For the past three years – come rain or shine I have ran with Nics front and back around Woburn. After seeing a number of different tyre threads (not tires!) and mumbling to myself that tyres didnt make that much difference I borrowed a Ralph (probably one of the cheaper ones) off my friend, put it on the back and gave it a whizz around a 20 minute loop. Well ***** me with a barge pole – almost 2 minutes faster! On the downside had developed a puncture on the Ralph after playing about afterwards and never had one with the nics.

Is there a more puncture resistant ralph or something equivalent?

I’ve been running ralphs for 2 years, with latex tubes. I’ve had one flat, and that wasn’t a puncture as such, the tube literally wore out.

You can get a snakeskin version with tougher sidewalls (slight weight penalty). Running them tubeless would obviously help with smaller punctures.

Does it really make that much difference over the nobby nics?

Rapid Robs. Same tread pattern as Ralph, but Kevlar type punc protection in built.

Does it really make that much difference over the nobby nics?

I was surprised at that as well. Time mostly lost on the climbs all according to Strava that is – so will have to test again.

Rapid Robs. Same tread pattern as Ralph, but Kevlar type punc protection in built.

Heavier carcass and cheaper compound too, Snakeskin Ralph is a better bet IMO.

yorkshire89 – Member
Does it really make that much difference over the nobby nics?

Oh yes. web pictures don’t quite do the knob size / lower profile justice – they are a very fast summer tyre and unlike SB8’s have a higher profile/better shaped shoulder knob you can really lean on – so you get dry cornering grib and decent rolling in one tyre.

+1 for snakeskin ralphs btw…..

are the only decent fast tyres from schwalbe? – they cant have a monopoly on this!

Maxxis have some nice fast tyres, Ardent, Aspen & Monorail all spring to mind.

Maxxis Ikon is a good equal to the Ralph, fast and grippy as. However lately i seem to puncture every other ride (normal dual compound version) with thorns…….mostly only when i get back to the car???.

I like them a lot and used to ride Ralphs prior, although didnt have too many punctures with the Ralphs from memory.

I’ve been running Double Defense Ralphs for the last few weeks and I’m impressed so far (£25 from on one).
I wanted something tougher than snakeskins as my last Nics both got punctures in the first few days use from sharp flints in the centre of the tyre that stans fluid wouldn’t seal.

I ran Nics for quite a while, then got a Gatestar compound Ralph ( snakeskin) for the back. It was instantly apparent that it gave more grip than the Nic ( I had to drop the front pressure to c.20 psi to balance the bike up). Got one for the front too – sorted. Great at fairly low pressures (26 f 30r typ.) off road, and blown up to 40psi ok for road transitions – did about 75 road miles yesterday (+16 off). But get the snakeskin. Good tyres IMO. They have started doing Nics in the Gatestar compound, but haven’t tried them. Yet.

Line your tyres with this

Conti Race Kings or X-Kings in ProTection (with Black Chili compound) is what you’re looking for.

chives – Member

I ran Nics for quite a while, then got a Gatestar compound Ralph

How’s it lasting? Was tempted but considering the lifespan of an old evo Nic, decided not to try something softer…

Racing Ralphs are a lightweight racing tyre – It will never be as robust as something that is not intended to be a lightweight racing tyre. I have Rapid Robs snakeskin’s on my hard tail, and have only had 1 puncture in two years, and that was because I had let some air out the previous ride and not pumped them back up again so got a pinch puncture.

+1 for Racing Ralph Double Defence – been running them during the summer for a few years now. Superb tyres.

Running a X-King Protection on the front and a RR DD on the back at the moment – seems like a good combo so far.

Northwind – currently just shy of 930 miles on them (on a hardtail); use them daily (mix of on/off road) & trail centre use (Haldon) which is quite flinty in places. The rear’s showing signs of wear in terms of tread depth but the front’s better, they’re both still looking pretty good.

Both showed early signs of tearing on the sidewall knobs, but it hasn’t got noticeably worse and nothings actually fallen/worn off.

Ze Germans have them for about £22 which also helps!

I’d never bother with double defence, they’re just heavy, and running tubeless I haven’t had a puncture for ages (pulled out plenty of blackthorns etc – Stans’ is the way forward IMO).

Another +1 for the Ralph Evo DD (snakeskin sidewall + thicker tread protection) carcass. On-One still have them for £25… Bargain!

Cool, cheers Chives

I’d want more than a single data point before I declared X to be faster than Y !

Frankly, riding round Woburn, I am often faster/slower depending how much time I spend on my face in a bush/tree/ditch (delete as appropriate) 🙂

I get to ride lots of bikes and they come with different tyres, over the years this has made me realise that tyre choice can transform the way a bike rides.

If you have your bike built with parts you are happy with and the set up suits you then you may think that is that as I did but if you have a ‘stable’ of tyres you can transform your bike in minutes.

I have a Bandit 29 ’12 which has 130mm travel at the back and 140mm 34s on the front.

With Rocket Rons front and back it flys on smooth dry trails and actually feels like I am being pushed along, I have NNs to for inbetweeny stuff, sometime just up front or both ends or out back with a HD up front, or HDs for DH duties.

I xc race with the RRs, trail centre abuse with the NNs and DH uplift with the HDs or blend them.

The difference when blatting my local 14 mile training loop with approx 1400ft climbing is around 7 minutes when comparing HDs to RRs.

There is around 200g difference per wheel too and i run them all tubeless, snakeskin at 20psi front and 24psi rear and I weigh 14st kitted… fat git I know…

I am waiting for RRs in Gatestar in 29er…. then I will be super happy.

I do love Conti Protection tyres too but I am a tart and will only have one manufactorer on the bike at any one time… sad but important.

For £30 i’d say to anyone get a fast rear tyre and be ready to be over the moon.