I’m thinking about getting some new tyres for my Five. I’m currently running Maxxis Advantage 2.25’s and to be honest, have always been a fan of these since running them on my Crush.

I’m considering some Continental X Kings as I quite like the look of them but dont know whether to go for the 2.2 or 2.4.

A friend of mine has recently purchased some Shwalbe Nobby Nics and absolutely loves them, albeit they have mixed reviews.

As a keen motorcyclist for many years, I am very concious of making the right decision when it comes to choosing rubber as this can sometimes make or break your ride.

All suggestions welcome.

Cheers, Ben.

I ran NNs for 3 or 4 months. Worst tyres I’ve ever had the misfortune to use but a load of people swear by them. I found them lacking grip in corners which was the main downer for me.

Got some Panaracer Rampages for a decent price off CRC. Brilliant tyres – better than my old Maxxis setup.

NN 2.4 up front and the 2.25 on the rear always give loads of grip, used to run specialized eskars and loved them too

Ran X kings on my orange, yuck – durge! Neither one thing or another!

Now I’m a minion fan for big spring autumn Wales & Lakes rock fest, swamp thing for winter, and for general high roller. I would recommend high roller, it’s pretty solid and as good as I am if you see what I mean.

What will you be doing with it?

Nobby Nics are decent til they start to wear, but that happens incredibly fast and once the edges are off the blocks they lose a lot of grip on everything but hard surfaces. Still not terrible but combined with the price it makes for fairly poor value IMO.

benmotogp46

A friend of mine has recently purchased some Shwalbe Nobby Nics and absolutely loves them, albeit they have mixed reviews.

DaveyBoyWonder

I ran NNs for 3 or 4 months. Worst tyres I’ve ever had the misfortune to use but a load of people swear by them. I found them lacking grip in corners which was the main downer for me.

They are a tricky tyre to pin down. If you are used to maxxis, the slow breakaway and predictable manners might have spoiled you and you might not get on with NNs. But, if your willing to risk running some higher than usual pressures and have reflexes like a cat you might like them – when they get on the limit they break away instantly which is a bit unnerving, but give them time and you might just get to like them.

I find them more playful than maxxis and if you get used to them then you might find you can get the front and definately the back to break away on a whim, when you decide, meaning you can corner in a very very aggro fashion. I rate them very highly as a back tyre, but I would prefer maxxis up front which will be my next set up when my current pair of nn’s wears out.

2.35 High Roller on the back, 2.35 Minion DHF upfront…job sorted. I keep a 2.25 Crossmark to put on the back for longer distances but I have a different bike for that too, so don’t need to change it much. You could also use a Minion on the back instead of the Roller. Rampages are alright but I don’t recommend them on the front. They wash out easily, especially on soft stuff.

Have a five myself . If your riding hard the maxxis cOmbos mentioned are a safe bet that last . To make your bike feel sprightly and confidence inspiring I have a pair of conti black chilli rubber queens. 2.2’s will cope with gravity enduro stuff. Expensive but worth it.

What Northwind said.

I would stick with Advantage’s TBH, they are bloody good.

Again, what Northwind said. Schwalbe tyres really are the “Snake Oil” of the mountain biking world… No better than anything else (and quite often worse), and very expensive, yet every fool seems to want them!

Right, those X-King’s are supposedly pretty good, as long as you get them in Black Chilli and a 2.4″ (they’re more like most 2.3’s, they’re from the old school conti sizing), but I’d only run one on the back, doesn’t look like it has enough bite for the front for me.

My default tyre combo right now that works an absolute treat for me, is a 2.2″ Black Chilli Rubber Queen (from the new school conti sizing, it’s more like most 2.4’s) up front, and a 2.25″ Maxxis Crossmark out back. This I find a perfect combo of grip, speed, light weight and comfort. Depending on where you ride though, if you ride slightly softer trails and don’t mind a bit less speed, either put another 2.2″ Rubber Queen out back, or just put another 2.25″ Advantage on the back.

Liking Wtb Bronsons.

Never had a problem with kenda nevegals , 2.35 front 2.1 rear

High Roller supertacky front and either Rubber Queen 2.2 or Ardent 2.25 rear.

