Ideal tyre for long technical trails on a hardtail

Looking to stick some new tyres of my Orange P7. I enjoy fairly long technical rides in the UK, so I’d like something that rolls well and isn’t too heavy, but provides plenty of traction and cushioning. I don’t mind a F/R combo.

I have narrowed down my choices down to:

– Continental Trail King/Rubber Queen 2.2 (apparently they come up pretty big)
– Maxxis High Roller 2.35 (too heavy?)
– Kenda Nevegal 2.35 (I’ve used these before and liked them, but they roll pretty slow)

Has anyone tried all three? Good choices? Anything else I should consider?

Cheers!

Hans Dampf Trailstar 2.35 front Pacestar rear. Brilliant in 29er format.

I use an RQ/TK 2.2 on the front and a MK2 2.2 on the rear – both Black Chilli flavour. Works well.
However I do find the MK is a bit fragile and prone to punctures.
All Conti tyres seem to suffer from thin sidewalls though.

I really like the 2.35 Nevegal- better still if you cut off every second transition knob as it stops them clogging up as bad and improves the cornering grip a little. Not fast but not so different from the others you mention (assuming supertacky highroller?)

Specialized’s Butcher Control is another one to consider- not as sticky as a supertacky so not quite as good on wet rocks etc, but ace in mud, a really great allrounder. Also not fast. If the rubber was just a wee bit stickier they’d be perfect

I used to run 2.4 Nobby Nics on my P7 2010 model ,ok for most trails not so good on wet rocky stuff but on the mountain with peat/loamy trails with loose rock they where fine,and set up tubless I could run them softer for more cush at the back and plenty of grip, rolled well also,

Coolbeanz – I have a brand new Trail King Protection 2.2 26″ Black Chilli German flavour in the ads at the moment 😉

Chunkey Monkey front and an Ardent rear – works well for everything except thick mud when the CM just seems to ‘float/slide’, before you fall off 🙂

cough splutter cough 😳

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/2-x-26-hans-dampf

Ardents are nice and tall.

Butcher on the front, ardent on the rear.

Just did a few lakes passes 2 weeks ago on Hans damps on my 2 souls QH, wouldn’t want anything else from a tyre

Ardents on my BFe 🙂 never had a problem

Best all round combo I’ve found for my BFe so far is Purgatory front, The Captain rear.

Purg front here with ground control rear on my 650b cotic soul

I’ve been running protection bc trail kings 2.2 tubeless on my soul for a year. Much better and more cushioning than the no by nics I ran before

My dialled alpines now has a hans dampf on the front a rock razor on the rear. Brilliant combo. Super Gravity on the back for sure.

I use ardents on my p7. For exactly the same riding.

Will replace like with like, they’re ace

I have ardents, nobby nics and purgatorys for my Soul for similar. For me, the purtgatorys win every time

I find the spesh casings too flimsy which is a shame as i liked the butcher/purg control combo, if they bring the control grid casings out i’d be keen to try them again. I hammered a 2.25 crossmark lust on the rear of my slackline all last summer paired with a st exo minion dhf up front (not had chance this summer yet as i’ve been stuck in the desert for the last few months). I think i’m on a lust ardent rear/hr2 exo front at the moment.
If you ride tech trails on a hardtail then you’re going to have to make the compromise between light and fast rolling and tough enough to get you through a ride puncture free. I’ve also contemplated Schwalbe’s rock razor in super gravity casing for the rear of my hardtail but i’ve simply got too many tyres to be buying more! I have the mavic enduro rear tyre on my fs and that’s great in the dry/lethal in the wet!

I’ve been running protection bc trail kings 2.2 tubeless on my soul for a year. Much better and more cushioning than the no by nics I ran before

Ceepers, what size nobby nics were you using? I’m thinking of replacing my 2.4 NNs on the rear with 2.4 trail kings, but if you think the 2.2 are more cushioned, will go for those.

Ardents or (even better grip) Bonty xr4 – they are ace tyres on my Sabderson. Roll ok, supple, grip well in most conditions, and don’t surf mud like Ardents do.

Another Ardent user for the rear tyre (LUST or EXO is recommended imo), but with a Conti Baron up front. Really, really love the Baron for grip and roll, but it could be a bit wider, which Conti seem to be sorting with the new one.

@obelix

I had 2.2 nobby nics, the 2.2 trail kings are taller and fatter. Tube less at low 20s psi has been a winner

I’ll be interested to see the new Baron projekt tyre, i’m hoping for a slightly higher volume and a tougher sidewall. I am a fan of the Baron but i’ve never come even close to wearing the tread down before the sidewalls have either worn through or cut.