Forum menu
Mud tyres all year!
Nothing like resitance training, eh?
Swap out to a RR in the summer and feel the wind in your hair again.
My Bonty Mud X was a pig to fit (2.0 front) but the ACX (2.2 rear) was much easier. As soon as it drys out, RR go back on again.
Really don't see the issue changing tyres twice a year, we do the same with the clocks and the central heating.
Can't be a £ issue, so what is it?
High Roller front, Ignitor-worn-almost-slick rear. Seem to work for most things most of the time, rear traction is for wimps...
ok... well I'm definately from the one pair of tyres, replace as they fall off school of thought...
I've just taken advantage of the on0one spesh offer on conti mountain kings 2.0
has anyone got anything to report about them..? (they arrive later today so they are going on anyway...)
I'm a 'wet season' and 'dry season changer'.
However, if I was forced to have one year round tyre, it would be something like a Bontrager Mud-X (My current winter tyre - they roll really well considering their mud performance, (but they do fall short in the thick sticky mud compared to say, Panaracer Trailrakers), or a Bontrager ACX which has a fairly open tread.
In reality, I prefer something a little faster in the summer, like a Maxxis ADvantage or a Kenda small block 8. I've yet to try anything from Schwalbe, but I do fancy trying some nobby nics or a racing ralph.
Nicks puncture too easily and they wear far too quickly, esp' up by the contact patch with the rim.
2 yrs with several of them and I've moved away as there are better tyres with far greater longevity at a similar price point or better.
I'm very impressed with Bonty tyres of late.
Fire XC Pro 2.1s all year round for me.
It's not so much that I can't be bothered to swap tyres over (although I can't really!) as that I don't really want to get into trying to see what's better when I think the enormous range of factors makes it very hard to tell if you've wasted your money or not.
Nobby Nic 2.1s. Amazing. Fast but grip. No mud tyre but good enough and predictable. This question will never have one answer though - everyone has their own opinion, which is why my bike is also different from yours!
Nevegal and Blue Groove @ 2.35 on the Alpine and 2.25 Cinders on the Soul has always worked for me. My riding ability is rubbish enough without having to factor in changing tyres for every type of terrain!
I'm of the fit and forget mentallity - WTB Veloceraptor's atm, mainly because I can't afford 2 or 3 different sets of tyres and the hassle aspect of changing them whenever I want to ride on the limited time I get.
Really like rubber queens, fast rolling and big volume. Recently tried Advantage 2.4 and really impressed with these too, both great tyres.
Just bought myself some Swampthings 2.3 SP for riding in really sloppy condition as the snow melts etc. Grip is incredible but like riding with chains on on the road.
Hutchinson Pythons virtually all year round, occasionally use Trailrakers if its really muddy and I can be bothered changing them. I don't think tyres make that much difference unless its really muddy. Its just kit obsession on the part of a lot of riders, plus its an easy excuse blaming tyres when really most of it is down to skill.
MrS.
Isn't this a rather odd burry-head-in-sand approach to bike kit?
The XC Pro is a sound general purpose tyre, but boy, are they draggy! YOu can even them them dragging.
Jim: The idea that you can afford to run a bike, riding kit, feeding, hydration, spares, servicing, any upgrades, replacement pads, lubrication, tools, accessories, replacement moving parts, esp' rear cassette, front ring(s), chains and all that jazz - but not own 2x sets of tyres is utter nonsence. FFS OnOne are selling theirs for a tenner.
Same camp as oldgit - Racing Ralph on both bikes all year... been surprised how well they have coped 😉 just started trying a rocket ron on the front...
I do like to change tyres mind for racing.. Between panaracer razors, nobby nics, trailrakers and above depending on conditions!
Dickbarton,
2.1 highrollers are different kettle of fish from the 2.35's to be honest. don't know hwy but the 2.1s are a bit sketchy, the 2.35's are grippy tastic, except in muddy mud - but swamp things are good for that;)
Chris
I was thinking of trying Rocket Rons next.
Someone else mention Conti verticals.
Absolutely amazing in the snow - nothing comes close.
