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Just popped a set of these on, following the direction arrow. The front looks wrong way though, with outer knobs chevroned with front wider than rear. Am I right ? Rotation arrows don't suggest running front and rear opposite ways round. Ta
the ones I tried didn't really grip so running them backwards might help (can't get any worse)
Many people run these in the opposite direction, i just run one on the rear in its printed direction.
Shindiggy, thanks. I put them front and back, to see how they compare to Purgatory's. First ride on them today and seemed of, front just looks 'wrong' 🙂
I'd direct them to the bin
Chuck 'em - useless in anything resembling slime or mud. I'd rather have a Racing Ralph on the front.
Wow, lots of negative views ! So which direction? Although I do think I prefer the purgatorys 🙂
I'd rather have a Racing Ralph on the front.
I replaced a worn out Racing Ralph with a new Nobby Nic and reached the same conclusion. Sketchy tyres! The RR were more predictable in the wet.
The only direction these tyres need to go towards is the skip. Worst tyres i have ever run. 🙁
Just for balance I like the one I run up front on my 26 hardtail (pacestar evorun tubeless). Seems predictable and well balanced to me, but then I tend to run the fastest rolling tyres I can get away. As an XC tyre (which is what it is) I rate them - most of my riding is woody/rooty with little rock. I run it in the direction proposed on the tyre wall.
Funny how some people get on with tyres and others don't, I haven't had an issue with them myself...or maybe I haven't experienced the fantastic tyres you guys are on.
I always put all my tyres on backwards, really just to annoy other riders......
Okay as a rear tyre - centre blocks hoof you up quickly.
I am finding mine a bit sketchy in the wet. No good in mud. Clear quite well mind.
I think Schwalbe make better tyres. The Hans Dampf are awesome in the dry, for instance.
AJT
Been running a pair of the cheap 'Performance' compound version for a couple of months - £18.00 each from Germany, damn good value.
Just back from a week in Wensleydale & they were fine - no moments on wet roots & rock, gripped fine on sopping wet rocky climbs.
Fine round Calderdale in mixed conditions too.
Not the most confidence inspiring, not a lot of 'feel' but the grip is there.
Awful in mud though (clog very quickly and don't seem to clear very well) and draggy on all surface.
They also seem very dependant on tyre pressures - there's quite a narrow window where they feel comfy & still grip without risking snakebites.
However, I've just checked and realised I'm running them the 'wrong' way round!
They recommended direction seems to be at odds with a lot of recent designs.
Ah well, I'll try them the 'right' way round & see how it goes. 😀
Still prefer XR4's, Ignitors, Purgs and Smorgs, but they are very good value.
No issues at all with the cheaper 'Performance' compound, despite many warnings of impending doom from many on here.
Mind you, I utterly despise High Rollers and other flatter tyres with a pronounced gap between centre and side tread, so fully understand why some people don't like 'em.
I run as directed and the expensive version front and rear. Makes sense on the front when you think about how little you actually turn the bars at speed.
1500 miles on the front and 1000 on the back. Still running but well worn now.
Excellent where I am in the dry. Fine at trail centres.
Get by in the winter but wouldn't buy them as winter tyres.
YMMV
Some like them others don't...I've used one as my front winter tyre for the last 5-6 years.
Old Nobby Nics had reverse direction marks- rear was supposed to go the opposite way round from the front. New ones I think are both supposed to go in the same direction. I reckon they're limited, shortlived and expensive no matter what direction they point.
Hmmm, purgatory's are back on for now as more grippy.
well I really like Nobby Nics as a front tyre.
and they do look the wrong way round on the front, but they aren't.
I agree with brakes on both points ^^
but back along i got lucky and bought a couple of ust 'evo'/triple compounds at 50% off, so rather hard to get on and off, a bit heavier i suppose but durable and sidewalls don't rip like the racier schwalbe tyres of yore, even at comedy lower pressures. They have worn pretty well and grip fine on the front; in our local mud and the quantocks, I find very little difference between my 2.1 triple compound NN on the front and a 2.0 mud x or a spesh captain in similar size. Never tried one on the back mind, always gone for lower profile tread.
So many hate them ands some love them 🙂 .
Back to the direction thing, those that do use them seem to go with the direction arrows even though the front 'looks wrong'. Ok, my question appeawres answered !
Yeah,run the right way round...even though it does look wrong........