Minions front & back.
However as we get into summer, you may wanna stick to the advantages

I like the Nics, got to be the huge 2.4″ ones though, running a pair on my Five now, on big Flow rims. Ran Maxxis for years, do miss my High Roller on the front but I’ve got quite used to these. Big round, light, fast rolling tyres. Prior to these I had an Ardent on the back, ended up swapping it out for an old Nic, didn’t get on with them at all.

Guess it depends where you ride a lot, wider tread vs square profile. You can often pick Schwalbe up cheap from On-One too, crazy light for what they are, can be run tubeless very easily too.

Schwalbe tyres really are the “Snake Oil” of the mountain biking world…

Very dramatic there, good stuff.

Kenda Nevegal DTC all year round for the past 5 years on my 5. Never felt the need to change, ride mainly Calderdale and Peaks.

2.35 High Roller on the back, 2.35 Minion DHF upfront…job sorted

Yep, that works for me in all-but the depths of winter.
All I’d add is that the HR is dual ply and the Minion is single ply super tacky.

So far very impressed with my RubberQueen 2.2 Black Chili UST

very grippy but roll very well

+ 1 for minions. I have both front and rear. I think they are around 750g for the single ply 2.35 versions, I’ve not found anything that offers anything like as much grip for such a light tyre

I did have the stock Advantages on my Five but swapped the rear today for 2.1 Ignitor, will let you know what its like.

I would stay away from the sticky compound rubbish! All this does is slow you down! 😕 As does the black chilli garbage! Tried them both as people highly recommend them, but felt my riding wasnt improving so i sold them as i wasn’t impressed at all! Then I bought some panaracers xc’s and the difference this made was vast! Great at climbing, made the bike feel lighter aswell! Sooo much easier to pedal on the road too! Just make sure you put them on the right way and stick to 1.8’s. You’ll be amazed at how much faster you go! 😆

1.8 Panaracer XC’s on a Five is just wrong.

Specialized “Purgatory’s” here.

Ben I’ve got a pair of 2.4 Conti X-King Black Chilli Protections that are part worn that i’m clearing out for my brother. I’ve got a pretty much brand new Rubber Queen in the same flavour that i’ve got to clear as well. Drop us an email if you’re interested in giving them a go.

Same dilema here,

Went for single ply DHF minion 42a front, single ply High roller folding 60a rear. This is what orange fit on the five am.

I’ve got the same tyre but dual ply for the alps.

“Skywalker – Member
1.8 Panaracer XC’s on a Five is just wrong.
POSTED 22 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST”

Only if you put them on the wrong way! 😆
Seriously though, you must try them! They are so much faster and smoother than all that sticky heavy weight rubbish! You won’t look back after you’ve tried them, I promise! I was amazed.

I was giving him the benefit of the doubt for a while but now too clearly a troll.

But anyway- to the OP, still need to know what you’ll do with it. Especially since it’s a Five and so all things to all people. Might be fast tyres would be best, might be dualplies, we don’t know.

My safe bet is de-knobbled 2.35 stick-e Nevegal on the front and 2.3 Eskar on the back, fairly draggy and not massively tough but that’ll let me go anywhere I go and do anything I do, without ever thinking much about tyres. But there’s obviously better combinations for specific circumstances, even leaving aside personal taste.

As you like the ADvantage 2.25s then I’d stick with them. If you aren’t running tubeless then that’s a nice upgrade for minimal cost.

Fat Albert on the front and Nobby Nic on the back for me (Five). I quite like them but then I’m no aficionado, I got them almost new for a reasonable price on the classifieds.

I’d also avoid the sticky compound stuff unless you’re using uplifts. I got some fat and sticky Minion DHs for a trip to Spain, they were fantastic on the downs but by christ it was hard work on the long ups. Blazingly hot tarmac on some of the road climbs combined with soft and hot rubber didn’t do me any favours! Plus they wear faster.

Only if you put them on the wrong way!
Seriously though, you must try them! They are so much faster and smoother than all that sticky heavy weight rubbish! You won’t look back after you’ve tried them, I promise! I was amazed.

I have tried them, back in the 90’s.

I was giving him the benefit of the doubt for a while but now too clearly a troll.

Me or him ^?

OP – I was planning on riding today but had to settle for a run instead, too much to do today. I will let you know on Sunday though.