Have had Schwalbe Nobby Nics and Racing Ralphs – very disappointed with the paper thin sidewalls which didn't seem to last very long.

Have also had Maxxis Advantage – seemed OK but not excitingly brilliant. Minions, High Rollers too heavy for a 'trail' bike (Turner 5 Spot) that needs to do fast singletrack, climbing as well as descending.

I want the impossible – exceptional cornering grip, with low rolling resistance, and low weight.

What should I get?

conti rubber queens.

I find the small block 8 works well on the back, and a nevegal on the front. Go 2.35 as the area seems hard on tyres

More or less anytyre at the mo, and for quite a few months to come I hope – trails are dry and loamy. I think way too much is made of low rolling resistance personally – I like durability, grip, decent price, low weight, good volume – and then rolling resistance might come into the list.

Anyhow – I've not long put a Specialized Purgatory on the front (got a Conti MK on the back) and so far I really like it. Only £20 too.

I ride there all the time. I've used Race Kings, Verticals, Mountain Kings, High Rollers, Specialized Enduro Pros.

They were all fine but the verticals were best in the winter.

My mates use Fire XC's and High Rollers and don't have any issues either, vitually any half decent tyre will work there but there is the odd wet root.

I use MK 2.4's and have no grip issues at all. Frankly I don't get tyres, 13 quid for Mk's and I'm happy as larry.

Its fairly dusty there if its not raining, so anything should work, I went for a set of worn down mud tyres (specialized storm pro 2.0). Only gripe is I wished I'd gone for a wider tyre, the riding is pretty fast so small roots and braking bumps soon make you suffer on narrow tyres pumped up hard.

I run 2.25 Rocket Rons all year round & never had a problem – run them tubeless as well so it I can use lower tyre pressures..So far so good & no problem with the tyre walls either..

Specialized "Purgatory"…

Minions, High Rollers too heavy for a 'trail' bike (Turner 5 Spot) that needs to do fast singletrack, climbing as well as descending.

I realise it's all relative but I really don't think 2.35 high rollers are too heavy for any of that.

Larsen on the back, and NN on the front

…seriously, the Surrey Hills are one place where quite retrotastic kit works really well, in that it's generally quite light and offers low rolling resistance in a package that will deal quite happily with loamy, sandy soil, occasional muddy puddles and summer hardpack.

I recommend the following, (in as thin a size as you dare go!):

IRC Mythos, no longer made, so available only if you persevere on 'net!

Almost anything works fine most of the time. I run kenda nec and blue groove, fire xc's, anything else I have around. No issues!

do people really worry this much about tyres?

High rollers are fine for a trail bike. I've ran 2.35 kevlar single ply high rollers for a couple of years now, love them! Find them very good at Surrey too!

Pick a set and get confident on them!

As above really, you'll get away with anything on the Surrey Hills!

I'm on a Rocket Ron/Furious Fred combo at the moment, which is more than enough.

What on earth did you find to cut tyres on up there?! I've never cut a sidewall, and I've used Schwalbe tyres almost exclusively for years.

I've used Nobby nics with their thin sidewalls on the Surrey hills in all weathers for the last four years, with no problems.