I’ve given the stock tyres on my Zesty a good chance but it’s time to get my wallet out and change both of them.

The Conti Race King 2.2 on the rear has been mostly good in these recent dry conditions, fast rolling, and great on the dry rocks and roots, but it locks up under braking too easily in the gravel and dusty tracks and I know it will be no good as soon as some rail falls.

The Conti Mountain King 2.4 on the front is mostly awful. It’s useless in the loose stuff, washes out on corners, locks up under braking, completely the opposite of confidence inspiring.

The bike has felt very sluggish and hard work across open moor, on the grass, this could be the tyres or could it just be the large profile of the tyres?

I don’t want anything too skinny as the bike suits a larger tyre. I’ve been looking at the Maxxis Advantage 2.25 60a just because I’ve seen them on offer but does anyone have any advice or recommendations?

Cheers,

Bucko

I have had this quandary for ages and recently gone for Nobby Nics (Front & Back) at 2.25 size.

So far 3 rides on Dartmoor, in dry & wet conditions and it’s all good, although – if I’m honest they are not quite as good in ‘deep’ boggy stuff, but they’re ‘ok’.

PS: Out again tomorrow, so will have an even better idea! 😀

Can’t stand mountain/race kings on the front. To be fair up on dartmoor you can pretty much use anything else. I used to use spesh enduro on the front or fire xc and never had any problems.

Which side of Dartmoor do you ride West or East?

I mainly ride the West side & in the Winter I run Kenda Nevgals F&R or Trailrakers on the rear if its really muddy. My Summer set up is Speed King on front & Racing Ralph or Crossmark on rear. I’m not a hardcore XC balls out type of rider though.

Richey Z-Max used to be my choice of tires on Dartmoor.

Been using Advantage 2.25 60a front and back for a year now, seem fine on Most Dartmoor trails, lightweight[ish] AND high volume and fast rolling enough.
They seem better on anything pedally than the draggy Nevegals one of my friends runs.
Where are they on offer? I ask as the sidewall gave up on my worn out rear at the weekend and would like a replacement.

spesh captains all year round for me….get new ones in winter and they’ll be bald (faster rolling) by the summer, this gives the perfect tyre for dartmoor for the cheapskate.

I do similar to Carl and buy whatever is on special offer for under a tenner in the Autumn/Winter.. and wear them down in time for summer..

At the moment that’s a stickE 2.1 nev up front and a dual compound nev out back.. they are draggy though.. but they wear slow
Was that you I saw hanging around the at the North East edge of Yarner Woods fiddling with your iPod on tuesday about lunchtime Bucko..?

Itheisinger – I have considered Nobbly Nics, they look good. I saw a chap out riding with his son whilst doing Stepping Stones last week, he had the, on his hardtail and they caught my eye.

Crispy – I’ve only really ridden east Dartmoor so far, the furthest west i’ve been is the Dartmeet ‘Stepping Stones’ loop.

Julioflo – Looks like i was wrong, it’s only the 70a with wire bead on offer:

http://www.nextdaytyres.com/Tyres/Maxxis/Advantage.aspx?ID=360

Yunki, yes that was me. I think i was having a well earned rest after getting lost around Lustleigh and Houndtor wood, followed by the road section that you were coasting down

HT – Kenda nevegals Fr & Larsen TT for speed Rr + FS – advantages.

Bucko, just checked your linked and it dawned on me – £30 for an MTB tyre??!! What is the world coming to?!

£23 would’ve been better but i agree it’s still expensive when you compare it to car tyres

Are all these posts real?

i was having a well earned rest after getting lost

ahh well.. it’s a lovely part of the moor to got lost.. I’ll try and stop to say hello next time I see you..

second vote for spesh captain at the moment, and I like spesh storms in the winter

Bonty FR3 at the mo, just had a fantastic couple of rides on Dartmoor.

hamishthecat – Member

Are all these posts real?

yeah, whenever i go on Dartmoor there’s no one else there. These people must all be imagining what their tyres would be like up there.

fwiw i am a serial tyre switcher, and in 8 years riding up there in all seasons, I have only found a couple of tyres that weren’t just fine. (trailrakers and those terrible specialized roll-x iirc). Basically if its dry or gritty you’ll be reet, and if you get to a boggy bit it will be rubbish whatever you ride.

afaict 90% of the riders on Dartmoor are on the same three routes. If you go off piste, you get some space…

I can’t be faffed with tyre changes and am pretty much running Bonty Mud Xs on the SS all year at the moment… despite the name they’re also pretty good in the dry and float through boggy stuff pretty well….I’m new to the area but they seem to be holding up pretty well on Exmoor / Dartmoor so far.

Looks like i’ll just get whatever takes my fancy then, i’m definitely changing from what i’ve got though.

Cheers for the comments, maybe i’ll see some of you out and about.

Bucko