Bike came with mountain Kings, came straight off, got a dampf on the front which is mega, after a nobby nic for rear.

What’s the difference please?

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=83192

http://www.wiggle.com/schwalbe-nobby-nic-tubeless-snakeskin-folding-29er-tire/

The snakeskin ones are supposed to have extra puncture resistance.
Not sure if the extra cost is worth it though.

“Performance” are Schwalbe’s cheapo line, they use a cheaper, harder compound than those marked “Evo” or more recently “PaceStar/TrailStar/VertStar”

Snakeskin adds a level of puncture protection/cut resistance that’s very much worth having unless weight is your absolute priority

What Carax says, I get on great all over the UK with Snakeskin NN’s.

Try some german websites (ie bikediscount.de) or Merlin cycles for discounted tyres.

Thanks, I’m after better protection, but the cheaper ones on CRC say snakeskin too in the details, is that a misprint?

Maybe not rogan josh but the point is they are the Performance compound, hence the price.

Performance is hard, plasticky and therefore more slippery – they are the “budget” NN of the range and most people don’t choose to ride with them in my experience.

Ah ok great, well thanks all for the advice, I think I’ve always been quite blasé about tyre choice until I used better ones so ill get the good ones!

Thanks again

My Snakeskins punctured if you gave them a sharp look, so god knows what the standard ones are like… But if you’re partnering it with a Hans Dampf I’m assuuming it’s going to see some hard use so I’d say at the very least, snakeskin. But personally I wouldn’t go there again, mine were annoying while they lasted, and they didn’t last long enough.

‘Performance’ compound is all manner of poo poo. Avoid like the plague, even on the rear.. 😉

Shameless opportunism but I picked up a Snakeskin Nic for my Niner but its a bit too heavy for me. £20.
Pretty sure its the proper EVO one, as I wouldnt have bought the Perfomrmance ones. (Too hard).

The snakeskin reinforcement’s only on the sidewalls – I prefer snakeskin over the regular Evo carcass, as it doesn’t roll/squirm so much when run tubeless at low-ish pressures.

Typically, I slit my new NN on the crown, first time out! Easy fix once home but always carry a tube to actually get there!

Takisawa that’s gone over my head, you trying to sell me a nobby nic? Is it a 29er?

So is the general opinion of these to be pretty good? Need something good for the lakes and that will just stop me puncturing!!!!! What about a 2.2 ardent? Better?

Different sort of tyre to an ardent, Ardent is a great rear tyre though.

If it needs to be tough get it with the EXO carcass.

Have you thought about on-one smorgasbord for the rear, that is a maxxis exo carcass and only £15

No not looked at them, will do. I know the ardent is heavier, so is it gonna be more puncture resistant? Stronger sidewalls?

EXO is maxxis version of snakeskin

On-one tyres all use EXO

We are only talking about sidewall rock/pinchflat protection

If you want thorn protection go tubeless and use stans fluid to fix the holes!

My bike came with Nobby Nics. I’m not sure if it’s me or the tyres which are rubbish. Probably me.

I thought I’d give them time, but nope. They seem to be overly slippery in the wet (hence a head first into tree incident), and kind of scatty in the dry dust of current weather.

I’ve got a 2.25 performance on the front. works well, not noticed the slipperyness or the poo-poo ness yet!