Love the fire xc pros not fash but solid and I trust them lbs and a lot of press and people on he love them but I'm a bit worried the side Walls may be a bit soft in the lakes Wales etc.
I'm currently running Nics and find them a much, much better allround tyre than the Fire XC Pro. A lot of people do complain about Nics having soft sidewalls, but I've never torn one myself. Pretty sure they do a Snakeskin version with reinforced sidewalls though if you're worried. That said, at about £35-40 Nics are about twice the price, so if you like the Panaracers then why bother changing?
I find fire xc's awful. I could feel the sidewalls collapse when cornering and felt generally squirmy. Didn't clear mud well at all either. I'd like to think that I was just riding them real hard, but I wasn't. Nobby nics have been fine, as have all the maxxis tyres I've used. High rollers are probably my favourites.
I ran Fire XC Pros for a couple of years and thought they were fine. I ended up switching to Bonty Jones ACX because the Fire XC Pros were ripping valves off my inner tubes, and discovered that actually they *weren't* that great as all-rounders for me.
So if you can find some cheap (check out on-one for starters), I'd give the Nobby Nics a try. Certainly a couple of years ago it sounded like the sidewalls were made of cheese (and not even hard cheese, we're talking mozarella), but it does seem that they've improved since.
I got a double defence and a regular nobby nic in the one one sale.
The sidewall on the double defence snakeskin is VERY stiff, almost like a runflat tyre!
Havn't riddnen them in anger yet.
Had no problem with my snakeskin NN's.
yip snakeskin nobby nic here too and at only £23 each from on one they are much better value than the fire xc pro
I ran a 2.25 NN Evo on the front tubeless for most of last year and apart from some thorns which the sealant dealt with had no issues - that was some pretty rocky stuff in the Lakes, Dales etc
never had any problems running NN's in the Peaks
Pair of 2.25 snakeskin nobby nics £50 at merlin just now, got some yesterday, seem well solid but still about 580g on the kitchen sales which isn't bad.
Ive been running some fat Intense 404 monsters which have given me some real confidence in both corners and rocky terrain.
Had to put the Panaracers back on for a few weeks and they've knocked me for 6. squirming everywhere.... Im sure this is my lack of skill as many of my friends love them, but I've a pair of Nobby Nics EVO coming on Thursday so am dying to give them the benefit of the doubt. Bring on my Friday ride in the Lakes 🙂
I have a pair of 2.25 NN evo running tubless on Crests. A really all round grippy and lightish tyre that I love using but one side wall split on second ride and fixed with a patch but after 6 months was gettting worse so replaced. The other is fine after 9 months. I think that if I rode in very slate / rough rocks type of area I would go for something a bit more hefty.
Thanks all on one have made a sale!!