[Closed] Lightweight fat tyre

I've heard nothing but horror stories on here about Mountain Kings, particularly if used on the front. The word 'treacherous' comes to mind.

Schwalbe Nobby Nics, or Rocket Rons, or Racing Ralphs on the other hand are very well thought of (provided you don't have a penchant for attacking your sidewalls with razors 😉 ). I know the Nobby Nics, at least, come in 2.5" size.

Oh yes, sorry, forgot to add - the Schwalbe tyres will be [i]lighter[/i] than the Mountain Kings too!

According to Schwalbe UK website, largest width for NNs is 2.4" or in ETRTO terms 62-559.

What have you got on the rear wheel?

ive got one of these waiting for when it dries out a bit (awaits washout summer 🙄 ) [url= http://www.bike-discount.de/shop/k371/a40738/x-king-24-protection.html ]continental Xking[/url]

Forgot to mention the Muddy Mary, which is 2.5"

currently got Bonty Mud X all round, but usually run Schwalbe Racing Ralphs or Smart Sams.

Will look at the Nics.

Cheers all

racing ralph 2.4 awesome tyre.

Take a look at WTB Weirwolf LT 2.55" - huge volume. Maybe wait until it gets a little drier, though.

I've got some oldish 2.4 WTB Mutanoraptors on the Inbred at the moment which come up pretty large, and although the tread doesn't look that big they seem to find traction really well and have worked in mud surprisingly well. They have also handled being run tubeless without any issues.

I've heard nothing but horror stories on here about Mountain Kings, particularly if used on the front. The word 'treacherous' comes to mind.

Can't see any threads saying that?

Running the 'expensive version' MKs 2.4 front and back, no problems. Feel planted.

Maybe it's the cheap versions that aren't as good?

Tyres are a funny thing, opinions get handed about and become 'fact' too easily. The Nobby Nicks get a bad press over at MTBR for wet rocks and roots, but again, is this based on fact or on someone falling over on a wet root one day, then moaning about it in a forum? What tyre won't skip on a wet root! Studded?!?!?

the Schwalbe tyres will be lighter than the Mountain Kings too!

A little, but not much, tyre to tyre variation will be greater:

Mountain King 2.4 ProTection - 670g
Nobby Nic 2.40 TRIPLE B-SK - 645g

The new Mutanoraptors were measured with the Maxxis ruler 🙁 2.4 is more or less a 2.2.

I've no idea where you'd find one but I've got a singleply 2.5 Nevegal DTC on the rigid, which I've never seen in a catalogue. 600-and-a-bit grams for a genuine 2.5, rolls quickish... Not the grippiest though and a bit unstable but it's pretty ideal for my purposes.

Once that wears out I doubt I'll be able to replace it so I'm thinking probably a Rubber Queen, or the new Mountain King if it's as big. Rubber queen isn't exactly light but it's decent, rolls quick for its size, grips OK. Didn't like it for the big bike but it'd be a great rigid tyre.

Old Mountain King isn't very good even in black chili. Nor very big.

Oh.

7hz - Member

Mountain King 2.4 ProTection - 670g
Nobby Nic 2.40 TRIPLE B-SK - 645g

Not a fair comparison though as the Nic is bigger than the MK. My NN 2.25 is bigger than my MK 2.4 was I think.

Mountain King 2.4 supersonic is pretty good on the front but the Rubber Queen is better when it comes to ragging it!

Have a look at Bonty XR4 2.35. Superb tyre and pretty voluminous.

I'm back to a 2.2 MK and love it on the back with a High roller on the front, my mate also runs 2.4 MK's and loves them although he does run them soft and he is a super decender. The new MK's look good also but dont know when they are coming out

no_eyed_deer - Member

I've heard nothing but horror stories on here about Mountain Kings, particularly if used on the front. The word 'treacherous' comes to mind.

That's strange, I find it to be a great tyre even in poverty spec el-cheapo rubber.

I previously had a High Roller and then a DHF on the front, and to be honest the MK is a revelation in comparison.

Maybe there is a bit less grip when at the limit, but it's grip available at all angles rather than just leant right over, and also a predictable break away rather than just grip-grip-grip-[i]OHSHIIIIiii[/i]...

I didn't realise you could get Racing Ralphs in 2.4" - and they are half price at On-One at the moment - although the payment site isn't working at the mo.

Will give them a go seeing as we are (hopefully) heading out of winter now!

i used to run specialised eskars 2.35 found loads of grip in the dry not as good as the NN in the wet and faster rolling than the NN. there light but the sidewalls rip easily

Can't see any threads saying that?

People were actually [i]giving[/i] them away on here about a year ago. IIRC the feedback suggested that they gripped ok, until faced with anything vaguely shiny, then they went sideways rapidly. Wet rocks, etc... but I also remember some guy complaining that his MK had slipped away suddenly on trail centre chicken wire - you know, the stuff that's supposed to help tyres grip? 🙂

Anywas, I love Shwalbe tyres..

Oh looky.. I just found THAT mountain king thread, here it is:

[url= http://http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/mountain-king-tyresmm ]http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/mountain-king-tyresmm[/url]

Weirdly this chap on the thread seems to have had the opposite experience of me:

TheSwede - Member
No feel of when they're going to let go. Just grip grip grip, and on your face. We all don't mind the back flailing around a bit right, but not the front. I hear the black chilli ones are good but with such a poorly designed knob profile I'm not guna try them. Unless they're free.

Maybe their grip is affected a lot by the rim width or pressure or something.

I think the bad Mountain Kings where the first ones, the Black Chili compound is quite a bit better. I gave mine away too, and felt they where lethal, but it was not made with Black Chili (and I have not tried those).

I had Rubber Queens with Black Chili, and that tire is huge (2.4"). My only real problem with it was that using lower pressures it had a tendency to fold under (With a Flow rim, so not narrow). Went to Schwalbe which handled lower pressures far better, but triple nano had worse traction and Gooey Gluey better (but terrible rolling resistance).

Now I have Schwalbes with the 2011 compounts. Big Betties with Trailstar compound roll very well and have better traction then the RQ did, so very close to perfect IMO. A friend got the 2011 Nobby Nics (Pacestar compound) and raves about them (he did not like the previous ones). I would imagine the new Fat Alberts (trailstar front, pacestar back) would probably be a great balance between size, rolling resistance and traction.

I think Schwalbe is on track... Continental makes comparison a bit harder since they just mention "Black Chili", but each tire actually uses a different rubber durometer.

www.mtbtires.com has heaps of info.

When the trails dry stick some 2.35 SmallBlock8's on it. Despite their looks they offer plenty of grip. Also genuine sizing on Kendas.
Having just sold some Mountain Kings I seriously wouldnt buy them again, I thought them positively dangerous, squirming all over the place. Running some s/h Bonty Jones ACX's on my 29er now. I really like them. Lovely tyres. If buying again I'd probably go back to the DTC Nevegal/Stickee Blue Groove combo. They really are excellent all rounders, & the 2.35 is a real-life 2.35.

For a left field choice have a look at the Panaracer Rampage 2.35. Comes up pretty big and is very light. Really rated it, lots of grip and very fast rolling. Surprisingly good in the wet despite not very deep lugs. My only criticism was that it would pinch flat a bit too easily on big rocky descents, but perhaps just needed more air than heavier, thicker tyres

For a left field choice have a look at the Panaracer Rampage 2.35.

I've wondered about these. They looks a lot like Nevegals, have you ridden them as well to compare?

Oh, and I second SB8s or Fat Alberts for big volume, fast rolling, light-ish combination.

Also got a Weirwolf LT 2.55 in the garage to go on later this year.

2.35 Larsen TT is fairly chunky and weighs in at 620g for the folding ones...

Probably only a summer tyre though...

There is no such thing as consensus on tyres, especially on here.....

In my experience on a rigid bike and a hardtail bike:

2.4 MK black chilli are good tyres for what they do - high volume fast rolling tyre for XC on soft terrain (grass, light mud, sandy soil, loam, etc) where there is a surface to bit in to. They work very well here in Hexham / Cheviots. Gravel or very hard packed terrain (fireroads) not so great, neither is rock. They do need to be run at lower pressures than conti say to work well and seal up nicely tubeless. The non BC versions are useless though.

Racing ralph 2.4 also a good high volume XC tyre but for different terrain (dryer, strangely work well for looser trails, hardpack soil, don't like grass esp. when wet) and also work tubeless, but again need to be run at lower pressures to work well. In fact the MK is my winter rigid front tyre and the RR my rigid summer front.

Neither work well for wet tree roots!

Horses for courses, riding the wrong tyre with the wrong style in the wrong terrain will always lead you to think the tyre is rubbish (if you have as much pride as me)!

And I do sometimes think tyre choice on here seems to be dictated by fashion/mags rather than local terrain, leading to "tyre X is rubbish" without the qualifying statement of what/where/how it was used. 😉