Completely Unpredictable in the mud at speed - when others were just fine - it's the day you find this out by almost ending in the barbed wire, at speed, more than once that scared me!
+ THE most draggy tyre I've ever tried.
Trailrakers for really horrible mud - it's amazing what they can deal with.
Oldgit - Been quite impressed with the rocket ron..
come up a bit narrow but with the weather being so crap I have only been able to try them out in mud/wet at the moment...
Hutcheson Python 2.0 is the fastest dry weather xc tyre I've used but I've gone face first on slippery wood/roots on numerous occasions with this- and that's an instant loss of grip with no warning.
Using Racing Ralphs at the moment, but haven't/wouldn't take them through heavy mud. I expected these (RRs) to be faster than they are though.
Kenda Blue Groove are good offroad but hoover you onto tarmac. I went out with a friend who I'm usually faster than and couldn't get near him with these on (on the road). I actually had to stop and get off and check what the problem was- I though I had a flat.
Bonty ACX all year round on my Scandal. Never had a problem with them, never felt the need to get all 'Ti29er' on tyres - thats just strange.
If you are pressing down on your tyres with 250lbs, they will find grip 😀
Advantage 2.25" - the thinking man's Highroller 2.35 😉
Currently Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1s on my full suss, and Panaracer Trailraker 2.1 on my singlespeed (since it's intended to ride in mud, snow, muck etc where I can't be bothered cleaning/maintaining drivetrain, rear shock, etc). When the Fires wear out I'll probably go to Rampage 2.35s on that bike.
The ACX is an absolutely excellent tyre (I think they have stopped making them BTW). But too slow in the dry summer months when you're entering the likes of Bonty, Clic, SITS, Mayhem, Kielder, Meridas, etc - and all points in between.
Isn't this a rather odd burry-head-in-sand approach to bike kit?
The XC Pro is a sound general purpose tyre, but boy, are they draggy! YOu can even them them dragging.
What I meant was that if I get some, say, new forks I can tell reasonably objectively if they're an improvement or not, but with tyres they might actually be great but seem crap over a first couple of rides in one place in one set of conditions...
Actually I don't even know what I meant now. I was just making excuses for my tyre-changing laziness I think.
I have 2 or 3 sets per bike and 4 bikes. What have I become? The space they take up in the shed is no laughing matter either..
Some from my collection....
HRs 2.1s have no grip in the mud but are ace on hard summer trails. HRs 2.35 are too slow in the mud.
WTB Timberwolfs 2.3 grip in the mud like no tyre I have ever come across (even Trailrakers) and roll well too.
Bontrager Mud X 2.1 are great pretty much all year as are Maxxis Advantage 2.1. Panaracer Cinders also are a good all year choice.
Nevegal Tomac Stick-Es were the worse tyres I ever had - no grip in the bends and wore out in a few months (ooh...controversial)
I found I couldn't even get a dry season out of a Nevegal. Still, I suppose I get a semi-slick for the supper dry bits of the year.
Tried lots of tyres, quite like maxxis larsen TT for summer and stick 2.3 Conti Vert Pro's back on for winter months. Nevegals grip well, to well for me and wear really quickly. Fastest tyres I've ever used are the ones off my wife's hybrid Raleigh, semi slicks, no grip but boy do they fly!
Anybody tried Maxxis Aspens yet? The 2.25 seems like it could be a good all rounder.
[i]Bontrager Mud X, for all year round.
Not impressed though with the "tubeless ready" claim. I've tried, they've been a PITA tubeless, but that aside, run them with tubes and its my all-round tyre.
[/i]
You're having a laugh - have you never tried a decent summer tyre on dry trails - you can run a couple of gears higher, for no effort.
I'm running Mud X's at the moment on XM819's tubeless, no problems whatsoever - managed about 500 miles so far, and the sealant is still liquid (as I found out yesterday when pulling thorns out of them).
Maxxis Larsens work fine for me on the Quantocks, OK they're not perfect on wet squidgy grass but I can live with it. Here's an idea, pick a tyre, ride within its limitations and get on with your life!!!
