Viewing 29 posts - 1 through 29 (of 29 total)
  • Lack of confidence with the Nobbly Nic on the front – alternative?
  • plyphon
    Free Member

    Hello,

    I currently have a 2.1 NN Evo on the front and quite simply I have zero confidence after its given me a few nasty front wheel surprises recently.

    I am looking at this:
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=83001

    They seem a decent weight – how do they compare on the front? Are they a comparable tyre or am I in the wrong ballpark and need to be looking at a different model?

    I have XC717 rims – has anyone used the 2.4 size on these rims? If not I’ll stick to the 2.2!

    Cheers!

    buzz-lightyear
    Free Member

    A big phat Hand Dampf?

    maxtorque
    Full Member

    Sorry to be a downer, but generally a “lack of confidence” in one end of the bike or other is, imo, more likely a symptom of a lack of technique rather than tyre choice (although, of course a gross tyre miss-match can do this).

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    mikewsmith
    Free Member

    OK, having tried these ones on a demo bike and they are not the best but….. what happened in the moments perhaps you need to look more closely at what was going on.

    Failing that ardents work well, so do minions and Wet Screams.

    Depends on what you want from a tyre, what you plan to do with it, what bike your using it on, how you ride and how many letters in the day of the week.

    gonzy
    Free Member

    the nobby nic is quite a useless tyre for most UK riding conditions…you could try the maxxis ignitor or something similar…the continentals are good though if that’s your choice…
    all depends on what carcass size you’re willing to go to and, in somes cases, the tyre compound…

    shortcut
    Full Member

    Nics worked fine for me last winter. The cheap ones were a bit dodgy on rocks but the rest of the time no problems.

    retro83
    Free Member

    plyphon – Member

    Hello,

    I currently have a 2.1 NN Evo on the front and quite simply I have zero confidence after its given me a few nasty front wheel surprises recently.

    I am looking at this:
    http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=83001

    They seem a decent weight – how do they compare on the front? Are they a comparable tyre or am I in the wrong ballpark and need to be looking at a different model?

    I have XC717 rims – has anyone used the 2.4 size on these rims? If not I’ll stick to the 2.2!

    Cheers!

    It’s not clear from the description if those are black chilli or not, if they’re not then don’t bother with them. The cheap compound ones are not good.

    Garry_Lager
    Full Member

    Conti Rubber Queen 2.4 BC up front and you’ll be riding like a boss. You won’t find a more confidence-inspiring front tyre – can’t help on the rim compatibility though. Worth verifying as the 2.4 RQ is sizeable.

    The-Beard
    Full Member

    I find NN to be very pressure sensitive, hit the sweet spot and they roll pretty well. I do find they’re a bit floaty, but they do eventually hook up.

    FuzzyWuzzy
    Full Member

    Hans Dampf for sure, it’s like a bigger, grippier Nobby Nic and much more predictable when pushed hard IME

    Rorschach
    Free Member

    the nobby nic is quite a useless tyre for most UK riding conditions…you could try the maxxis ignitor or something similar…the continentals are good though if that’s your choice…
    all depends on what carcass size you’re willing to go to and, in somes cases, the tyre compound..

    That is quite probably the least helpful reply I’ve ever seen….and I should know ,I wrote most of the worst ones 😯

    buzz-lightyear
    Free Member

    I’m almost certain they are NOT BC compound.

    Look to pay £40+ for BC compound. I rode all the black/red at Brechfa with a non-BC back and front. Was OK mostly with care but found they really lacked sheer grip on rocks which made them a bit lively! This was confirmed when I did some skid tests of various tyres on the wet cobbles outside the house – the non-BCs let go with very little brake pressure. Replaced with a BC version on the front and it was night-and-day. If you are going to buy one of the cheap ones, I would only put it on the back, and then only in middling to soft conditions when it’s more about digging knobs and clearing mud than sheer grip.

    oscillatewildly
    Free Member

    stick your nobby nic on the back and put a hans dampf up front in trailstar – then tell me your not confident with the front end 😉

    bigyinn
    Free Member

    The Hans Dampf really is a very good grippy tyre in all conditions. Its probably overkill for summer conditions, but mines staying on!
    You can never have too much grip on the front!

    Northwind
    Full Member

    What do you actually want it to do? Hans Dampfs and Rubber Queens and such are good tyres but a bit gnar. A big change from a skinny XC tyre. If you want something similiar to what you have, except with less suck, then those are a bit of a red herring.

    maxtorque – Member

    Sorry to be a downer, but generally a “lack of confidence” in one end of the bike or other is, imo, more likely a symptom of a lack of technique rather than tyre choice

    Generally, aye. But once you add a 2.1 Nic into the mix all bets are off!

    gonzy
    Free Member

    That is quite probably the least helpful reply I’ve ever seen….and I should know ,I wrote most of the worst ones

    sorry to steal your thunder!! 😛

    plyphon
    Free Member

    Oh yeah I’m 100% certain its my technique that’s wrong other wise they wouldn’t sell the tyre if it plainly didn’t work at all for anyone!

    Bit of a viscous circle – no confidence to push myself thus no increase in technique and the result is me shitting myself every tight berm or at the sight of a pine cone.

