What do we think – assuming I'll be there when it's as wet as it is dry, and including things like the Innerleithen XC route – which one on the front … and also – Nobby Nic or Rocket Ron on the back ?

🙂

Rocket ron or r/ralph if it's really bone dry 😛

Aye – I've liked the Rocket Ron's on dry trails. For rougher ground though, and wetter weather I fancy generally more grip, wondering if a heavier tyre will handle better in the rough stuff and be any grippier or whether that's nonsense given it's the rubber that grips not weight as such – but usually the 'heavier' tyres are more suited to rougher ground??
Have both you see, and trying to decide how to set the bike up.

I personally like the Nobby Nic up front and a Racing Ralph out back

Ardents front and back unless your racing, looking at the rrons weights they must be almost inner tubes.

I'd stay off the super-light stuff myself, GT black isn't exactly brutal terrain but there's plenty of places you can catch a tyre, especially if you do the bitch, wormhole etc. I'd go small block on the back, nevegal on the front myself, default option… Reasonably quick, properly grippy, and durable.

Yeah – hence fancy'ing a move to something heavier but wanted to hear some other views. The rockier bits of GT black are pretty rough edged for lightweight tyres. And i wanna keep the RR's healthy for the odd sprint round the NoFuss 10's Series events 🙂

So Northwind – a kenda fan then from that ? Heard a lot of the small block seems always well regarded. Heard nowt about the Nevegal so will go Google 🙂

PS. Notice they're 2.1 or 2.35 – I've got used to 2.25's on Schwalbe and Maxxis – do you use 2.35's ? IIRC you're another '5' rider yes?
I'm gonna put these on some Arch rims.

To be brutally honest, absolutely any tyre other than a full on spike will be fine at both Glentress or innerleithen in the dry or wet, all you need to do is make sure they're at sensible pressures for batting through the manmade rock gardens.

Northwind, what qualities do you feel nevegals have that are worthy of recommendation? and (for comparisson) what other tyres have you used?
I've only done one day of DH riding with one up front I found it to be medeocre in most situations not a terrible tyre but certainly not one I'd jump to recommend

ardents simply have no real drop in grip from my experience.
they are light however but not a patch on schwalbe for progressive grip.

drop in grip

Apols if a daft question – what does this mean compared to normal grip round corners etc – is it specific to drop-offs or something?