At the moment I have the tyres that came with my Stumpjumper, Fast Trak on back and Captain on the front. I am running them tubeless. I have done 3 Gorrick races this year including the Enduro 100. I had to walk up the evil gravel climb on the enduro along with most people but feel I could have ridden it with more suitable tyres but it’s easy to write that now! Fast Trak is not a very knobbly tyre at all.

I am riding the Southern XC race at Wasing this weekend. Has anyone got any tips for some new tyres?

Thanks

Get some almost slick commuter tyres in 1.6 or 1.8, you’ll fly along faster than you can believe and you’ll wonder why you ever bothered with chunky tyres.

I suppose the obvious answer is racing ralphs.

Or rocket rons if you think the sidewalls will last on em for you.

Ralphs are certainly a good tyre, I personally prefer the Rons, lighter and grippier, happy to sacrifice durability personally.

A Ralph has more tread on the shoulders than a Fast Trak, so it’ll corner better, doesn’t really have much more in the middle, but they are lighter, so you should find them faster.

Tyres are so personal, but IMO a hill like that in the Gorrick was so loose that a nice light tyre is probably better than a really chunky one, a smooth pedal stroke will help. FWIW I cleared it 3/4 times with Rocket Rons and a 36t single ring and some wheel spinning. I was going to use Furious Freds, and whilst they’d have struggled elsewhere, I’m not sure they’d have made all that much difference on that particular climb.

Cheers for the replies. Sounds like Ralphs are well worth a try.
Impressed that you rode the climb. I can’t seem to transfer my road climbing abilities to off road at the moment. Maybe should have tried it in the middle ring.

I like Conti RaceKings, they’re very good on the back but a little “interesting” on the front. I know a shop that is knocking the SuperSonic version out very cheaply as well if you’re anywhere near the midlands.

I had to walk up the evil gravel climb on the enduro along with most people but feel I could have ridden it with more suitable tyres but it’s easy to write that now!

Towards the latter stages of the race, that hill was so cut up and loose I reckon that you’d struggle to get up it no matter what tyres you were running.

I’ve used Captains and Ralphs and while they’re both ok I much prefer Speed King Supersonics. Just as fast but more grip and lighter.