I know i know, another 'what tyres' question.
We're off to Morzine in 6 weeks and i was wondering what rubber to take. I've just fitted Nobby Nic 2.25's to the Bionicon, taking off the Maxxis High Roller due to the insane weight of 1.15kg EACH !!!! My bike is already fairly heavy as it stands.
We're there for 3 days riding and are just average blokes, i don't see us lobbing ourselves down the DH at any real speed etc.
Nics a decent choice or a terrible one ?
Ideally i want to keep the weight down if possible.
Tbh I'd stick with the high rollers
Just use what your used to. To avoid the chance of a pinch flat put a bit more air in them.
Unless your a DH champ I would not worry too much.
I took some proper DH tyres and DH inner tubes, I couldnt lift the front wheel ! This year Im just using normal tyres with perhaps a bit more air in the rear tyre.
Nics are ok, I didn't have a problem with the double defence ones. I used conti barrons last year and they were good and will last this years trip too.
I think the high rollers were good tyres though they will only just last a week before they are bald, which was fine when they were cheap but the twin ply's have gone up in price a fair bit, so i'd rather a tyre that I'll get a bit more life out of.
why are you so keen to keep weight down on a largely lift-assisted alps visit? I personally hate HRs, I used Minion DHs all year around after originally getting them for an alpine trip years ago. For the alps I use dual ply supertackys which are heavy (similar to your HRs which I guess are dual ply then?) and draggy on hard stuff but grip like snot.
Assuming you havent gone tubeless if you run lighter tyres you'll forever be fixing pinchflats, I'd rather run heavier tyres than have flats ruining the flow every 10 minutes (or have to run them at 60psi).
And given youre spending cash on an alpine holiday, who cares how long the tyres last as long as they get you through the holiday? Seems a strange priority given all your other costs. I will be riding D/P S/T Minion DHs in Verbier this summer; if they are bald when I come home fair enough, I want a week of hooning around fabulous mountains with grippy, trustworthy, puncture resistant tyres. Performance trumps economy; if your finances are that marginal have one less beer per night.
If youve got HRs and like em, use em, if they are D/P S/T they make more sense out there than here.
Fair points mate, but i expect not ALL our riding will be uplift will it ? In all honesty, i have no idea as we've not been there yet/before.
The HR's are Dual Ply yes.
I don't care about the money, if you/people say "don't run the Nobby Nics, it's a crap idea".. then i'm cool with that... i'll run/buy whatever i need/is best. Finances don't play a factor.
I won't be running tubless no.
p.s i don't have the HR's LOL... i sold them on here.... hahahahaaha.
However, i can easily buy another pair....
i expect not ALL our riding will be uplift will it
Didn't do the PPDS when we were out there (though rode bits of it) but over a week I would say that 98% of the riding we did was downhill. The other 2% came from wee little rises to get to the top of tracks from the lift or riding from the chalet to the lift and back.
You COULD pedal up lots if you wanted, but for me the lifts are just too tempting...
Not got a clue about Nobby Nics but you'll not be doing too much riding up hill i can can tell you. from Morzine you can lift it right up to the top of punchure alley without riding up too much.
I'd go with the toughest tyres you can get, on the three times i've been HR's seem to be the tyre of choice and are dirt cheap too 🙂
I guess selling the HR's was a mistake then lol.
Thanks all. I guess i'll be on CRC later.
To be honest, if you're happy with the tyres you have now then just use them. i ran some old Bonty Jones AC's when i last went and they were more than up to the job....not one flat.
i'd use the money to buy yourself a few sets of brake pads and maybe even a bleed kit for your boiled brakes
as for buying some HR's? you say you're going in 6 weeks time so maybe CRC isn't the best place to use 😉
Used DD Nics no problem out there, but i did more XC then DH - wish i'd taken mud x too
I've got 4 sets of pads for the K24's and also taking a spare set of M445's and several sets of pads... so not too worried about brakes 🙂
I did the Passportes last year on double wall High Rollers but I'm going to get a Super Tacky Minion for the front for this year.
Passportes is pretty early in the season and it was a bit wet and cooler in parts of the "course" and I felt lacking in grip in places.
There's very little up where you'd be worried about the extra weight (you may be cursing me for that on the annoying bit of road out of Chatel 🙄 )
Been there for at least a week a year for 8yrs. Even the XC stuff is lift assisted to get you up into the mountains so you will descend FAR more than you climb even if you're not thinking of it as a DH holiday.
Brake pads last prett well as they get up to proper operating temps and work properly, unlike in the UK where they might be cold and full of mud.
In 3 days you will barely scratch the surface and will still be improving your skills and speed. I could (and have on longer trips) spend 3 days in Pre Le Joux aka chatel bike park...