Thinking about getting these for the autumn and winter (tubeless ones). Any thoughts on what size? The bulk of riding I do is the likes of Glentress, Pentlands, Highlands etc, and planning to do the Puffer again next January. Nothing extreme, just the normal Scottish mud, rocks, mud, roots and mud.
Bike is a Genesis Altitude hardtail.
2.1 rear
2.25 front
Boxelder, that's pretty much the combination I'm thinking about.
I'd avoid the 2.1's, especially on the rear of a HT - I find them quite 'fragile', although the Schwalbe Rep. I spoke to said they are exactly the same construction as the 2.25/2.4's - not sure if the same for the UST ones.
As for doing the Puffer etc, I'd run the NN's through the autumn and then put on a pair of Mud X's - which are tubeless ready - for muddy/snowy conditions.
UST ones are much tougher
My UST NN wore out pretty fast on the back. (2.1)
I really like them for grip and weight, but running the normal ones tubeless with Stan's they do have weak sidewalls which cut up very easily. I haven't tried the UST or Snakeskin versions though.
I'm now moving to Maxxis.
Wouldn't put a NN on the front of my bike when there is a chance of slightly damp roots/rocks, or maybe I would if I fancied removing my front teeth 😀
Saying that though, I wouldn't put one on the rear - too fragile IMO.
Joking aside, I lasted 1 ride with a 2.25 UST NN on the front of my HT.
I've got a 2.25 UST NN on the front of my bike and I haven't had any problems at all on damp roots / rocks. It's a lot more grippy than I expected it to be. It was an absolute bugger to get on though!
[i]Joking aside, I lasted 1 ride with a 2.25 UST NN on the front of my HT.[/i]
Too much pressure
I've got 2.25 NN front on hardtail bike, seems to be ok on all terrain, even when muddy.
Maybe my version was a harder compound? - 27psi too high, not sure about that one. Im a stickler for tyre pressure.
I dont think anyone who I ride with (around 20 different people) would ride with a NN. For the conditions around where I live you wouldnt last 2 mins on steep techy damp trails. The only ride I did with them on was a standard mid week club ride. Forest trails/moorland & damp steep rooty cheeky paths. Within 2 mins, going up hill I had slipped on a off camber root! Never had any issues before, tyres are very subjective to an individuals riding style - I just don't get on with NN.
If i was more into XC/fire road trails then i'm sure they would be great 😀
I found them awesome. Squirmy, punctured all the time, made me lose all confidence in riding the bike, completely overrated. Yep, awesome.
[i]I dont think anyone who I ride with (around 20 different people) would ride with a NN. For the conditions around where I live you wouldnt last 2 mins on steep techy damp trails. The only ride I did with them on was a standard mid week club ride. Forest trails/moorland & damp steep rooty cheeky paths. Within 2 mins, going up hill I had slipped on a off camber root! Never had any issues before, tyres are very subjective to an individuals riding style - I just don't get on with NN.[/i]
What do you use instead then? There are quite a few rooty trails behind where I live, and not much fireroad (I'm glad to say).
Been riding NN's for 18 months and love em! Got snakeskin 2.25's with slimes on my ss and double defense on my HT. Very grippy I find
Coped very well all last winter on the ss (1 punture) riding 3-4 times a week on rooty trails and since the DD's went on for the summer only had 2 punctures running normal tubes. ps. hate punctures!
What do you use instead then?
Front tyre : Super tacky High rollers / DH compound Hutchinson Barracuda's / WTB Prowler MX all UST variants
Rear tyre : Usually stick to 60a compound High rollers or Ignitors but quite enjoyed having a 42a barracuda on the bigger bike for wet DH sections.
As for dry summer trails / spanish mountains, small block 8's or Larsen TT's are a good compromise for speed & grip but you need to feel confident with front wheel drifting.
Keep running a 2.1 on back and its a nightmare. They dont seem tough enough. Run them tubeless and the gave up and ran tubes. Constantly puncturing. Scott scale and struggling for space at rear- run a 2.25 on front and no issues, love it.
I've been running 2.25 front NN with a 2.1 rear RR all summer on my FS and love them, gonna put a 2.1 NN out back for winter. No problems on roots or rock for me
[i]but you need to feel confident with front wheel drifting[/i]
That rules them out for me then (-: