Hi All,
I’m after some new tyres after some hairy moments on my Nobby Nics, anyone got any reccomendations??….I’m tempted by the conti x-king Racesport at the mo….

Really depends on what sort of riding you’re doing

I used to run Super Tacky 2.35 Minions F&R which we’re great for cornering and slippy stuff but the rolling resistance was crap. They suited trail centre riding but I suffered with them on longer xc rides.

They really didn’t suit trail centre riding either.^^

On the main bike, currently I’ve got a Kenda Nevegal 2.35 stick-e on the front, with some of the knobs cut off so that it can cope with mud. And on the back a Slant 6 2.1, which is fast but surprisingly grippy. My default option for 3/4s of the year, this, I can do any sort of riding I want on it. Not that fast, but not terribly draggy, never feel like they’re badly out of their depth. Though, not the best at anything either tbh.

Yay! ^^

🙂

Swampthings… It is summer after all.

Check out the Geax mud tyres at On One, look ace for this years summer as you cant get Swampthings any more. (i dont think you can in XC sizes anyhow)

I totally recomnmended a Nevegal in the last tyre thread too- just for you GW 😉 Haven’t found a better front allrounder for me yet, but I keep looking.

I’ve used quite a few different tyres, but I think I can honestly say the stock Bontrager XR4’s 2.2 on my Trek have been great in all conditions and terrains. They may not roll as fast as some others but as an all round tyre they have been great.

Will invest in another set again especially as they are not that expensive compared to some others.

XR4’s.

I’d love too see how you ride NW

Like a granny.

Get a room! 😉

I like Ralphs or Rons as a ‘general condition’ tyre, but suggest you won’t if you don’t like Nics! Not rocky round here, so don’t do much of that.

Been impressed with Spesh Captains previously.

Maxxis Minion DHFs!

Cheers guys!…I’ll look into those. I’m defo having a break from schwalbe’s for a while after falling out of love with the Nics and splitting a Ralph on it’s second ride!

Rocket Rons, and i can blame them when i have an off (like yesretday :lol:)

Rubber Queen 2.2 UST front, X-King 2.4 Protection rear, both black chili and tubeless. Front grips and tracks and doesn’t drag too badly, rear drifts controllably and has enough traction uphill whilst rolling fast. Obviously nothing’s perfect but I’m liking this particular balance of compromises for my riding.

Farmer John Nephews. Going back to the old school so I can appreciate the new.

Conti RQ tubeless 2.2 front and rear after dumping both Rocket Ron’s and High Rollers.I found the RR a bit sketchy in fast corners and I didnt get on with the HR gap between middle and side knobbies.

The RQ were a bit of a pain to set up (leaky sidewalls).
Fair enough though, after a few emails, Conti sent me a new set.

I don’t ride trail centers, just mountains and natural trails.
These have been the best tires I,ve tried to date.

I am always in search of the perfect middle ground tyre and thought the X King might be the one. I have a 2.2 and I like it but it is a bit on the narrow / small side, a bit bigger and it could be the holy grail.

I might get a 2.4 and shift the 2.2 to the back.

On the 456 SS I’ve got a 2.35 Minion on the front and a 2.5 Nevegal on the back

On the Reign X I’ve got a 2.5 dual ply Minion on the front and a 2.5 dual ply High Roller on the back

Why the hate for the nevegal? Quite like mine and I ride reasonably hard.

I love mine. Originally had 2.35 Stick-E front and rear. Bought 2.5s in the On One sale and they’re awesome, though too big for the front.

Super Tacky 2.35 Minions F&R for me. I never ride for longer than about 3 hrs, so the drag doesn’t bother me. I find them very grippy and predictable.

Nobby Nics front n rear for me, I’ve never tried anything else tbh, better the devil you know and I seem to get on with them. I’ll be tempted to try something different next time though.

XR4s but the old type were much grippier. They both roll fast and keep my face off the floor so I like them.

Thinking of trying Minions fronts on both ends next, a mate says they’re great.

Hardtail- ardent 2.4 front, crossmark 2.1 rear….for everything.
Full suss for pedaling- advantage front and rear
Full suss for dh- high roller dual ply front and rear.
Full suss dh wet- swampies 🙂

lot of guys around here like the navagal

Why the hate for the nevegal? Quite like mine and I ride reasonably hard.

