first outing on new bike this weekend, probably some natural west of Scotland stuff (or may venture down to Drumlanrig if not icy).

Bike is setup with Nobby Nic/Racing Ralph (2.25, 650B).

My recollection of the RR as a rear tyre is that it was good on hard packed trail centre stuff and quick, but very lacking on wet stuff, roots, mud etc.

Are they any better these days ? I do have a spare Nobby Nic that can go on..

You do realise you are asking a forum who think that anything less than a Magic Mary Super Gravity Vertstar is too fragile and lacking grip? 🙄

😀

I had a pair of RR 35c on my CX bike a few years ago, i really liked them for trail riding.

I had a RR (29×2.25 pacestar) on the back with MM (29×2.35 trailstar) up front for a while (the other MM wouldn’t really fit in the rear end).

I found it surprisingly decent on wet roots and mud. Changed via another tyre to a Pacestar NN mainly due to it being “wrong” to have tyres so far apart on the range, and I don’t want to wear the RR out too quickly (I suspect that once the knobs start to wear, it’ll be pretty useless).

What compound is it?

What compound is it?

Schwalbe Racing Ralph 27.5×2.2 Snakeskin TL Easy Pacestar

running with tubes, at about 35 psi

If you get the proper ones (Pacestar TL ready) in snakeskin form, they are not fragile for non rocky/slate trails, and are surprisingly good in shallow mud. Proper mud – no.

However, its worth you reading the bicycle rolling resistance review becuase, that says a Rocket Ron is just as fast under 35psi, but is grippier in soggy conditions. What I did last year was run a Ron all year round, letting a new Ron pre winter become a 1/3 worn centre tread and therefore a Ralph over the summer months. It seemed to work well.

Rocket Ron snakeskin btw.

Edit here

I’m personally still a big fan of RaRa’s as a 2.25×29 rear xc tyre.

Why 35psi though?! I run my rear at about 22-23psi (tubeless) and would find them skittish any harder.

I felt the same, ron just seems to be a bit of a better tyre- schwalbe seem to think the same if you trust their bumpf.

Even the snakeskin is delicate but that’s just the deal you make with lightweight xc tyres (I’d go to maxxis if I wanted tougher, but they tend to add a couple of 100g for similiar tyres…)

Why 35psi though?

because I prefer to run tubes and weigh about 13 stone when fully kitted up.

The only issue i have with Rons is the front is sketchy gravel corners. I do run my 28f 30R though.

Iain, I run them about that tubeless, and I’m the same sort of weight.

You’ll be fine, just believe that you’ll grip. As long as the front goes where you point it, the back will follow anyway.

cheers Luke, will give them a go on Sunday. Not expecting them to cope with Mugdock winter gloop, I’ve got the Soul with Purgatory’s for that !

To look at you’d think they’d be poo but I actually rated them & ran them exclusively for a few years before going plus & fat. Yes they are overcome in deep mud but what I liked was their predictability when it came to letting go, if that makes any sense ?
You always had plenty of warning that they were on the limit. I remember using some of the lower rent Conti Mountain Kings, they we’re positively dangerous. If you’ve ever ridden a motorbike through Winter, & poo’d ones pants on the first dry Spring run when leaning it past the flat spot that’s developed over Winter. 🙂

I use 29×2.25 RR Evo Snakeskins all year round on my XC hardtail. They do surprisingly well in the mud, though obviously not in deep gloop. You have to ride them as there are no big lugs on the edges of the tread so expect to use a lot of body English, but if you do, they’re fast and fun. Obviously they’re designed for XC so they won’t take massive rocky abuse but they seem to last forever on XC trails. I’m 70-71kg and run tubeless at 21psi front, 22 rear. I should think you’ll get pinged all over the place on roots at 35psi even though you’re heavier than me. Even at 25psi I find they stop absorbing roots.

Ok As long as tubeless and 22psi, but ron’s are a little better for winter

Well I’m not going tubeless and at 13 stone kitted up I’m not running it at 22 psi. Encouraging posts though so will try it for a few rides.

It’s not my only bike, I have a Soul as well which does the more manky stuff.

First outing on the RR rear tyre yesterday – quite impressed actually, not as grippy on wet roots as a Nobby Nic, but ok – might leave it on for now. Was at about 35 psi.

I found them surprisingly grippy but not exactly hard wearing.

I think i got half a dozen rides out of the rear tyre before a load of centre knobs were shredded.

What’s wrong with tubeless BTW its 2017!

I had a pair on my Scott Spark. I call them “Death Tyres”. Fast in dry conditions, but for me the let go as soon as I push hard in corners.

When its wet I’m on my ass with them.

But then I brake hard and late, which isn’t the fastest way to ride.

rich,

What’s wrong with tubeless BTW its 2017!

my musings

🙂

What’s wrong with tubeless BTW its 2017!

Christ, don’t ask this again, you know how he has to have a poll for every minute change to his bikes!… 😆

🙂

I moved my saddle yesterday, all on my own !

I find them ok and long lasting for xc, fine in light mud, just so long as I keep off wet roots.

Having not seen much point of the old nobby nics over rocket rons, I’m impressed with the latest ones – quite an aggressive tread with plenty of grip, and that’s just the cheapest dual compound ones, not the pacestar/trailstar/snakeskin versions. My only concern is the flimsy sidewalls not giving the required support in corners