a 2.25″ Crossmark on the back on my other bike after several recommendations. Will report back after!

Also heard good things on the rubber queens, and have one to try in the winter, looks too slow for summer though.

Numanoid per chance ?
Crossmark go well in the dry m but fill up abit quick in the goo.

I really rate fat alberts, perhaps not in clay/ silt soil but then what is? Great at cornering, decent rolling resistance and good braking performance. Definitely get the toughened sidewall versions though!
I really rate specialized tyres too, especially the clutch. Great value!

Ah the tyre debate…

I like High Rollers in a straight line, but don’t like them in the corners. I like Nevegals in the corners but don’t like them anywhere else. An Ardent is great, just not up front.

It’s been a while since I ran Panaracers, mainly on cost grounds.

Oh and Small Block Eights absolutely do not suit my braking style.

It depends on where you ride, riding style, bike type, rim width, etc.

I find Schwalbe trail type tyres (NN, RR, etc) need to be run at high pressures to stop pinch flats, rim dings, sidewall tears, etc. At these pressures they skip about too much for me. Same generally goes for Kenda Nevegal and Blue Grooves but the Nevegal rolling resitance is worse.

Currently enjoying 2.2 conti RQ BC for general fit and forget Northumberland, Lakes, Yorkshire dales fun on my heckler.

Panaracer XC pros I’ve always found to be rather alarming when leant over.

Liked advantages and crossmarks but quite fragile for hard riding and tend to drift when ridden in non-XC style. Highrollers are good if you lean bikes over lots but can lack pedaling traction in sloppy conditions and are draggy.

It is so condition dependent and personal that asking for opinions will probably lead to twice as many suggestions as people replying.

Good luck……

I really rate fat alberts, perhaps not in clay/ silt soil but then what is? Great at cornering, decent rolling resistance and good braking performance.

Of all of your comments, I could only agree with the decent rolling resistance one. Mine is THE WORST I’ve ever used at cornering, braking, climbing etc. for definite! It just lets go all the time, and on all sorts of terrain, even smooth grippy hardpack! I’ve never ridden a tyre that’s a bigger let down, especially when it looks like it should work so well, and I’ve tried it at varying pressures from too low, to quite firm too, and it still doesn’t work.

Oh, and after only about 8 rides several of the knobs are starting to lift off the carcass a bit! Won’t be buying Schwalbe again in a hurry that’s for sure…

£10 Michelin 2.3″ Dry2 FTW… Seriously!

Not convinced with multi compound tyres myself. If the tyre loses traction, due to the hard compound in middle, then the stickier compound on the edges is not always enough to save the fall.
Sticky compound on the front to prevent it washing out and a harder compound or lower profile on rear. If the rear skips out; its easier to correct or puts you on your arse rather than face!
I’m currently using a very worn 2.1 Nevegal Stick-E on the front & 2.35 Small Block 8 rear.

Specialized’s Eskar is an excellent rear. Not quite as fast as the Nobby Nic, but gripper in most conditions, much better in mud and loam. And when it slides, it slides better- drifts rather than snaps, and recovers very well. Lasts well too (one of mine is about 4 times older than my Nobby Nic and still going strong, the Nic is dead)

I’m just trying it on the front, it’s decent but it’s not great, could do with a stickier compound model. Don’t really have a strong recommendation for the front.

Hutchison Toro

I really like the Bontrager XR4 2.2 – run them tubeless at 30something psi in the dry, 20something when it’s really wet and muddy. Roll better than you’d think, lots of volume, big side knobs so grip hard but let go progressively. Run them forwards direction at both ends for quicker rolling and better braking. Last surprisingly long – seems a lot of the grip is due to the treadblocks and sipes, not the compound.

I finally got round to changing my 2.4 Nobby back to the trusty Maxxis Minion DHF on the front. I’ve been on about it for ages as like someone said the bike just feels sketchy on Nobby Nics.

Maxxis now back on and instantly felt like my bike again. Turns with so much more confidence and it feels alive again.

I have 2.4 NN tubeless on my full sus and they have felt ok, on stans flow rims. I think the carcass is too weak for the size of knobs and intended use though.

2.35dtc bluegroove and nevegal on my hardtail. They are slow and again weak in the sidewall, although light for the size. I think the bluegroove is pretty good on the front but will be putting something faster rolling on the back which is less prone to pinches.

I too hated nics, tried them out but they just didnt inspire any confidence for me, currently using conti 2.2 race king at the back and a 2.4 X king on the front, very impressed so far, fast rolling combo with tons of grip on loose stuff up front..

I personally think the best tyres for everything is Panaracer Fire XC Pro, brilliant for all kind of surface but can clog up a bit in very muddy ground though.

+1. Having said that, I’m not sure that Fire XCs are much worse in the slop* than Bonty Mud Xs

Andy

*when new, anyway. Not with 1000+ miles of Pennine grinding paste and a resulting semi-slick effect…

Nobby nice are awful….ust ones lasted me under a year…the knobs were well worn…they are awful for grip on the wet and mud and lethal on roots etc….shocking tyres..only positive thing I can say is they roll.quite fast!

Crikey, seems there really is a lack of love for the Nic’s! Quite interesting considering the glowing press they get from magazine reviews.

I’ve ran a 2.2 rubber queen on the rear for a while. Opinions seem to be a bit divided on this tyre, I found it really fast rolling and pretty good on the corners. When cornering hard, you really need to lean the bike under you or they can feel a bit squirmy.

I wouldn’t recommend too low pressures in them either as the side wall on the 2.2 seems pretty weak (on the 2.4 its reinforced) and is where mine ended up failing on. I switched to a 2.3 small block 8 after all the good reviews it got but found this to be a good bit slower rolling.