    I’m not really concerned on summer vs winter tyres as where I ride is under a heavy canopy – it’s still boggy in places in the height of summer.

    Based on the response here I’m going to give the Hans Dampf a go and keep the NN’s for the rear – I actually love them on the rear they excel at climbing.

    fuzzhead
    Free Member

    Conti Rubber Queen 2.4 BC up front and you’ll be riding like a boss. You won’t find a more confidence-inspiring front tyre

    +1

    FuzzyWuzzy
    Full Member

    You will, it’s called a Hans Dampf :p I switched from RQ’s to them, although admittedly there’s very little in it

    Trimix
    Free Member

    I tried some Nobby Nics, left me pretty scared round Cwn Carn. Went back to a super-sticky Minnion up front, HR rear. Back to my normal level of confidence.

    It was not technique, it was a tyre that suited my riding style.

    retro83
    Free Member

    Trimix – Member

    I tried some Nobby Nics, left me pretty scared round Cwn Carn. Went back to a super-sticky Minnion up front, HR rear. Back to my normal level of confidence.

    It was not technique, it was a tyre that suited my riding style.

    In fairness though it’s never going to be much cop against a super tacky DH tyre 🙂

    superfli
    Free Member

    Fat Albert is a bigger version of the NN. I used to use NN rear and FA front (now Crossmark rear). You can often get snakeskin versions of the FA pretty cheap at on-one. Seem pretty good to me.

    6079smithw
    Free Member

    Oh yeah I’m 100% certain its my technique that’s wrong other wise they wouldn’t sell the tyre if it plainly didn’t work at all for anyone!

    Bit of a viscous circle – no confidence to push myself thus no increase in technique and the result is me shitting myself every tight berm or at the sight of a pine cone. Try fitting a longer stem.

    jonba
    Free Member

    Fit the fatter nic? You will get the 2.25 on the 717. I have run 2.4 with no issue. NICs are good tyres for general riding.

    Also I get on well with the mk2 mountainking. Everybody says they are rubbish without the black chilli but I find them as good as any other tyre.

    Generally a fatter tyre at the front with a slightly lower pressure will make you feel like you have more grip.

    wobbliscott
    Free Member

    NN works fine for me on the front. It’s the more expensive variety, but had the cheaper one upfront delivered with my new bike before I transferred my HD over, and it was ok too, but I’ve transferred the cheaper NN over to the front of my hardtail at that still rides fine too. Perfect for uk riding and a very versatile tyre for all weather and all seasons. I ride over a huge variety of terrain with no adverse affects due to the tyre (plenty from the rider though). Schwalbe make excellent tyres so don’t blame them. I’m sure there are probably are better out there, but that’s not to say Schwalbe ones are not any good. This ain’t F1 at the end of the day and dealing with low grip, and varying grip in varying conditions is the bigger part of what it’s all about.

    Kryton57
    Full Member

    NN worked fine for me in SE dry forest, Chilterns, Afan (picked up a downhill KOM on my NN shod asr 5), the peaks and even SE winter mud.

    They are pressure sensitive, I run mine tubeless 28F 30R and they do wear quickly on rocks and road, and snakeskins prevent sidewall tears.

    Other than that the biggest comments missing from most of the these tire threads is as follows:

    A) mud/dirt/rocks consistency is different all over this country so you can’t just state “they don’t work in mud” etc. it’s a ridiculous generalisation often ignored.

    B) tyres are subject to your rising style. I get on with mine but as I’m not a “leaner” or “carver” of a bike I don’t get on with tyres that have a large transition between centre and edge. My point being that I could bang on about High Rollers being rubbish – but they aren’t, they just don’t suit my style.

    So the combo of terrain and style is important to factor in.

    Op, the thing with a NN is to let it settle into a corner – the outer will bite but there is a momentary pause before it does which can be off putting if you are not used to it. That said if you can’t get used to it try something else.

    Scienceofficer
    Free Member

    NN’s are quite round in profile and that means they will move and settle when the edges are worked. Some folk prefer this to the ‘grip then let go’ attributes of a squarer section tyre, but I just find that it gives a twitchy, unsettled feeling that I don’t like on a front tyre. Squarer section for me please!

    I found the NN’s had a carcass that was a bit to light duty as well, and I kept tearing them.

    woody74
    Full Member

    Totally agree that they are pressure sensitive. When I first got them on my Scott they scared the bejesus out of me. Get the pressure right and they are great and fast. When tyres don’t grip the normal thing to do is let pressure out but with NN I found it best to increase the pressure. I always like High Rollers and for some reason Specialized tyres, especially the old ones I always find to be very confident. Personally I find tyres to be a real personal choice and more to do with your mental confidence with them. Once it has gone its really hard to trust tyres every again, well thats me anyway.

    ononeorange
    Full Member

    I have found that Nobby Nics are woeful in Chilterns mud as they slide sideways. However, agree with the comments on pressure sensitivity abnove – I accidentally rode last winter with one that had leaked a bit and it was far better, so continuing to try with them.

Viewing 29 posts - 1 through 29 (of 29 total)

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