I have 2.35 hard compound high rollers on all of my bikes all year round.
On my car, it's one-tyre-all-year.
On my m'bike it's similar-ish. Actually have 2 sets of wheels, one road tyre, one with slicks.
I guess because we don't have our own tyre changing facilities at home, whereas changing a mtn bike's 2x tyres is a 20 minute job, unless you're tubeless, or lazy 😉
As is stated earlier, you can gain an extra 2 gears in the dry months with a fast rolling tyre and still keep her sunny-side up out on the trails. This can really put a huge grin on your face and make some trails sections so much easier / quicker & your ability to overtake at least someone out there a distinct possibility!
Nobby Nics pretty much all year here.Might swap the rear to a Ralph if/when the ground dries out,but find the NN is a good all rounder particularly given the very mixed surfaces that I ride on.
Panaracer Fire XC Pro 2.1's on the long travel HT, some IRC balloons on the SS. I like the Fires, just what I'm used to and the IRCs? Just what I had lying around when I built it. 😉
Nobby Nics all year for me 2.25 very good in my opinion. No doubt someone will come along and say NN ....too expensive....they get punctures etc etc.
I have had no more punctures using them than i did than when i had Kenda Nevegals and WTB Motoraptors.
They roll well, grip well , not a mud tyre but still cope well in the sticky stuff. Pricey ...yes, but worth it for me as i really like them and if you look around they can be found for a reasonable price .
full susser - Rampage 2.35 all yr round
hard tail - 2.1 fire xc pro's for the 2 months of scottish summer, 2.1 trailrakers the other 10 months 🙂
Wish I could settle to a tyre. I like the Speed Kings, but they are far too puncture prone. NN's tend to shred too easily on the flints, and I haven't found them very good in deep mud (all we have round these parts, although did someone above say it was going to dry out this year?!).
Trying out an ACX but finding it heavy after the Speed Kings, but I suppose it would be.
May try some Ignitors in the summer - if it ever comes.....
Nonk, didnt think you had ignitors on last time I saw ! Whats that weird Rendez thing like ?
Small Block 8s
Always been a fit and forget one tyre all year type of rider. Due to cost, laziness and the fact that we seem to have the same conditions pretty much throughout the year in the Peaks albeit for perhaps one month here and one month there (last year was May/June, Sept/Oct for dry spells).
Been running 2.4 Conti MK Pros for the past 2 years and been happy with the speed, rolling resistance, wear, grip, predictability. Although I know that most people hate them.
Tried 2.35 Kenda BG/Nevegal combo for 2 weeks and hated them. So slow, so stiff, waaay too much grip for my liking.
Before that was Maxxis Advantage 2.25 for a year. OK, a lot slower than the Contis, ride felt stiff/harsh(?) seemed to grip and clear well in all conditions though.
I do like to run high pressures though hence harsh/stiff ride perhhaps??
I'm about to venture into the world of tyre purchasing again. Shortlist so far...
Schwalbe Nobby Nic Snakeskin 2.25
Schwalbe Fat Albert F & R Snakeskin 2.25
WTB Wierwolf 2.3
Maxxis HR 60a 2.35 F & Larsen TT 60a 2.35 R
..decisions, decisions..
Past favourites:
Fire XC Pros
Nevegals
In the shed to try:
Spesh Eskars
Geax Barros
But then, as with a lot of components, tyres follow the simple formula:
S=p(10-n)
Where S=satisfaction; p=price; n=number of months owned
for the last two and a bit years I have used nothing but Maxxis Larsen TTs on my 456. Snow,mud,dusty who cares.
Both F & R knottie8?
+1 for the Specialized The Captains.
Really really good all rounders if you're looking for something a bit less burly than high rollers. Possibly a bit dodgy in thick thick mud, and possibly a bit heavy for racing but very very good overall.
KoB oh yes f and r.
Nice!
Now tempted to go for the cheaper Maxxis option, especially as my rear MK probably has less grip than a Larsen at the mo.
Larsens are great for grip its just having the confidence to trust them. I have used them in 1.9 size on my singlespeed as winter tyres !