They’re alright but they’re not especially good. There are far worse tyres out there, but they’re not the grippiest in any conditions, they slide a bit early for many people’s liking (though in their defence they’re very predictable), and they are sloooooooooooooooooow!!!

I like Ralphs or Rons as a ‘general condition’ tyre, but suggest you won’t if you don’t like Nics!

Just goes to show how different people’s expectations are of tyres. A Racing Ralph is grippier than it looks like it should be, granted, but not by much… Fast though!

I’ve used quite a few different tyres, but I think I can honestly say the stock Bontrager XR4’s 2.2 on my Trek have been great in all conditions and terrains. They may not roll as fast as some others but as an all round tyre they have been great.

Tried to like my XR4’s, but just couldn’t… This is the older version, not the newer tread pattern, but found they weren’t as good as the ACX’s they replaced in Bonty’s line up, and though they rolled ok, they just didn’t really bite all that well. Bit like a Nevegal but faster, and with less grip.

Super Tacky 2.35 Minions F&R for me.

Loadsa grip I’m sure, but you’d be fine with a 60a on the rear, trust me… You’d also notice a hell of a lot less drag whilst you’re on the bike!

Anyway… Currently running a UST 2.2″ Rubber Queen on the back of my full sus, and a 2.25″ Michelin Wildrock’r up front. The Michelin is sort of inbetween a High Roller and a Minion in terms of tread pattern, and it’s a big 2.25. I like it, but then it’s not so great on rocks compared to some tyres (but then most of my trails aren’t rocky). The Rubber Queen is excellent of course, only downside is it isn’t as quick as some, but it works well on any terrain I’ve found, and front or rear.

On the Hardtail, currently got 2.25″ Nobby Nic and Racing Ralph combo, cos I got them V cheap and wanted to try them out see what the fuss was about. To be honest, they’re OK, but they cost me less than £35 for the pair new. Would be very upset if I’d paid RRP or close.

If I could only ever buy one tyre again, providing I could afford them, it would be 2.2″ Black Chilli Rubber Queens. Easily the best multi purpose tyre out there at the mo, but by god they’re expensive!

Stuck a nevegal 2.35 DTC on the rear after splitting my NN and I needed something quickly for a long w/e in Wales – Nevegal was the only suitable tyre available.
Noticeably tougher sidewalls than the NN evo. A bit heavier and I can hear them buzzing on tarmac, but its on my AM bike and I’m not so fussed for the 3hr rides. It grips well and didnt rip on the rocks. I have found it doesnt hold air well though (running them tubeless on flows). Air leaks through the sides near the bead, but I can live with that as its just a pump up each ride or 2.
Front is Fat Albert snakeskin (2.4?). I like it. corners well and is tough and cheap at on-one.

Mountain kings 2.4 and 2.2 seem like fast allrounders. Cheap wire ones on the SS and more expensive folding ones on my FS.

I spent the “summer” on xc race tyres on my full suss but got tired of the sketchiness after a while – they were faster though while I was racing.

dry tyres schwalbe smart sam 2.1s and conti explorer 2.0s on the other bike

mud tyres BontiMudX 2.0s and 1.8s on the other.

what’s with the fat tyres you lot are on then.. 2.3s, 2.4s and even 2.5s ??

Conti Vert Pro 🙂

Cheifgrooveguru- I’m liking the sound of that setup, I wanna give the black chilli a try after riding the Brighton Big Dog roots on the Nics…

Uwe-r – yeah I’ve read they come up small, I currently use 2.2 Nics so would go for 2.4’s me thinks

I’ll also check out the XR4’s, coolest named tyre on the market IMO so it’s gotta be good?!

Specialized Eskar Control 2.3 on both my Pitch and the OH’s Camber – though I liked the The Captain 2.0s she had on hers before that, really nice all-rounder.

X King on the front and Race King Black Chilli on the back (both 2.2) for most riding around Afan and other bits around S. Wales and FoD. This seems a really good combo, fast and grippy and only sticky mud has caused problems.

Minion DH for steeper stuff, seems good but I haven’t had that much time on these.

purgatory controls

Conti Sport Contact.

On the road bike Speah Turbo (the red ones).

MTB Maxxis Ardent and Crossmark.